1/72 fujimi RAF Phantom which one?

[Robertone139]

Do any of the boxes of the FGR.2 or F-4M match the quality of the FGR.1 with the art flying by the oil rig?

[iainpeden]

I like the FGR.2 boxing with the 56 sqn a/c up in the clouds, but the oil rig one is pretty good too.

[Robert]

The quality is the same.

 

Regards

Robert

[71chally]

My favourite Fujimi Phantom boxtop was the Black Mike issue.

 

Regarding the contents, they are essentially the same, though the the first couple of issues in the late 1980s had less options like the open airbrakes and auxiliary air doors.

All fine kits.

[theplasticsurgeon]

1 hour ago, Robertone139 said:

Do any of the boxes of the FGR.2 or F-4M match the quality of the FGR.1 with the art flying by the oil rig?

Ooh, I hope not.  Mine was short shot alongside the cockpit.

Seriously, I think that was a one-off, and hasn't put me off acquiring this Shark-Teeth F-4M Phantom.

I've just checked the quality of parts, it looks superb.

[Robertone139]

4 minutes ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Ooh, I hope not.  Mine was short shot alongside the cockpit.

Seriously, I think that was a one-off, and hasn't put me off acquiring this Shark-Teeth F-4M Phantom.

I've just checked the quality of parts, it looks superb.

Sorry to hear about the short shot.

I was referring to the detail, including the positionable airbrakes, detail cockpit consolles and panels  and separate flaps.

[theplasticsurgeon]

3 hours ago, Robertone139 said:

I was referring to the detail, including the positionable airbrakes, detail cockpit consolles and panels  and separate flaps.

All appear to have the same cockpit parts and detail.  Only my FAA kit had separate flaps, and airbrakes - and wheels and rubber tyres (not used)

I think it was once called Royal Collection.

The only ones showing separate flaps are:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/fujimi-72168-fgr2-alcock-and-brown--211423

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/fujimi-72167-british-phantom-fg1--1022771

Good luck finding them

 

I've built two Fujimi Spey-tooms far.

Sadly this one doesn't have drooped slats.

[Tiger331]

The first issue FG.1 (with the 892 NAS jet about to launch) and the FGR.2 shown above (with the 56 Sqn 'Firebird') had 'straight' wings (i.e. no separate flaps) and fairly basic one-piece exhaust nozzles. IIRC the two 'royal collection' kits had the same parts but included those awful plastic vinyl tyres and white metal hubs. The later issue kits (including the aforementioned 892 NAS jet overflying the rig) and the second issue AD Grey FGR.2 had the modified wings (with separate flaps) and new two-part exhaust nozzles which were much better than the original. IIRC they also did some improvements to the internal detail underneath the auxiliary intake doors (on the rear fuselage). Although the box art was awful (poorly reproduced photographs) my favourite re-issues were the two Limited Edition kits, including the 111 Sqn special which contained Cartograf standard decal sheets.     

[Des]

2 hours ago, Robertone139 said:

Do any of the boxes of the FGR.2 or F-4M match the quality of the FGR.1 with the art flying by the oil rig?

No such UK Phantom variant as the FGR.1 , was the FG.1 as flown by the Royal Navy  along with 43(F) Squadron RAF from the start and later joined by 111(F) Squadron once the Navy relinquished their aircraft.

 

Standard kits shared the same parts with the exception of the stores loads and nose undercarriage legs.     The F-4K / FG.1 had both short and extended nose legs and what amounted to an Air Defence weapons load with 4 x each of AIM-9 and launch rails and Skyflash along with 2 x underwing and 1 x centreline droptank and a centreline cannon pod.      On the other hand the F-4M / FGR.2 only had the standard nose leg along with 4 x Skyflash , 2 x underwing droptanks , centreline EMI Recce Pod , 2 x TER , 4 x Rocket Pods , 1 x Strike Camera.

 

There are other minor differences between the two variants which were not addressed in the kits but again there were details included which proved beyond the abilities of Airfix some 40 years later.

 

Both variants were released with different boxings for the early rounded fin and later square RWR fin and as mentioned there were the 'Royal Collection' kits with some additional parts and metal undercarriage etc.

 

 

[71chally]

46 minutes ago, Tiger331 said:

...but included those awful plastic vinyl tyres and white metal hubs.

I prefer them, a lot easier to paint the wheels, then fit the tyres.

 

I did a list here somewhere with the box numbers and what was included, but darned if I can find it.

 

Yellow Birds boxing is another nice box art.

 

Let's test my memory,

Ark Royal, Yellow Bird, Shark Teeth and Firebirds were the initial and more basic FG.1 and FGR.2 boxing's.

Raspberry Ripple and Alcock & Brown were the Royal Edition FG.1 and FGR 2 kits with extra parts, and introduced the new mouldings with separate flaps, airbrakes air auxiliary air does and exhaust cans that would be on all the following kits.

Then followed the new Yellow Birds and Fire Birds FG.1 and FGR.2, Black Mike, Treble 1, Bye Bye Blue and Last British Phantom FG.1s and FGR.2s.

And lastly the much more recent Silver Jubilee FG.1.

 

Has to be said that it's probably my favourite plastic kit.

[Dave Swindell]

The Fujimi British Phantoms are all based on a single tooling.

All F-4K/FG.1 boxings differ from F-4M/FGR2 boxings in that gated off sections provide the different tailplane, nose wheel leg and armament options appropriate for the mark.

The first release kits coded H6/H7/H8/H9 didn't have the underwing airbrakes or auxilliary air intakes and the exhaust nozzles were single piece parts with a rudimentary representation of the nozzle.

After this release the tooling was modified to provide the airbrakes, auxilliary air intakes and much improved 2 part exhaust nozzles, all subsequent issues have these parts as standard.

The Royal Collection issues have additional undercarriage and ejection seat parts in white metal plus P/E parts for the cockpit and canopy, and the 25th Aniversary FG1 has an additional sprue with the doppler nose unique to this aircraft.

[Hook]

The Fujimi Spey Phantoms are indeed great kits, to be picked up whenever spotted.

 

One thing the Airfix kit improves on it, though: the Fujimi EMI recce pod is rather undersized.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[arbrownra]

It's worth bearing in mind that Italeri have reissued the Fujimi FG.1 kit so its widely available in the UK again and for a reasonable price (albeit they also label it as an F-4M)...

[71chally]

7 hours ago, Hook said:

One thing the Airfix kit improves on it, though: the Fujimi EMI recce pod is rather undersized.

Andre

Indeed, throw it away, I used the Matchbox one, back in the days before Airfix Phantoms!

[Billy54]

On 7/14/2020 at 7:56 AM, 71chally said:

I prefer them, a lot easier to paint the wheels, then fit the tyres.

 

I did a list here somewhere with the box numbers and what was included, but darned if I can find it.

 

Has to be said that it's probably my favourite plastic kit.

I agree with you on the ease of the wheel/tyres painting and fitting and yes they are very nice kits.

 

If you find that list please let me know.

[TEZ]

The earlier editions also had incorrectly positioned upper auxiliary doors...