Best 1/48 F-4E?

[juicebox]

I have a set of Jake's 1/48 F-4E decals and would like to build both NJ birds. What would be the best possible way to build the E model?

1. Pick up a Hasegawa F-4E and which kit

2. Converting an Academy kit

3. Wait to see if Academy tools a kit

4. Pick up a Revell kit

Thank you for any help.

[riceballtrp]

Personally, I like the Hasegawa later tool kits with recessed panel lines. It was also released as a Monogram Pro Modeler F-4E

[Kurt H.]

There are a few choices for an F-4E in 1/48 , but I am inclined to think the best bet will be the Hasegawa kit.

There are several different Hasegawa E kits. The EJ (japanese variant) seems to be the most abundant, and the better informed Phantom Phans here will be able to tell you if you can use that kit, there are a million different combinations of hard wing/ slatted wing, different horizontal stabilizers, and burner can differences for me to remember when it comes to the EJ kits.

If you are looking to do a Vietnam era E, then look for the Pro-Modeler kit, it is the hasegawa Hard Wing kit in a revell/promodeler box.

If you want to do a later slatted wing and TIESO equipped bird, look for the "Indiana ANG special" boxing.

This is the first year Academy did not bring out a phantom variant in the 1/48 phantom series, I was thinking they would bring out the E model this year, but they did not.

there are also a few older kits which depict the E model

The OLD Revell 1970s vintage F-4E/F looks like a scale down of the old tool 1/32 Phantoms, the detail is pretty soft and typical of late 70s pre-merger Revell.

Testors has a 1/48th F-4G , I do not know if they ever released a boxing of the E , and it is another older kit.

ESCI made a 1/48th F-4e which I have never seen personally. I Have built the ESCI C/D which does have engraved panel lines and good out line, but does suffer from weak cockpit detail and very short intake trunking

TL:DR - at this point if I wanted to build a E I would build a hasegawa kit.

[White Wolf]

If you see a 1/48 Academy F-4E boxing on Ebay or elsewhere, be careful as it's a rebox of the old Fujimi Phantom, which IIRC was underscale.

[phantom]

As of today its Hasegawa.

[scotthldr]

Hasegawa, choose from the following:'30th Anniversary boxing', 'Indiana ANG special', ‘5000th Phantom’ or the 'Korean AF'

some have a second one piece canopy included, which you'll need if you're display canopy closed.

[habu2]

If you see a 1/48 Academy F-4E boxing on Ebay or elsewhere, be careful as it's a rebox of the old Fujimi Phantom, which IIRC was underscale.

I had that kit a long time ago, it was ~1/50 like their A-4 kits

Edited November 23, 2015 by habu2

[G_Marcat_Italy]

I had that kit a long time ago, it was ~1/50 like their A-4 kits

I purchased years ago the "New Academy" F-4E

when I discover what have purchased... was too late:

I used it for a Whatif

[Jennings]

Personally I'd wait for Academy. It's inevitable. The Hasegawa kits, nice as they were for their day, do have some inaccuracies. They still look like F-4s, but Academy has eclipsed them in just about every way.

[Ben Brown]

True, but based on what I've seen with Academy's Navy F-4s, there will be some things about the long-nose F-4 kits that will need fixing, too. Cockpit, intakes, and afterburner nozzles. I'm still looking forward to seeing if they'll do a slatted F-4E.

BTW, on the Hasegawa F-4E, the "Korean Air Force" release includes a resin ARN-101 antenna fairing for the spine. You'll still have to make your own cockpit mods, though.

Ben

[Jennings]

I've never liked the nose on the Hasegawa E/F/G. From above it's too cylindrical, lacking the graceful (a word rarely applied to the F-4) taper of the real thing.

[Ben Brown]

I've never liked the nose on the Hasegawa E/F/G. From above it's too cylindrical, lacking the graceful (a word rarely applied to the F-4) taper of the real thing.

That's why I keep mine on one of the upper shelves in my display case, so you don't look down at them. :D But yes, noticeably different from Tamiya's nose.

Ben

[Scott R Wilson]

I've never liked the nose on the Hasegawa E/F/G. From above it's too cylindrical, lacking the graceful (a word rarely applied to the F-4) taper of the real thing.

Funny, I'd never noticed that. What bugged me about Hasegawa's was the engine nozzles aren't pointed down at the rear as they should be. The nozzles on the model sit too horizontally.

[Jennings]

Yeah, there's that too. Common to all of their J79 Phantoms. There are a lot of other little nitnoid problems with them, but overall they look Phantom-ish...

[airmechaja]

As of today its Hasegawa.

Who would disagree with the Champion Phantom Builder?