RF-4B

[Ryan34]

Hey guys,

I just bought a Hasegawa RF-4B in 1/72 scale and I wanted some info about it. It is the Ka-9 Kit of the RF-4B I got it for relatively cheap at a LHS and I need to know what decals are available for this kit and any other issues it might have. Thanks in advance.

Frank

[Jennings]

Don't know about decals, but all of the Hasegawa 2nd generation F-4 kits (of which that's one) are excellent.

[Rex]

the KA-9 isn't one of the third generation kits?

the RF-4B kits I have from them all came well after the first two generations (which are also currently still being sold as "new")*

the only thing to watch for with the Hasegawa RF-4B kits is to chose parts to match the decals you like, a lot of them have Thin and thick wing options in the same box

edit: one place you can make your RF-4B more accurate is to change the rear cockpit part #A20, Hasegawa has you build your backseat side panel the same on an RF-4B as you do on an F-4B, with no console on the right side,,,,,,,,there was a console on the right side of RF-4B, approximately 1/3 the width of the F-4C/D, with the side panel in place being slightly smaller than the F-4B part

*1st generation, thin wing "riveted all over the place", available as F-4B, F-4J/C/D, and currently as the F-4K/M (see Kit D-1 )

2nd generation, thick wing, very subtle raised panel lines, with different sized outer wings than the 1st gen, available as F-4E, F-4F and F-4EJ (see Kit C-4)

3rd generation, modular tooling, possible to get everything except the Spey engine aircraft or the very earliest F-4As, or the F-4E(S) (Ka series, etc)

Edited February 16, 2014 by Rex

[nfiler]

I have almost all the Hasagawa 72nd Phatnoms and KA-9 is the good second generation kit. I do not understand the reference to a third generation. After the first kinda crappy Haseagawa Phantom kit, all have been the mix and match many comman parts kits. The total range now runs pretty close to 100 different versions.

The KA-9 kit has both the fat wing and the the early skinny wing. All but the last 11 Marine RF-4Bs were the skinny wing. The decals provided allow you to choose between one fat wing bird and two skinny winged birds.

It is an excellent kit, but you have to pay very close attention to the version your building, With the many optional version parts, and the different configurations you need to drill out holes and other minor assembly before you glue stuff together and find out you missed something.

[Rex]

as I said, first Hasegawa tooling on top, lots of rivets, second one on bottom, very subtle,,,,,,also one tooling has two pins to locate the splitter plate, the other has one hole

they have different methods of portraying the flaps, one has them on the bottom of the upper wing panel (upperwing part, on right) the other has them on the lower wing piece and the upper part (traditional split model wings)

and then there is the difference in the inner wing span and the outer wing span,,,,,,essentially they have different attachment points for the folded wing, while keeping the same overall span

so, as I said, after the F-4B, J, D/C, K/M short nose tooling, there was the related in name only F-4E, F, EJ gun nose tooling

and then the newest tooling that has the noses attach to the fuselage depending on the model desired,,,the third tooling (the RF-4B is in this group)

ps, I know,,,"why bother with this?",,,,well, I figure that if the OP decides I don't know the differences in the 3 kits, then he might dismiss the side panel thing, or the warning about matching the thin and thick winged parts with the proper decals, as the posting of a guy that doesn't know what the kits look like

Edited February 16, 2014 by Rex

[Wild Weasel V]

These are the sheets I have, they're all long OOP though:

Microscale/Superscale:

72-201 VMFP-3 BuNo. 157346, VMCJ-1 BuNo. 153102, VMFP-3 Bi-Centennial BuNo. 153101

72-320 VMCJ-3 BuNo. 153092

72-324 VMFP-3 1x Low Viz BuNo. 153107, 1x Full colour (green tail/gold fox head) BuNo. 153095

Bare Metal Decals:

72-20 VMFP-3 Last RF-4B All black retirement scheme. BuNo. 157351

The only other sheet I know of is the ancient ESCI sheet 75 which has an early VMCJ-2 jet BuNo. 153099. The Fujimi kit has VMFP-3 Bi-Centennial BuNo. 153101 and BuNo 153107 in both 'green fin' and low viz with the pointing Spook marking on the fin.

The RF-4B has three serial ranges:

BuNo. 151975 to 151983

BuNo. 153089 to 153115

BuNo. 157342 to 157351 - these 10 have the 'thick' wing and the last three ('349, '350 & '351) were fitted with the later rounded style camera nose.

As well as the original KA9 release, Hasegawa has released it with VMFP-3 Fox head markings, VMFP-3 Bicentennial, VMCJ-1 and VMCJ-2 markings. I think the VMCJ-2 boxing may only come with the thick wing since the two marking options are for BuNos. 157342 & 157344.

Despite only numbering 46 and operating with 4 units, the variety of different markings for the RF-4Bs is huge: even in the same timeframe there are variations between aircraft of the same squadron. The above sheets only scratch the surface and could do with updating themselves.