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Finally done ... Hasegawa RF-4B "US Marine Corps"


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This one came out a bit rough, I know I am capable of much better, but a little background.

In 2007 I was building cars just about exclusively when I stumbled across this kit at the LHS on the sale table for $25 labeled as a closeout. I have always loved the phantom, and a Hasegawa phantom for $25 was too good a bargain to pass up.

So I started this project as a "side build" .. and not too seriously. Any way I moved in 2008, and again in 2010. I got major construction done before the 2008 move but dropped the model a few times and broke off the pitot tube, lost some parts, and popped one or more seams. When packing I figured it was a lost cause and almost threw it out, but decided not to and put it in my parts box and thought maybe I would get to it again .. or use it as a paint testing hulk. I painted it at some point between late 2008 and the 2010 move. I do not even remember painting it, or what paint I used. During this time period it got dropped again and the seam on the underside of one wing popped. I did manage to find all the parts to finish it, they were thrown in the wrong kit boxes in the disorganized effort to pack up the shop in 2008.

At some point in 2012 I finished painting it by painting the tail green, and about a year ago I started decalling it. I messed up the tail decals, a prominent feature, so out of frustration, I set it aside again. Fast forward to the last few months, I got 3 more phantoms built and painted, and approaching the decal phase, so I decided to finish this one, regardless of how it turned out. So This poor model endured two moves, and multiple setbacks.

It is done, and I got one picture. It is 20 footer, the black anti-glare panel is not quite symmetrical, the afterburner cans and keel are just one color, and the canopies are not quite right, so I will never take it to a contest, but I have the satisfaction of finishing a build I may have otherwise abandoned.

so with all that said, here it is!

VSQ_D2vC_FV347Cya_Sv7lgS_OBOQm-vi.jpg

Edited by Kurt H.
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Kurt,

What a tale of persistence... and the end result is very sharp looking. I have the same kit sitting unbuilt, and after seeing yours, well..I might actually get to it.

Nice job on an always aggressive looking bird.

:thumbsup:/>

Harry

Lutz, FL

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For anyone that didn't know...

That tail was P-3's answer to VX-4's Playboy Bunny jets. The image is the logo from the old porn magazine "Gallery". Imagine the image as a bloke's "twig and berries". There, I've ruined it for you!

I think they only had two jets painted that way and they didn't last very long. (VMFP-3 was next to VMFA-531 on the ramp at El Toro)

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For anyone that didn't know...

That tail was P-3's answer to VX-4's Playboy Bunny jets. The image is the logo from the old porn magazine "Gallery". Imagine the image as a bloke's "twig and berries". There, I've ruined it for you!

I think they only had two jets painted that way and they didn't last very long. (VMFP-3 was next to VMFA-531 on the ramp at El Toro)

Thank you for the history lesson. I was wondering what the significance of what I thought was a bear's head was. VMFP-3 had several cool schemes over the years and I hope to build more. I have a "spirit of america" almost done, and the Hasegawa kit with the Red spine and dashed white lines. What was the purpose of those special paint jobs? Just something fun to do?

I will post some more pics this weekend.

Edited by Kurt H.
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Thank you for the history lesson. I was wondering what the significance of what I though was a bear's head was. VMFP-3 had several cool schemes over the years and I hope build more. I have a "spirit of america" almost done, and the Hasegawa kit with the Red spine and dashed white lines. What was the purpose of those special paint jobs? Just something fun to do?

I will post some more pics this weekend.

Oh, I forgot, it's a fox. That goes with the tail code "Romeo Fox". I don't know of any purpose besides squadron esprit de corps for special markings. There did seem to be an official aegis on the bicentennial schemes as a lot of naval squadrons had them. The dashed line scheme I think represented photographic film as several photo-recon squadrons had schemes that utilized it.

One other bit of P-3 trivia. A detachment was sent down to Key West during some flare-up with Cuba back around 1980, I forget the exact problem, maybe the Mariel boat lift? One of my buddies was in P-3's radar shop and he went on the deployment. He had a story about driving a USAF blue station wagon into Miami to pick something up and getting lost and into a Cuban street riot where a rock got thrown through the windshield. Police escort got him safely away. Anyway, the RF-4Bs were repainted in a plain gray scheme, no markings at all for Cuba overflights. When they headed back for California at the end of the mission a couple of the pilots realized they had completely anonymous aircraft and could buzz folks without having their identity revealed by BuNo or squadron code. Too bad for them they buzzed someone who knew what an RF-4B was and that only one squadron had them!

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That's quite a story. Just the fact that you never tossed it as a loss is remarkable. If it was my model, it never would have survived to complete it's build journey. Well done.

Joel

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