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1/72 - McDD (R)F-4C/D/J/E/EJ Phantom II by Finemolds - (R)F-4C/D/E/EJ & J released - new boxings F4D & E in March 2024


Homebee

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Hello Gene, James and fellows interested in this 301st Sqdn " Blue Bird"

 

Without wanting to be 100% categorical, in view of a good hundred photos and several Japanese videos, it seems to me that the stars are black. If they are not black (which I doubt) they are at least an almost black gray. It seems that the rendering of black changes depending on the exposure to light, going from black in black to aluminum gray. I have attached a photo where the stars appear black on the fuselage, while the leading edge of the wings seem aluminum, while they are actually black.
The rendering of the Fine Molds decals sheet does not seem to be unanimous among the various manufacturers. I'm waiting to see Zoukei Moura's decal sheet who will decide whether to buy or not ...
The variations in the rendering of black are clearly visible on the photos representing the aircraft on the ground, in the hands of maintenance. Note that the rendering of the black of the canopy frame seems to be in unison with the rendering of the stars. The stars present on the strips of the additional wing tanks leave no room for doubt.

The ideal would be to get the information via the squadron, but Japan is so far away in these Covid times!

Have a nice modelling confinement ( Silver or Black 😉) and above all keep safe.

 

Madcop

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7 hours ago, madcop said:

Without wanting to be 100% categorical, in view of a good hundred photos and several Japanese videos, it seems to me that the stars are black.

 

OK, last one (I promise) ...  you seem to be convinced, but isn't it hard to rationalize  away this one:  :wink:

 

ZEhCjmm.jpg

 

Gene K

 

 

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Agree with you Gene, that's the reason why I put the 8th and 10th picture. For me , (and it looks like it's only for me), the tonal value of the black changes with lightning conditions. You can see different hue of black on picture 4 , 6 and especially on pic.10, where the black of the canopy framing is changing together with the colour of the star. 

 

I still wonder who could clarify this ...the Japanese painter in charge of this aircraft ? 

 

Have a nice day.😄

 

Madcop

 

P.S.  What would we say about this one...?

 

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Hi iainpeden

For what I know, read and see on various sources the frog has a black face and a yellow scarf with BLACK ( 😉 ) stars.

The face turns green only in frightening conditions !

Madcop. 

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On 11/23/2020 at 6:00 AM, madcop said:

For what I know, read and see on various sources the frog has a black face and a yellow scarf with BLACK ( 😉 ) stars.

 

Are you sure? Under certain lighting conditions, the prototype frog ... :rolleyes:

 

y0Nlp8Y.jpg

 

 

The Frog Phantom will ship before the Star Phantom according to FM:

 

Quote

the 1/72 F-4EJ Kai Last Flight Memorial "Yellow" = Shipped on

December 8 F-4EJ Kai Last Flight Commemorative "Blue" = Shipped on December 15 

 

Gene K

Edited by Gene K
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Hi Gene ,

 

Thanks for this touch of humour that brings a liitle fun in these grey days...

This blue bird is turning me mad.  I'd like to ask the guy who painted the aircraft what kind of black or silver he used for the stars......,

Madcop

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Interesting with those stars Madacp, some compelling pictures there for the black team, I wonder if they could have been re painted/applied at some stage?

8th pic down in particular still looks silvery to me, oh the joys of photo interpretation.

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6 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Interesting with those stars Madacp, some compelling pictures there for the black team, I wonder if they could have been re painted/applied at some stage?

8th pic down in particular still looks silvery to me, oh the joys of photo interpretation.

 

I am no more 100% convinced . There must be a trick somewhere, and you could as well be right. Paint touch up or not , or picture touch up or not these are the questions. !😀

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  • Homebee changed the title to 1/72 - McDD (R)F-4E/EJ Phantom II by Finemolds - F-4EJ released - next RF-4EJ in early 2021
2 hours ago, CharlieGolf2009 said:

Good morning. There are already several sellers on eBay with the F-4EJ Kai model, but although it seems wonderful the price is just way too high (at least for myself). 🙁

 

Guess I'll have to stick by Hasegawa's.  

 

I just went to see: you're right, some prices of these e-bay sellers are dissuasive 🥺
Hasegawa kits are getting cheap on the side.

I wonder if ordering directly from Japanese shops ( not e-bay ) would be cheaper ?

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1 hour ago, Zorglub said:

 

I just went to see: you're right, some prices of these e-bay sellers are dissuasive 🥺
Hasegawa kits are getting cheap on the side.

I wonder if ordering directly from Japanese shops ( not e-bay ) would be cheaper ?

 

I know the level of detail of the Hasegawa might not be as impressive as that of the FM kit, but if Hasegawa prices are high than Fine Molds' are stratospheric! 

 

However, I'm quite pleased with my Hasegawa's RF-4E, RF-4EJ and F-4EJ Kai "Phantom Phorever" that I recently bought. 🙂 

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1 hour ago, CharlieGolf2009 said:

 ...  if Hasegawa prices are high than Fine Molds' are stratospheric! 

 

My thought is that the first FM issues of the F-4EJ and -EJKai are currently in short supply because FM moved on to the commemorative kits that are due out in early and mid December ... so high ebay prices are likely folks taking advantage of the shortage.  Nothing new on ebay, of course.

 

Looking forward, FM has an ambitious schedule for the first three months of 2021, so  reissues of the original -EJ and EJKai kits could be delayed. If you are interested in the next issues  of FM Phantoms, grab them early!

 

(ALL above is speculation on my part).

 

 I wonder if ordering directly from Japanese shops ( not e-bay ) would be cheaper ?

 

In general, the prices in Japan for the FM and Hasegawa Phantoms are not that far apart -- about $4USD higher for Hasegawa as illustrated here.   That small difference is more than worth it, in my opinion, given the features in the FM kit that are so much over and above the Hasegawa, for example the interior, the spine, and the intakes to name a few.

 

Unfortunately COVID has made shipping from Japan very (!) expensive, so if you are intent on saving a few dollars, you'd be better off getting Hasegawa kits closer to home.

 

Gene K

(A BIG Hasegawa 1/72 Phantom lover)

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8 hours ago, Gene K said:

 

My thought is that the first FM issues of the F-4EJ and -EJKai are currently in short supply because FM moved on to the commemorative kits that are due out in early and mid December ... so high ebay prices are likely folks taking advantage of the shortage.  Nothing new on ebay, of course.

My local hobby shop here in Japan had a pretty large stack of the F-4EJ Kai's when I went the weekend after release, but those were all quickly sold. No sign of any more on subsequent visits, I think your hypothesis is probably a pretty good one.

8 hours ago, Gene K said:

In general, the prices in Japan for the FM and Hasegawa Phantoms are not that far apart -- about $4USD higher for Hasegawa as illustrated here.   That small difference is more than worth it, in my opinion, given the features in the FM kit that are so much over and above the Hasegawa, for example the interior, the spine, and the intakes to name a few.

 

Gene K

(A BIG Hasegawa 1/72 Phantom lover)

This matches with the street prices I'm seeing at the local hobby shops as well.

 

I've build a number of Hasegawa Phantoms over the years, and I'm very familiar with where I have to pay attention, and what areas need work. Building the FM F-4EJ Kai right now, i don't have that advantage, and I'd finding those things out right now. For that reason, it's making some things a bit more "difficult." I think that FM is a far better kit and I will be picking up the RF-4EJ and 8 Squadron boxings in the spring.

 

Cheers,

Hoops

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12 hours ago, Hoops said:

I think that FM is a far better kit and I will be picking up the RF-4EJ and 8 Squadron boxings in the spring.

 

There's one of each already on eBay, but their price is still too salty for my taste unfortunately. ☹️

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33 minutes ago, CharlieGolf2009 said:

Still, the price's a bit too salty for my taste.

 

I'm not sure you will find a lower price so soon after initial release. There is only so much room from the whole-sale price they can cut and still make a profit. A seller is not going to lose money so you can enjoy the kit.

 

This is starting to go off topic.

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2 hours ago, baldwin8 said:

 

I'm not sure you will find a lower price so soon after initial release. There is only so much room from the whole-sale price they can cut and still make a profit. A seller is not going to lose money so you can enjoy the kit.

 

This is starting to go off topic.

 

I'm sorry, I was only stating my personal opinion... I guess I'm still free to do that, right? 🙄

 

Don't worry, I'll refrain myself from any further comments. 

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17 hours ago, CharlieGolf2009 said:

I'll refrain myself from any further comments. 

 

Please don't do that. You are obviously another Phantom Fan, so hang around and share your opinions, insights, and  conclusions!

 

 

FineMolds has posted full size 1/72 drawings that show the slime light positions  -- get them by clicking on the link below. Here's the accompanying  Google Chrome translation:

 

Nov 28



New product NA15 1/72 scale nano Aviation rearview mirror panel light set for the working machine of next week around the sale Http: // Finemolds.Co.Jp/NC/NC15.Html for reference of the mounting position of the Company made 1 We have prepared an actual size drawing of the panel light part of the / 72F-4EJ Kai. You can download it for free from the product page at the above URL! Please use it!

 

 

 Gene K

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19 hours ago, CharlieGolf2009 said:

Don't worry, I'll refrain myself from any further comments. 

 

I will apologize for my comments. It is not my place to dictate to anyone how they feel or should feel about our great hobby.

 

Craig

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On 11/24/2020 at 10:29 PM, 71chally said:

Interesting with those stars Madacp, some compelling pictures there for the black team, I wonder if they could have been re painted/applied at some stage?

8th pic down in particular still looks silvery to me, oh the joys of photo interpretation.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10725960

 

2nd pic.

 

My guess is that someone must have complained that the grey stars didn't really stand out against the blue background. So the Japanese airmen were put to work to make them black.

Edited by Jackman
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19 hours ago, CharlieGolf2009 said:

 

I'm sorry, I was only stating my personal opinion... I guess I'm still free to do that, right? 🙄

 

Don't worry, I'll refrain myself from any further comments. 

It is fine to state opinions and you do not have to feel so affronted by someone else's.

 

For us folks not in Japan, Fine Molds is usually more expensive than other brands.  And it indeed looks like many Ebay sellers bought up 20 kits of the new F-4EJ and are selling them for a lot more now.  I really want my hands on this kit too, but there is no way i'm going to pay double just to have it a few months sooner.  Be patient, Fine Molds knows that they have a winner, they will keep making this kit (see their Bf-109G/K series).

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3 hours ago, ruudster said:

Can you build a regular EJ from the RF-4EJ boxing?

From the photos, the RF-4EJ boxing appears it will have all the sprues from the F-4EJkai boxing.

Hence the need to include the earlier radome on the RF-4EJ sprues, as the RFs didn't have the kai's radome with the extra strips / ribs.

  

     Jonathan.

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On 29/11/2020 at 13:53, Gene K said:

 

Please don't do that. You are obviously another Phantom Fan, so hang around and share your opinions, insights, and  conclusions!

 

On 29/11/2020 at 15:35, baldwin8 said:

 

I will apologize for my comments. It is not my place to dictate to anyone how they feel or should feel about our great hobby.

 

Craig

 

On 29/11/2020 at 15:52, ruudster said:

It is fine to state opinions and you do not have to feel so affronted by someone else's.

 

For us folks not in Japan, Fine Molds is usually more expensive than other brands.  And it indeed looks like many Ebay sellers bought up 20 kits of the new F-4EJ and are selling them for a lot more now.  I really want my hands on this kit too, but there is no way i'm going to pay double just to have it a few months sooner.  Be patient, Fine Molds knows that they have a winner, they will keep making this kit (see their Bf-109G/K series).

 

Thanks guys! Everything cleared now, and indeed I did got carried away there too as well. Being new here I still don't know very much about the ROE's, so I apologize for that.

Meanwhile, where to begin? Decisions, decisions... 😀
(Sorry for the OT)

 

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