Ben Brown

Yes! Ben

D'oh! I was reading "FJ-2" and thinking "FJ-3," as if they were interchangeable. My caffeine level was still too low. 😄 Beautiful models, BTW! Love the blue one. Ben

Hi Euge, That would be fantastic! Thank you! If you could just confirm the basic dimensions on your kit, I can scale them up and "eyeball" the rest. No need for you to go to a lot of trouble. Also, there's no rush. I have to clear a couple of other projects off of my bench before I can start anything else. At least, that's what I keep telling myself! 😄 Thanks! Ben

Maybe they'll use the Sword kits for their "research," this time. 😈 I'll consider picking one up if it doesn't turn out to be another caricature like the Banshee. They look so good in Gloss Sea Blue! Ben

I've been toying with the idea of converting the Hasegawa Lear 35 to a 31. Would anyone happen to know where I can find the dimensions of the delta fins and winglets? I have a couple of drawings from the flight manual, but that's it. Thanks, Ben

That would be FS36118 Gunship Gray, same as the dark camouflage areas. Ben

Hi Robert, The original design was to reduce approach speed for carrier operations. The hard wing jets had a Boundary Layer Control System that blew bleed air from the engines through slots that were exposed when the leading and trailing edge flaps were lowered. This kept the boundary layer "stuck" to the wings longer and further reduced approach speeds. In the video of the F-4D I linked above, you can see one of the ground crewmen running his hand over the break between the LE flaps and the wing to check that the BLCS was blowing air. The F-104 Starfighter had a similar system. The conversion to leading edge slats was done to increase maneuverability. They accepted a slight increase in approach speed for better maneuverability. The BLCS was deleted in slatted jets. For takeoff and landing, the slats would extend when the trailing edge flaps were lowered, just like you see on an airliner. With the flaps up, the slats would cycle automatically, based on the jet's angle of attack. Cheers! Ben

Try the 1998 version of T.O 1-1-4: LINK It should have most of what you need for the basics, but you'll still have to resort to pics of your subject to catch any variations from the official version. Ben

Jens beat me to it! 😄 Leading edge "slats" vs "flaps" often causes confusion, since the two terms are not interchangeable. Here are a couple of great videos that show the difference between leading edge slat and leading edge flap operation: F-4 leading edge slat operation F-4 leading edge flap operation (3:40 - 3:50) Cheers! Ben

Hi Robert, Interesting! All I can find on Google are F-4Es with slats and TISEO. All of the Ds I'm finding have the original leading edge flaps. Do you have a link to any photos of slatted Ds? It might be fun to poke the folks on the F-4 Google group with a little trivia. 😈 Cheers! Ben

Hi Robert, It looks like the 48ers has the scoops and stabs in stock. The ACS scoops are HSM HMR 48011 and the stabilators are HSM HMR 48012. The stabs will fit both Academy and Hasegawa F-4s. Royale Resin’s are R051 and appear to be in stock, too. I don’t think any F-4C/D was ever fitted with slats. Was it a local IIAF mod? Cheers! Ben

The F-4D also had a slightly different chin fairing, with the lump on the bottom that you see in the photo. The Academy F-4C kit has everything you need to build a D, including cockpit parts. The only difference between their C and D kits are the addition of photo etched formation light panels. You'll use fin cap Part G37 and chin fairing Part G3. If you use the kit cockpit, use instrument panels M4 and M5, and instrument panel glare shield N3 with clear part R10. If you want to go for more accuracy: You'll need to replace the ACS scoops on the sides of the nose with wider aftermarket ones. Hypersonic and Steel Beach sell them. The panel line that marks the break between the painted and natural metal parts of the stabilators will need to be filled and moved. Academy got it wrong (too much painted area). Or you can replace them with resin ones from Hypersonic or Royale Resin. Hypersonic's include photo etched parts for the pivot point details, so you don't have to try to salvage the molded-in detail when you fill the nasty seams between the two black parts that make up the aft fuselage. DMold and XMM make nice intakes with accurate ducts. Academy's are fictional. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Others with better memories will be able to add more. Ben

EDIT: Answered my own question. 56-0011 is on loan to the 188th Wing, Ft Smith, AR (LINK, Satellite view). Anyone in that area have access to it and want to shoot some photos for us? Balls One at Louisville needs to be moved somewhere safe. I took some pics of it about 15 years ago, and it was looking pretty rough. It had a bad Hill Gray camouflage scheme. What I found interesting is it still has the gun sight mounted. I haven't been able to find any other G/Hs like that. Ben

Resin 2 Details is supposed to have the Koster masters. The clear parts didn't include a windscreen, just a very nice canopy. I just sent him an email, asking if he would consider doing a replacement windscreen and canopy, based on the Koster canopy and Monogram windscreen. We'll see what he says. Slight change of subject: Does anyone know what happened to the RF-101G at Pima? They no longer show it listed on their web site. Ben

All kit boxes have been opened, but all of the kits are intact. Everything is 1/48 unless otherwise noted: Vintage Precise Models F-15 desktop model (approx. 1/72) in Air Superiority Blue (missing counterbalance on right fin tip and one missile fin, small crack in left afterburner nozzle area) RARE! $50 KITS Academy Hawker Hunter F.6 (kit was missing roundel decals when purchased second-hand) $20 (see below for aftermarket parts & decals) Fine Molds D4Y2 Judy $25 Hasegawa Ki-43-II Kit 09508 $20 Classic Airframes Sea Hawk Royal Navy $20 Airfix Sea Harrier FRS.1 $10 Monogram P-40B $5 Revell Spitfire Mk.II Missing clear sprue but includes Squadron canopy. $5 Revell-Germany 1/144 737-800 $15 (PENDING) Welsh 1/144 EMB-120 Brasilia vac/white metal $10 Revell 1/144 F-19 $5 Trumpeter 1/144 YF-23 2 for $5 Trumpeter 1/144 Kawanishi H6K5 Mavis $15 Amodel 1/144 C-123B/K Provider $15 Scott Doepker 1/144 C-141B resin kit with laser-printed decals $20 Monogram 1/24 924 Turbo $10 Monogram 1/24 Ferrari 308 GTB $5 Revell 1/100 Apollo Command Module $5 Polar Lights 1/1000 USS Enterprise original series $20 Polar Lights 1/1000 Klingon D-7 battlecruiser $20 RESIN Authentic Airliners 1/144 corrected 737NG engines and winglets for Revell Germany kit $15 PENDING Cutting Edge Hawker Hunter cockpit for Academy kit $10 Aeroclub 1/48 Hunter conversion/correction set (fixes cockpit, canopy, & landing gear, converts to Mk.4 and Mk.9) $15 Cutting Edge MB Mk. 2 seat $5 Hi Tech 1/48 MB Mk4 ejection seat $5 Quickboost 1/48 QB48-464 Sea Vixen FAW.9 Air Intake for Airfix kit $5 GT Resin F-4J afterburner nozzles for Z-M kit $12 Scale Aircraft Conversions F/A-18A/C landing gear (for Hasegawa) $10 Cobra Company 1/48 Martin-Baker H5 seats $8 Steel Beach 1/48 F-4 Phantom arrestor hook for Hasegawa (have 2) $4 ea. High Flight F-16 Pratt & Whitney afterburner nozzle for Hasegawa $5 True Details 1/48 P-40B/C cockpit for Hobbycraft kit $5 Squadron 1/48 Ki-46III canopy $1 True Details 1/48 He-162 wheels and vacuformed canopy $2 PHOTO ETCH Reheat Models RH052 1/48 Aircraft canopy details (Modern) $5 Teknics 1/48 Japanese seatbelts, buckles, & rudder pedals $5 Model Technologies 1/48 Sidewinder missile fins $2 DECALS Scaleliners 1/144 AirTran DC-9-30 $10 (Xtracolor paint 2 tins, $4) Flight Path 1/144 United A320 Blue/Gray livery $8 Jbot 1/144 Jetstar Reader’s Digest corporate jet (ALPS-printed) $2 JBot 1/144 Piedmont 737-200 delivery scheme (ALPS-printed) $4 EagleCals EC32-87 1/32 He-162s $8 Tridecal 48-2001: 1200 1/48 He-162A-2 decals $10 Techmod 48032 Ju-88A-4 II/KG3 North Russian Front 1941/ LG 1 Libya $8 Aeromaster 48-172 Ju-88 Collection $6 RooDecals 1/48 Mirage IIIO $8 Experts Choice 48-2 RF-84Fs $6 Microscale 48-0181 F-106As 5th FIS, 49th FIS $8 Aeromaster 48-319 Ki-43 IJAAF Falcons Part II $8 Superscale 48-938 AV-8B Harriers $6 Fred Cady 229 1982 Z28 Camaro Indy Pace Car $2 Buyer pays shipping. PayPal preferred for US buyers. International buyers must use Paypal. No trades, please. Thanks for looking! Ben Brown North Carolina, USA bebrown1[AT]bellsouth[DOT]net