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I've started building the AMT/ESCI F-4G kit. I'll be using some aftermarket decals, resin seats and wheels. The first thing I noticed about the kit is it's a hard wing Phantom, so I'll change that. And the G specifc sprue looks like completely different plastic (I smell trouble).

So why build the AMT kit when the Hasegawa kit is so much better you ask? Because no matter how many times it went on evil-bay no one was foolishe enough to buy it, so I'm stuck with it.

Photo to follow shortly.

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Scale? :whistle:

If it's 1/72 i built the AMT/ETRL boxing of the F-4S, and it wasn't bad at all. A few missing bits, though (wing fence, underside DECM bumps). Hoping your kit is a good one.

I've built the 1/72 ESCI Phantoms as well, I think they're nice kits. But unfortunetly, this is the 1/48 ESCI kit. It's decent if you're doing a hard wing F-4E, and don't want to spend the money on the Hasegawa kit.

I started cutting the wings apart and spent some time deciding just how far I'll take this build. Something tells me in the end, I'll wish I'd just built the Hasegawa F-4G.

Edited by Grenadier37
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  • 2 weeks later...

You know you want to pick up one of those very nice and easy to build Hasegawa 1/48 F-4Gs. :whistle:

I need another Hase F-4G like I need another hole in my head...

Here's some progress pics. The easiest part about turning it into a soft wing phantom is re-scribing the panel lines (image #2).

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The ESCI kit has no sidewall detail so I glued some appropriate looking shapes to it.

0143.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

More pics of my progress. I didn't want to go overboard, so all I've done is add some detail to the cockpit, add antennas where needed and remove the control surfaces. It's primered and will be ready for paint soon.

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Edited by Grenadier37
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More pics of my progress. I didn't want to go overboard, so all I've done is add some detail to the cockpit, add antennas where needed and remove the control surfaces. It's primered and will be ready for paint soon.

024.jpg

Talk about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear! That's some amazing work. As long as you're correcting things, you might want to consider fixing the air conditioning intakes on the sides of the nose. The F-4E/F/G had very differently shaped intakes, faired in at the rear. It shouldn't be too difficult for someone with your skills to fair them in. Also the model needs the wingtip RHAW antennas added, that might be a bit more difficult.

F-4E, same as the F-4G:

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F-4C, same as all other short-nosed versions:

Scan1223.jpg

F-4G wing tip:

F-4GwingtipMarch1990McChordAFBScottRWilson.jpg

F-4GHillGrayScottWilson.jpg

Edited by Scott R Wilson
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Thanks guys. After some deliberation and decided to draw the line at any more updates/corrections to this kit. The Hasegawa kit is so much better and the only reason I'm building this one is I couldn't unload it on Evil-bay. As it is, I've done way too much, which will translate to major or minor mistakes on my part as I get bored and just try to "finish the damn thing", as is my mantra...

I've got two Fw-190s, an Me-262, a AH-1W, a Jagdpanzer IV, a M60A1, and an XB-70 on my workbench, all of which are begging to be finished.

Speaking of finishing, paint was applied...

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Edited by Grenadier37
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So...I predicted I'd quickly get imapatient. I did, and forged ahead placing walkway decals on the Phantom before getting a really good look at some reference photos. So they're the wrong color. I swear they looked a lot darker on the sheet. The others on the sheet looked almost black. Once they dried it was obvious how wrong they are. Oh well.

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More progress. When I peeled off the canopy masking, the mid-section canopy came with it. I've also painted and hung the drop tanks and Shrikes. The decals are from an old MicroScale sheet and some of the smaller stencils silvered. I tried to fix it, without success. I've also knocked the tip off the pitot tube something like 27 1/2 times. The carpet moster finally decided to eat it and I decided to stop "fixing" it.

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Edited by Grenadier37
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Excellent build! I love all the detail you added to it. Only one small nitpick; by the time they were in the grey scheme, they used the AN/ALQ-130 mostly. Still a lovely model. Will you post it in the gallery too?

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Only one small nitpick; by the time they were in the grey scheme, they used the AN/ALQ-130 mostly.

You of course meant the ALQ-131. I agree, he definitely took a piece of garbage model kit and made it look pretty darned good.

Scott W.

Edited by Scott R Wilson
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Thanks for the kudos. I'll take some photos in my ultra-high tech photobooth and post them in the finished thread asap.

As for the ECM pod, it's out of the kit. So as soon as AMT corrects the kit, I'll be sure to buy another and...wait, what am I saying? LIke I want to build this pile again!

Somewhere, maybe Iowa, there is a plastic cow, eating plastic grass, crapping AMT kits. :action-smiley-082:

Edited by Grenadier37
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