23 Squadron FGR2 **Finished**

[FortyEighter]

As the title says I'll be building a Revell Phantom FGR2 kit; to be finished as a camouflaged aircraft from 23 Squadron - precise identity yet to be chosen.

 

To contrast with my ADV grey builds this one will have the original tail (ie no RWR fairing nor ILS fins).

 

The basic components:

 

Hopefully will get a start on her next week but have three F-16s to put finishing touches to first.

 

Mike

[Bertie McBoatface]

I want to see a proper Brit Phantom built here. Good luck to you!

[FortyEighter]

22 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

I want to see a proper Brit Phantom built here. Good luck to you!

You will!!

[DaveJL]

Nice choice. Good to see a 23 Sqn machine being built.

[FortyEighter]

The temptation not to start was too great but in my defence the two F-16s and a Blenheim have been finished, so for a week this is the only GB I'm entering.

 

Anyway most of the Eduard cockpit etch in place and one seat belted:

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

3 hours ago, FortyEighter said:

one seat belted:

 

That looks very good. 

 

[Alan P]

The seat looks superb 👍 I wish Eduard could get the colour of their photo etch panels to match the actual colours of the subject though 🤔 (still going to use them on mine though 😉)

 

Alan

[FortyEighter]

5 hours ago, Alan P said:

The seat looks superb 👍 I wish Eduard could get the colour of their photo etch panels to match the actual colours of the subject though 🤔 (still going to use them on mine though 😉)

 

Alan

Yes, the colour of Eduard etch rarely matches the cockpit - sometimes I try to match by mixing but these ones are so much lighter I just decided to live with them.

 

Mike

[Bertie McBoatface]

On 9/9/2021 at 3:19 PM, FortyEighter said:

You will!!

 

I meant to say I had wanted to see a proper Brit Phantom. Looking back I seemed to have been rather demanding, sorry.

[FortyEighter]

Not really a lot to see in this photo but it's starting to look like a Phantom and the joints aren't too bad for the first pass:

I can't remember if these need any nose weight// (I'm sure someone will help me here)

 

 

However my main reason for posting was to pose a question to our Mod @DaveJL - Dave I have another FGR2 and an F-4J (the latter never completed during the Vietnam GB) which are both at the same stage as this one.  What are your thoughts on the 25% rule (certainly less than 25% of the time to completion has been used 😃 but don't ask me to do a parts count 🙄) for an aircraft at this stage??  Most Mods in the past have allowed the fuselage to be joined, though with divided opinion if the wings are in place but of course the way this kit is moulded it's impossible to have the fuselage without the (lower) wing.

 

I shall certainly try anyway to finish the F-4J (if it might influence your decision it will be a 74 Sqn bird) during the time span of this GB but not sure if I could get three over the line before late November.

 

Mike

[DaveJL]

Nice job so far mate. I'd suggest some nose weight, I've put some in each of the 5 Hasegawa kits I've built.

 

As for the second kit, It would look to be 25% built to me. I normally gauge it by how many stages in the instruction book have been followed, but knowing not everyone looks at instructions it's hard to say. I'll bring in @trickyrich here to add a second opinion.

[Dansk]

Wow that seat is incredible

[helios16v]

Pop the stabs & exhausts in, then tape on the radome (w/ minimal tape) and rest the canopy on.  Find a cylindrical object (pens/markers work great) and set the plane on top so the cylinder/rod acts as a pivot point at the location of the MLG.  I don't recall having issues w/ my 1/72nd RF-4E...but I had some extra "camera equipment" in the nose.

[FortyEighter]

2 hours ago, DaveJL said:

Nice job so far mate. I'd suggest some nose weight, I've put some in each of the 5 Hasegawa kits I've built.

 

As for the second kit, It would look to be 25% built to me. I normally gauge it by how many stages in the instruction book have been followed, but knowing not everyone looks at instructions it's hard to say. I'll bring in @trickyrich here to add a second opinion.

 

1. Guess I'll get it a bit further and then try the "balance" test
2. If you think it's within the 25% rule, then great - I'll start a thread.  If not, great - I don't need to do a build thread 🤣

[FortyEighter]

2 hours ago, helios16v said:

Pop the stabs & exhausts in, then tape on the radome (w/ minimal tape) and rest the canopy on.  Find a cylindrical object (pens/markers work great) and set the plane on top so the cylinder/rod acts as a pivot point at the location of the MLG.  I don't recall having issues w/ my 1/72nd RF-4E...but I had some extra "camera equipment" in the nose.

Thanks, that's what I've done before (a pencil works just as well as the pivot) but I just fancied getting the radome on earlier this time.

 

Ah well, tape the empennage in place etc and see which end dips - will post the result.

[helios16v]

Thinking on it, the radome doesn't really matter.  If it tilts to the nose  w/o the radome and canopy you're going to be safe.  The big thing is just making sure you get all the weight on the rear.  I did this w/ my OV-1B...and had to stuff A LOT of weight behind the cockpit on that one.  

[Jabba]

Like the work in the cockpit, especially the seat.

[FortyEighter]

Well it looks like we don't have a tail sitter:

and there are still radome, seats, splitter plates, canopy to attach to the front - but just to be absolutely certain I've added some lead shot to the radome before fitting it.

 

I did look back through my two previous Phantom build threads but I'd made no mention in either of them as to whether or not any weight had been added.

[Bertie McBoatface]

Mine didn't need weight to stay on its noseleg. (Italeri 1/48)

[Bertie McBoatface]

On 9/16/2021 at 10:34 PM, FortyEighter said:

just to be absolutely certain I've added some lead shot to the radome before fitting it.

 

Watch your nose gear collapse...

[FortyEighter]

On 9/18/2021 at 6:47 PM, Bertie Psmith said:

 

Watch your nose gear collapse...

Haha but I have got one white metal set to use

[Bertie McBoatface]

43 minutes ago, FortyEighter said:

Haha but I have got one white metal set to use

MORE weight? Watch your shelf collapse. 😆

[FortyEighter]

Work on this was interrupted by starting a Tomcat but it is now primed and pre shaded.  I've decided on this one to paint the camo first and then mask off for the metal to minimise the risk of the tape lifting the Alclad (I've had some issues with that on my Javelin, which is still waiting patiently to be finished)

 

 

 

Hopefully there will be more progress to show next week.

 

Mike

[FortyEighter]

The airframe is now painted.....

.....next step some varnish and then decals.

 

Most of the underwing tanks / missiles have had one coat of white but I've realised that I don't have any suitable Sidewinders (9G or D).  Luckily I found a Meng Short Range Missile set on Am***n yesterday for under £6 (damaged box) so needless to say they went in the basket.

[FortyEighter]

As the change of title says; this aircraft is now XV406 "A" which served with 23 Squadron from January 1978 until about 1983:

 

 

The serial numbers have been made by cutting XV4 and 06 from different decals - with a bit more cutting I should be able to get the "406" for the top of the fin too.

 

Given the size of the underwing serial numbers, applying them in two parts certainly made it easier to get them to conform where the inboard pylons fit:

 

 

The kit decals have a somewhat matt carrier film, hopefully they will look OK with a coat of gloss over them but I'll check a couple of the spare ones on the sheet beforehand.