Tony T

Just caught up with this brave and amazing project. It's giving me the impetus — and guidance — to tackle an F. Many thanks for sharing your expertise with us, Tony

Do you have a link for this build please Chrish ? As Katana says that the plastic's ...quite "soft", I never saw styrene THAT pliable, we really need that U-shaped stabilator link, part B5, cast in bronze or brass. If @Ali62 has the production capacity could he cast it for us? I would get the kit and provide Alistair with any bits he might need to re-engineer it for casting. Tony

Thanks for the overview. The instructions can be found at https://downloads.revell.de/?dir=Manuals-Modelkits Enter 03847 in the search box I want to buy this kit to make Blue Angel 7 but don't like soapy soft plastic. Dilemma! Obviously it's going to need some brass rods in the landing gear and replacing the stabilator pins. Tony

You don't need slotted stabilators for most RF-4E's. If they had the BLC hardwing they had unslotted stabilators. If you're using the F-4E/EJ kit the stabilator slotted edges need grinding off. The chief reason for using the F-4C/D is to furnish the NLG doors which aren't in the conversion kit. And it features unslotted stabs. Note, however, that the location of the UHF/TACAN antenna and door lights were transposed on the RF-4C/E NLG door compared with the fighter C/D. I.e. upside down, in effect. The only reason for using an F-4J is to make one of the three thick-winged, slotted stab, rounded nose USMC RF-4B's built. Tony

Although it's probably on the pricey side, I want to buy one to say thanks to DACO. Thanks for the update Tnierry. Tony

The conversion kit lacks the RF-4E NLG door — you would have to take or copy your Revell RF-4C one. Otherwise the EJ for some common stencilling etc., but with new nozzles. HTH Tony

Yes, with age comes wisdom — for some, anyway. Just not sure I would like to ride in what resembles a large phallus. Tony

Yes, like the real thing the tutti frutti RF-4 is working out way more expensive than the vanilla fighter types. Bubbles or not, and let's hope none on production items offered at the cost of an Italeri Starfighter or 3 bottles of single malt, the Phreaks' nose job takes things a step further than the BB/Avionix effort, albeit the latter was about £25 here. I suspect the cost is possibly inflated by getting the items shipped from Turkey, so why not offer direct in Europe? Tony

Hence my plea for a UK distributor, as asking my American son to deal on my behalf doesn't bypass UK Customs which will still levy their pound of flesh. Tony

If no resin windows, at least print the outlines on the acetate sheet — and provide an RF-4C/E NLG door and include the flare compartments offered as an extra for the Revellophreak kit. Having said that, thanks for the heads-up Dave. Genuinely lovely to see this and if Sprue Bros sell to the land-of-UK I'll have to decide if I want it enough to pay $170 with postage and UK taxes before they disappear. A JASDF RF-4E in sea wave blues beckons. As far as rounded nose recce rhinos go, I think this is as good as it's ever going to get in 1/32 scale. Congrats Phantom Phreaks. Hope it sells well for you but please consider a UK distributor like Hannants. I know they're in a business arrangement with Sprue Bros., but the shipping from the 'States and import duty here is a passion killer. Tony

You have to remember the sheer joy when the Tamiya F-4s first came out a quarter of a century ago. Wow! Especially just after the slightly bizarre Revell. I just hope that Phantom Phreaks' new F-4s are more than mere embryonic CAD dreams like the Tan Models and Hong Kong Models concepts. I wish them well. If we don't get more Cold War era jets there's going to be further fiscal migration to 1/48th scale. Tony

I don't believe Kiev gives a fig about Belenko. ICM is in the Ukraine, not entirely enamoured with Russia, and inherited over sixty Pulse Doppler Foxbats. The MiG-25P lasted only about five years in the PVO before being replaced by the vastly superior PD (new) and PDS (P rebuilds) which was operated for another fifteen years, the new MiG-31 in turn freeing these for export in relatively large numbers to Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Syria = more colour scheme options. But that doesn't rule out a MiG-25P or PU trainer once the market's had a breather. I have the PD and RBT (second edition) boxings and would like to buy @Ali62's RBF if he ever does brass undercarriage for the ICM Foxbat kits. Still hoping for a decent Su-15 Flagon series in my lifetime, but a MiG-23M/MF, P and UB would be great too if ICM are doing Floggers as rumoured. Exciting times. Tony

ICM do tend to get things right. Thanks for going to so much trouble to verify dimensions. Wondering what their next 1/48 plane will be. The money's on a MiG-23 but we'll find out soon enough. And the recent Firebees are fun. Looking fwd to the 1/32 Yak-9. Tony

Thanks Juggernaut, so... Option A is The Millie G and B ? Is there an option B ? Thanks. Will be good when Revell post the instructions for kit 03838. Tony

Panzerwobble, I put kits from battered boxes into lidded plastic crates (the type used to keep clothes under the bed). That usually reallocates them to the attempted build schedule. I'll also take a crumpled box as long as the clear parts are perfect and the decal sheet hasn't been scratched or embossed by compressed sprues. Unfortunately those hazards remain unpredictable in anything less than sturdy cardboard packaging. But I might chance it with the new Hornet F and consider a Mustang. Can anyone reveal the markings options? The place-holding photo shows Bud Anderson's Old Crow — is this included? Tony