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1/48 - McDonnell Douglas F-4E & G Phantom II by Meng Model - F-4G & E released


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5 minutes ago, Lusitanian said:

This is a very interesting development!  It appears to be a very nice reproduction of the complex shape of the Phantom, though the G ‘Wild Weasel’ version is my personal least favourite of all.  I hope Meng will see fit to release other versions in due course.  

 

I do note that the F-4G appears to be missing the heavy reinforcement ‘strap’ that was a feature of all real F-4G.  Perhaps this is just a feature of the CAD renderings and will appear on the plastic parts.

 

You'd have to be crazier than Tamiya to bring out only one version of an aircraft like the F-4. 

 

It will be interesting to see what version they end up doing.

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55 minutes ago, Lusitanian said:

This is a very interesting development!  It appears to be a very nice reproduction of the complex shape of the Phantom, though the G ‘Wild Weasel’ version is my personal least favourite of all.  I hope Meng will see fit to release other versions in due course.  

 

I do note that the F-4G appears to be missing the heavy reinforcement ‘strap’ that was a feature of all real F-4G.  Perhaps this is just a feature of the CAD renderings and will appear on the plastic parts.

It would probably be for the best if they provided the wing strap as separate parts. Then they’d be able to use the wing without it so they could release a late model F-4E, too.

 

Ben

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17 minutes ago, Ben Brown said:

It would probably be for the best if they provided the wing strap as separate parts. Then they’d be able to use the wing without it so they could release a late model F-4E, too.

 

Ben

The Hasegawa kits had PE for the strap detail, maybe they will follow this method 

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I noticed the lack of belly strap as well. We will see what the kit brings.

 

Note that Luckymodel's prices are based on USD and the currenty converter on the website is totally out of date.

With shipping, it's actually GBP 69.70 , not 59,34.

To Japan it's JPY 8984 and with that a little more than the ZM retail price (incl tax). In the shops, Meng kits are very expensive here (~13,000 for a Super Hornet) and probably no competition to ZM.

 

J

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Nice to know this isn't a fiction. Along with the RF-4C/E the F-4G AWW is my favourite J79-powered variant.

 

The ventral beef-up strap seems absent although the doublers near the airbrakes — applied at the same time — are there. Etch seems the obvious remedy.

 

The canopy looks right even if the fuselage isn't much widened between the cockpits. 

 

Am buying, asap

 

Tony 

Edited by tony.t
A little bit o' etch
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On 9/20/2022 at 12:33 PM, Lusitanian said:

This is a very interesting development!  It appears to be a very nice reproduction of the complex shape of the Phantom, though the G ‘Wild Weasel’ version is my personal least favourite of all.  I hope Meng will see fit to release other versions in due course.  

 

I do note that the F-4G appears to be missing the heavy reinforcement ‘strap’ that was a feature of all real F-4G.  Perhaps this is just a feature of the CAD renderings and will appear on the plastic parts.

 

The box top says that there is Stainless Steel PE included in the kit as well as a metal pitot and painting masks.

Perhaps the straps are photoetch so they could have one mold of the lower wing for different versions?

 

This kit looks to have more weapons included than the ZM kit. The ZM F-4G just shows drop tanks, AGM-88s and one type of ECM pod.

The ZM F-4E early that I have only includes 4 Sparrow and 4 Sidewinder missiles and drop tanks.

 

 

 

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Just like busses. All of a sudden, there's a bunch of them. ;) 

 

If they do the belly strap as photo-etch, I'm not sure how it will go.

 

I used similar items on a Hasegawa hi-grade F-4S a little while ago, gluing them on with superglue and, because of the different expansion rates between the plastic wing and the long, metal strap pieces as the temperature changed, the metal parts kept separating from the wing.

 

In the end, I had to make up some plastic ones, using the etched pieces as templates.

 

Cheers,

Motty.

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Pre-cut vinyl might appeal more for the strap and other doubler plates, but there are some chunky bolt heads in the places it attaches to the wing box which would be visible even in 1/48th scale (but we can't have everything!)

 

Looking forward to this kit, especially seeing the plastic and instructions. 

 

Tony

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4 hours ago, Motty said:

Just like busses. All of a sudden, there's a bunch of them. ;) 

 

If they do the belly strap as photo-etch, I'm not sure how it will go.

 

I used similar items on a Hasegawa hi-grade F-4S a little while ago, gluing them on with superglue and, because of the different expansion rates between the plastic wing and the long, metal strap pieces as the temperature changed, the metal parts kept separating from the wing.

 

In the end, I had to make up some plastic ones, using the etched pieces as templates.

 

Cheers,

Motty.

Seconded. Vinyl would be a good way of rendering the strap

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20 hours ago, alt-92 said:

@MarcV  I've seen the ZM one listed at MBE but the Meng kit is a bit of a surprise one! They do list the Super Hornet (which is LS-016) so who knows.

Thanks Alt, I already have ZM on order at Krikke modelbouw:
https://www.modelbouwkrikke.nl/contents/nl/p74779_Zoukei_mura_sws4814_f4g_phantom_ii_wild_weasel.html

 

for a far better price than at MBE but I'm also looking for the Meng kit.

 

Anywhere in the EU would be fine - Lucky Model has it at a nice price but VAT is going to cost a bomb.

 

Marc.

 

 

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On 9/20/2022 at 1:33 PM, Ben Brown said:

It would probably be for the best if they provided the wing strap as separate parts. Then they’d be able to use the wing without it so they could release a late model F-4E, too.

 

Unfortunately Ben, this is not truly the case.  On F-4E with slat wings applied in the factory the lower wing skin was much thicker, resulting in a noticeable ‘step’ were it joins the center section containing the main spar.  It would be very difficult to supply the reinforcing strap as a separate plastic part because it is only about 0,2 mm thick in 1/48 scale.  ZM has this feature molded in situ (which looks quite realistic).

 

Best wishes!

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8 hours ago, Lusitanian said:

 

Unfortunately Ben, this is not truly the case.  On F-4E with slat wings applied in the factory the lower wing skin was much thicker, resulting in a noticeable ‘step’ were it joins the center section containing the main spar.  It would be very difficult to supply the reinforcing strap as a separate plastic part because it is only about 0,2 mm thick in 1/48 scale.  ZM has this feature molded in situ (which looks quite realistic).

 

Best wishes!

In all of my years of studying Phantoms, I've never noticed that step! That will be an interesting project if one decided to try to replicate it. 😲  

 

I used 0.005 styrene to make the strap on my 1/48 Hasegawa F-4S. I agree with @Motty that the photo etched one provided in the kit was difficult to use. 

 

Cheers!

 

Ben

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On 9/22/2022 at 7:34 PM, Ridley said:

Its now available for pre-order at Hannants as well. No price listed though. That Lucky Model price seems absurdly low given the price of Meng's F/A-18 kits.

 

Hannants Pre-Order

LM's price is the same as the Super Hornet(post the price rise). The F-4 is comparable in size and complexity to the Super Hornet 

 

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Have pre-ordered a copy from the big H, price unknown at this time.

I'm guessing about £70 with the 10% discount, but am willing to pay a little more. It reminds me of the very recent Airfix Buccaneer: I would have bought two had the price been £50, but me having two likely wouldn't have made Airfix or the retailer any more profit (and please, this is not an invitation for more economic 'splaining); just a comment that I'm a greedy so and so who likes to have his cake and eat it, as kits are like the wife's shoes: two pairs of her favourites always — one pair to wear and one pair in the shoe stash. 

 

Tony 

 

 

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On 9/23/2022 at 4:50 AM, Creepy Pete said:

FWIW, Nautilus Models has vinyl straps in their range. I've used these on a Hasegawa F-4 without trouble in the past. I'm not sure how these would fit on these newer kits, but it might be worth a try.

 

I have purchased the Nautilus Models ‘strap’ as well as the Hypersonic version included in their F-4E slat upgrade kit.  The Nautilus product is highly inaccurate compared to photos of genuine aircraft.  The Hypersonic product is much better.

 

Best wishes!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I see in an email from Jadlam that the Meng kit is five quid less than ZM’s. So given the superior accuracy of the Meng kit, I guess there’ll be a lot of ZM kits left on the shelves.

 

But what is Meng kit availability usually like? Will they sell out in a week never to be seen again or do they remain available for a while? 

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Really looking forward to comparing these two when they arrive. I once served in the Balkans with one of the F-4G Squadron Commanders and heard many stories about their exploits during Operation DESERT STORM and have been keen to build one ever since, as a long standing fan of the 'Toom.   

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