THE Revell F-4G build thread

mrvark · February 20, 2016

Getting closer, waiting on some decals to finish it up.

I'm not a fan of the Revell windscreen so decided to do the 35th TFW wing king's jet that had the single piece windscreen. To that at your own risk. I supplemented the Revell sheet with the Speed Hunter Graphics sheet 32005. While it includes MOST of the markings for that jet, it only includes the fin flash for the F-4E, not the F-4G. That is not a trivial omission. The fin flash has to wrap around the bullet fairing and has the four squadron colors (black, yellow, silver, & blue) separated by white pin-striping. So, I designed my own decal which is out being printed. I pre-painted the yellow and blue--the decal will feature the black, silver & pin-striping.

The other thing I decided to do on my own is the strip lights. These aren't included on the Speed Hunter sheet and the Revell sheet has several problems: 1) the tail lights are included as part of the kit markings, so they really can't be used for any other markings, 2) there are no wingtip decals, and 3) the two shorter lights (front and mid fuselage) are the same length--the front one should be shorter. Unfortunately, the Speed Hunter sheet doesn't include them. Finally, the color to me is too green--personal preference. While the lights are a brilliant green when they're turned on at night, the rest of the time they're a buff color. Doing my own, I was able to select a color that I think will look a bit more realistic. We shall see.

A previously discussed, there is nothing wrong with the kit's AGM-45 & AGM-78 missiles except that they aren't really representative of what the gray airplanes carried. So, I've gone in a different direction: AMS AN/ALQ-184 and AGM-88 HARMs with LAU-118(V)-1 launchers (with decals from the Academy F-16 kit), Wingman SUU-30 CBUs on Cutting Edge TERs, Sierra Hotel's new High Performance Centerline tank (not visible here), and the kit's very nice AIM-7Ms (which Revell forgot to include decals for). This was a legal load, although I don't know if it was actually flown in Desert Storm. But, it is cool looking!

Oh yes, I almost forgot. I used the unspotted stabilators when I was developing the hook tab a couple of pages back. I failed to round the corner of the L shaped tab enough on the slotted stabs for the kit. I decided to glue them in but was concerned about testing the fit first. Long story short--if you do that, it will work, but ONLY if you round the corner as pictured. I suggest doing this mod and test fitting it BEFORE assembling the fuselage to make any needed adjustments and gain confidence in assembling it.

Edited February 20, 2016 by mrvark

A-10 LOADER · February 20, 2016

I've been quietly following along with this one and I am enjoying it alot. She looks AWESOME, LOVE the F-4G. I like the base too, it's different and interesting, well done. Looking forward to the next installment.

Steve

NavyF4s · February 21, 2016

That's a great looking Phantom! I like your idea about the frameless one piece wind screen.

:thumbsup:

Jinxter13 · February 22, 2016

Ok that is it, you guys are doing such great work on the Phantoms...I have no recourse but..."I gotta get me one of these"...and try to do what you guys are doin' of course it'll have to be for the 35TFW :whistle: .

jmel · February 22, 2016

Jim, great work on your Weasel!! I love the additions you are making to the kit, and the base is very nice.

I didn't include the tail pod colors as a decal because I wasn't convinced a decal would conform to the compound curves of the pod. I thought it'd be easier to paint. I did, however, include the silver pinstriping between each color.

Aside from that omission, how have the decals worked for you? Anything you'd like for me to change in subsequent releases?

Jake

spang · February 22, 2016

Great job :woot.gif:

mrvark · February 23, 2016

Aside from that omission, how have the decals worked for you? Anything you'd like for me to change in subsequent releases?

Jake

I wrote up a nice long reply this morning...and then my computer ate it. :(/> So I'll try again.

The stand is from my friend Rex Krugman.

Things to add:

Strip Lights (including wing tip ones).

Many of the F-4Gs had walkways that included pin striping. That would be something useful to include.

Things to correct:

The canopy push buttons are a little too close to each other (~0.5mm). Not a big deal, but shouldn't be too hard to fix. Also, it wasn't clear to me, which set of buttons went with which aircraft.

Some of the several sets of insignias are pretty similar, it would be helpful to to positively identify which go with which scheme.

You might want to explain the bullet pin striping decals in the instructions--I completely missed them. (I'll let you know how my attempt at a decal for the bullet came out later in the week. I used the Sierra Hotel bullet--the Revell one is a bit smaller.)

I'm not much of a fan of stenciling, but I gave it a go with this. It would be helpful if you either supplied placement instructions for the limited stencils or number them to be compatible with the Revell instructions. It would also be helpful if you briefly discussed what color of stencils were used with the Lizard and Hill schemes. The Revell decals are all over the place--some yellow, some gray, some black. I have no idea what's right, but am somewhat dubious of what Revell supplied. The one discrepancy I did note between you and Revell is that they have eight of the honeycomb no step decals but you supplied only six. Don't know which is correct, just pointing out the difference.

I think that's the high points.

jmel · February 23, 2016

OK, Jim, thanks for the feedback. I have some plans to rectify the stencil issue later this year. On my 48th Phantom sheets, I've kept all of a particular jet's stencils (rescue arrow, canopy buttons, and seat traingles) separate, but that, of course, doesn't help with this 32nd sheet.

Looking forward to seeing your Weasel!!

Jake

mrvark · February 28, 2016

Declaring VICTORY! Is it perfect--NO, lots of flaws if you look closely enough, but I'm SO done with this model!! To recap:

Changes to kit: Sierra Hotel intakes, exhaust, rear cockpit, nose, HPC tank, and tail bullet, Wingman SUU-30H/Bs on Cutting Edge TERs, Master pitot tubes & AOA probe, AMS AGM-88s on LAU-118s (attached to KMC outboard USAF pylons) and AN/ALQ-184 pod, Speed Hunter Graphics, Revell and self-designed decals (face curtain handles, strip lights, tail bullet, AN/ALE-40 expendables, some AGM-88 markings, all AIM-7M markings--missing from kit), aftermarket ejection seats (possibly Cutting Edge or True Details), Academy crew figures, and Aires Spooks. Scratch-built and/or modified: AIM-7M exhaust (and made sure conduits faced outboard), ALE-40 dispensers (kit has no magazines), wingtip AN/ALR-46 antennas (missing from kit), belly strap (on all F-4Gs, but not in kit), and WSO's rearview mirror. I may have forgotten a thing or two, but you get the drift as to how steep the hill was.

Now I've got to figure out where to put the thing! Some final pics:

With the RoG F-4F: