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QF-4 Phantom question


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Hi Whiskey,

 

The problem here is that I have fallen in love with this 338 aircraft. Well actually the Phantom was always of special interest to me. It is brut, it radiates power, it is from those days when aesthetics were also part of an aircraft design and there was a lot of metal put into it. OK it is not as sleek as a Starfighter or a MiG-21 but still. It is a question of taste of course but at the other end of the spectrum there is for example Buccaneer, for me it is somehow grotesque.  

If one can get a little more brutal then there was the Brit version with the Spey engine. Have seen and photographed some in my younger days. Now they were something special too!

 

The Navy versions are also interesting and it is not by accident that I have this Academy kit only it was put into the stash while other more important projects were around.

When I seen this video with this 338, it was a clear decision at a first sight! And this has nothing to do with the 338 number, last year I did a paint scheme for Eduard of a Hungarian MiG-15 bis with number 338. This is pure accident, but an interesting one! : )  : )  : )

 

The Hasegawa kit was around although I started it so many decades ago with that Verlinden detail set but was bogged down in trying to make the Vulcan gun. The Verlinden set only had the “spacers” of the barrels. Tried to make them from pencil leads but it did not really look right. And then few years ago came the Phantastic Vulcan gun from the Polish Master company . . . But still a good scheme was missing.

 

 

But this 338 looks amazing!!! For me anyway.

 

GAEvqrF.jpg

 

What ever happened to Academies plans to do more Phantoms including the F-4E??? Did anyone hear / read about this? I think I missed any news on this.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Doing some research not only into QF-4 but also Phantom in general. Since I will have to build it so any detail comes in handy. I did mention a great event from the past, so dug out the file from my archive. Surprise! Found it!

 

This was the International Air Tattoo (the event in the past before the Royal International Air Tattoo) in July 1983. Many remember it for the show of SR-71, yes it was great but also there were 25 (Twenty Five!!!!!) Phantoms from different parts of the world. WOW. It was great! What a line up!

 

It was a perfect opportunity to make comparison photos of different types, of different details, different markings . . .

 

On the way to the show a drenching tropical rain soaked Greenham Common and me. : (    As a first step had to buy a dry T shirt (Phantom of course) with some wet money from my pocket. The camera bag was the only thing perfectly protected. : ) 

 

vX9n0c3.jpg

 

 

The endless line of Phantom tails! It must have been fun when positioning all the aircraft for the static display. : )  : )   Or was it?

 

 

oWgnmkB.jpg

 

 

Back home for modelling reference I made hundreds of b/w prints of different details I needed to get started with some Phantoms. Here is a quick selection of the variety of aircraft on show.

 

TRBCOrC.jpg

 

 

 

hqIIrpN.jpg

 

 

Most of that wet surface under the Black Bird this time was from the torrential rain and not from dripping fuel.  : )   : )

 

qDfmEJ1.jpg

 

 

 

 

In difficult times a bit of smile is always welcome. So here is one:

 

fk2p2Sb.jpg 

 

 

Stay safe where ever you are!!!

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Hi Whiskey,

 

Which is that? The ones with the checked tail top?

For the moment I only found these b/w prints. Have to look for the negative to get more info and photos.

 

Back then I was interested in the Brit Phantom versions, so most photos were of them. Very little on US birds. A bit of German RF-4's and some Wild Weasel (new and interesting in view of some kits of it), some F-16 (air brake and tail detail), F-15, a bit of detail of Tomcats and a little on the Black Bird. I dont think I even have anything on the U-2 shown next to SR-71.

 

It was a great show apart from the traditional Brit weather. : )  : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

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I only found this 3 photos of 66 0382 amongst the prints. Sorry. There were 25 Phantoms and I only had a given time frame at the show so did what I could. The nose one shows that the paint scheme was very freshly done for the show. Perfect almost zero flown miles. Photo was to show a good side view of the longer gun cover.

 

Jj9wxLY.jpg

 

 

owNOinR.jpg

 

 

YKXJu4K.jpg

 

 

 

One small interesting thing. This was on the right side of the nose on another machine. A small Phantom stencil.  : )   : )   : )

 

K2ffAbC.jpg

 

Best regards

Gabo

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Hi Whiskey,

 

 

You are welcome! Sorry that I dont have other views fo the checked a/c and hope at least these were of interest to you and others.  : )   : )

 

Thanks for droping in and looking into my little research.

 

 

Stay safe!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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I love research. My favorite thing about this hobby. I always try to find as much history, lineage, photos, and information regarding a specific air-frame or single unit. I have tons of files on certain F-4's that I have found pictures of from Vietnam all the way to the end of their service life and have wanted to do 1/48 depictions of them. Most, if not all, are MiG killers too.

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  • 10 months later...

The project is still on. : )  : )

 

Does anyone have this book?

 

rOFNB9B.jpg

 

My question is only to ask your opinion. The book is allegedly 1/3rd's about drone operations. In your opinion is it worth buying the book? Asking in view of value of photos for modelling the drone aircraft. In this case this is my priority. Are there good photos of details also, or only general full views of QF’s on ground and in flight?

If details also included I would be tempted to get it.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Stay Safe!!!!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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5 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

The project is still on. : )  : )

 

Does anyone have this book?

 

rOFNB9B.jpg

 

My question is only to ask your opinion. The book is allegedly 1/3rd's about drone operations. In your opinion is it worth buying the book? Asking in view of value of photos for modelling the drone aircraft. In this case this is my priority. Are there good photos of details also, or only general full views of QF’s on ground and in flight?

If details also included I would be tempted to get it.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Stay Safe!!!!

 

Best regards

Gabor

 

I have this book in my "Library" and it is generally a good book for lots of Inflight Pictures but what you really need to get is a copy of Jake Melampy's  "Modern Phantom Guide" through his Reid Air Publishing site.  Although I have not checked the status on availability this is the best book on the market for the information you are looking for.

 

HTH

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Hi Rocketdrvr,

 

Thanks for the help and taking the time!

That book (Modern Phantom Guide) has been mentioned earlier on page 1 and I did contact the author back then but as far as I know the book is out of print.

 

Found this Smoke Trail book and the mention that it has a lot of QF-4 photos from late operational days. This is why I asked on what kind of photos are in the book. Also the fact that Mr. Tokunagas work is also included makes it very interesting!

 

Stay Safe!!!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
On 3/29/2021 at 12:09 AM, Photogator said:

 

Hi Bill,

Sorry I havent been on this page for ages (almost half a year) so just noticed your comment. Thanks, it is great! The views are Phantastic of the “bulge” and a lot of help!!!

 

Actually work is on, only at a slow pace. This QF-4E is not forgotten at all!  : )  : )

What will come of it is an interesting question. We will see.

 

I see from your flicker pages that you have a soft spot for the F-4G. YEEEH it was a nice beast!!!!!!  : )   : )

 

Thanks again!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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  • 3 weeks later...

A new Photographic book is out on the Phantom.

To anyone interested in aviation photography the name of Katsuhiko Tokunaga, the author of this book needs no introduction. He is one of the leading aviation photographers today. Just released book Phorever is a pictorial history of the famous Phantom through camera lens of the author with his very special and unique way of showing the fighter.

It is a big format book, of course in full colour with 192 pages on high quality paper.

 

The book is a pictorial history book of the Phantom and such it gives excellent background images to any modeller from which a lot can be learned on the Phantom in its natural environment and during real operations. Even if it is not an in depth publication with exclusive detail shoots of every rivet and equipment (with modellers in mind), it still gives good ideas on how the real aircraft looks like, and accordingly how a good scale model should look like!  

 

More about the book for example here:

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10767678

 

I know this book is not so much about the QF-4 version but it is about the Phantom and as such has details which are just as interesting for modelling work!

 

RSzEa93.jpg

 

Best regards

Gabor

Edited by ya-gabor
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  • 2 weeks later...

Just to get the feel of the book. Here are few sample views of what is inside Katsuhiko Tokunaga’s Phorever just released book on Japanese F-4 Phantoms. It is bilingual with Japanese and English text where it is necessary.

 

4Up4vzV.jpg

 

 

5AvRrwh.jpg

 

 

As I have said before an excellent opportunity to see in glorious colour on high quality paper everyday life of the Phantoms both in the air and on the ground. Remember each of those single pages are A4 size.

There is a lot that a modeller can learn of what real aircraft look like in every day operations. There is no nonsense Spanish rubbish playing with colours. This is real life! Something that scale replicas should look like.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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