Here
is my fourth model submission, the Tamiya F-4J in 1/32 scale. I wanted to make a
dirty Navy F-4 that you don’t see too often and I’ve always liked the
Bedeviler artwork of VF-74. I used quite a few aftermarket items as follows:
•
Verlinden
MB
Mk7 seats.
•
Cam
decals (32-005) + a replacement set from another Tamiya kit since the ones I
had fell apart.
• Aires resin engine/exhaust kit (AI-2009). The detail of this kit is amazing.
• Seamless Suckers. Tough to find- and expensive. I’ve already ordered the
D-Mold set for my next F-4 build.
• Eduard Big-Ed photo-etched detail set. This is what makes the cockpit come
alive, although I only used about ½ of the parts on the rest of the model.
• Nautilus jig for wingtip correction to 12 ½ degrees.
• AIM-9D missiles from a Tamiya F-14A kit.
The build was fairly straight forward, although the Seamless Sucker edit was
very, very picky work and took a long time. They also made the AIM-7 missile fit
very tight, so be careful if you use these.
I used MM enamel paints and Alclad stainless steel on the tail with a bit of MM
Metalizer titanium for the sooty effect. I did the usual Future (2 coats)
decals, then Future routine, laying the decals down with both Future on the
small ones and Microset/Microsol on the larger ones. I used an artist oil wash
followed by salt weathering to get the aircraft carrier dirty bird effect and
then I toned everything done with MM acrylic dull coat. The photos are a bit
dark and they make it look a lot dirtier than it really is. I especially like
how the walk ramps came out looking just like a lot of F-4J photos and the rear
of the bird looks just like the real McCoy, although the Aires exhaust cans are
too small, just like the kit ones.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Photos
of this Bicentennial bird (circa 1976) are hard to come by, but I did find
a few that helped me with a lot of the details. The centerline fuel tank,
for example, has a large black front cone while the star and stripes
insignia on the wing is the same size as the one on the intakes and it
does not go across the wingtip hinge-line. I also found that the tips of
the rear stabilizers are also painted yellow, which you don’t see on the
decal instructions or examples of other builds.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable build, but I’m going to try a straight
OTB build on my next model, the Tamiya F-16CJ Block 50.
Chuck
Click on
images below to see larger images
|
|