Yank building an RAF Phantom in-flight

[Collin]

1/48 Revell/Hasegawa re-pop 1/48 FG.1 in 43 Squadron colors with a Sparrow/Sidewinder/triple bubble QRA loadout. 

In-flight builds for me always start with closing up all the open hatches/doors. The Hasegawa stock kit parts/gear doors actually fit closed very well. 
 

Question:  I assume this aircraft had a belly strap and pylon minted chaff/flare buckets installed?  
 

Trying a unique way to pose this in-flight…but won’t ruin that surprise until I actually figure it out myself. 
 

Looking forward to participating. 
 

Cheers

Collin

 

Edited September 1 by Collin
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[Collin]

Typical of most In-Flight builds....you have to destroy to create.  Using Phase Hanger OOP RAF jet pilots for this Phantom build.  The seats had to be "scaled back" to allow the pilot/Nav to sit correctly in the seat...so a lot of test fitting with the canopy to make sure you don't build the kit and then put on the canopy later and realize the aircrew are too high in their ejection seats (ask me how I know).  Luckily all this damage is unseen (along with most of the cockpit) after the pilots and canopy's are installed.  

 

I use super glue to set the arms in place...will go back with CA remover to blend in the shoulder areas before painting.  

 

Cheers

Collin

 

 

 

 

[Anthony in NZ]

Hi Collin, great progress so far! 

Most of the FGR.2's had the strengthening strap installed.  However it seems very few FG.1's ever did.  I am building XV571 in 1/32 and I havent been able to conclusively say if she had one fitted(quite possibly not).  I think I have only found 2 FG.1's that had it fitted.  The outer wing strengthening mods seem to have still been done on late service FG's 

 

As for the buckets on the pylons, again it seems rarely fitted to FG.1 aircraft.  I mostly have seen them fitted to Falklands ones.  But never say never.

 

Just my observations if that helps

 

Cheers Anthony

Edited September 1 by Anthony in NZ

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome to the build. 

[Collin]

42 minutes ago, Anthony in NZ said:

Hi Collin, great progress so far! 

Most of the FGR.2's had the strengthening strap installed.  However it seems very few FG.1's ever did.  I am building XV571 in 1/32 and I havent been able to conclusively say if she had one fitted(quite possibly not).  I think I have only found 2 FG.1's that had it fitted.  The outer wing strengthening mods seem to have still been done on late service FG's 

 

As for the buckets on the pylons, again it seems rarely fitted to FG.1 aircraft.  I mostly have seen them fitted to Falklands ones.  But never say never.

 

Just my observations if that helps

 

Cheers Anthony

Interesting....I will keep digging.  Thanks for the info.

 

Collin

[Rob Sutto]

Excellent, I'm pulling up a seat for an in-flight build 

[Jabba]

Welcome along, those aircrew really do look the business. A quick one though. On the decal instructions you have written F-4K = RN, F-4M - RAF. The RAF also flew the F-4K as this to give it its proper designation is FG1 (43 and 111 Sqns), whilst the F-4M was FGR2.

[Collin]

14 hours ago, Jabba said:

Welcome along, those aircrew really do look the business. A quick one though. On the decal instructions you have written F-4K = RN, F-4M - RAF. The RAF also flew the F-4K as this to give it its proper designation is FG1 (43 and 111 Sqns), whilst the F-4M was FGR2.

Thanks. What you don’t see in the photo is a second decal sheet set aside for an early RAF Phantom (F-4M/FGR.2).  This little note was to keep it straight in my head because British Phantom designations can be confusing prior to all of them coming over to the RAF (and taking on the FG/FGR designation). I think I have that correct. 
 

Cheers

Collin

[Collin]

Took a break to finish a shelf queen before an upcoming show…fitting out the crew with the cockpit done…test fitting looks good so far   
 

[Collin]

 

 Anyone want practice with your rescribing skills and reestablishing details needs to build a Hasegawa F-4 Phantom 😕

 

 

 

[Collin]

Finally into the painting stage. Preshade complete. Hope to have the base colors done by Saturday, NMF areas by Sunday. 
 

Cheers

Collin

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

3 hours ago, Collin said:

Finally into the painting stage. Preshade complete. Hope to have the base colors done by Saturday, NMF areas by Sunday. 
 

Cheers

Collin

Too bad you cant leave it in these colors ? Looks like a weird spacey camouflage. 

[Collin]

Base colors down. 
 

[Parabat]

Looking good.

[Jabba]

Those colours look very good indeed.

[Rob Sutto]

I love the dynamic positioning of the crew 

[Collin]

Now I’m stuck. I’ve got the Xtradecal 48200 for the main markings of XV571….but the main kit was purchased with the old Treble 1 decal sheet…so I don’t have any low visibility stencils?  
 

This build is fighting me for sure. 
 

Collin

[Collin]

Every Phantom builder knows….the decal stage is tedious. 
 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

10 hours ago, Collin said:

Every Phantom builder knows….the decal stage is tedious. 
 

I forget, the black panel under the nose. It’s a radar aperture or sensor but Ive forgotten what it is. I can vaguely remember painting it on my FG.1. 

[Collin]

Why…why…why so many decals on a Phantom???

 

[Jabba]

2 minutes ago, Collin said:

Why…why…why so many decals on a Phantom???

 

 

Because it is a Phantom.

[RMP2]

On 10/23/2025 at 10:58 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

I forget, the black panel under the nose. It’s a radar aperture or sensor but Ive forgotten what it is. I can vaguely remember painting it on my FG.1. 

Radar altimeter panel?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

1 hour ago, Collin said:

Why…why…why so many decals on a Phantom???

 

Blame McDonnell Douglas for that. 

[Collin]

First wash on. Tomorrow starts OPR and dirtying up the belly. 
 

This build is starting g to wear me down. I still have the weapons and pilots to paint…on top of finishing up the airframe. 
 

Cheers

 

[dasmithers]

It’s looking good though - keep going.

 

Andy