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Hi there,

 

I'm currently building Revell's 1/32 F-4E to Hellenic Air Force AUP standard and have a question regarding the AMRAAM's that are used on the front underside stations.

 

On the kit, the stations are shorter in length than the rear stations and as such the AIM-120's supplied in the kit do not fit in there (the supplied AIM-7 Sparrows fit fine). Typically the Hellenic Air Force AUP Phantoms have AIM-120's on the two front underside stations (although they do also have them on the back two occasionally). See this <<LINK>>

 

So my questions are:

 

1) Is the Revell kit wrong and the stations are longer than represented on their kit? or

2) Are the stations modified on the AUP to be able to take the longer AIM-120s? or

3) Are the Revell AIM-120's too long scale wise? or

4) Are different (shorter) AIM-120's used on these stations (i don't even know if shorter AIM-120's exist)? or

5) Something else?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

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I'll tell you what I know(may be wrong though).

 

The fuselage missile stations were modified to accommodate the longer AMRAAM, this is the same for the Luftwaffe ICE update of which the AUP update was based on. However I've never seen a Hellenic F4 loaded with anything more than two AMRAAM's and always in the front two stations. I've seen photos of Luftwaffe F-4's carrying three(one up front starboard and two at the back, they carry an ECM pod in the forward port station).

 

All versions of the AMRAAM are the same size.

 

My guess is that your problem lies with the Revell kit in it was/is based on a pre ICE updated a/c with the shorter recessed stations to accomadate the AIM-7 Sparrow.

 

Going back to the Hellenic loadout, as I said I've never seen one loaded with four AMRAAM's, even when sitting on QRA loadout is two AMRAAM and four AIM-9P/L. IRIS-T have never been intergrated on the F-4, despite what you may read elsewhere.

 

If you have a photo of four AMRAAMS loaded, I would very much be interested in seeing it, to put my own mind at rest.

 

HTH and look forward to seeing the build progress.

 

Scott

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Both the AIM-7 and AIM-120 are the same length (144 inches long), so no modifications were required to the F-4's fuselage station to accommodate the AIM-120 on the F-4F or AUP.   However, the AIM-120 did require a new missile launcher with integral sway braces that fit into the existing missile wells, as well as fairings to cover the forward AIM-7 fin recess when no missiles are carried.

 

the Revell kit has a few shape and dimensional errors, and I suppose the issue with their missile fit is one of them.  My only advice would be to try other brands of AIM-120s and see if they fit into the Revell missile wells.

 

Jake

 

 

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Must've got my wires crossed between the mods to the launcher rather than the actual recess.

 

Just watched a video over on You Tube which shows a single AMRAAM fitted on the rear starboard fuselage station, the only other armament being a single GBU-12 on each of the inner wing pylons on the side of a TER.

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Thanks guys.

 

Thanks Scott!. I know they don't use 4 AMRAAMs, just wasn't sure about the front dimensions on the stations. I will probably just station them in the back if I can't find any other solution. Doing an 339 Ajax/Aias Sqn bird so going interceptor load out. 

 

Jake,

 

Cheers mate. I'll have to break out some spares and check.

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Jake, 

 

You were right. I found some Academy AIM-120's and they fit perfectly in the fwd stations. 

 

Seems Revell got their Sparrows correct in length but not the AMRAAM's. So does this mean their rear stations are too long? Are fwd and aft stations the same size on the real thing? 

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5 hours ago, Crazy Snap Captain said:

Thanks Scott. I have it and have been using it religiosity! It's a great publication. 

 

I have been wanting to start one for awhile but with my schedule havent had the time, I saw a good viedo on youtube of them flying at night and want to do mine lit up just have to figure out how to do slime lights

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I read something on a forum somewhere (I don't remember where) about a guy who found glow in the dark paint at a craft store to paint the slime lights.  He posted a picture with the lights off and it looked really good.  Food for thought?

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