What chance of Italeri releasing the FGR2?

[Rich51]

With the Airfix Phantoms appearing to be less than perfect whats the concensus that Italeri might release the ex Fujimi FGR2 U.K Phantom?.

Rich.

[WV908]

Hi @Rich51 Italeri has already re-issued the ex-Fujimi FG.1 and, bar decals the only major difference between the kits are the tailplanes - FG.1 slotted, FGR.2 solid. 

 

As luck would have it, I have a set of solid tailplanes and need a set of slatted for an F-4E. If you end up buying the Italeri FG.1 and want to swap the parts, please let me know 

 

Cheers,

  WV908

 

EDIT: As @71chally points out the weapons and stores are different, but I don't know what is / isn't included with each kit 

[71chally]

There are other minor differences between FG.1 and FGR.2 kits, such as the nose gear leg, nose gear fwd door and catapult blanking panels, but they are fairly easy to deal with, or live with the kits version.  Supplied weapons/stores being the other big difference of course.

 

[Work In Progress]

Or there are quite a few actual Fujimi ones knocking around, KingKit has some

[panzerlehr46]

Yep there are a few around,Dont see many Fgr2s apart from the Grey n green camo version without RWR or the Alcock and brown one,Then again im sure the Slatted stabs could be converted to.unslatted with some deft filing and cutting.

Rich.

[Julien]

Whats wrong with the Airfix kits then?

[71chally]

It all depends what you want from a kit, the Airfix Phantoms have lots of poseable options and great decals, but surface detail and finesse wise they don't come close to the almost 30 years older Fujimi kits.

I sold on my Airfix Phantom straight away, whereas I always have a load of Fujimis.

[sloegin57]

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

It all depends what you want from a kit, the Airfix Phantoms have lots of poseable options and great decals, but surface detail and finesse wise they don't come close to the almost 30 years older Fujimi kits.

I sold on my Airfix Phantom straight away, whereas I always have a load of Fujimis.

I entirely agree with James and i am afraid that the same goes for the otherwise superb 48th Hunter especially on the mainplane upper surfaces.

 

Dennis 

[panzerlehr46]

I was a bit disappointed with Airfix Phantom,Sure like many models it can be a stunner but missing the vents on the intake and splitter plate area is schoolboy error,Paying 25 quid for the kit and then having to fork out extra for the resin update from Aeroscale or eduard etch vents takes cost over 30 quid.Shame really but im sure i will build the Fgr2 Airfix kit i bought end of last year.

Cheers guys.

Rich.

[iainpeden]

10 hours ago, Julien said:

Whats wrong with the Airfix kits then?

It can be a pig to put together. There are some strange boxes on the inner surface of the lower wing structure which can catch the intake trunking and overall it's the classic recent Airfix of ultra (too?) fine tolerances. The panel lines are like trenches where none exist on the real a/c and some very obvious intakes/grills are missed off. It is a minor improvement on the Matchbox one. which isn't saying much.

EDIT

There is also far too much additional unused plastic at the end of the build.

[TonyOD]

On 7/15/2020 at 10:26 PM, WV908 said:

Hi @Rich51 Italeri has already re-issued the ex-Fujimi FG.1

I did not know this! I was about to push the button on an Airfix FG.1 but I built the Fujimi version years ago and it was awesome. Thanks.

[Duncan B]

16 minutes ago, iainpeden said:

It can be a pig to put together. There are some strange boxes on the inner surface of the lower wing structure which can catch the intake trunking and overall it's the classic recent Airfix of ultra (too?) fine tolerances. The panel lines are like trenches where none exist on the real a/c and some very obvious intakes/grills are missed off. It is a minor improvement on the Matchbox one. which isn't saying much.

EDIT

There is also far too much additional unused plastic at the end of the build.

And what's going on with those stepped pyramid styled exhaust nozzles on the Airfix kit? As others have said, Airfix missed a trick. To me it looks like they really wanted to make a die cast model out of the CAD as it's too clunky for a 21st Century injection moulded kit.

 

The Italeri rebox of the Fujimi FG.1 is a reasonable place to start for a later FGR.2. Fill in the catapult hook recesses, cut off the second scissor link facing aft on the nose leg (obviously don't use the extended leg) and sand off the raised 'traffic light' details on the nose gear door, sand off or fill the slot on the stabilator (or swap with someone else) and add the ILS aerials on either side of the fin and your done (good enough for 1/72 scale and still a whole lot better detailed than the Airfix kit). Lots of aftermarket decals out there too.

 

Duncan B

[Seahawk]

1 hour ago, iainpeden said:

 It is a minor improvement on the Matchbox one. which isn't saying much.

Ouch!

[Seahawk]

38 minutes ago, Duncan B said:

The Italeri rebox of the Fujimi FG.1 is a reasonable place to start for a later FGR.2.

Does the Italeri rebox have the early or later RWR fin cap?  Or both?

[iainpeden]

21 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

Does the Italeri rebox have the early or later RWR fin cap?  Or both?

It's got the RWR "box". If you want to convert to the original rounded shape it's either some sanding involved, or cut it off and use one of the spare fin caps in a Hasegawa F-4.

Conversely, it's not a complex job to make up a box from card if you have an original rounded fin cap.

As for the slots on the tailplane; they were an addition to the original structure (at manufacture not an in-service mod I think) so it is simply a case of a quick sanding off. Have alook at the section in Rumourmonger about the Finemolds Phantom. There's a discussion on there, quite early on, about the slots - including from @Gene who flew them.

[Julien]

1 hour ago, iainpeden said:

 It is a minor improvement on the Matchbox one. which isn't saying much.

 

I dont know with a few bits out of the spares box and the Aeroclub set I managed to get a decent enough model out of the MB one back in the day.

 

 

But I take your point about it being a new kit and all.

 

JUlien

[lasermonkey]

I tend to buy the FG.1 boxings and convert them to FGR.2s (which may well lead to pitchforks and flaming torches!) as the FG.1 comes with the air defence weapons that I need. The FGR.2 boxings (except for the Alcock & Brown one) came with rocket pods and the EMI recce pod instead. It's slightly annoying to have to do that, but it is a very nice kit if you can get hold of one for a good price.

[panzerlehr46]

I was a bit disappointed with Airfix Phantom,Sure like many models it can be a stunner but missing the vents on the intake and splitter plate area is schoolboy error,Paying 25 quid for the kit and then having to fork out extra for the resin update from Aeroscale or eduard etch vents takes cost over 30 quid.Shame really but im sure i will build the Fgr2 Airfix kit i bought end of last year.

Cheers guys.

Rich.

[panzerlehr46]

Ive just bought 2 of the Italeri F4k kits from e.bay,Think Jadlamracing models have them for around 22 quid mark.I remember around 1988 my local model shop had most of the Fujimi Phantom range.I used to buy x2 a week back then.I was aiming to do every u.k Phantom squadron in tac camo and air defence grey.Seem to remember i built x2 Fgr2s as 64/228 ocu birds with blue tails for my friends.Think i was paying 10 pound for them in 1988.Stirring up nostalgic memories which are treasured..

Rich.

[71chally]

I remember buying my first Fujimi Phantom (Silver Jubilee box) from a shop in Falmouth in 1988, it was like something from another planet compared to Matchbox which I was used to at the time. I remember it being a bit of an investment at the aswel.

Buying the Black Mike boxing not long after seeing the real one at St Mawgan was a memorable treat aswel.

Edited July 21, 2020 by 71chally