Academy F-4B aftermarket suggestions

[Richard J]

O.k, now that we’ve seen the sprue photos and and assembly instructions, it’s time to consider what aftermarket stuff might be applicable to the new Academy F-4. Here’s my personal wish list of resin goodies…

- Cockpit set for early (mk.5 seats) and late (mk.7 seats). Must have correct instrument panel and coaming for each type.

- The shorter, more rounded McDonnell external wing tanks.

- Fin cap with AN/APR-24 RHAW receiver as fitted in ’66.

- LE and TE dropped flaps (with and without inboard LE section).

- More detailed replacement rear fuselage that allows stabilators to be repositioned, and has more detailed arrestor hook uplock area.

- Metal LG replacements (with optional extended nose gear leg).

- Replacement windshield with correctly shaped frame (not as oval as the kit’s one).

- Intake parts that feature full intake trunking, and eliminate that ugly longitudinal moulding seam.

- Trunnion covers for the wings.

- Open and closed nozzles.

And most importantly (IMHO)…

- A replacement lower nose piece that:

- Corrects the contours around the aircon/heat exchanger inlets on the nose.

- Has more accurate aircon/heat exchanger inlets

- Has correctly shaped rear nose gear door and more detailed LG bay

- A better representation of the “flipper” doors at the rear of the Sparrow recesses.

The parts breakdown of the kit appears to make it very easy to produce drop-in replacements for some of the kit’s less accurate parts. And most of the parts I’ve suggested would suit all the short nosed F-4s. That’s got to be a good thing.

-Richard

Edited November 1, 2012 by Richard J

[gonzalo]

You are asking which aftermarket sets the kit needs before actually having a kit in hand, aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves?

Edited October 31, 2012 by gonzalo

[Richard J]

You are asking which aftermarket sets the kit needs before actually having a kit in hand, aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves?

Not really. The kit doesn't represent an early F-4B out of the box, but why shouldn't I want to build an early bird? The kit has no early external tanks, or Mk.5 seats. And with regard to the inaccurate nose / inlet area, well, it's just not very good. The point is, with the parts breakdown chosen by Academy, it should be fairly easy to correct with a resin piece, so why not?

-Richard

[metroman]

no

Edited October 31, 2012 by metroman

[metroman]

[gonzalo]

Not really. The kit doesn't represent an early F-4B out of the box, but why shouldn't I want to build an early bird? The kit has no early external tanks, or Mk.5 seats. And with regard to the inaccurate nose / inlet area, well, it's just not very good. The point is, with the parts breakdown chosen by Academy, it should be fairly easy to correct with a resin piece, so why not?

-Richard

Ok then.

[Dmanton300]

Early Sargent Fletcher tanks. The rest I'll fudge!

[Rex]

Mac made the early tanks with the separate pylon, Sgt Fletcher made the late tanks with the integral pylon

at least, that is what he F-4C in 1969 TO says (on the page that gives the weights of the stores combos)

I would love to see the "shorter, fatter, removable" tanks in both 1/48 and 1/72

I'd also like to see the pylon molded for them with a separate weaps adapter, so that we don't have to scribe that off to show empty pylons

[AD-4N]

Early Sargent Fletcher tanks. The rest I'll fudge!

Boy, ain't that a fact. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but I am just happy this kit is en route.

Edited October 31, 2012 by AD-4N

[Jennings]

Here's a wild, crazy-go-nuts idea: You could actually build the model and do all that stuff for yourself and not rely on aftermarket bits.

I know, I know, that's crazy talk....

:)

[Jennings]

You are asking which aftermarket sets the kit needs before actually having a kit in hand, aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves?

This is 2012. Sprue Brothers will have new kits shipped before you even know you want them. :)

[Dmanton300]

Here's a wild, crazy-go-nuts idea: You could actually build the model and do all that stuff for yourself and not rely on aftermarket bits.

I know, I know, that's crazy talk....

:)

I'm lazy. Sue me.

But really, early Sargent Fletchers are all I want.

[Rex]

and I can't tell now if you want the short and rounder tanks with two ribs or the longer and skinny tanks with one rib

I only suggest that if you really want them that you ask for them in a way that a producer would find them when they look them up, if they go anywhere besides an old Squadron book that made an error, or the books and sites that compound that error

or someone will just "make a pair of Sgt Fletcher tanks",,,,and not know why they didn't sell

[Gene K]

I would love to see the "shorter, fatter, removable" tanks in both 1/48 and 1/72

Really!! The Academy box top shows the early McDonnell tanks, so I was hoping...but the sprues show Fletchers (which are appropriate for the majority of Phantom models, of course)

Gene K

Edited October 31, 2012 by Gene K

[Gene K]

Here's a wild, crazy-go-nuts idea: You could actually build the model and do all that stuff for yourself and not rely on aftermarket bits.

Hey Jennings,

Here's a wild, crazy-go-nuts idea: You could actually build the model and do all that stuff for yourself and not rely on Academy.

Yes, that's as absurd as your suggestion.

Gene K

[Dmanton300]

You know, I seem to have got my tanks completely reversed! For some reason I was thinking the early rounded tanks were Sargent Fletchers, and the later tanks were McDonnell made but erroneously referred to as Sargent Fletchers in most literature!

Anyway, I mean the early rounded tanks!

[Richard J]

and I can't tell now if you want the short and rounder tanks with two ribs or the longer and skinny tanks with one rib

I only suggest that if you really want them that you ask for them in a way that a producer would find them when they look them up, if they go anywhere besides an old Squadron book that made an error, or the books and sites that compound that error

or someone will just "make a pair of Sgt Fletcher tanks",,,,and not know why they didn't sell

Problem is that the manuals I have don't name the tank manufacturer at all, so I'm relying on enthusiast references for that. DACO publications "Uncovering the US Navy Phantom" calls the two rib rounder variety Sgt Fletcher tanks, and that's what I was referring to. The tank type designation is ATP-H5, but since that's a service designation not a manufacturer designation, it could apply to both tanks.

[Richard J]

Here's a wild, crazy-go-nuts idea: You could actually build the model and do all that stuff for yourself and not rely on aftermarket bits.

I know, I know, that's crazy talk....

:)

Why rely on a kit at all? Buy yourself a block of wood and get carving!

[Rex]

I bet DACO picked up the error from the old Squadron mistake,,,,,,,I still have notes around here that I wrote a long time ago, and I have them backwards in some of the labels, even though I know what I intended them to mean

it is fairly easy to tell once you know the names

the MAC tanks are the ones listed in the TO as "MAC 370-Gal EXT. Tank with Pylon & unusable Fuel" and then "Full", 340/2745 pounds. drag 4.8

and the Sgt Fletcher are listed as "Sgt Fletcher 370-Gl Ext. Tank with unusable Fuel" and then "Full", 306/2711 pounds, drag 6.4

then, in the same position on the wing, the outerwing pylon location, each MER, etc is attached with either

"Wing Tank Pylon and Outboard MER with Adapter-341 pounds" or "Outboard Armament Pylon and Outboard MER-415 pounds",,,and etc for TER, the MBR if you go that far back in time, or direct to pylon, or missile rail to pylon

so, the MAC tank comes off, the adapter bolts on, ,,,,,,,or you can have USAF weapons only pylons, or Fletcher Tanks with integral pylons

only 2 different pylons for outerwing USN use (3 configs), but, 3 different pylons for USAF use (4 configs),,,,,plus the possible empty outerwing MAC tank pylon for each service, and the possible Zero pylons for all operators

and those "early" MAC tanks are seen in photos as late as the seventies on Marine F-4N,,,,,,easy to spot, they have the rib right at the "waterline" of the tank

Edited October 31, 2012 by Rex

[Richard J]

Thanks for that, Rex. I've just been going through my manuals, and the USN painting and refinishing manual corroborates your info re. the McDonnell tanks.