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1/48 RF-4 Phantom. Which Kit Is "Good"?


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18 hours ago, Don said:

Thanks! I was wondering why the different noses. And yes, a book that listed which nose was on which AC would be quite helpful. Then again, could a nose be changed from one AC to another in case of damage or parts reclamation? Or were the noses non-transferable?

 

The rounded nose was introduced at the very end of Block 43 Phantom production, so with RF-4C 69-0375 and RF-4B BuNo 157349. 

 

Exceptions: 1/ Luftwaffe jets had the flat nose hatches. 

2/ several earlier USAF RF-4Cs had the rounded nose retrofitted when demodified from previously classified and/or experimental nose configurations. 

 

HTH

 

Tony 

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21 minutes ago, Charlie D. said:

Is the testors kit the same as the italeri/esci kit? Ot just heavily inspired by the esci kit? The sprue layout, parts breakdown looks very similar.

 

The family tree gets twisted. In the 80s, Italeri had a 1/48 phantom series, some of which were boxed by testors for the US market. They had raised panel lines.

 

ESCI also had a 1/48 family of F-4s, I know at least the C/D had engraved panel lines, but suffered from shallow intakes, shallow exhausts and only decals for cockpit detail.

 

So to my understanding, what is now in an Italeri box is Esci plastic.   (correct me if i am wrong)

 

If you want to see my struggle with the Testors kit, look here .   Someone with better skils could undoubtedly do a better job, but you can get the idea of the kit is like.

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6 hours ago, Kurt H. said:

 

The family tree gets twisted. In the 80s, Italeri had a 1/48 phantom series, some of which were boxed by testors for the US market. They had raised panel lines.

 

ESCI also had a 1/48 family of F-4s, I know at least the C/D had engraved panel lines, but suffered from shallow intakes, shallow exhausts and only decals for cockpit detail.

 

So to my understanding, what is now in an Italeri box is Esci plastic.   (correct me if i am wrong)

 

If you want to see my struggle with the Testors kit, look here .   Someone with better skils could undoubtedly do a better job, but you can get the idea of the kit is like.

 Just to add to the conversation...

 

 The Italeri/Testors RF-4B/C is more C than B because of the thick wing, but the tires are skinny. The horizontals are correct, but have the arrowheads on them (check your references), and it has the correct, USN pylons, but they are skinny. The cockpit is rather sad -the IP is a (bad) decal, sort-of molded detail on the consoles, and the bang seats are fictional. Oh, it also has no camera detail, and the nose is the early, chisel-type.

 

 The new Italeri RF-4E is based on the ESCI molds, with new tool fwd fuselage and burner cans (They actually go into the fuselage!), and a choice of noses. It also has cameras included... It has a hard wing, incorrect for an E type (ALL ECSI Phantoms have this), but the correct slotted stabs. The cockpit has new tool raised detail all around, but comes with decals for the IPs if you want to go that way. The seats are less awful than the above kit, but resin is your friend.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Scott

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50 minutes ago, IAGeezer said:

 

 

 The new Italeri RF-4E is based on the ESCI molds, with new tool fwd fuselage and burner cans (They actually go into the fuselage!), and a choice of noses. It also has cameras included... It has a hard wing, incorrect for an E type (ALL ECSI Phantoms have this), but the correct slotted stabs. The cockpit has new tool raised detail all around, but comes with decals for the IPs if you want to go that way. The seats are less awful than the above kit, but resin is your friend.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Scott

 

This is good news, It is nice to see they made an effort to improve the kit. 

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2 hours ago, IAGeezer said:

  The new Italeri RF-4E is based on the ESCI molds, with new tool fwd fuselage and burner cans (They actually go into the fuselage!), and a choice of noses. It also has cameras included...

 

Thanks for that info - makes the kit worth a second look. Have you seen sprue shots, and if so, can you provide the lin(s), please? So the question would be: does the nose fit any other 1/48 kit ... like perhaps Academy?:rolleyes:

 

Gene K

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Some sprue shots and review of the Italeri RF-4E:

 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234998968-148-mcdd-rf-4e-phantom-ii-upgraded-moulds-by-italeri-released/

 

And here:

 

https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/it/kit_it_2737.shtml

 

 

I was able to pick up a Hasegawa RF-4B and it should arrive by next weekend. Again, a great thread for RF-4 kits:thumbsup:!

 

Regards,

Don

 

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7 hours ago, Gene K said:

 

Thanks for that info - makes the kit worth a second look. Have you seen sprue shots, and if so, can you provide the lin(s), please? So the question would be: does the nose fit any other 1/48 kit ... like perhaps Academy?:rolleyes:

 

Gene K

 

 Looks like Don beat me to it! I just want to say what a good thread this is, and thanks Gene for your 2008 thread on F-4 intakes. I've used it on Mono, ESCI and Testors in 1/48th. Great stuff! I looked at it again yesterday and it was OK. As of this morning, the Photobucket curse has struck.... 

 

 Weren't you a Phantom driver?

 

Scott

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On 10/13/2017 at 12:56 AM, tobiK said:

Some JASDF or Luftwaffe RF-4E boxings have only one nose on the sprues. The RF-4B box is very versatile but take care: it contains only the navy style pylons.

The RF-4B is still available on the market, also the JASDF RF-4E. Both for economic prices, e.g. when you order at Hobbylink Japan.

Should you like to pimp your recce spook there is a set from Aires with open cam nose, cockpit, wheel wells and nozzles.

 

Here is a link to the Aires products:

 

http://www.aires.cz/en/catalog/?search=RF-4&searchButton.x=0&searchButton.y=0&searchButton=Search&category=

Edited by Ilias
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10 hours ago, Don said:

Some sprue shots and review of the Italeri RF-4E:

 

Ah yes ... now I remember those threads - thanks, Don.

image.gif.d82fd08a9c613309184b206212e13e5d.gif

10 hours ago, Don said:

Scott said:

... your 2008 thread on F-4 intakes... .

 

Glad someone found it useful. Thanks.

 

10 hours ago, Don said:

 Scott also said:

Weren't you a Phantom driver?    

 

Yes, flew the C,D, E and  Slatted E (and ferried an RF). Great airplane ... way back when!

 

Gene K

Edited by Gene K
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22 hours ago, IAGeezer said:

 

 and thanks Gene for your 2008 thread on F-4 intakes. I've used it on Mono, ESCI and Testors in 1/48th. Great stuff!

 

 

Do you have a link?

 

Okay found it.

Edited by Craig Baldwin
correction
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I may as well put this here considering this is where many of ARC's Phantom experts have been lately... what are some good aftermarket seats for the Hasegawa Phantoms and will they also work with the Academy kits? I am getting an order ready and figure I may as well include some treats for my RF-4B and Academy 'N' and 'J'.

 

As always, thank you!

 

Regards,

Don.

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3 hours ago, Don said:

I may as well put this here considering this is where many of ARC's Phantom experts have been lately... what are some good aftermarket seats for the Hasegawa Phantoms and will they also work with the Academy kits? I am getting an order ready and figure I may as well include some treats for my RF-4B and Academy 'N' and 'J'.

 

As always, thank you!

 

Regards,

Don.

 

Hey Don,

 

You need to check your references but there are a few options out there (in addition to the True Details' one):

 

Hypersonic models: https://www.hypersonicmodels.co.uk/product/martin-baker-mk-h5-ejection-seats

 

Aires: http://www.aires.cz/en/product/martin-baker-mk-h7-seats-f-4-version/0-1165/

 

Quickboost: http://www.aires.cz/en/product/f-4-ejection-seats-with-safety-belts/0-2212/#lightbox/0/

 

Pavla: http://www.pavlamodels.cz/katalogy/detail.php?k=seats&c=S48009&styl=styly.css

 

Also, Wolfpack provides the H5 as well as the H7 version.

 

Lastly, Eduard has a good selection https://www.eduard.com/store/index.php?stoken=8C92511D&force_sid=eb9fbbeca9eebb87e482011651e1410c&lang=1&currency=1&listtype=search&searchparam=f-4+seat&cl=search&tpl=&fnc=executefilter&attrfilter[]=&attrfilter[17]=1%2F48

 

but again need to check references.

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To add to Ilias's post, there were differences between the USAF and Navy seats. I think most of the available 1/48 resin H7 seats are USAF. Hypersonic's H5s are Navy, but they had been converted to H7s by the time frame the OP is interested in. I wan't to say the True Details seats are the Navy style and Verlinden's are USAF. I once started a running list of which of the above were USAF and which were Navy, but I can't find it. Anyone else have this info? 

 

Ben 

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