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Finally; a new 1/72 Phantom


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It is always fascinating to watch the way a new kit is made, how the different production tools are manufactured, but it all boils down to the final product, the plastic kit and the sprues they are build from.

 

The tool fitted inside the injection moulding machine.

 

 3UXSWiP.jpg

 

After some adjustment and correction here is one of the core sprues for the Phantoms.  It answer some questions on what and how is designed for this kit.

 

AoIaEJf.jpg

 

Best regards

Gabor

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9 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

It is always fascinating to watch the way a new kit is made, ... .

 

It's been "fun" doing a mental build as the sprues are being developed. My only challenge has been cutting away the "droopy" items -- the parts of the real airplane that start to yield to gravity as the hydraulic pressure bleeds down after shutdown ... namely the ailerons and speed brakes.  I'm also curious to see how FineMolds are making provisions on the top nose piece for an open gun gas purge door -- it's spring loaded to open when utility hydraulic pressure is taken off the airplane:

 

u4L3k8O.jpg

 

Gene K

 

 

Edited by GeneK
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There is still a lot of things to do for FineMolds. In the comment to the above photo of the sprues they added that this is the forth adjustment of the tool and there are still problems and shorts on the sprue. See for example the D rings of the seat next to the engine pipes. 

 

WIth the speed brakes and flaps the only thing to do is to scratch. Nothing is perfect! : ( 

There is also that missing line on the gun cover, it will not make the kit unbuildable. But we are humans and make mistakes. I think simply a line was left off by accident when work on anode was carried out. 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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18 minutes ago, ya-gabor said:

Nothing is perfect! : ( 

 

Of course!

 

Hopefully I'm not  coming across as complaining and/or criticizing ... just observing, commenting, and expressing my appreciation of FineMolds  and this project!!:thumbsup2:

 

Gene K

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40 minutes ago, GeneK said:

Hopefully I'm not  coming across as complaining and/or criticizing ... just observing, commenting, and expressing my appreciation of FineMolds  and this project!!:thumbsup2:

 

Gene K

 

Absolutely not! We are all watching with dropped jaws at the kit. But we are not blind and if we see something there is absolutely no harm in talking about it. This is a forum for this, isn’t it?

 

I for one don’t like that the speed brakes are not open but can live with it and most certainly will do something about it if at any time in the future I will have a chance to buy this kit.

That missing line (if it is not there, remember we have not seen the final plastic for the gun cover) will be an easy fix. Lets pray that this is the biggest problem with this kit.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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The instrument panels for the F-4EJ KAI version already have been shown on that special KAI sprue weeks ago. On fresh images from FineMolds I believe show the version for the standard F-4EJ. I am sure experts will point to missing switches corresponding to US F-4E versions. Or are there any differences? But please remember this is 72 nd scale!!!

 

j5tGLyT.jpg

 

Side panels.

 

kwq1lfV.jpg

 

It is interesting to see on this image three different technological processing in making the mould tools. The fine details of the instrument panel were added with laser engraving. While traditional machining of the steel part as well as the electro EMD etching of the surface is also visible.

 

pPBJI22.jpg

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Looks like Sprue A is now finished and ready. Some details seen before and some not shown in the past.

 

That intake splitter plate with boundary layer perforation in 72nd scale. I know it has been shown before but it is still a WOW for me!

 

HNBmJJA.jpg

 

One piece engine exhaust with no seams on the side walls of the can. Looks OK, the only question here is how to paint all the fine details so deep inside.

 

2KIRex9.jpg

 

 

HSDEVUC.jpg

 

 

t88R2eS.jpg

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Quote

One piece engine exhaust with no seams on the side walls of the can. Looks OK, the only question here is how to paint all the fine details so deep inside

 

Probably have to airbrush the main colour inside and then drybrush or wet wash the details inside ( like how it's done for panel line washes) with a fine tip brush.  Or maybe pour in the primer colour, swish it around, pour it out. Then repeat with the main colour.  Similar to what some people do for F-16 intake trunking with white paint.

Edited by JackMan
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One thing that I did for another kit was to make a fine cut at the base and so cut off the turbine stage from the pipe. Paint them separately, the access to the details was 100% both for the turbine and the pipe. Simply glue it back onto the pipe. Actually this was done to an aftermarket "one piece" engine exhaust which had fantastic details inside (both turbine and flame holder rings), but completely impossible to paint and give all the details full justice with paints. The manufacturer had 10 out of 10 for details, but 0 out of 10 for thinking about the modellers!

 

One day if I am lucky to find this kit, I think this is what I will do.

 

WIth the hat of the manufacturer on, I fully understand this approach, a simple and quick build with minimal adjustment, perfect choice for beginner, mid and high end modellers. 

 

 

As for the splitter plate perforation. I would love to see a similar detail on MiG-23 kits intakes, primarily in 72nd but also in 48th scale!

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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14 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

Looks like Sprue A is now finished and ready. Some details seen before and some not shown in the past.

 

That intake splitter plate with boundary layer perforation in 72nd scale. I know it has been shown before but it is still a WOW for me!

 

HNBmJJA.jpg

 

One piece engine exhaust with no seams on the side walls of the can. Looks OK, the only question here is how to paint all the fine details so deep inside.

 

2KIRex9.jpg

 

 

HSDEVUC.jpg

 

 

t88R2eS.jpg

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

 

😲😲😲 The Detail!!!!  OMGosh!

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I knew that one fine day a kit will come along for these extras in the stash. Master has produced the pitots for both the long nose (AM 72-036) and the short nose Phantoms but the set also includes the AOA vane. The one I am really excited about is the Vulcan gun (AM 72-039). Some time ago I did do a 48th scale version of the Vulcan and it was nice but here is a chance for the 72nd.  : )  : )

 

 

C9tzIOm.jpg

 

 

 

zTDkYYP.jpg

 

 

OK, so I have everything that is important, all I need to get now is the plastic parts.   : )   : )   : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

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  • 2 weeks later...

Love this tooling   I hope they do an Early USN Version  B/N would be awesome or even a J. 

 

These kits will be great fro USAF versions  Not much needed to work them into excellent 1/72 Phantoms

 

 

Steve,

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Sprue has been corrected several times, but it is now finished and ready for full production

 

o4EiuHA.jpg

 

 

Wing in close up both on the tool and the actual plastic produced from it. THis is 72 nd scale!!!!!!!!

 

fUIjmzi.jpg

 

 

Looking more closely

 

7C6cRrJ.jpg

 

and the plastic from it

 

5foicTI.jpg

 

And now to something completely different (well almost)  : )   : )

 

WwB9LcX.jpg

 

Best regards

Gabor

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3 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

And now to something completely different (well almost)  : )   : )

 

My hovercraft is full of eels.

 

 

Edited by Murph
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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, pollie said:

There are some delays with this model; mid-October 2020 is the expected release date (instead of August). 

 

Big disappointment, but I was anticipating that postponement based on the fact that there were only three weeks left to get the kits out of the door while refinements were still being made to the molds.  I commend FM for stating "No Excuse" rather than "blaming" it on the virus as most businesses do  these days when things don't go as planned.

 

Hopefully I can get my Phantom fix with the release of the Zoukei Mura 1/48 F-4E at the end of this month. However, I have the same feeling that a postponement is coming since I haven't seen much fanfare from ZM ... and global shipping is in such disarray.

 

Gene K

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Little if any images were shown of the "other side" for the nose part sprue moulding tool and a week ago they were still doing some gate adjustment to the wing sprue which was made months ago. So, yes I was also not really sure if they can bring it out in few weeks time as promissed.

But better they do it right and correct everything before release. Few months difference does not make a difference when you look back at decades of no new Phantom in 72nd scale.

 

Best regards

Gabor 

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There was bad news yesterday but there is always another side to that coin. Here is the post from this morning by FineMoulds.

 

We apologize for the postponement of new product sales

Currently, all the runners have been molded, and the shape, fitting accuracy, and clearance are checked during assembly.

After this, if there are correction points, the mold is additionally processed, and mass production will start after passing the recheck.

We will continue to promote products that will make everyone happy.

 

There is little that one can add to it. I think this is certainly good news and shows that the kit is basically made with only fine-tuning of sprues required.

 

Some nice views of those forward fuselage parts!!!!!!!!!

 

YG1JCwq.jpg

 

 

dOUSYHT.jpg

 

 

0IyQdyV.jpg

 

Best regards

Gabor

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  • 2 weeks later...

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