1/48 Hasegawa Phantom II RF-4B USMC

[zero]

Well here we go, I'm off and running, and I have finally made a start. (thanks to all those who Added to the wing thread in the Cold War section!)

So the plan is to turn this kit.

in to a mini replica of this Aircraft

Basically this is a OOB build, I'll be using the kit cockpit parts, with an Eduard Cockpit photo etch set, and Aires jet pipes

First thing I did is add all the spare parts to my spares bin, I try to do this with every kit, it saves confusion, if you only generally have bits your going to use in the box, I don't worry so much about smaller bits, but where there are other bits you could get confused with, I find it best to remove these from the box, if you keep the separate in the spare till your finish, you always know where the bit is, if you need it.

So after a bit of triming, I ended up with this lot.

Tonight, I've started the build and done the following.

Firstly I got the Exhaust done, not a major job, but with about 20 minutes of work I had my first sub assembly ready for painting. Next I cliped all the main parts from the sprue, and clean any traces of the tree from the part, I like to work this way, as I know all the parts are clean and ready to use with a quick inspection, ie you done have to keep picking up the file and clipers. As you can see I've quickly taped the airframe together, this way I can see what I'm building, what it looks like, and it seems to stop me rushing having seen it like this (ie a quick test fit!)

The plane is going to be clean, so I'm only adding a Centre line tank, I'll also be doing so filling on the underside to remove the missile recesses, and the sway braces too (but thats all to come) tonight I've removed all the IP detail ready for the etch, and the next job, is the pit, and seats, along with the camera bays these have all got to be done before I can progress to building the Airframe.

So heres where I am tonight.

Wheels glued together, centreline tank glued, the jet pipes ready for paint, and the cockpit ready to assemble.

Dave

Edited August 3, 2010 by zero

[periklis_sale]

off to a good start mate!!!

keep the photos coming!

[AdriaN (MLT)]

How would you compare hasegawa with tamiya? which is better?

Edited August 3, 2010 by AdriaN (MLT)

[zero]

How would you compare hasegawa with tamiya? which is better?

the two kits are of different scales, not sure Tamiya do a 1/48 Phantom, but having had both and switched from collecting 1/32 stuff to Hasegawa 1/48 heres some of my reason.

The range of kits is better at 1/48, and hasegawa have just about cornered the market with an almost complete range of phantom marks. The good part about building the Hasegawa kit, is you can just about build anything you like, including British phantoms (which you can't with Tamiya other than the J version, and to me they don't really count as they were a gap filler ie no green grey camo option!. with the 1/48 there is so much after market you can pretty much buy what you want. the kits do have some failings, Weapons for one, if you want to arm a 1/48 phantom to the teeth, you got to buy more or raid the spares and you can spend a fortune on just one kit if you wanted

The Tamiya 1/32 pretty much have the thing nailed out of the box, ie you really don't need to buy anything if you didn't want to, and from both kits you get a good model, but the tamiya has all the weapons inside, but it a 2 for one deal, ie the tamiya kit is about twice as dear, as the hasegawa.

I changed to collecting 1/48 because of the range, the aftermarket stuff, being able to build real british phantoms, not USN hand me downs, and where the hell do you store, 1/32 kits after you have built them, small wwII carrier fighters are fine, but 1/32 phantoms come up to just over 2 foot, where do you put 3 or four of them, let alone 80.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23383416

Dave

[zero]

Well I've just thrown another couple of hours at this starting with the cockpit.

it's far from finished yet, still got a bit more work and painting to do, but the Eduard set is now in place.

Next is the seats, and finishing the camera bay, after that I can close the fuselage and get in with the good bit.

More later

Dave

[RussTnailZ]

That pit looks rather nice

Russ

[periklis_sale]

looking good mate,

but the back walls in the pit i dont think they should be black!

[zero]

Yep. Already noted but thanks.

I had black paint in the gun, and the instructions said black so they got a coat just in case, but I came back to check johns build, and a few references as well. the bulkheads are not glued in yet.

Thanks for the heads up though,

Dave

[Mark]

OK, you got my attention! Looking great so far and yep, keep those photos coming!!

[zipper]

Looking good Dave, I will keep an eye on this one mate as I have one in the stash aswell

[zero]

just a quick update, close of play last night saw the majority of the pit finished.

Today is camera bay and seats, going to do the kit seats with the eduard etch set to see how they look. once thats done I can get on to the main building, I hate building pits, if I could get away with fitting dark windows, I would!! LOL

the pit so Far

Dave

[RussTnailZ]

I dont know why you hate building the pit when you can do a great job of it i wish mine looked that good

Russ

[zero]

I dont know why you hate building the pit when you can do a great job of it i wish mine looked that good

Russ

it very time consuming to the rest of the build, and I've got nothing done today at all modelling wise, but I have sorted my stash in the loft and I now have a pictorial record of everything I have in the stash (well almost) so I now know if I have something or not now. Also it works out my phantoms are about 50% of the stash, ie there is about 80 phantoms and about 80 other kits (all 1/48) I got to stop buying.

When the airfix Sea Vixen out? He he he he.

[Doctor Strop]

it very time consuming to the rest of the build, and I've got nothing done today at all modelling wise, but I have sorted my stash in the loft and I now have a pictorial record of everything I have in the stash (well almost) so I now know if I have something or not now. Also it works out my phantoms are about 50% of the stash, ie there is about 80 phantoms and about 80 other kits (all 1/48) I got to stop buying.

When the airfix Sea Vixen out? He he he he.

160 models to build? That would take me until I was 160 to build that stash!!!

Cockpit looks great.

Andy

[zero]

160 models to build? That would take me until I was 160 to build that stash!!!

Cockpit looks great.

Andy

Sadly probably the case with me to andy, however, I'm determing to pick up my build rate now to at least one an month, if not more.

you can seen the stash here mate, if your interested in what I have put by to build, http://www.picturetrail.com/zerosmodels

I really want a sex vixen in 1/48 next.

Dave

Edited August 6, 2010 by zero

[Bandwagon 106]

"I really want a sex vixen in 1/48 next." I'd rather have a full scale version myself moving on rather quickly!

Great start here Dave. I know what you mean about the cockpit, I quite enjoy it though. The thing with Hasegawa Phantoms is how quickly they build up once the cockpit is done. Might throw my S together tomorrow! Is this the first non - UK Phantom you've done this time around?

Joel

[zero]

"I really want a sex vixen in 1/48 next." I'd rather have a full scale version myself moving on rather quickly!

Great start here Dave. I know what you mean about the cockpit, I quite enjoy it though. The thing with Hasegawa Phantoms is how quickly they build up once the cockpit is done. Might throw my S together tomorrow! Is this the first non - UK Phantom you've done this time around?

Joel

Yes mate, this is nunber four, but I have to have this done for the 25th so I have to crack on, but I have the weekend off this week so I have been dossing with the family, and doing other things, but I will be back on this tomorrow night. thankfully it a simple paint job, and minimal decals and it clean bar the belly tank, so thats going to save a lot of time for me.

I'll finish number three, which is a referb after this one

who knows I might even get two done this month, lol.

As for the sex Vixen, certainly want one, maybe 2 depending on aftermarket stuff, I would love to build the orange red one, but that depends on mark and decal options but we will see. I'll probably start building it as soon as I get mine, as it is one of my favorites, I used to sit for ages in one they had a thorpe park many years ago, I wish i still had those pictures now. ho hum

More tomorrow, including join the fuse part.

Dave