giemme Posted May 4, 2021 Author Share Posted May 4, 2021 9 minutes ago, Nebbor said: Believed to be 16: https://www.key.aero/article/phantom-survivors-turkish-terminators Correct, I found that info here too: https://www.defenceturkey.com/en/content/f-rf-4e-phantom-ii-in-the-turkish-airforce-3914 in the “Şimşek (Lightning)” Modernization Program" paragraph. Thanks Nebbor! Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene K Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 On 5/2/2021 at 5:06 PM, giemme said: I will anyway do more test painting with both cut and cast parts to see where I can get, ... . Boy, that was an epic post!!!! Thanks. I was surprised how well the FM castings came out. I may try that with "regular" RTV/resin mold/casting material. Gene K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 3 hours ago, Terry1954 said: Wow, one of my all time favourite aircraft, and TWO of them! Nice choices Giorgio. I've been wanting to see what the Finemolds F-4E is like. I have one of their 1/72 F-14's and it is superb. I was "encouraged" to buy it a while back when I was with @Cookenbacher, @Procopius, @Navy Bird and @CedB after a great day at the FAA museum! 🤪 And it was so nice of the owner to open up the model section of the shop just for us! If I recall, there was some work going on. Plus, there were Mr. Color paint sets hidden behind the counter - ones I was having a hard time getting over here. Great shop that was. Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebbor Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 2 hours ago, giemme said: Correct, I found that info here too: https://www.defenceturkey.com/en/content/f-rf-4e-phantom-ii-in-the-turkish-airforce-3914 in the “Şimşek (Lightning)” Modernization Program" paragraph. Thanks Nebbor! Ciao F-4E/TM serials: 66-0328, 66-0359, 67-0265, 67-0331, 67-0353, 67-0376, 67-0391, 67-0395, 67-0396, 67-0398, 68-0342, 68-0348, 68-0374, 68-0403, 68-0461, 68-0482 67-0331 and 68-0482 are listed as F-4E/TM but not having the Simsek upgrade according to the Scramble military database. All others are listed as Simsek upgraded. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 'morning everybody Just a quick update; I eventually received the other AM decals set, for the Hellenic Air Force Phantoms: These are from Model Maker, as you can see. I'll be doing the airplane on the top, with Spook with lightnings on the fin. Luckily there's plenty pf pics on Internet of this specific airframe, at least of the exteriors. I'm going to search for detailed cockpit and IP pics, because these Phantoms were upgraded to the AUP version and they sport quite some differences in the office from the original version. There are many notable differences on the outside too, but I'll get to them later. Ciao 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Looks like an attractive scheme. Most Greek aircraft I’ve seen have been pretty dirty, perhaps this one would have been kept clean because of the anniversary markings. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebbor Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, giemme said: I'm going to search for detailed cockpit and IP pics, because these Phantoms were upgraded to the AUP version and they sport quite some differences in the office from the original version. There are many notable differences on the outside too, but I'll get to them later. Here you go: https://www.google.com/search?q=aup+cockpit&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi3tITThLLwAhW6iP0HHWZlDeIQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=aup+cockpit&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECAAQQzoCCAA6BggAEAgQHjoECAAQGFCp_URYn55FYMGiRWgAcAB4AIABPIgB9AOSAQIxMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=nkuSYLftNbqR9u8P5sq1kA4&bih=983&biw=958&rlz=1C1ASUM_enNL691NL691 Edited May 5, 2021 by Nebbor 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebbor Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 And a build here on Britmodeller. In 1/48 but still usefull: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 10 hours ago, Biggles87 said: Looks like an attractive scheme. Most Greek aircraft I’ve seen have been pretty dirty, perhaps this one would have been kept clean because of the anniversary markings. John Definitely attractive! As for being clean... well, see for yourself, John 10 hours ago, Nebbor said: Here you go: https://www.google.com/search?q=aup+cockpit&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi3tITThLLwAhW6iP0HHWZlDeIQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=aup+cockpit&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoECAAQQzoCCAA6BggAEAgQHjoECAAQGFCp_URYn55FYMGiRWgAcAB4AIABPIgB9AOSAQIxMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=nkuSYLftNbqR9u8P5sq1kA4&bih=983&biw=958&rlz=1C1ASUM_enNL691NL691 10 hours ago, Nebbor said: And a build here on Britmodeller. In 1/48 but still usefull: Thanks Nebbor! Ciao 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spookytooth Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Looking OK from here Giorgio. Plenty of decals to keep you bust once painted... Simon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Looks great so far. Two long nose F-4 in often overlooked and attracktive schemes. I really need this Fine Molds F-4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 13 hours ago, Spookytooth said: Looking OK from here Giorgio. Plenty of decals to keep you bust once painted... Indeed.... 10 hours ago, BerndM said: Looks great so far. Two long nose F-4 in often overlooked and attracktive schemes. I really need this Fine Molds F-4 Cheers Bernd, thank you Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gidge Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 On 25/04/2021 at 06:03, giemme said: Hi everybody; many of you may know about the recent releases from FineMolds of various Phantom subjects. My dear friend @Gene K was so kind and donated me this: This is going to be my first Long Nose Rhino; I thought (upon Gene's advice ) of throwing in also the Finemolds armament set and their pitot pipes brass set However, it just so happens that a while ago @Gene K had already donated to me another Long Nose Phantom kit, this one So I thought: why not a double build? Maybe trying to duplicate some of the features form the modern Finemolds kit and use them to improve the venerable Hasegawa kit? And maybe viceversa? Back then, I also acquired a few AM sets to spice up the HASEGAWA kit: Aires exhausts, Eduard PE set (full, not only the cockpit set) and Master Brass pitot pipes. And obviously, Gene's seamless intakes Right. Which subjects to represent, though? I don't really file like I want to build a Japanese aircraft, at the moment; and I don't particularly care for the schemes proposed in the Hasegawa boxing too. So I ordered a decals set for an Iranian AC and one for an Hellenic Air Force Phantom. They're on their way from Poland and should hopefully be here soon. Both airframe have slatted wings, so the HASEGAWA kit is just fine, while the Finemolds one represents a model of the "hard wing" type, so the first challenge will be to upgrade that, copying the Hasegawa parts or sourcing stuff from other kits (a Revell F-4F, for instance - currently waiting to know from a friend if he has one to spare). This is going to be quite a long term project, also because I will put it on hold at a certain point, as soon as I receive my kits for the 453rd Museum build. It should hopefully be fun though. As usual, any comments, pointers and advice welcome. Ciao Random question: Does the Finemoulds EJ kit give you a reference on seatbelt colour in the manual? I've just ordered the Zoukei-Mura F-4EJ Kai kit and it doesn't come with seatbelts. I'm looking to order an aftermarket set but can't find any reference pictures showing whether the JASDF Phantoms used the Air Force (green) or Navy (grey) seatbelts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Gidge said: Random question: Does the Finemoulds EJ kit give you a reference on seatbelt colour in the manual? I've just ordered the Zoukei-Mura F-4EJ Kai kit and it doesn't come with seatbelts. I'm looking to order an aftermarket set but can't find any reference pictures showing whether the JASDF Phantoms used the Air Force (green) or Navy (grey) seatbelts. Does this help, look green to my old Mk.I’s 👀 http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/waF4EJ.html http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/images2/wa4ej-16.jpg Edited May 6, 2021 by Corsairfoxfouruncle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted May 6, 2021 Author Share Posted May 6, 2021 4 hours ago, Gidge said: Random question: Does the Finemoulds EJ kit give you a reference on seatbelt colour in the manual? I've just ordered the Zoukei-Mura F-4EJ Kai kit and it doesn't come with seatbelts. I'm looking to order an aftermarket set but can't find any reference pictures showing whether the JASDF Phantoms used the Air Force (green) or Navy (grey) seatbelts. No seat belts supplied with this kit either, Gidge, sorry - hence, no reference for the colour But from the pics Erwin @Corsairfoxfouruncle linked, they look green to me too. Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gidge Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said: Does this help, look green to my old Mk.I’s 👀 http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/waF4EJ.html http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/images2/wa4ej-16.jpg Awesome. Thanks mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gidge Posted May 6, 2021 Share Posted May 6, 2021 2 hours ago, giemme said: No seat belts supplied with this kit either, Gidge, sorry - hence, no reference for the colour But from the pics Erwin @Corsairfoxfouruncle linked, they look green to me too. Ciao Odd as they make good looking ones in 48 and 72 scale along with some other nice details. https://www.finemolds.co.jp/NC/NC10.html Here's their rear view mirror and slime light package https://www.finemolds.co.jp/NC/NC15.html Both are nice options to enhance the kit while keeping things looking OOB. If you step up to 48 scale there are some pre painted fabric like ones which is why I'm trying to work out which ones to get. I also believe there's some photo etch optics out there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Gidge said: Awesome. Thanks mate Always happy to help. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallysDad Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 Great subject and information. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 On 07/05/2021 at 00:45, Gidge said: Odd as they make good looking ones in 48 and 72 scale along with some other nice details. https://www.finemolds.co.jp/NC/NC10.html Here's their rear view mirror and slime light package https://www.finemolds.co.jp/NC/NC15.html Both are nice options to enhance the kit while keeping things looking OOB. Thanks Gidge Still pondering what to do about the details you mentioned... On 07/05/2021 at 03:33, SallysDad said: Great subject and information. Thank SallysDad, and welcome on board Alright, here's WE progress report. Another small step down the splitter plates route, I did cut out four more with my Curio for future painting experiments - this time without casting copies, but straight onto the cut plastic This will have to wait, though. Moving on, I did a dry fit of both kit cockpits Left is Finemolds, right Hasegawa, obvs Once again, amazing level of detail on the FM parts. I do have the Eduard PE set to tart up the Hase cockpit though. The bulkheads on both kits are a bit bare (OK, on the Hase it's totally bare ), I'll have to add some cabling. As for the IPs, FM also supplies a blank version, to be completed with decals I'll have to do extensive modifications on both pilot and GIB IPs in order to reproduce an Hellenic AUP Phantom, but I will anyway start from the ones with raised gauges and instruments. Ejection seats: I'm not crazy about any of them, but again, I have PE for the Hasegawa's The FM seat (on the right) has the parachute cover moulded in, and that area looks generally more similar to the real thing; the back cushion misses the typical bottom right cutout, though. Back side The HASE seat shows better details here, although quite pointlessly, as once in place... ... you're not gonna see anything of that. As I mentioned, the Eduard PE set provides details for the Hase seats, including seat belts; I'm considering gettin two sets of Quickboost resin seats, though, they look way better than any of the kit seats. Has anybody ever tried fitting them to the Hasegawa kit? One thing I will do for sure is using the Finemolds blank GIB IP, because it's a much better base than Hasegawa's, even adding PE parts and it has the big advantage of having all the instruments connection points on the back side, so it's gonna be a lot easier adding cabling Since I wasn't in the mood of starting the IP detailing/modifications, I thought: let's hack some plastic! First off: all Phantoms have an inspection window, starboard side, showing the air pressure gauge. Hasegawa only represents a square panel Finemolds did a much better job, but still no window, just plain plastic So I drilled and shaped those windows square (-ish...) What i do here normally is to insert a square section of clear sprue, sand it flush and glue an appropriate gauge decal form the inside. I might be tempted doing some glazing, this time - we will see. Another small improvement I did in the past on Hasegwa Phantoms is the AOA probe; this is what's moulded Pretty chunky - and compare it to the Finemolds version So I did cut it out and drilled a 0.7mm hole instead (sorry, forgot to take pics ). I will scratch build a replacement form turned brass rod. Yo may have noticed the hole I drilled in the flare dispenser, in one of the above pics; this is because that area needs to be filled in, since it was only used on the RF versions; the hole is to insert a suitable blob of blue tack from the back, to keep the closing panel properly aligned Not yet glued here, and as you can see it will also need shimming to fill in the gap at the top (this is both sides, of course) Now to the real plastic hacking: seamless intakes for the Hasegawa kit, @Gene K's way. First I marked the areas to be removed: Then, using a Dremel chopping bit a some micro-files: While I was in hacking/chopping mode, I decided to remove the tail hook, too (razor saw job, here): The Eduard set provide side plates to spice up the hook, and anyway I wanted the hook out of the way for the assembly and painting of that area. Next step for the seamless intakes was to airbrush Tamiya Flat White on these plates, representing the inner sides which were then glued to the outer intakes Stay tuned for the continuation of the seamless intakes mini-saga Meanwhile, all comments welcome Ciao 25 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Looks like you had a busy weekend. Stay safe. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Starting to get those intakes "Giorgio'd" I see. We expected nothing less of course! Terry 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 3 hours ago, Terry1954 said: Starting to get those intakes "Giorgio'd" Dare we say... "giorgeous"? Yes. Yes, I think we do. Cheers, Andre 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene K Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 (edited) 15 hours ago, giemme said: Now to the real plastic hacking: seamless intakes for the Hasegawa kit, @Gene K's way. First I marked the areas to be removed: Opps ... You didn't have to do all that chopping (although it's a lot of fun). All that's really required is this: That's shown in step 1 of 11 here . That's for the Has 1/48 kit ... my 1/72 thread at ARC evidently got lost in the several web-host iterations that ARC has gone through, but same process applies. Gene K Edited May 10, 2021 by Gene K 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BerndM Posted May 10, 2021 Share Posted May 10, 2021 Stunning work. Looks like a very creative weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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