F-4D Phantom II - KS ANG 184th TFG
Photo of the subject aircraft.
Washed sprues and took inventory for project planning. This kit has raised panel lines but with very nice detail. The cockpit is nicely molded and will need to be dry brushed to bring out detail. However, the canopy comes in one piece and will need to be assembled closed unless I substitute parts from another kit.
The cockpit has amazing molded detail. Shame this kit comes with a closed canopy. Depending on how this kit goes, I may consider looking for an aftermarket canopy to open this up. But I may be overestimating my painting skills!
The seats were molded into the cockpit tub, so will have to paint around that. I plan to add the instrument panels after painting.
This cockpit was a painting challenge! Nicely molded though, I'm pretty happy with it.
My dry brushing technique could be better, but this still looks pretty good to the naked eye. It looks a lot smaller in real life!
I was pleasantly surprised by the great fit of the fuselage and wings! Had to sand some minor ejection pin marks off the flaps.
Assembly went well but the cockpit is a tight fit! I could have really used three hands. Had to resort to use some CA glue, push it into place, and hit it with some accelerator.
This kit apparently got smashed in a move. The front of the closed canopy piece was completely shattered. The rear canopy piece broke off the sprue tearing a gap well past the frame - probably beyond repair!
I was able to snip the rear piece off the closed canopy, leaving quite a bit past the frame to avoid cracking. I filed it it down to the frame slowly and carefully with a diamond file. Right side is the salvaged piece.
I polished up the pieces with 16000 grit polishing cloth and some fine scratch polish, then gave them a dip in Future floor wax.
Assembled the fuel tanks and gun pod, and finished assembly on the fuselage.
Prepared parts for airbrushing.
Preparing stores for preliminary painting. I'm using the wing drop tanks and SUU-16/A 20mm gun pod from the kit. The plane being modeled was used by the Kansas ANG for interceptor training, so I'm going to go with a training load of two AIM-7F Sparrow and two AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles. I took the Sparrows from the Fujimi F-4G kit, and the Sidewinders from a Hasegawa weapons set.
First pass missile painting. It's going to take at least a couple coats to get these looking right. Only two Sparrows and the two Sidewinders are going on this kit, the rest are for my F-4G.
Masking the inside of the intakes. References say the camouflage colors extend 32" into the intake.
Finally stopped putting off my least favorite part of modeling... canopy masking!
Since this kit has raised panel lines and was molded in a dark color, I primed it with light gray Mr. Surfacer 1000. This revealed I have some seam work to do at the nose section.
Preshading work done.
Sprayed the first color of the Euro camo used on this aircraft.
Comments
22 27 November 2021, 16:31
Dean HarpsterThanks to everyone watching my progress! I'm very impressed by the skill of people on this site. I would not be offended by criticism, so suggestions for improvement is welcome and appreciated!
18 January 2022, 00:10
Dean HarpsterI've got too many projects going at the same time, so putting this one on the shelf until I can finish a couple others. I'm going to focus on my F-4G for the group build first.
10 July 2022, 23:01
Dean HarpsterHappy to be back at working on this. Thanks to my friends here on Scalemates! I've been looking at your work for the group build and I am astounded at many of the things you have done!
8 October 2022, 18:25
CuajeteDespite the age and raised lines, this is a very good kit. If Monogram/Revell reissued it with the engraved lines I would buy it again without a doubt.
Good progress, Dean 👍
9 October 2022, 18:07
Oliver ZwienerI love this MONOGRAM kit ( modellversium.de/gal..=12259&origin=mb )
10 October 2022, 06:23
Dean HarpsterCuajete and Oliver - thank you! I completely agree that of the three Phantoms I'm building, the Monogram kit is the best (the others being Fujimi and Esci). I'd really like to try a Fine Molds kit sometime, the ones I have seen on Scalemates look amazing.
10 October 2022, 15:05
Album info
This model represents an F-4D assigned to the Kansas ANG 127th TFS and stationed at McConnell AFB while I was there for ROTC training camp. The 127th TFS was responsible for training US and Allied pilots new to the F-4 platform. The model showcases the Euro I camo scheme used in the mid- and late 1980s. This F-4D (Serial 66-0271) was used by Lt Col Carl G. Bailey and Capt Jeffrey S. Feinstein to shoot down two MiG-21 aircraft over Vietnam in July 1972. It was transferred to the Kansas ANG in 1979 and decommissioned in 1989. The actions of Vietnam War pilots and the raw power and speed of the F-4 were very inspiring to me!
Group Build
F-4 Phantom II Group build 2022
1. January until 31. December 2022
1. January until 31. December 2022