UKPonchoMan

As promised! Photos are also in the completed builds thread...

My first model is now finished - F-4D 66-7751 of the 93rd TFS, 482nd TFW from Homestead AFB during March 1984 in the short-lived "Flipper" scheme. This is the Hasegawa F-4D kit in 1/72, basically box stock but with Quickboost seats and decals from Hi Decal Line.

Sorry for the delay - was a busy weekend and I'm working away from home all week again :)

Well...it's FINISHED! Yahay! Didn't get a chance today but will post some photos in "Critique Corner" as soon as I can...

Well...it's FINISHED! Yahay! Didn't get a chance today but will post some photos in the "Finished Entries" thread as soon as I can...

I believe the Italeri -A kit is quite good although not perfect. As for the -C, there is a resin conversion for the Italeri kit, although I'm not sure who it was produced by... Don't think it's currently in production.

Absolutely - and who said the same MODEL? I've used the Aires A-10 cockpit on my Matchbox Mystere and my good friend mig23 also swears by A-10 cockpits for most things! Using a set designed for one kit on another just means you have to do some additional fitting, grinding and sanding...

I almost made this mistake - luckily I also had the Afterburner sheet to hand!! The medium grey (FS36231) should be used for the grey... the Gunship grey is quoted for the radome and blisters on the nose, however photos of the real a/c show them much lighter and I used Neutral Grey (FS36270). Don't forget that the wingtip rails and any pylons and stores should be Neutral Grey (most of the older Light Ghost Grey pylons have been retired). Photos of my build are here:- http://www.usaf-sig.org/Resources/Builds%2...0St%20Clair.htm http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=151229

Ordered! Thanks Mark!

So YOU'RE the reason Hannants is out of stock of seats... should have known...

Ask Ted (Rhino53) how many F-4's he's built so far...Go on! ...

Best reference is Jake Melampy's F-16 book - well worth the money... http://www.jakemelampy.net/

I did a comparison of white "primers" a while ago (IPMS UK USAF SIG - base white test) and it was quite interesting. I've subsequently tried Games Workshop's Skull White and it does seem to cover well. I've not tried the Halfords primer, but to be honest, I'm staying away from Halfords - whilst the coverage does seem quite good, the paint either dries quite dusty or goes on thick (depending on how close you hold the can).

Ok, my "Flipper" F-4D is more or less complete, the "XN" 12th TFW F-4C is almost painted and the 2 RF-4C's are progressing slowly... Time for batch no.3... This will be 2 F-4E's and 2 F-4G's, all from the 1/72nd Fujumi kit. Not entirely sure in what markings as yet, but I'm sure I'll get there... Current status (to show no cheating!!)...

Right, now that my "Flipper" F-4D and "XN" F-4C are well on the way, the next batch can commence. These will be 2 F-4E's and 2 F-4G's, both from the 1/72nd Fujimi kit. F-4E 66-328 of the 57th FIS at Keflavik in SEA scheme with standard 57 FIS markings - kit will be more or less box stock but with resin seats and aftermarket decals F-4E 68-480 "RS" from Ramstein in the early '80s - SEA wraparound scheme with large sharkmouth (scheme is tentative and may change) F-4G's - tba I probably won't cover these in the detail I have done with the F-4C and D though...

And this is what it looks like now... Graphite weathered and with pencilled in panel lines.

The honey primer is almost like gloss varnish - so it gives a nice smooth coat for the alclad to stick to... But if you put some black panels under the honey coat, they show through the alclad as above... Minimal effort and saves loads of masking ;o)

Some people have NO patience!

More progress! Now matt varnished and all masking removed!

Well, it's been a while since I last posted... However, I have moved things on a little... The undercarriage is fitted, as are the pylons and underwing tanks! Just need to do the detail painting and add the seats and canopies...

Absolutely - it's the best tool I've used. HOWEVER, be very very careful with it! The tip will break off if you so much as THINK about running it over something hard...and that includes your scribing template... Go on, ask me how I know...!

I'm glad you said that! I tried all of the tips and had exactly the problem you mentioned! I thought it was just me, but obviously it's a case of either (a) practice makes perfect, or ( it's actually designed to replicated Matchbox panel lines ;o)

I have to wonder about this - it seems to me that the finish is uniform (i.e. flat). if you look at photos of e.g. an F-16C, the 2 tone scheme is NOT flat (i.e. you can see tonal differences between the 2 colors. To me this would suggest that there is a topcoat sprayed over after the base colors, and this would seem to be "tinted". One day we'll know for sure!!

Possibly a bit late, but I'd like to see the Duluth scheme, but with the grey fin instead of blue...

Another approach, which I'm quite pleased with... What I've done is to spray the darker panels with Alclad black primer, then a coat of honey primer over the whole lot. I then sprayed (I think!!) Alclad polished aluminium over the top lightly enough for the black primer to show through... Just need to finish off by pencilling in the panel lines and rubbing some graphite into the bottom section...