Monogram 1/48 F-4C/D kit #5821

[F-16]

I am looking for info on this kit. (Monogram 1/48 F-4C/D kit #5821)

I need to know how well it builds up, any problems etc. I read the reviews on MM and don't know too much on how this kit goes together.

Has anyone built this kit and can give me a OOB build review? What's it like?

Thanks

Scott

CNJC-IPMS

P.S.

PLEASE don't suggest the Hasegawa kit. This is NOT an option at this time.

[Fishwelding]

Before I go further, I should say that I like Monogram's old quarter-inch collection, and would not suggest you get the Hasagawa kit in preference to Monogram's C/D Phantom, unless you happened to see it cheaper.

Okay, that disclosure out of the way, this kit can build an accurate F-4. It's an old Monogram kit, so parts fit isn't bad, but it isn't like the latest kits, either. Be patient and careful, and you'll get it together. Most complaints about this kit revolve around its raised surface lines and detail, the lack of deeper intake trunking, empty afterburner cans, and the somewhat awkward way Monogram chose to divide up the intake trunks. The surface detail can be replaced--or not, if you choose. I think if carefully painted and assembled, the intakes don't look too bad. The cockpit detail, I think, is okay, if not as heavy as you would find on newer kits. The biggest complaint there is that the lower ejection seat is molded into the cockpit tub. But if all is assembled with careful painting and maybe some added detail, the cockpit, I think, can look quite nice.

As for specific build recommendations, I would only offer my general advice for Monogram kits: dry fit everything with files and sandpaper like an old-time gunsmith, use strip plastic for the heavier gaps, and then add extra strip-plastic inside the kit along major joints, to avoid splitting later on. The result will be a solid piece of plastic built as tough as the real double-ugly.

Regarding stores, depending on the boxing you get, you may or may not get AIM-9L sidewinders with the kit. The boxing depicted in your link I believe has these missiles. If so, these are quite nice. If not, you get a set of simple AIM-9B shapes only. In all, you get a set of Sparrows (minus fins that would be inside the fuselage wells), two good ECM pods, and a gun pod for the center line. So no bombs, but a good air-to-air collection.

If you find an old "High-Tech" boxing, this will include a photo-etch fret with detail for the empty burner cans, large, perforated vents for the intake splitter-plates, and odds-and-ends for the cockpit. Additionally, way back when Model Technologies did a canopy detail set for this kit, and once in a while these can be found floating around.

I don't know how much experience you have with Monogram's older decals, and perhaps you are looking at getting an old boxing. I find that generally Monogram's old decals are usable, but not much fun: they're thick, and sometimes don't stick well. If you've got the denarii, get an aftermarket sheet for the kit. If you want an ADC gray jet as depicted in your link, Expert's Choice (Bare Metal Foil) has two sheets for Michigan Air National Guard F-4Cs, although they 'cut' the decals for the Hasagawa kit, and I do not know how well some of the markings fit to the Monogram kit. Having just recommended aftermarket, I'm currently working on this very kit, and am considering using the kit-supplied EURO-I decals for an Arkansas National Guard jet! Go figure.

Edited February 19, 2010 by Fishwelding

[PNW_Modeler]

It's a great build. The only trouble is around the intakes....it can suck up it's fair share of putty.

This is the kit in "J" trim...basically it's the same kit with Navy decals

[Rick in Maine]

I've built several of these Monogram Phantoms. It's a good kit. Yeah, it may be old but it has stood the test of time better than any kit I can think of. Even with no aftermarket, it can be a darn nice model.

Some putty work needed on the intakes and on the top of the fuselage. Amazingly good cockpit considering it's age. Wheel wells are good.

Howzat?

Rick in Maine

[F4DPhantomII]

Everything the others have replied good kit but with raised panel lines.I have built several and have several more in boxes.

[ChernayaAkula]

Shape wise it's even better than the Hasegawa Phantoms. Same goes for the 1/72 Monogram F-4s. Real gems!

Wish Revell would re-release these with a kick-gluteus max decal sheet like the re-release of the 1/48 F-105G and F-4C/D got.

[Daryl J.]

The rerelease is eminently due isn't it? And not the RofG release from 2009 either.

K'rect me if I'm wrong please.

Cheers,

Daryl J.

[Fishwelding]

Is the gun pod in this kit an Suu-23A, or Suu-16? I ask, because it's much smaller than Hasagawa's item in their weapons set, and lacks a vent atop the muzzle. I don't know much about the real pods.

[Gene K]

Is the gun pod in this kit an Suu-23A, or Suu-16? I ask, because it's much smaller than Hasagawa's item in their weapons set, and lacks a vent atop the muzzle.

The gun pod that does not have the top intake and the side opening for the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) is the SUU-16 - the SUU-23 had an electric motor which started the gun rotation.

As you can see here, the pod dimensions are 17ft 4in length and 22 inches diameter (which I'm assuming is with the rear fairing attached):

Using those numbers, it appears the Monogram gun pod is about 1 scale foot short, but good in diameter.

Gene K

[Gene K]

Most complaints ... the lack of deeper intake trunking, ... and the somewhat awkward way Monogram chose to divide up the intake trunks.

Here's an easy way to do seamless intakes - the thread covers the Monogram 1/72 kit, but applies equally to it's 1/48 parent:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....amp;hl=seamless

All you need is some .01 sheet styrene and a suitable engine face - resin or a graphic - 3 scale feet diameter (.75 inches in 1/48).

Gene K

[Fishwelding]

Here's an easy way to do seamless intakes - the thread covers the Monogram 1/72 kit, but applies equally to it's 1/48 parent:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....amp;hl=seamless

All you need is some .01 sheet styrene and a suitable engine face - resin or a graphic - 3 scale feet diameter (.75 inches in 1/48).

Gene K

Roger Jackson suggested (in his MM build article) doing something like this to the 1/48th scale kit. I accomplished mostly the same thing on a -J by attaching the upper intakes to the lowers while the latter were still on the fuselage, holding the uppers against the Splitter plates and the fuselage with tape and/or rubber bands. I did not, however, add the rest of the trunking, but it is tempting!

Thanks for the gun pod information and most especially the scan. A big help!

[Gene K]

Roger Jackson suggested (in his MM build article) doing something like this to the 1/48th scale kit.

Do you have a link to Roger's article?

Gene K

[Fishwelding]

Do you have a link to Roger's article?

Gene K

As requested. He gets a little crazier with replacing the upper BLC vents, too.

To wit: "As originally designed, an assembly seam bisects the highly visible upper BLC vents, ruining their appearance. Re-engineering the kit parts would be necessary to correct this gaff. Using masking tape, I mocked up each duct using the removed items from the wing bottom, the kit ducts, and the backing plates. The bottom pieces were carefully glued to the duct parts then the tape was removed.

I slid the backing plates out then filled and sanded these seams from the inside. Next, I replaced the poorly depicted upper BLC vents using pieces sectioned from two spare lower wings. Once these new vents were properly positioned they were glued from the inside with CA. A slight modification to the backing plates was needed to allow them to fit the corrected ducts. After sanding the insides of the new vents flush to the adjacent areas, the interiors of the ducts and splitter plates were sprayed gloss white."

[Gene K]

As requested. He gets a little crazier with replacing the upper BLC vents, too.

WOW - amazing build! Fantastic what he can do with older kits.

Off topic follows: I was confused about the "BLC" vents.....those he is referring to are actually vents for boundary layer air siphoned off by all those little holes in the vari ramps (rear part of splitter plates). "BLC" (Boundary Layer Control) normally refers to the hot air (from the 17th stage compressor) that comes out of holes (in the leading edges of the wings and flaps) that are exposed when the leading and trailing edge flaps are lowered. The effect is to delay airflow separating from the wing and flap surfaces at higher angles of attack, thus allowing slower speeds, yada, yada, yada...

Back on topic: Here is the pattern for the Monogram intakes - like I said, a minimum investment in time for a big payoff! (you should be able to print out full size, but I included a ruler as a crosscheck).

Gene K

Edited February 21, 2010 by Gene K

[G_Marcat_Italy]

I see you discuss about the air intakes of the Monogram's Phantom.

I'm building two of these F-4C/D and have applied to them a my homemade recipe for to change the "blind wall" view obtainable in the standard kit.

Here is the my result:

done this trick using a resin turbine, cutted in half and glued in which was the former plain wall.

The hard part has been to install a ramp to cover the worst part of Phantom's air intake: the lower part.

[Gene K]

I'm building two of these F-4C/D and have applied to them a my homemade recipe for to change the "blind wall" view obtainable in the standard kit.

Nice solution that looks very good! Much, much better than the kit.

Your placement of the compressor face is similar to that of the True Details set (green line below) - it's a little close to the front of the intake. I cut my pattern to place the front of the engine further back (red line below):

Gene K

[silverkite211]

Or you can modify the intakes by cutting away the lower section of the intake that is part of the wing, gluing it and the upper intake trunk together, mating it to a aftermarket resin intake trunk (Seamless Suckers, in this case) with some putty and add a scratchbuilt intake sensor probe, like this.

I did this on a Monogram F-4J that I backdated to a B.

[Viperguy]

I used a set of Koster intake covers. I've built about five of these kits and I can't wait to build more.

[Darren Roberts]

Steel Beach also has a set of covers. I believe AMS resin and TwoMikes resin also have covers. Here are the SB covers in action.

[ElectroSoldier]

Revell have rereleased it already.

Different decals of course, but its a great kit with some nice challenges :D

Makes for a sweet looking model with some effort as shown by Pauls model...

Nice build btw Paul

[Ishthe47guy]

One thing the Monogram has over the Hase kits is the mounting tabs for the stabs. The Mono kit has interlocking tabs for the stabs, rather that the pimple-like dots that pass as locating pins on the Hase stabs.

[USAFsparkchaser]

Ya I love how they did the stabs. Any links to the re-release? Where can it be bought?

[Andre]

Any links to the re-release?

There's a review of the recent RoG repop, including a view of the very nice decal sheet, here (German text, but Babelfish is your friend).

HTH,

Andre

[Fuji]

Steel Beach also has a set of covers. I believe AMS resin and TwoMikes resin also have covers. Here are the SB covers in action.

Great build D, need to order your S conversion for one of my Js