dnl42 Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 (edited) I'll do the Academy 1/48 F-4B in VMFA-251 markings out of MCAS Beaufort SC in 1970. I'll use the Furball USMC Rhinos sheet, 48-012, which has markings for an aircraft at Beaufort at the right time. I'll modify the tail number to be an aircraft identified my neighbor's log book. I also have Furball's cockpit decals, Hypersonic's A/C air intake and slotted stabilators, Master's pitot, Steel Beach slime lights, and XMM intakes. Note to Postimage users. I had to strip the EXIF data from the photos to prevent the FINE programmers at Postimage from rotating the images for me. It appears they think I don't know how to use a camera or make obvious corrections to images... Edited September 5, 2017 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
picknpluck Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 You won't need those slime lights if you're doing a B/N; those versions didn't have them. I'm looking forward to your build! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aussie_superbug Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 cool, look forward to this one as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tosouthern66 Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 dnl Welcome to the GB. Looking forward to your build! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted September 5, 2017 Author Share Posted September 5, 2017 7 hours ago, picknpluck said: You won't need those slime lights if you're doing a B/N; those versions didn't have them. I'm looking forward to your build! Thanks for the info! This will be a fun build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 (edited) Working on the cockpit. The RIO right-side console doesn't completely fill the available space. The instructions suggest the panel is placed all the way forward in the slot as shown below. The 2 arrows show my problems. When positioned as instructed, the side panel leaves the 2 gaps as shown. If I move the panel back hard against the rear panel (the red arrow), there's still a gap at the blue arrow along with a matching gap forward of the side panel base. It could be I just trust them, assuming the seat and other bits hide these gaps. Maybe...but I already scraped the mounting block for the non-existent RIO rudder pedals off. Suggestions? Oh, I forgot, I also have the Furball Cockpit Detail Set decals that I'll be using them to tart the plastic up :) Edited September 10, 2017 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted September 12, 2017 Author Share Posted September 12, 2017 Before I decide on the side panel, I wanted to see what it looks like with the ejection seat in the cockpit. Well, it's simplified at best. As I've got a RIO as an adviser, that's a problem. The True Details seat looks good compared to the USN F-4 seat at ejectionsite and is way better than the kit's version. As expected, the kit version fits quite well, while the resin version will need some serious filing to get it in. I'll see what I can do with the kit version before I hack the resin seat... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tosouthern66 Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 dnl Looking good! Problem is with you building this has me thinking about building my Academy kit. Which means I will have to order some FBA decals for VF-151. The 1/72 Hasegawa kit I am building is probably going back in the box to be finished some other time. I have never seen a Hasegawa kit that has this many fit issues. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spectre711 Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 That academy seat almost looks like the 1/72 Fujimi seat! You would have thought they would have done a better job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted December 23, 2017 Author Share Posted December 23, 2017 The Furball F-4B/N, J/S cockpit detail set is just amazing! I've found that brushing Micro Sol on the panel, then laying the decal on, then brushing Micro Sol atop allows it to lay down just beautifully! I used FS36375 for the cockpit color as its a batter visual match than FS36231, which Academy would have you use. As the Furball set also has some decals for the seats, I've decided to embellish the kit seats with those and bits of plastic and wire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 (edited) Working on the throttles, which Academy left out, but my 1st attempt looks 50% to 100% too large. Anybody have any dimensional info on them? Edited December 29, 2017 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 (edited) While still thinking about how to do the throttles, I worked on the seats with Evergreen strips, 0.02" brass rod, 0.4mm, 0.6mm, & 0.6mm Albion brass tubing, and 0.2mm & 0.4mm lead wire. Painting it up and adding the Furball seat decals should make it look purty. Sadly, my compressor up and died just as I more or less finished priming the 2nd seat with thinned Mr Surfacer. The interwebs suggest it's the Auto Stop Pressure Switch. Edited December 31, 2017 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 Turns out my compressor problem was indeed the auto stop pressure switch. Coast Airbrush had the part and all is now well. Also managed to build some throttles that look OK to me. We'll see how it looks painted and in the cockpit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tosouthern66 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Looking nice so far! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 4, 2018 Author Share Posted March 4, 2018 Have a question on this kit. I dry fit the starboard wall of the RIO cockpit to align the top edge with the cockpit opening, If you look at the bottom of the wall, you see it's badly aligned with the tub side. Academy's instructions would have the bottom edge of the wall aligned with the tub side. If I do that, not only would the top edge not align with the cockpit opening, the front edge would need to obscure the instrument panel. Here's a another view: Am I missing something??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tosouthern66 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 DNL Have you asked in the jet modeling thread? Sorry that I just now seen your question. I've been busy with dealing with my issues that is sidelining me from the hobby. I am going to try and stay active on the forum but will not be joining GB's. May try and build something but won't be doing WIP thread just finished pics. I wish I could have finished my entries for this GB before we ended. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted March 6, 2018 Author Share Posted March 6, 2018 I did ask. Phantom answered. :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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