Vultures1 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I thought I would take the plunge and kick off my first WIP. I'll warn you now, I'm not a quick worker! The project is to produce a 1:72 F-4C Wild Weasel using: Hasegawa F-4C/D; TwoBobs 'First of the Weasels' markings; Shrikes, Sparrows and an ECM pod from Hasegawa weapons sets; some Eduard FOD covers and photoetch (intended for an F-4B but the front cockpits at least are pretty much the same); and a pair of Neomega MB MkVII seats Anyway, to begin with some work on the cockpit with a little extra detail: More to follow soon Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 OMG & at the ready for this one Bex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverkite211 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Before you get too far along I think I should mention that the F-4C used Martin-Baker Mk. 5 seats, not Mk. 7s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darson Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Great looking bit of "gizmology" there Chris, please keep the updates coming Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Got this one in sight, too. Which aircraft did you choose? Brain Damage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) Before you get too far along I think I should mention that the F-4C used Martin-Baker Mk. 5 seats, not Mk. 7s. Yes indeed; however, some F-4Cs were retrofitted with Mk. 7s and many Mk. 5s were remanufactured to Mk. 7 standard. I'm building an F-4C Wild Weasel in the Nov 1972 timeframe, so am assuming that it has been fitted with a Mk. 7 seat ... or that's my excuse anyway! Antoine, I'm planning on doing 'Super C***s Swiss Samlar' because I have got some photo references for that bird. I had considered 'Jail Bait' for the same reason but I have a feeling that the nose art for that one is too small on the TwoBobs sheet Chris Edited March 22, 2009 by Vultures1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverkite211 Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Yes indeed; however, some F-4Cs were retrofitted with Mk. 7s and many Mk. 5s were remanufactured to Mk. 7 standard. I'm building an F-4C Wild Weasel in the Nov 1972 timeframe, so am assuming that it has been fitted with a Mk. 7 seat ... or that's my excuse anyway!Chris There you go! That works for me. Or as I say to people 'Prove I'm wrong'. And actually, taking into consideration the Nov., '72 date, it most likely was refitted with Mk. 7s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Antoine, I'm planning on doing 'Super C***s Swiss Samlar' because I have got some photo references for that bird. I had considered 'Jail Bait' for the same reason but I have a feeling that the nose art for that one is too small on the TwoBobs sheet Ok. I remember that there were some pics of all those aircraft in squadron signal "Wild weasel". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) This update brings me pretty much up to date with progress. My camera isn't the best at macro work so the images are a little fuzzy. These are Neomega Mk 7 seats - thanks for the endorsement Silverkite211! The various handles are from the Eduard zoom set. Shrikes and Sparrows from Hasegawa. Again, given the timeframe, I've tried to mark the Sparrows up as AIM-7E2s. Front and rear instrument panels with Eduard detail. There is no F-4C detail set from Eduard in this scale so I used the F-4B/N set. I can't vouch for the accuracy but the effect is really nice for 1:72. I'll add some more Weasel-looking instruments to the top of the rear panel once I get it installed. And finally, progress to date with the cockpit I sprayed the cockpit with black first and then misted over Dark Gull Grey (or is it Gray) FS36231. The pictures don't show it too well but this leaves a bit of a shadow effect around the added detail. It may be a little dark but happily it matches the Eduard pre-painted colour. Still needs a dry-brush with a lighter grey to bring out the detail. The panels are a mix of Eduard photo-etch and kit decals. Again, not sure about the accuracy but it looks nice. I need to add throttle levers front and back (still thinking how to make them), a radar controller in the reat pit and oxygen hoses front and back. Antoine - thanks, I've got the earlier edition of the Squadron "Wild Weasel" book, which has some photo references. There is a nice picture of 'Super C***s Swiss Samlar' on page 129 of "Phantom - Spirit in the Skies" and 'Jail Bait' is on page 116. That's it for now and thanks for the comments Chris Edited March 22, 2009 by Vultures1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Ok Chris, fess up pal.............. are you really really sure this is a 72nd scale kit Bexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverkite211 Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Oh sure, I bet that the only reason you used the seats was because I endorsed it. That cockpit is looking really good, I really like what you've done with the instrument panels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 (edited) I've got some updates on this week's progress. The cockpit is finished and installed in the fuselage - quite pleased with how this came out: Fuselage joined and looking like a Phantom at last! I had previously cut out the ailerons and auxiliary air intakes so that I could position them in the lowered position typical of Phantoms on the ground. I decided not to drop the airbrakes because the photos I have of the F-4C Weasels show the airbrakes up. I imagine the reason is that, in the days before chaff dispensers, airbrakes were often stuffed with chaff before flight. I've made some replacement auxiliary intake doors, to be positioned later. The fit of the fuselage parts wasn't too bad, with the exception of a pretty shocking gap where the lower front fuselage pan joins. Now for the first round of filling and sanding. Chris Edited March 28, 2009 by Vultures1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 (edited) I've been slowly working away at my weasel project. Using these pictures as reference http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=141862 I found that the F-4C Weasels were permanently fitted with a combat camera in a long fairing in the front left Sparrow well. Using reference points on the aircraft, I came up with dimensions for the fairing (in 1/72 scale) of 47mm long and 3 mm wide. I filled the Sparrow well with some plastic rod and then laid over a piece of 40 thou plastic card, tapered front and rear, oriented so that the rear of the fairing was in line with the end of the well. The window for the combat camera is a piece of a display stand (KP I think) found in the spares box. The window looks black in the photos because I painted the inside surface (if that makes sense) to stop a see-through look on the finished article. I think the clear part still needs a bit of shaping but let me know what you think. Currently adding the other weasel-specific antenna Chris Edited May 4, 2009 by Vultures1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
periklis_sale Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Amazing work so far mate!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 (edited) I've finished the Weasel-specific antennae on my F-4C, which are all relatively straightforward to do. My Weasel has the early period fit, appropriate to the Linebacker II era, which means: - an ER-142 DF antenna on each intake - 4 ER-142 homing antennae around the nose - an APR-26 blade antenna on the centreline behind the radome and 2 ER-142 stub antennae just ahead of the nose gear well I'm quite pleased with the results on all of these. The cockpit needs a bit of more detail on the WSO's panel and then I should be ready to paint. I'm still debating what to do about the Hasegawa jet pipes, which lack any form of detail inside although I'm not inclined to lash out on some resin replacements. Any ideas? Chris Edited May 16, 2009 by Vultures1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robonth Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Hello sir, Nice build. I'm building one as well but haven't decided on the decals yet. I used an old Esci F-4E kit with an F-4S nose and the Revell F-4F cockpit I had laying around. I engraved the antenae on the intakes because they're nearly flush anyway. I might ad a bump in the middle. I'm not sure about the ER 142 antena on the lower nose, I believe they are only in the 2 and 10 hour position. I aded the 2 stub ones in front of the wheel well plus another bigger one between them but I'm not sure if that last one is from the latter update or not. Cheers Robert-Jan Bonthond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 Hello sir,I'm not sure about the ER 142 antena on the lower nose, I believe they are only in the 2 and 10 hour position. I aded the 2 stub ones in front of the wheel well plus another bigger one between them but I'm not sure if that last one is from the latter update or not. Cheers Robert-Jan Bonthond Thanks for that. The ER-142 homing antenna are definitely in 4 positions around the nose, although the lower 2 can be hard to see in photos. If you can find it, there is a really good photo on page 127 of "Iron Hand" (sorry, no scanner) that shows the antenna. You are right, the bigger antenna in front of the wheel well is appropriare to the later fit, along with with 'bug eye' RHAW antennas on the chin fairing and parabrake door. Good luck with your build! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Great, great work so far. Will be watching for updates on this one. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robonth Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Hello, Thanks for the info. I'll do the mods shortly. Did they use the centerline pylon with cluster bombs during Linebaker II? I haven't seen pics to support that. Cheers Robert-Jan Bonthond Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuts Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Great work so far, lookin forward to seein this finished. Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Fresh from the paintshop and before correcting overspray and other errors - paints are Modelmaster acrylics. I tried some postshading for a change and was pretty pleased with the results, although it doesn't show up so well in the photos. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Very well done so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 Nearly finished. I wasn't happy with the jet pipes out of the box as the lacked internal detail, so I added a bit of strip and tube. Before and after: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Liking this more with every post ! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexwh773 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 This is what I miss when I spend hours building a Canberra Looking really smart The scratchbuild work is rather impressive and Im taking notes Bexy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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