Okay, made a start

[CraigSargent]

Starting with this:

Plan is to end up with this:

Will also add:

True Details ejection seats

Fine molds brass pitots

AIM-9s and ALQ-184 from Hasegawa's weapons sets

Aires exhausts

Plan to scratchbuild the cameras and some cockpit detail as well as the IAF's refuelling probe.

Rear fuselage and wings assembled. No pics yet.

[TF51GREGWISE]

I'll be looking forward to seeing this build.

[Charlie Cheetah]

Just a question. Why scratchbuild the cameras, I have the JASDF RF-4EJ version of that kit and it came with camera parts, as well as a jamming pod. Gonna make a start on mine soon, is there something I should know about these?

edit: nevermind, I just saw your Phantom is a 1/72 scale. Me bad.

Edited March 2, 2008 by Charlie Cheetah

[JackMan]

Plan to scratchbuild the cameras and some cockpit detail as well as the IAF's refuelling probe.

Craig, if you're planning to scratchbuild the cameras, maybe this might help (albeit it's in 1/32 scale)

Derek's RF-4C Phantom:

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.ph...derek&st=30

Please post step-by-step pics of how you scratchbuild the cameras, so that we 1/72 scale modelers can learn from you

[CraigSargent]

Thanks for the link JackMan, those are some good cameras from Derek and something I can work from. Now have a set on the way from a friend's Revell kit - didn't realise that the Revell kit actually came with cameras. Will detail and fit those to my Hasegawa kit. The one difference is that I will probably scratch build/modify one of the Revell ones to a KA-91 camera for the rear of the nose. I also have to move the front KS-87 forward and create the new windows in the radome as per the illustration above.

Progress pics - nothing much yet. Having built a few Hasegawa Phantoms, I can say that with some care, this kit falls together, no putty required.

Main fuselage assembly - still deciding how much work to do on the intakes or whether to fit blanks.

Underside showing pylons fitted and engine doors cut out ready for a bit of detail (or maybe just the doors if I'm too lazy).

Aires nozzles cleaned up and base colours painted - these are actually from another RF-4E I was building which has been "laid to rest". The one on the right is a different colour resin as it was a replacement part sent from Aires when the original had HUGE air bubbles (about 5 that ranged from 2mm right up to 5mm in diameter) rendering it unusable.

Stores for this build - also taken from the old kit. ALQ-119 has been converted to the short pod as seen on some IAF RF-4s.

Tail where a little bit of work has been done - Fine Molds tail pitot, red nav light from old toothbrush handle and slowly detailing the intake at the base of the fin.

Edited March 5, 2008 by CraigSargent

[Gene K]

Any updates, Craig?

Gene K

[CraigSargent]

Have made some progress, but mostly around opening up the intakes and fitting some compressor faces. In the middle of working on the cameras. Will get some pics once cameras have soemthing to show.

[CraigSargent]

Sorry to say, but I am not going to cross the finish line for this GB.

Just found out I'm heading to Melbourne for a competition at the end of June so trying to get another project finished. Also have the McAir Legacy Anniversary GB starting June 1 which will add another build to my list. It's been fun and I plan to eventually finish this Phantom, but no longer a priority.