ghatherly

Another fantastic job Chuck! Love the High Gloss look!

IF I could clarify, by saying "Have planned" you used past tense and the 1/32 scale ZM Phantom project is a planned, future product. Not trying to be critical of your word selection but what you wrote was not what I wrote, so I wanted to clarify again my remarks. As I have said before, ZM is planning to do 1/32 scale F-4's once the 1/48 line is complete. The 1/48 plan is to release all of the Phantoms sub types with the missing subtype being the F-4B. GTR is working a conversion set now for the ZM-f-4J kit to make a B or N type F-4 since a 100% plastic kit is not planned by ZM. I have tried to convince them that they should offer one but so far have not succeeded in changing their minds. They do plan new kits of the Recess after the long nose Phantoms are done. UK specific Phantoms may also be done but the issue is that they are entirely different from all other sub types...which means starting from scratch. Remember the F-4K/M's look the same but the Spey engine made for what was essentially clean sheet redesign of the Phantom, similar to the F/A-18 legacy vs Super Hornet. Where E's and F's have nothing in common with the A-D except the designation and were made by Boeing/ MDD in St Louis. As for the 1/32 Recce resin sets to convert Tamiya C/D kit into a RECCE, the Avionix set is full of errors...from camera layout to profile to cross-section to cockpit layout. Using the Revell nose from their new tool Recce kit is a better starting point as Thierry suggests, but it too, has it'sown set of inaccuracies to deal with. I am not going to get into this issues here a Thierry and others have posted them many time, just do your home work here and on other sites as those answers take up pages. Needless to say that with study and careful planning you can make a nice result. Fun Fun Fun!!!!!!!

Hi Dave, Tony is correct, I was referring to Airdoc making the decals set for US European based Phantom back a decade or so ago. They are collectors items now and hard/Expensive to get. YEs the Stariz Recce set is available, but outside of that and very hard to find/Expansive CE decals nothing else for Recce's exists. Without decal support the conversions do not sell, especially at the higher price points that a Recce conversion would be at. The black box conversion was done by Paul Stoner two decades ago and is just a copy of the Revell kit nose. No internals and just really a solid piece of Resin. Being a cpu of the Revell nose it has the same accuracy issues as the Revell kit. I do plan on offering an Peace Jack conversion, but the patterns will be made when I get to building one myself so it will be a while. The interesting part is that Decals for that jet are readily available and since only 3 were built, the limited scope of a decals offering is not a negative to conversion kit sales.

how is then hobby out of control? I am thankful that the Technology exists to enable small companies to offer products that the big model kit companies would never even consider. I realize that not everyone can afford to or choose to spend that much, but still the offering as a possibility is a good thing.

Keeping this one for myself. I looked at it a few years back and there was little serious interest and no available decal sets outside of the rare and expensive Airdoc and CE sets. The Conversion would be close to $200 for the nose with all of the cameras, cockpit, etc and the RF-4B would be $250+ with the thin wing set up. I may do the late rounded camera doors to retrofit the Revell kit. Now if you guys can convince Jake or someone else to make decals sets for the Recce's that would be a good start

no

me too!! Thx for the heads up Dave!

I don't know any of the details. HPH used fiberglass because of the cost of injection molding and it allows for a strong, thin shell. Resin would be even thicker and not structurally sound anywhere close to a scale shape. Both Plastic and Resin would lead to serious inaccuracies with the finished model shape and/or interior details. All I Know is I have seen 3D printed parts for most of the interior and one engine and that it is not GT Resin.

Well, I cannot say who it is, but I can say that your 1/32 B-29 wish may be closer to a reality than you think.

Count me in! With the detail that is being put into the 1/48 B-52H kit, adding even more to upsize it into 1/32 would be something to see. I like Tony's idea though, it would be nice if a B model could be made from the kit just for the X-15. I knew there was a reason I have not built my X-15 kit yet! Gary

Appreciate all of the good feed back. Still deciding on how to handle all of the changes over the years. We not only have the A, A+, LASTE, and C but we have some mods the ANG jet had that reg USAF did not. I can say that the tub will feature no casting block casting like we did for the updated F-4B/N tubs .......so no dust party! The tub will also have separate side panels and Seat rails. An ESCAPAC Seat will be out at the same time as the A pit for very early A-10’s and F-15’s. Exterior set will have parts for all versions in one set. Looking to release in Nov/Dec. Corrected noses will be early next year. Thats all for now.

We will be releasing both A-10A and C cockpits in October. The set is very much like the old CE Set with modern improvements.

Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black !

Hey Brian, No worries. Perhaps it is a good thing to post here after all. My initial reaction was “oh no, here too”. as the topic has been talked to death elsewhere. The real issue here is the fact AMK took prepayment for the kit and badly missed the deadline. What happened here is a good example for taking prepayment period. At least AMK is coming through. This is why I would never take prepayment or deposit, outside of commissioned projects. The other issue in that long thread is possible errors in the back fuselage. Until we get the plastic no one knows if it is right, close, or way off. Seeing things in person presents a different perspective than viewing drawings and pictures. The WNW Lancaster is an example. In person the surface detail is impressive, but much more subtle than any of the 3D CAD or online test shots show. Anyhow have ave a great day everyone Gary

Brian, Isn’t there enough on this subject on the other sites about this project that we really need to discuss it here?? Considering it is 1/48 and not a LSP, does it have to be here? Seems like the hobby is turning into nothing but self proclaimed experts and complainers.