Monogram 1/72 Phantom

[Greenghost]

Hello guys,

 

Can you comment your opinion on the Monogram Phantom?

 

How do they compare to the Hasegawa and Fujimi kits?

 

Thank you

[Paul Boyer]

One thing is for sure, the cockpit detail of the 1/72 Monogram kits is superior. They even put in the differences of the Navy cockpit for the J model. Hasegawa's, Fujimi's (except for the curiously much better Spey Phantom cockpits), and Esci's Phantoms are similar to each other and sparse when compared to the Monogram cockpits.

 

If you object to or disfavor raised panel detail, then that can be considered Monogram's main failing in this scale. Personally, it doesn't bother me that much.

 

Monogram's kits can produce only the C or D for the Air Force, and the J kit for the Navy. They've not made kits of the B, N, RF, E, F, G, or the Spey Phantoms. 

 

If you want a Spey Phantom (British), the Fujimi kit is the way to go in this scale.

 

The new press-fit Academy has a lot going for it despite its seemingly simple design. You'll want aftermarket seats, though.

 

The real benefit of the Hasegawa line is in its modular construction with alternate parts for fin caps, antennas, and other detail differences. And of course they make just about all the different variants except for the Spey-engined Phantoms. Unfortunately, they come with no weapons, forcing you elsewhere to load 'em up.

[phantom]

The only thing i did not like about Monogram was trying to close the canopy. Just never fit as nice. Overall in 1/72 i prefer Hasegawa, but as mentioned, Monogram has a better cockpit.

[picknpluck]

13 hours ago, phantom said:

The only thing i did not like about Monogram was trying to close the canopy. Just never fit as nice. Overall in 1/72 i prefer Hasegawa, but as mentioned, Monogram has a better cockpit.

I seem to recall Monogram including a one piece canopy with this kit. It's been decades since I built it,  is my memory off?

[jpk]

It has been a while since I had the kit. It was the actual original Monogram F-4J release. As I recall it was a better scale down of their 1/48 kit with an actual Navy cockpit that was pretty good. I always wondered why Monogram didn't retool the Navy cockpit in their 1/48 kit after they released the 1/72 one. I'm guessing there were some aftermarket solutions by that time for it. I don't remember if it had a single or multi piece canopy but overall I thought the kit was pretty good.

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

5 hours ago, picknpluck said:

I seem to recall Monogram including a one piece canopy with this kit. It's been decades since I built it,  is my memory off?

 

Nope, you're right, it has both when brand-new, except if you got it second hand it might not have both options remaining...we know how that goes.

[picknpluck]

Revell just re-issued this kit with VF-84 markings. 

[echolmberg]

When I built this kit about five years ago, it had both the open canopy and the one-piece canopy options in the box.  As far as the raised panel lines, I really wish people would stop calling this a "main failing".  It's simply a different method of indicating panel joints and therefore requires different methods of dealing with them.  I preshaded most of the lines, painted the main colors, then went over the whole plane with a polishing cloth.  It smoothed out my finish AND removed the main colors on the panel lines thereby revealing the preshaded panel line.  The thing looked fantastic when done.

 

Eric

[Johnopfor]

On ‎4‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 0:06 PM, Paul Boyer said:

If you want a Spey Phantom (British), the Fujimi kit is the way to go in this scale.

 

 

 

That's until Airfix releases theirs in October