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1:72 Fujimi McDonnell Douglas FG.1 Phantom A&AEE


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Hi mates,

 

As I continue to slog my way through the "Putty Queen" that is the Matchbox/Revell PB4Y-2 Privateer, and its resulting decrease in mojo-osity, I thought I would generate some excitement by building my favourite subject in my favourite scheme. Of course it's a Phantom and of course its Raspberry Ripple. Yee-ha!

 

For those unfamiliar with this venerable Fujimi kit, it's the fancy "Royal Collection" boxing, la-dee-da. This designation means that it has some extra parts and goodies which we'll see soon, accompanied by a disproportionate price increase. Unfortunately, the main parts are moulded in white styrene, which as we all know does not photograph well and should therefore be banished from the face of the planet. But here goes anyway, starting with some obligatory shots of the contents. First, the box:

 

IMG_6002

 

And the main sprues:

 

IMG_6036

 

You can occasionally see a tinge of yellow on the white parts - this appears to be some kind of mould release agent. I can honestly say I don't see this very often. If you recall, the glazing putty I use is red, which will make for a wonderful contrast with the white styrene. Suffice to say that the model will be primed in a light gray before I spray any white. Wingy things:

 

IMG_6009

 

And the last white sprue:

 

IMG_6010

 

That's it for the basic kit, other than the clear bits below. There is not a lot to it, but prior to the arrival of the new Airfix tooling this was the way to go for 1:72 British Phantoms. The Royal Collection box provides an additional plastic sprue for the modified nose cone used on XT597. And guess what? It's moulded in grey.

 

IMG_6017

 

Both closed and open canopies are provided. And to justify its "Royal" price, Fujimi also include vinyl tyres, white metal landing gear struts and nose gear door, and a nice photoetch fret.

 

IMG_6005

 

Things I should mention right up front:

 

1) I hate vinyl tyres.

2) I hate white metal struts.

 

I ain't gonna use 'em. Nope.     :fight:

 

3) But I like photoetch. A lot.

 

Me being me, I couldn't help but acquire some aftermarket stuff. Although it's designed for the new Airfix kit, the CMK resin cockpit looks so nice that I will bludgeon it if necessary to make it fit.

 

IMG_6012

 

Hey, if I can make an Aires resin cockpit fit into the kit it's designed for, I should be able to make this work out. It can't be any worse...

 

Speaking of Aires, their exhausts for the Spey engines are a considerable improvement over the nozzles that come with the kit. Hopefully they will fit. Not that I've ever had that problem before...    :banghead:

 

IMG_6013

 

But wait - there's more! Resin aftermarket tyres and wheels from RES-KIT and FOD covers from Quickboost. Yeah, I know, FOD covers are a really wimpy way of fixing the lack of intake trunking in the kit, but I think they will look nice. This is actually the first time I'll be using FOD covers on any model.

 

IMG_6014

 

Now, those lovely markings. Of course, they are part of the kit but they have a bit of that Hasegawa-like thickness and cream-coloured whites:

 

IMG_6016

 

So I picked up the Xtradecal sheet.

 

IMG_6015

 

And if I can't get what I want from those two, I also have the Modeldecal sheet no. 72 which also contains the A&AEE 25th Anniversary scheme. Between the three sets of decals I should be able to find what I need.

 

So those are the raw materials. This won't be a speed-build as I'll work on this alongside the Privateer. Every now and then you just have to build a Phantom, you know?    :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. Oh, another thing. This being the "Royal" boxing, none of the sprues (except the canopies) were bagged. Everything just loose in the box. Odd. As far as I know, the kit was new when I bought it. I can see a few scuffs but I don't think any significant damage was done. Very un-Fujimi like.

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I need to stay calm.

 

It's a Bill build.

It's a Phantom.

It's a Navy Phantom.

It's from Boscombe Down.

It's 1/72.

 

Yessss!

 

Apart from being a Phantom fanatic myself, many years ago (in a past life) I lived in a small village called Over Wallop. It was almost adjacent to the Army Air Corp airfield at Middle Wallop, but even better it was just 5 miles due east of Boscombe Down. I regularly watched these brightly coloured beauties, along with many other similarly painted exotic types, and some painted in other quite weird schemes. This one will bring back some good memories.

 

OK, I'm calmer now and just settling in for the ride.

 

Terry

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9 hours ago, Edge said:

Great choice Bill but shame about that white plastic!

 

I thought white plastic was reserved for Star Trek models, but I was wrong. I really don't care for it since you can't really see where you've cocked it up until a primer goes on. I understand why model companies mould in colour occasionally (Matchbox three-colour kits come to mind) as they are aiming at youngsters just starting out who don't want to do any painting. But I would think that a "Royal Collection" kit is not aimed at that market segment...     :(

 

9 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

It's a Navy Phantom.

 

Fly Navy! I also like the various Japanese Phantoms with their colourful anniversary markings or the marine camouflage. Matter of fact, I have the new Fine Molds F-4EJ Kai with the JASDF Special 2020 Markings in blue here on my desk staring at me. I think it's fair to say that this new series of Phantoms from Fine Molds are now the gold standard in 1:72 scale. I thought about doing a double Phantom build but that would mean I have three different models started, including the Privateer, and I'd probably mix up the parts. An ERCO bow turret would look odd on a Phantom.

 

So, if there is an Over Wallop and a Middle Wallop is there also an Under Wallop? Just curious.    :drunk:

 

Cheers,

Bill

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5 minutes ago, Dave Swindell said:

No, but there is  a Nether Wallop...

 

Took the words out of my mouth. It is the next village, and that's where the nearest post office was when I lived there! The three villages are collectively called the Wallops.

 

And if you like beer, I can recommend Old Wallop, but that has no origins in the Wallops, although it does originate in another Hampshire town not too far away.

 

Rural English Geography lesson over!

 

Terry

 

 

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Fourth one at the bar, don't mind if I pull up a stool? 

 

Ironically I've just purchased the xtradecal set for this particular Phantom in 1/48 as the decals with my kit are shot. The old Hasegawa is a different challenge to the Fujimi, but regardless I'm interested to see how you approach this build - particularly the paint scheme.

 

Cheers,

  WV908

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1 hour ago, Dave Swindell said:

No, but there is  a Nether Wallop...

 

Guarded by a dog named Cerberus I presume...     🐶

 

50 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

And if you like beer, I can recommend Old Wallop, but that has no origins in the Wallops, although it does originate in another Hampshire town not too far away.

 

Ha! Do I like beer. Funny guy. Not sure I can get Old Wallop in the US, but I'll look. I am fortunate enough to live very close to a store called Beers of the World and if you don't mind paying through the roof, they have an amazing selection. I shall have a look and report back.

 

I know that wallop is used in the UK as a word for beer, but over here it typically means to smack someone in the head. Which, I suppose, some beers do...

 

38 minutes ago, WV908 said:

Fourth one at the bar, don't mind if I pull up a stool?

 

Have a seat. Did you bring any Old Wallop with you?    :)

 

*****

 

First test fitting and measurements - I think the CMK resin cockpit should fit with some modifications to it and the Fujimi plastic (mostly the latter). The inside of the fuselage halves have the mounting ledges for the cockpit moulded in, and these must be removed. I believe that the cockpit sills also need to be modified. Fortunately, there is room underneath the resin cockpit for the nose gear. And, most importantly, the longitudinal positions of the resin instrument panels, coamings, and ejection seats seem to match the kit. Keep your fingers crossed.    🤞

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. Release agent (or whatever it was) removed with isopropyl alcohol. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

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Lovely! Pulling up a comfy chair. I have this very kit in the stash as well, mine has bagged sprues and the specific radome is in white plastic as well. 

 

When I get around to it, I'll most likely stick to the kit decals - the last three Xtradecal sheets I've bought had lots of register and accuracy issues, with no reactions on my mails to Hannants whatsoever,  so I'm a bit disappointed by them lately. 

 

And since beer has been mentioned, at the moment I'm rather enjoying a Straffe Hendrik Belgian tripel. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

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3 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

 

I thought white plastic was reserved for Star Trek models, but I was wrong. I really don't care for it since you can't really see where you've cocked it up until a primer goes on. I understand why model companies mould in colour occasionally (Matchbox three-colour kits come to mind) as they are aiming at youngsters just starting out who don't want to do any painting. But I would think that a "Royal Collection" kit is not aimed at that market segment...     :(

 

 

Fly Navy! I also like the various Japanese Phantoms with their colourful anniversary markings or the marine camouflage. Matter of fact, I have the new Fine Molds F-4EJ Kai with the JASDF Special 2020 Markings in blue here on my desk staring at me. I think it's fair to say that this new series of Phantoms from Fine Molds are now the gold standard in 1:72 scale. I thought about doing a double Phantom build but that would mean I have three different models started, including the Privateer, and I'd probably mix up the parts. An ERCO bow turret would look odd on a Phantom.

 

So, if there is an Over Wallop and a Middle Wallop is there also an Under Wallop? Just curious.    :drunk:

 

Cheers,

Bill

Generally I like the Fujimi Phantoms... got a bunch of them tucked away to do, some day..... :)

Plus some British Phantoms.... and those are my favourite paint schere. 

Really enjoying your work here and elsewhere.

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Almost missed this one! the que for the bar gave it away. I'll take a seat in the corner if I may?

I've brought some of the Dorset Piddle Brewery Piddle Rouge Dorset Best bitter with me.( Piddle Brewery is a small local Dorset brewer from the Piddle Valley area just north of the county town) 

Look forward to watching work your magic on this

 

    Stay safe            Roger 

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On 8/28/2021 at 3:19 AM, Navy Bird said:

I thought I would generate some excitement by building my favourite subject in my favourite scheme. Of course it's a Phantom and of course its Raspberry Ripple. Yee-ha!

 

Excitement successfully generated it would seem Bill :D

 

Am I allowed to admit that the Phantom ain’t my favourite machine (managed to argue my way out of a posting to fly it as a first tour) but there’s no denying it’s iconic and in my defence I am a fan of just about any Navy Bird build and I do love the scheme.  

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5 minutes ago, Fritag said:

Phantom ain’t my favourite machine (managed to argue my way out of a posting to fly it as a first tour)

 

Such chances in life are for but a lucky few! Don't suppose it was anything to do with back seat drivers and all that?

 

Terry

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9 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Such chances in life are for but a lucky few! Don't suppose it was anything to do with back seat drivers and all that?

 

Mostly that I guess - it was a mark of approval at the end of training in those days to be graded as single-seat material and that’s appealing in itself as a shallow youngster; but the job of strike-attack also seemed to offer a more enjoyable challenge in the cold war 80’s than air defence - and the Phantom had been phased out of ground-attack use in the RAF by then.  It’s obviously a truly great and ground breaking airframe (and the jag wasn’t) and I wish I could have had a go in one, but it wouldn’t have been as much fun to operate.

 

Edited by Fritag
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On 28/08/2021 at 04:19, Navy Bird said:

Every now and then you just have to build a Phantom, you know?    :)

Sure, that's why I'm building two at the same time.... :banghead:

 

I'm in, of course :beer:

 

9 hours ago, Fritag said:

Am I allowed to admit that the Phantom ain’t my favourite machine

Alright, we'll still let you in, but consider yourself warned! :fight:  :rofl:

 

Ciao 

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16 hours ago, Fritag said:

Am I allowed to admit that the Phantom ain’t my favourite machine

 

OK with me. By stating that the Phantom was my favourite aircraft, I implied that I like it better than the Spitfire. Oh, wait. Maybe I should revise that. The Phantom is my favourite jet aircraft. With two engines. Built in St. Louis. By McDonnell (the heck with Douglas, they were in California). And don't get me started with this Boeing F-4 Phantom crap...     :fight:

 

15 hours ago, Robert said:

Are you going to attempt the painting for the air intake covers ?  Looking forward to this one.

 

I was thinking of designing the artwork and printing on some clear decal film. I may be a Yank, but I'm not crazy.    :drunk:

 

6 hours ago, giemme said:

Sure, that's why I'm building two at the same time.... :banghead:

 

I thought about making two at a time. In addition to the new Fine Molds F-4EJ Kai, I also have another Fujimi FG.1 Phantom and the Xtradecal Alcock & Brown markings. That might go nicely with the A&AEE bird. I can probably make an FG.1 pass for an FGR.2. I even have a second set of all the aftermarket I described above.

 

*****

 

I've been doing some grinding inside the fuselage halves to prepare for the CMK cockpit. Most of my time, however, has been spent masking the vacuform canopy for the Privateer and trying to get that puppy ready for some paint. Nothing drives me more crazy than masking canopies without an actual die-cut masking set. And I call myself a modeller!  Pthhh!    :banghead:

 

Cheers,

Bill

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8 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

And don't get me started with this Boeing F-4 Phantom crap...

Careful Bill, you forgot to add the T.M. after Phantom.  You’ll be getting a visit from people in expensive suits.

 

AW

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On 28/08/2021 at 10:55, Terry1954 said:

Apart from being a Phantom fanatic myself, many years ago (in a past life) I lived in a small village called Over Wallop. It was almost adjacent to the Army Air Corp airfield at Middle Wallop, but even better it was just 5 miles due east of Boscombe Down. I regularly watched these brightly coloured beauties, along with many other similarly painted exotic types, and some painted in other quite weird schemes.

So why did you think it was a cunning plan to move to Swanage when you had two private airshows on your doorstep?

 

Confused of Mars 👽

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6 hours ago, Andwil said:

Careful Bill, you forgot to add the T.M. after Phantom.  You’ll be getting a visit from people in expensive suits.

 

Ha! Actually, I think it's ®

 

Cheers,

Bill

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On 8/31/2021 at 11:16 AM, Fritag said:

 ...  it was a mark of approval at the end of training in those days to be graded as single-seat material and that’s appealing in itself as a shallow youngster ... .

"Those days" ... yes, you're a youngster  :selfie: . Some of us didn't have an option for single seaters ... if one wanted a fighter, the choice (singular) was the F-4. And since the hot Phantom was considered too much for a newbie to handle, you had to wait your turn to get to the front after serving in the back!  The F-4 was the hot ticket!!!!

 

Gene K

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