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Since I'm getting the urge to do a Phantom, and I know little about them, which kit is the 'best' to get? I'm thinking in terms of a weapons load. Scale is 1/48 and I'd like to do a Viet Nam era bird. Thanks.

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Depends, are you wanting to do USAF, USN or USMC?

Here's the breakdown:

USAF

F-4C, F-4D or F-4E.

Hasegawa and Monogram each do F-4C/D kits, both have raised panel lines and are older kits, both have their good and bad points, I like the cockpit and wheel bay detail in the Mono kit over the Hasegawa kit, but the breakdown in the Hasegawa kit makes it a little easier to assemble in places. Both have been OOP for a while but can be found on the secondary market fairly easy, although I think the Hasegawa kit is due to be reissued soon.

F-4E

There's a Mono Pro-Modeler F-4E kit with decals to do a Vietnam-era that's the best and easiest way to do this version, plus it's easy and cheap to find.

USN/USMC

F-4B, F-4J

For the F-4B your only choice is the Hasegawa kit, it shares parts with the F-4C/D kit. Hobbybuy has this kit on sale at the moment.

F-4J

Hasegawa or Monogram, the Mono kit shares parts with the F-4C/D kit, raised panel lines, Hasegawa kit has recessed panel lines, like I noted with the C/D kits the Mono kit has better detail in the cockpit and wheel bays than Hasegawa. Both kits are fairly easy to find.

Note that most aftermarket decals are sized to fit the Hasegawa kits unless specifically noted, depending on the markings this can or cannot be a problem.

Ken

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The above is preety good info. It really depends on what paint scheme you want more to go with your weapons load.

Hasegawa is my first choice. And Monogram is a very acceptable second.

But what do you want? Colour over gull grey and white, or Cam. And if cam do you want big radar short nose or long nose with a gun?

Thats why I have built so many dang Phantoms....so many options.

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Although if memory serves, Monogram's F-4J has a USAF rear cockpit, doesn't it?

Easy enough to half-### fix with a little sheet styrene and some imagination :D. Besides, if it's canopy-closed it's not very easy to see much of the rear tub anyhow :banana:

(but yes, you're right... it's a USAF tub, which is considerably different in the rear half)

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Warning---Do one Hase F-4 J new tool and you'll just do another, and another, and another. Great kit with WAYYYYY too many decals out there to choose from. To borrow a qoute, "Betch'a can't eat just one"

That would explain the 102 of them on my shelves. :banana:

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Depends, are you wanting to do USAF, USN or USMC?

....

For Hasegawa, we can add the F-4G to USAF and the F-4S &QF-4S for USN, as well as the RF-4B/C/E for the appropriate service. For "foreign useres", Hasegawa also does the British Phantoms, as well as the German -F and RF, and Japanese , RF-4, F-4EJ, RF-4EJ......etc....etc

Go here for the whole list.etc.

As the others have said, you can become addicted to the Hasegawa Phantoms - that's why I do mainly 1/72.

Gene K

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