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Can the Academy 1/48 F-4B kit be built as an Airforce F-4C?


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No, the F-4B has the original thin wing. The F-4C and all other Phantoms have a much thicker inboard wing, with beefier main gear legs/wheels/tires. The F-4B can only be built as an F-4B/N (the N is an updated F-4B).

Edited by Jennings
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Thanks for the quick replies guys. So, the F-4B's that were loaned to the USAF for evaluation, do pics of these exist? Were they just painted in US Navy markings and passed to the USAF, or did the Airforce repaint them after they received them?

Thanks again

Brad

Edited by Brad-M
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The paint scheme initially was the same anyway iirc. I have a photo in a book with an overpainted F-4C (SEA camo over Grey/White), were the Green/Green/Tan chipped off so badly that the US AIR FORCE writing on the fuselage side is 1/3 or so visible. Quite an interesting modelling subject, by the way.

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Rock, the aircraft that had the SEA camo flaking off of the USN Gray colors were from a later batch,,,,,those were actual thick winged real F-4C

All of the F-4B that were loaned to the USAF and flew in USN Light Gull Gray were returned to the Navy before Vietnam

you can tell the batches apart by the serial numbers, if they are 149405, 149406 or 121xx, then they are thin winged loaners, if 37xxx or higher numbers on the tail, they were real F-4C

Edited by Rex
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62-121168_1_USN149405_unknown_zpsd868872f.jpg

The paint scheme initially was the same anyway iirc. I have a photo in a book with an overpainted F-4C (SEA camo over Grey/White), were the Green/Green/Tan chipped off so badly that the US AIR FORCE writing on the fuselage side is 1/3 or so visible. Quite an interesting modelling subject, by the way.

Aeromaster had one out in this set. My link

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oops, sorry,,,,,left out the "4" in the loaner F-4B serials in my last line

and as I said,,,,,,there were two batches, that pic of the LGG over White with the red bombs is one of the first two F-4B loaners

the LGG over White C models that got repainted were really, truly from the batch of C model jets that caused the return of the LGG over White B models to the USN, as the C came off the production line

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Captoveur, yes, that Sparrow is a legitimate load

In fact, the Sparrow was the only legitimate load on the "missile pylon", unless the TER adapter was fitted or the Sidewinder rails on the shoulders of the missile pylon. The USAF used the same name for that pylon, and called the "USAF pylon" the "weapons pylon", that later rounded top style is the only inner pylon that could carry weapons directly on it's bottom, and required a missile rail or adapter to carry missiles on the bottom

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So I notice in the F-110 picture there is a Sparrow hanging on the inboard pylon. Was that a legitimate load?

The original design purpose for the F-4 was for a fleet defense interceptor and it was designed to carry a Sparrow under each inboard pylon in addition to the four in the belly recesses. A Sparrow missile rail was integrated into the bottom of the Navy "straight" pylons. The "F-110"s were F-4Bs loaned to the USAF for training until their dedicated F-4C versions were delivered.

As noted, a small adapter was necessary when attaching A-G stores or ejector racks to the underside of the Navy pylon. On the plus side, the adapter allowed the stores to hang lower below the pylon, which allowed Sidewinders to be carried on the sides of the pylons at the same time as A-G stores. I don't think USAF F-4s could do the same for most of the Vietnam war.

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I believe one might be able to get an Academy F-4C sooner as I seem to recall reading somewhere that Academy has done an ROKAF F-4C for the internal South Korean market only. But, stuff like that does pop up on eBay from time to time given its international popularity.

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Rock, the aircraft that had the SEA camo flaking off of the USN Gray colors were from a later batch,,,,,those were actual thick winged real F-4C

All of the F-4B that were loaned to the USAF and flew in USN Light Gull Gray were returned to the Navy before Vietnam

you can tell the batches apart by the serial numbers, if they are 149405, 149406 or 121xx, then they are thin winged loaners, if 37xxx or higher numbers on the tail, they were real F-4C

I forgot that those loaner jets were the subject... :bandhead2:

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  • 4 months later...

I believe one might be able to get an Academy F-4C sooner as I seem to recall reading somewhere that Academy has done an ROKAF F-4C for the internal South Korean market only. But, stuff like that does pop up on eBay from time to time given its international popularity.

Any recent news on this special release for the Korean Market? Or when the C/D is coming?

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