1/72 Hasegawa RF-4B VMCJ-1

[Litvyak]

So I figured I'd start the build thread for entry number seven - a straight OOB build (including the decals) of a Hasegawa RF-4B.

This is the kit:

And this is the scheme I'll be doing:

- in part because I love the googly-eyed zeroes on the nose, and in part because this is the only scheme that uses this particular walkway option - the other three all use the walkway decals I used on my Airfix build.

After the labour-intensive Airfix build that I'm still working on finishing up, this should be a relaxing change of pace! :)

[Bigasshammm]

You sir. Are officially obsessed!

[Litvyak]

You sir. Are officially obsessed!

Well, it's either this, or Hello Kitty stuff... which everyone keeps buying me as gifts regardless of my protests... :P (And yet speed or whatever would probably be a cheaper addiction than either of those!)

I've always liked the F-4, sure, but this GB has transformed that into something beyond that! If I get this one done with time left for more, I've got Korean F-4D decals en route to me from Japan as we speak, and an Accurate Miniatures kit on the 'ready shelf'... (though the Michigan ANG decals included with the kit are also tempting...)

[Pete]

Welcome to the club :D

[Litvyak]

Thanks, Pete - The Phantom Phandom, the Aerial Aelite! ;)

[Litvyak]

Being out all day yesterday I didn't have time to work on it, but here's the current situation:

Have today and tomorrow off, so hope to get lots done! :)

[Litvyak]

Progress:

This will be finished this weekend! :)

[jimz66]

Looking good but you got the SMALL BUNO in the wrong place.... it should be up just in front of the tail BELOW the white circle.

[Pete]

Actually, he got it right. VMCJ-1 usually placed the BuNo on that location and not on the more traditional position.

Some pics to show it:

Edited August 10, 2013 by Pete

[Litvyak]

Looking good but you got the SMALL BUNO in the wrong place.... it should be up just in front of the tail BELOW the white circle.

Thanks - and also thanks Pete for all those great photos!

I was just following the instructions - if you look at the scan of the page in my first post you can see it, decal #49.

[Pete]

Hmmm, now that I look closer at those pics, I do have some suggestions, if I may.

The tailcone was bare metal on these, not light gull grey as they usually were.

The ejection seat and flash cratridge warning triangles were red with white letters, not the white/red style Hasegawa gives you.

The engines should be the early type, with the short petals, not the F-4J/S style long petals. These were installed later in the RF-4B lifes.

The anti glare panel on the nose should be a bit bigger, but it would probably a bit too late for that, since you already got the decals on.

Wether you decide to change these things or not, it still looks good. :)

[Litvyak]

Thanks for all that, too, Pete!

The tail cone is easily fixed - I'll get to that as soon as I get myself and the laptop over to the workbench.

I may still be able to remove the exhausts safely and replace those - I'll give it a try but not going to force too hard, so I may or may not change that.

I think I should be able to get the warning triangles off safely without damaging any nearby decals, too. The kit's decal sheet does include the red-with-white-text variant, too.

I will, though, leave the antiglare panel as it is!

[jimz66]

WOW proved me wrong. I have never seen them in that position before... thanks for those references. If I didn't see it I WOULND'NT believe it.

[Pete]

NP. There are always exceptions to the rule. I've even seen it on this location on a USMC F-4B (VMFA-122 in 1973).

[Litvyak]

So, here we are!

Pete - I took a few of your suggestions, I fixed the tail cone and the warning triangles; the exhausts were too well fixed in place to remove.

And here, together with my other American Phantoms:

Some more pics in the Finished Builds thread, too!