PeterB Posted September 12, 2021 Share Posted September 12, 2021 (edited) Over the years I have built a fair number of Phantoms starting with the Airfix F4H-1 version back in the late 1960's I think - my local chemist may perhaps have been a modeller himself but whatever the reason, he always had a few Airfix kits in his shop and I remember cycling over and seeing that kit not long after it was released as I also did with their NA 39 aka Buccaneer. I still have it but I seem to have binned their later muti-version release which I built as an F-4E, together with the Frog boxed Hasegawa kit of the F-4K/M. I may also have built the Matchbox one though if so it is long gone. I still have the Fujimi F-4B, RF-4B, F-4J, F-4C, F-4E, F-4G and British FG.2 from the 1990's, and when I learned that Airfix were going to release a "proper" F-4K I pre-ordered it. Now I don't know about you but at our age and after 43 years of married life, my wife and I have some difficulty deciding what to buy each other for birthday and Christmas presents, so as the Airfix kit was eventually due for release just before my birthday I suggested that she pay for it as a present. Apparently she did not quite get the message (she is a bit deaf these days as am I) so she ended up buying another one instead which might end up as one of the FG.1 versions from the same order. So this GB finally gives me the incentive to build the kit - together with the myriad of stencil decs! Incidentally, a year or so before this kit was announced I bought a second hand Hasegawa F-4K/M kit which is now redundant so it anybody wants it for the price of the postage send me a PM - I think it is still in my stash! Pete Edited September 12, 2021 by PeterB 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted September 13, 2021 Share Posted September 13, 2021 Nice entry Peter and good to see another FAA jet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 Hi Peter, I built this when it came out, before I discovered Britmodeller. A very nice kit. My main recollections are the incredible number of stencils provided. But it did (does) look very good. Best wishes for your build! Cheers, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 9 hours ago, Johnson said: Hi Peter, I built this when it came out. A very nice kit. My main recollections are the incredible number of stencils provided. But it did (does) look very good. Best wishes for your build! Cheers, Agreed and it took me about 5 days to fit the stencils. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted October 23, 2021 Author Share Posted October 23, 2021 (edited) This may end up being finshed in the KUTA as I am struggling a bit on health grounds at the moment and am totally cream-crackered! Pete Edited October 23, 2021 by PeterB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted October 23, 2021 Share Posted October 23, 2021 Sorry that you're under the weather Pete, hope you feel better soon! Still a month to go, not a kit to be rushed, just enjoyed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 23, 2021 Share Posted October 23, 2021 Hope it passes soon Pete. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 17, 2021 Author Share Posted November 17, 2021 When I was at school many years ago, one of the masters trying to teach us Latin was also in charge of the Rowing Club and he used to have a favorite phrase to decribe teaching us - "It's like rowing uphill through treacle" - I think that nicely describes my modelling at the moment! Unfortunately I seem to have lost track of this GB and got it into my head that it ran well into December - probably getting mixed up with the F-14 GB, so clearly I will not get it finished in time, but I have finally made a start and there is always the good old KUTA coming up before long. I have assembled and painted the cockpit tub and the intake trunking. and glued the fuselage halves together. The fit is pretty good though there is a gap to fill around the upper fuselage insert - I have deliberately left off the top part of the ejection seats for the moment as I rather think that knowing how clumsy I am at the moment I would damage them during the rest of the assembly. With luck I should get the wing on as well before the deadline, but not much more. More as and when. Pete 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom216 Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 Definitely follow this wherever it goes! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 18, 2021 Author Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) When this kit first came out the reviews went on about the clever engineering and the fit being so good it just clicked together. Well it certainly is not bad but I think that the engineering is perhaps a little bit over the top and the fit is good but not up to Tamiya's best - it may be my sloopy modelling. The lower fuselage insert and the outer part of the intakes are not quite right but nothing a swipe of filler can't sort out, and the positioning of the jetpipes is decidedly vague to my mind. Anyway, having spent all morning (3 ruddy hours) being poked and prodded in hospital (and that was just the pre-op assessment!), I have made a bit more progress. I will leave the vertical tail off until later as I am very likely to break off the pitot tubes(?) otherwise. Pete Edited November 18, 2021 by PeterB 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisj2003 Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 11 hours ago, PeterB said: When this kit first came out the reviews went on about the clever engineering and the fit being so good it just clicked together. Well it certainly is not bad but I think that the engineering is perhaps a little bit over the top and the fit is good but not up to Tamiya's best - it may be my sloopy modelling. The lower fuselage insert and the outer part of the intakes are not quite right but nothing a swipe of filler can't sort out, and the positioning of the jetpipes is decidedly vague to my mind. Anyway, having spent all morning (3 ruddy hours) being poked and prodded in hospital (and that was just the pre-op assessment!), I have made a bit more progress. I will leave the vertical tail off until later as I am very likely to break off the pitot tubes(?) otherwise. Pete Pete, looking good. I have found leaving the tail off has made underside stencilling so much easier. Sorry to hear about the hospital work. Are you joining me in carrying on building your Rhino here post GB date? Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 19, 2021 Author Share Posted November 19, 2021 Hopefully Chris, depending on what happens with the various tests I am having. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 As expected this will be continued in the KUTA GB but I have managed to get most of the structure together. It has come together pretty well but not perfectly, but then it is Airfix not Tamiya! Thanks to the organisers for another great GB - just wish I could have been a bit more active! Pete 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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