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Italeri 1/48 F-4J Phantom II


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Hi everyone!

Today I masked and painted the black parts on the airframe. Nose cone, anti-glare panel, etc. Check out the photos.

f4j_193.JPG

f4j_198.JPG

Hi Zoli,

I love all the work you have done.

I feel however I should point out that you have made a little mistake misplacing the part that goes under the nose. It should be placed under the radome, not in front of the landing gear well on the underside of the airframe. Check the picture below to see what I mean. I think the mistake is easily corrected and it is my hope you won't take offense by my mentioning it. My only intention is to help you notice it before the model is finished so it can be as accurate as possible, as that seems to be your goal. Apologies beforehand is my post causes you any irritation.

Graphic1-1.jpg

And by the way, I am in the process of trying to finish one of those kits myself! It is the original Esci kit which I started about the time it was released (was that in the early eighties?) as an OOB quick build that was meant to be sold at a local hobby store. I have rescued it from the box of doom and am planning to get if finished as an F-4D for my collection now. It will be nowhere as detailed as yours, but I will be happy if it just looks nice when done.

I teared out the original cockpit and will replace it with a Monogram one. That'll do for me! Here's a cople of pics of it as it stands now:

IMG_7135c.jpg

IMG_7169c.jpg

Your build will serve as inspiration no doubt!

All the best,

Jorge. :cheers:

Edited by f4h1phantom
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Hi everyone!

That is some awesome scratch building. Super job!

Thanks, NavyPhantoms!

Your attention to detail is incredible, your scratch building is off the chart and, your ability with an airbrush is outstanding !! Thanks for sharing these with us and definitely looking forward to seeing this one finished up and future builds.

Steve, I can just hope that one day I will be the modeler you described. Nowadays I still define myself as an amateur modeler. Thanks for the kind words!

wow, My esci F-4J should go in the trash now.......

KellyF15, do not do that - I kept my oldest models also to see whether my skills were developed or not. It is always inspiring to see the difference between a ten year old model and a current one built by the same modeler.

It's long time project, I like these kind of scale modelling.

Thanks Marek, me too...! :) TBH it should not be a long time project but I built about five other models meanwhile and started another two...

Exactly as he said. :thumbsup:

Can't wait to see more.

Thanks Laz, my friend - long time not hearing from you. :coolio:

Hi Zoli,

I love all the work you have done.

I feel however I should point out that you have made a little mistake misplacing the part that goes under the nose. It should be placed under the radome, not in front of the landing gear well on the underside of the airframe. Check the picture below to see what I mean. I think the mistake is easily corrected and it is my hope you won't take offense by my mentioning it. My only intention is to help you notice it before the model is finished so it can be as accurate as possible, as that seems to be your goal. Apologies beforehand is my post causes you any irritation.

Your build will serve as inspiration no doubt!

Hi Jorge! Thanks for the kind words! A positive, constructive comment is never irritating!!! Thanks for pointing that mistake out. I checked the Italeri instructions and sources on the net and it seems that Italeri made a mistake that I make even bigger... TBH I will not try to fix it because I am affraid of the snowball effect: removing this little part I scratch the painting, fixing that also ruins something else, etc... I will leave it as it is now, but your comment will help fellow modelers to not to make the same mistake as I did - and I want to build other Phantoms also so you helped me out too.

Checking out your bench photos: loads of Phantoms!!! You must be a real expert! :thumbsup:

Hi Zoli,

that Phantom looks truly fantastic! Will be watching from now on! :popcorn:

Cheers from a fellow hungarian. :cheers:

Thanks, Yso! This world seems to be quite small! :)

Cheers,

Zoli

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Hi Jorge!I will leave it as it is now,

Cheers,

Zoli

Hi Zoli,

I perfectly understand your decision as it is probably the wisest thing to do! :thumbsup:

No expert here, just another Phantom Phan! :lol:

Looking forward to your next update. Keep up the good work mate!

Yours truly,

Jorge.

Edited by f4h1phantom
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Thanx Zoli for a masterful job of teaching old dogs new trix, by that I mean your class on pre-shading and painting has given many, with me at the top of that list a new hope for still better builds with the inspiration you have given and so eloquently illustrated; the finale is something I will await with anxious patience.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi everyone!

This is time for another progress report on this Phantom. Slowly I am getting closer and closer to the end.

Hi Zoli,

I perfectly understand your decision as it is probably the wisest thing to do! :thumbsup:

No expert here, just another Phantom Phan! :lol:

Looking forward to your next update. Keep up the good work mate!

Thanks, Jorge!

What an amazing build! Great work, sir! :worship:

Thank you, JackMan!

This is a lovely build, Zoli. Great work. I love the paint job - very well executed. I look forward to seeing the end result.

Thank you, Ian! I hope nothing serious will happen until I put this into the display case... BTW, during the decaling process the model was dropped...

Thanx Zoli for a masterful job of teaching old dogs new trix, by that I mean your class on pre-shading and painting has given many, with me at the top of that list a new hope for still better builds with the inspiration you have given and so eloquently illustrated; the finale is something I will await with anxious patience.

Thanks for the kind words Clif! I hope you will like the final result!

Progress:

I finished putting on the decals. I was lucky with the very first insignia on the underside, but somehow all the other decals resisted my every attempts to force them into the rivets and panel lines. Gunze Mark Softer was used and it softened the extremely thick decals well - but when a decal is completely dried, it came out of the rivets and lines again and covered the details. As a final solution I had to cut them along the panel lines and "re-rivet" the areas covered by the decal. It was a painfully slow process... :(

On top of that - I am not a Phantom expert but comparing the instruction sheet and real life photos with the decals it seems to me that the stencils are more 1/32 scale than 1/48. I took a photo of the nose part - please check it yourself and add a comment... Anyway I put them on as I want to finally finish this bird after three years...

As I wrote earlier, the model was accidentally dropped during the decaling process, but only the middle part of the canopy had broken off. It is held by the masking tape now, but I have to remove the masks, glue the part back before clear coating.

Photos:

f4j_221.JPG

f4j_222.JPG

f4j_223.JPG

f4j_224.JPG

Cheers,

Zoli

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Hűűű bakker, ez nagyon kemény... :jaw-dropping:

Zoli,

that is the most beautiful Navy Phantom I've ever seen.

Knowing the basic kit from Italeri the level of execution you've made is Phantastic.

IUt's time to sit together to make a happy modeling day. :rolleyes:

I have a lot to learn.

Regards,Laz

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Hi!

Some more little progress was made...

So nice!

Thanks, sharkey!

Hűűű bakker, ez nagyon kemény... :jaw-dropping:

Zoli,

that is the most beautiful Navy Phantom I've ever seen.

Knowing the basic kit from Italeri the level of execution you've made is Phantastic.

It's time to sit together to make a happy modeling day. :rolleyes:

I have a lot to learn.

Regards,Laz

Hi Laz,

thanks a lot! But I have to say I have seen many Phantom models much better than this one - anyway, this one is the ESCI/Italeri offer at all. On the other hand, it will be the best Phantom in my display case... ;)

Modeling together: be my guest - distance is only 150km, this is almost nothing for you...

So, onto today's progress pictures - landing gears and some cosmetic issues are done.

f4j_225.JPG

f4j_226.JPG

f4j_227.JPG

f4j_228.JPG

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Zoli

Edited by ZAgocs
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I think you have been using the Tamiya mat white for the under site. Is the Gunze Mark Softer so great that you could place the decals on the mat surface?

Thanks,

Dan

Hi Dan,

yes, I used Tamiya Flat White but the surface received a layer of Tamiya Clear before the decals were applied (as you probably noticed on the images clear coating is one of my weakest skills). Decals were applied onto this clear coated surface using Gunze Mark Softer. And yes, it is a great product, I have used it many times without problem - this time the problem was the thick decal film.

Cheers,

Zoli

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Hi Dan,

yes, I used Tamiya Flat White but the surface received a layer of Tamiya Clear before the decals were applied (as you probably noticed on the images clear coating is one of my weakest skills). Decals were applied onto this clear coated surface using Gunze Mark Softer. And yes, it is a great product, I have used it many times without problem - this time the problem was the thick decal film.

Cheers,

Zoli

Thanks Zoli. I need to try it then. I usually use the Micro Set/Sol stuff and wonder which product is better.

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Zoli, that is a gorgeous Phantom you have going ...

-Gregg

Hi Gregg,

thanks for the kind words!

I don't know how accurate as a kit is the Italeri Phantom YET, I do know one think, Zoli has done a remarkable job with it and from every aspect.

Looking forward to see your next project Zoli!!!!

Sernak

Hi Sernak,

thank you! TBH, this was my first project here on ARC forums, started almost three years ago. I got carried away a bit - instead of finishing this one I built other models meanwhile leaving this unfinished. So my "next" project(s) are already over, check the links in my signature... :woot.gif:

Cheers,

Zoli

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Awesome build! I wish I was that good or half as good! could you show us the tip of your "riveter" I do rivets on my models too but mine are smaller and they kinda get invisible after the paint job, if it's not too much to ask!

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OK Zoli.....how dare you pass this beauty off as Italeri.....we all know it's an Acadegawiya..hybrid :woot.gif::whistle: . Seriously this is as fine a display of modeling skills and scratchin, as I've seen here or any place else. That cockpit is a thing of beauty, especially the between the seats action, fantastic. This is a build that many, from novice to advanced modelers can use for future refs when doing this Italeri kit. Do not be surprised to see some of your work copied on many Phantom kits that as yet are in the stashes. If the Italeri folks are watching right now they are rethinking the mold, starting with the seats and IP's. Outstanding job on showing the modeling family at large what with some work how good this kit can be made to look :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :worship: :worship: .

Edited by #1 Greywolf
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everyone!

Time for a quick update on this bird...

Awesome build! I wish I was that good or half as good! could you show us the tip of your "riveter" I do rivets on my models too but mine are smaller and they kinda get invisible after the paint job, if it's not too much to ask!

Thanks Kike! My riveter is an old dart. I forgot to take a photo of it but next time it will be included.

OK Zoli.....how dare you pass this beauty off as Italeri.....we all know it's an Acadegawiya..hybrid :woot.gif::whistle: . Seriously this is as fine a display of modeling skills and scratchin, as I've seen here or any place else. That cockpit is a thing of beauty, especially the between the seats action, fantastic. This is a build that many, from novice to advanced modelers can use for future refs when doing this Italeri kit. Do not be surprised to see some of your work copied on many Phantom kits that as yet are in the stashes. If the Italeri folks are watching right now they are rethinking the mold, starting with the seats and IP's. Outstanding job on showing the modeling family at large what with some work how good this kit can be made to look :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :worship: :worship: .

Thanks for the kind words, Clif! I learnt a lot of tricks here on ARC - a good place for all modelers!

Bump! Any Updates!?!?!?!

Here you are, Shaka... but be careful, I am a slow modeler. :) Welcome to ARC!

It´s a really sensational work! Absolutely outstanding! I love it!

It´s simply marvellous to see your performance with these fairly avarage Italeri-kits.

Thank you Jan! TBH I like a lot when some easy home-made improvements add a lot to the model's final look.

And now for the pictures - nothing serious, I have done a protective clear coating after the decals and a panel wash. Forgot to take pictures of the small parts, pylons, etc. - but those were washed also.

f4j_229.JPG

f4j_230.JPG

f4j_231.JPG

f4j_232.JPG

f4j_233.JPG

f4j_234.JPG

Cheers,

Zoli

Edited by ZAgocs
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