Anthony in NZ

Legend mate!!! So good to see you at work on such a gorgeous Spitfire! I met Johnny Houlton many many years ago, and for those who found him a little 'Gruff', I liked him. Johnny Checketts (a pleasure to call a very close friend) told me once Houlton had a real killer instinct and would often just head off and 'go it alone' which whilst made him eager, he was also a little dangerous. Either way great choice and love the NZ connection! Bravo sir, cant wait to see what your next update is like already lol. Hey, we must both get back to our 24th Mossie builds again someday! Cheers Anthony

Thanks Kev.....appreciate that mate! Hahaha....glad you said awesome and not Grey (although it kinda is) LOL careful what you itch thanks buddy! Dont you dare and dont let me come over and 'slap ya' for thinking like that Seriously though, thank you so very much! Wish we were closer, I'd have a drink with you Awwww thanks Max, yup never seen a Phantom, let alone the best version of all, the Brit Toom. One day. Part of me would like to come to Telford this year if I thought I could get it finished and bring it with me. Telford is something I have always wanted to do. My good mate Pete Mossong goes over a lot. Maybe I will come with him on his next trip?? Thanks my friend!! Yes I really like the dents and staining etc, to me it just brings it to life. Part of me would now like to stress the skin in a couple of areas but I fear I will never finish if I do that! You are correct, I am starting to redo the back end 'hot area'surface details, see below Not much to show except I am re-doing (again) the back end 'hot area'. Not so much the shapes as I am happy with those, but the surface finish, a split in a join (now repaired from inside with JB Weld and a syringe) the surface texture, some uneven rivets and a few wobbly lines need addressing. I am getting close to paint so dont want any unexpected surprises. The 3D printed hinges need to get grafted in next but I just want the surface details as perfect as I can get them before moving onto inserting them. I know in myself if I add the hinges and havent delt with the surrounding imperfections I might very well get overwhelmed at the amount of work needing doing. So for now it is just fine tuning, redoing and final surface buff ready for the metal area. For some reason I am going back and re-doing a couple of areas I thought were good enough before, but arent up to scratch now....I hate my OCD! Also the big washers directly behind the reheat cans need reworking to something more acceptable...watch this space I guess. You can see the work I need to still do when you see these 3 pics Thanks as always, you guy are so encouraging with your comments but also especially with all of your own work on here you inspire me with! Now I have a lot of work to do on this rear end.... Cheers Anthony

Thanks Derek, and it almost seems like anything goes (within reason) when they were getting close to retirement, as far as finish goes...although still well cared for Thanks mate, really appreciate that, yup give it a go! Tanks finished I think.... Whoa that last one is a bit close! Ok, onto something else now.... Cheers Anthony

Thanks Mirek, any updates on the PV-1? Regards Anthony

I'm really hanging out for the PV-1.....

Hi Matt Thanks very much! 332 is reeeeaaaaallly really close.The reason I didnt go with it is because I felt it was slightly on the 'warm'side which is technically correct. And I think it would look better on a cammo bird. For some reason to me all the photo's in books and on my screen, the greys seem 'çooler' in the overall grey schemes. But when I added the raw and burnt umber tones it brought it back to the warmer tone of the original 332. I think if I had started with 332 then after the filters then it would have looked too brown in the grey. Does that make sense? I'm not sure, to my eye I am happier with this tone. Maybe if you arent using oils then it will be fine. As I say it is really close as it is, but might depend on what you are going to do with the paint after its laid down? HTH, and I could be quite wrong, go with what feels right to you like I did.....great question! Cheers Anthony

LOL it sure has, I will take that as a compliment! It is these master class guys who come out and show us what can be done and it pushes us to do better. When I think of my models of the 70's I realise how far we've come. But those days of modelling back then I would never trade for anything, I had so much fun

Oh how did I miss these pics of her finished? She looks amazing!!! Just Wow! I love your finish and style it is very realistic and pleasing to the eye. Everything about it I love. Thank you for the inspiration for mine....

Thanks buddy! That means a lot. Glad you noticed the mismatched demarcation lines. Seems these front and rear sections got replaced and repainted often

OK fuel tanks and dents.... Hmmm I didnt realize doing dents would be more difficult than I imagined, well at least for me either. Thankfully I have some great photos of the tanks XV571 worre mostly in the late 80's (so much stuff seemed to chop and change, it makes me wonder if ordinance etc might have been shared between 43 and 111 sqn's as one of the fuel tanks often worn on 43 Sqn XV571 even appears on XV574 if 111 Sqn at one stage. If anyone has an answer I would be interested to hear it??) Anyway, my first advice is NOT to try and match every single dint and scratch on the tank you're looking at, it just looks plain wrong. Just do the main ones, the final result will be much better. Prime the surface with Mr Surfacer and then you can see what size and shape and angle your dents, flat spots and scrapes are and you are happy with the position of them. I used a couple of different shaped curves scalpel blades to make the initial dent. Then using emery paper rounded, I blended it in to smooth it out. Some dents are soft (meaning there isnt really a defined edge, yet some are and sometimes have an almost creased edge. Experiment is pest, but it is actually a lot of fun and I think (hopefully will make a nice natural appearance to the final look) you will enjoy it. I am particularly looking forward to denting my Paragon 100Gal underwing tanks on my 1/24 Mossie when I eventually get back to it. Carry on sanding and priming untill you are happy. Oh by the way these are the @Jet Passion tanks so the wall thickness may be more than the kit ones. One final thing to be mindful of is that if your Phantom has the strengthening belly strap then your pylons are going to sit slightly off the surface (this is normal even on the real airframe), so you will have to add the rubber sealing strip between the two You can even see here there is fresh air above the inboard one, note the rubber seal on the outboard one? And my version Off to the paintshop..... Now I have had real issues trying to find the correct greys for this model. I have brought all sorts of paint brands and nothing has satisfied me very much at all. Of course I have never seen a Phantom in my life so I have to go off photo's and take into account lighting etc etc. Anyway this is where I am at. I know some will possibly balk at what I am doing, but this is the best I can come up with, I am as always open to advice. My main 'Base color'is Mr Color 73 Äircraft Gray" which is just a tad too dark on its own for Camouflage Grey BS626 (the main overall uppersurface colour) and all the other greys for the undersurface look a little 'çold' for the Light Aircraft Grey. So what I did here as an experiment was spray the overall tank '73' (this was my base) then I lightly randomly sprayed white over the top for the underside and pore so for the pylon as these are actually white. Then I added a dash of 73 into my white and softened the white and full tone blotchy finish underneath. This evened things out and oddly enough the dents took on their own shadows! Then I masked the demarcation lines and sprayed 73, but lightened with a touch of white, blotching it in areas with the base colour. The lower tank in the pic above had a slightly newer rear end section added and was lighter and the grey demarcation was feathered not hard edged. The upper tank has a Green white rear end apparently taken from their spares inventory which is in a US green and white. This is what I ended up with Then I used oil paints and added some filters and then Burnt Umber and black mix was used to simulate the centre main tank section which often got quite dirty underneath Hard to see I know, sorry Desperately trying to go with the 'less is more' theory which is hard I hope you guys approve, as this is all a bit new for me this type of weathering. As always your ideas, tips and input is appreciated for those of you who know how to do this properly Again my mix of Greys is home made to how. I feel looks right and maybe it looks wrong to those who have actually seen a Phantom, I appreciate any feedback as I am flying blind here. Thanks again chaps, and I super appreciate all of your help and encouragement along the way this year as its been a tough one. Lets hope we can get this sucker finished in 24!!! Cheers Anthony

Thank you sir! Thanks Marcel, I really appreciate that! As you know it's all about naturalness and not looking overdone, less is definitely more, I struggle with that sometimes Just preparing a new update, talk soon Anthony

Absolutely loving this build Derek! The transformation and attention to detail is second to none....Love it!

Hi John, thanks very much! Yes I am doing a lot of learning as I go too... Look Ma I can stand on my own two feet! Well only just and a little wobbly! I've been test fitting the main gear for alignment, making sure the airframe sits level spanwise etc. Once I was happy I removed the legs and finished them off. A bit more plumbing, some placards and a light wash. I didnt want to go too heavy on the staining on these, as a well maintained and cared for jet I am sure (no matter how scruffy the paint gets) is regularly wiped down for inspection and leaks, hence the original gloss finish white paint. Anyway now I have said that everyone will show me photos of filthy u/c legs LOL. I realised you have to be careful looking at static display airframes (especially ones outside) as they tend to get rust stains and other things that you wouldn't see in a regular maintenance schedule. Anyhoo right or wrong, thats my reasoning Should be all good when epoxied in place later on Should be all good when epoxied in place later on And now attention turns to underwing tanks, from @Jet Passion the front and (to a lesser degree) the rear were a lighter grade alloy and tend to get quite dinged up. So here I am starting that process, but more on this later. Who would have thought making dents look natural would be so difficult LOL Did I say these printed tanks are awesome!? Seems a shame to put dents in them Cheers Anthony

Well thank you very much, but way too kind. There are other nicer Phantom builds out there for sure and thats where I draw my inspiration from. I super appreciate your kind comments and encouragement to press on!! Thanks again

Thanks Matt, they come with the bandit resin pod. Actually be handy to have these separate as they would be most useful in various applications. @Turecki ?

Thanks very much....you better crack on then and start one! Or wait for Red Pills Models which I am sure will be an easier build. Having said that, something still just looks 'right'with the Tamiya kit, even with its issues. I still highly rate it. You sir are too kind, thank you very much, I really appreciate it! Oh good thanks, yes I have done a little bit of wear and a little tonal variation, it has really just knocked the starkness back which I am happier about. However dosent look much different in the pics to follow. @Turecki is CADíng one up so the pod can be mounted to the adapter rail. It seems many, incl Air Force ones dont use this little adapter mount. He's a great guy, I highly recommend his products! Thanks buddy, that means a lot coming from the master! Your F-4B conversion is exquisite and massively inspiring to me So in between life I have managed some more progress. Finished the other pylon off ready for the rails to be fitted. This time I painted it in a 'repaint' scheme of an overall light aircraft grey (or similar) as it has different stencils and you commonly see Brit Phantoms with missmatched pylons. In fact I have a pic of XV571 with this exact grey on the stbd side so that was my inspiration. You can see instead of red text it has explosive bolts triangles and a mix of black and very pale grey service markings. Honestly anything would be correct as every one I looked at was different and had variations on the markings..... Then onto the Bandit Resin Travel Pod Type A , oh and I put a few dents and scrapes on it which was typical A nice touch was the little fasteners that fix the door in place when closed. Fiddly but very cool Should look good when mounted to the pylon. Such a great addition to your model, I see F-16's use them too. No doubt others. Thanks for tuning in as always! Hope it was of some interest Cheers Anthony

Absolutely off the charts beautiful!! I would expect nothing less from you. My favourite Phantom paint scheme, executed perfectly Cheers Anthony

Thank you sir! Nice still having you along!!! My pleasure, shame it wasnt more Lick of paint and a little buff to slightly wear the grey off the top. These were often worn through along here, I guess it might be part of the preflight or generally handy to run your hands along... Pylons seem to be generally pretty clean but I felt the surface detail was heavy enough on this part not to warrant a wash or anything, less is more sometimes, just went with 2 shades of white. Looking at that photo I might do a little more to soften the wear on that grey...dosent look that bad in real life. Sheesh the camera can be brutal, especially in direct sunlight Thanks for your comments and reactions, really helps me plod to the finish line Cheers Anthony

Absolutely stunning as always….I hope you don’t get tired of hearing that lol. @Ali62 does the most amazing clear casting and perhaps that could be an option? I’m more than happy to pay whatever it takes to get a perfect result considering what you’ve already achieved. cheers Anthony

LOL who knew sheep were so multi useful as well as tasting good, they produce wool for clothing and hold model parts! Thanks, yes it was a good catch, there is definitely much more to these Brit ones than first meets the eye arent there? So, things under wings still. I will start with u/c doors as that's where I finished last time. I have finished the mlg doors and as usual added fairings, latches, placards, adjusted ribs and the usual flush and raised rivets. Note the little (uplock?) catches on the fronts of the doors Next up is inner pylons. I brought the beautiful Reskit Navy inboard pylon set which is beautiful, but however needs modifying (of course). Note on the base of the pylon there is a rail printed on there? Well that has to be removed as the FG.1 and FGR-2 werent wired to have direct missile capability on that rail (but still did have the ability with the LAU's on either side). The F-4J(UK) likely did but I havent looked into it, so that may be worth checking if you are using these on a Brit J(UK) See here (photo credit ''Black Mike'' restoration facebook page) So I removed that detail Mr Surfacer on after also filling that big hole for the rail spacers Next I would like to introduce this beautiful luggage pod as produced by Bandit Resin Factory @Turecki which is beautiful indeed. The nice thing is the lower hinge on the door is able to be left open, a nice touch I think! Fairly common in RAF Phantom service along with another version which was larger and apparently a cut down Aero 1A 150gal tank Images for proof of use lol And even XV571 (in her last scheme before retirement) I just need to figure out where to find the little adapter that holds to two together now.... Thanks to Canberra kid on BM for this image Thanks also to a couple of gents on BM for their help also, you know who you are and it was much appreciated! Cheers Anthony

Hi Mike Sorry for the late reply I have been having issues logging into LSP and ended up changing my password No I didnt fill the ejection chutes, I had a pic of her in that timeframe where I could see them open. Machine gun ports were simply dots of superglue in the exposed tips and then rounded off carefully with emery paper. You are correct the armour plate was initially left in but the fuel cell and radio gear was removed/relocated straight away. You are correct on everything else. I did my best going off photos and talking to the owners son Greg LOL yes dont she look purdy! Yeah there is just something about these ole gals in civvie schemes that look so cool! Thank you sir!! Thanks, I actually really like these schemes, it was a pleasure to build and looked eyecatching, I was sad to give it away! Thanks buddy, nice to hear from you! Thanks for your very kind comments, just sorry for my late reply Cheers and thanks again Anthony

100% agreed! Yes I went over and had a good catch up...wow you're doing a fantastic job of yours mate! Awwww thanks buddy, that means a lot! I am pleased you're enjoying it as much as I am! More progress, this time on the undercarriage. Initially I thought I only needed the lower section of leg with extra links, then when Kerry was drawing it up measurements didnt quite add up...and after further research Kerry found the leg dia didnt seem to add up to the drawings. It seems the kit and aftermarket ones are 4.8mm dia whereas the FG.1 (double ext nose leg) is 6.2mm! Interesting, but totally makes sense as it would have the extra oleo extension?? Anyway, cant 100% confirm this but we are going with the drawings and the reasoning that this might make sense anyway. However the more I look at photo's I am getting more convinced it looks chunkier than a std Phantom noseleg (incl FGR.2). There are several differences in the FG.1 leg as well as the upper links are different again as well as a few other details. Anyhoo, needless to say this has ment a whole new leg has been done to be printed and test fitted (as it has to also include the rearward rake). Always something eh? Thank goodness for Kerry, in fact he has so much involvement in this with me that it really is a joint project as I couldnt have got it this accurate without him....Thanks buddy! So in the meantime I have been working on mains and final detailing and painting. More to go on these along with trying to find stencils for the main oleo's...no one seems to have done them in 1/32 and I cant find anything close at this point. And yes...sheep are everywhere here in NZ, even my modelling bench! Test fitted....looking good! You saw my nose u/c doors with primer....now all painted, stencils and wiring added along with some subtle weathering These doors got really filthy but I tried to restrain myself a bit and did my best to match XV571's doors at this point in her life And both the fronts together So on the hunt for a MLG oleo placard and then final details added and the legs are done, still working on the MLG doors Thanks for looking in...I am still going! Cheers Anthony

LOL smarty.....has it been that long???? Oh dear Glad Ed has you covered! Thanks very much, to be honest I am looking forward to finishing this but trying not to rush Good to see Ed has you sorted! Thanks mate, new update not toooooo far away I hope! Here is a teaser...... This is the FG.1 lower section with the double scissor link set up being CAD by Kerry the master! Cheers Anthony

Hey Kev, Cameron is doing really well...slow progress but getting stronger every day! Looks like he is going to get to start working on helicopter maintenance in the new year! Thanks for asking Thanks mate....just wish I could work faster lol Thanks Iain, I guess that is true. Rome wasnt built in a day, I must remember that Thanks Buddy....and loving your Lightning!!!

Thanks buddy! I went back and looked at that pic after your comment and finally saw a Brit Toom and not a Tamiya F-4J LOL that's very poetic of you my friend! So I have actually still been grabbing time at the bench every chance I get and its still a process of smaller details. One thing that has impressed me is a set of underwing fuel tanks by @Jet Passion these things are amazing! I was dreading detailing the kit ones as they were severely lacking in shape and detail.....then Jet Passion Models come to the rescue! Eduardo is a one man band with a love of Jet aviation, and he seems as obsessive as I am with getting correct details. He has produced this gorgeous set that will make such a prominent feature of the Phantom truly special. As you can see there is this handy little jig to redrill the holes in the correct position to relocate the pylons as well as little inserts to make sure the pieces all align.....too easy! Weld lines, drain plugs, the photos really dont do them justice Kit ones Jet Passion Models ones, no filling or sanding yet and a primer finish of Mr Surfacer 1200...they will only need a slight sand/buff. I know this is going to sound terrible but I am going to put a few dints and dings on the nose sections as they got beat up in service...I wont go overboard! More on these later and some other goodies on their way! I got the nose gear door finished, riveted and primed but I didnt take a pic....looks good ...honestly LOL So I was now onto tweaking the other nose door, a little shape adjustment and all surface details removed Few more plastic card additions and Archer rivets again Aaaannd Mr Surfacer 1200 Then the other side riveted Main gear doors receiving some attention and details now...more to still go 3D Chutes landing gear now getting a tidy up before paint. I was a little concerned about how strong these might be, I have left the Phantom sitting on them for nearly 2 weeks and they havent even started looking loke distorting, which is good as this thing is getting heavy! They will get more structural integrity when the doors are epoxied on. I am not worried anymore So there we go, I am still working away, these details really are time consuming, but I gotta get them right after all this effort to date. Hinges are being redone slightly bigger and deeper. Kerry has offered to also help with the lower section of nose leg with the double scissor links adapted to the 3D Chutes nose leg. It wasnt as simple as just adding another link! Thank you Kerry... mate I think this is as much your model as it is mine! Until next time peeps thanks for following along at this glacial pace and heep up the awesome work you guys are doing! I come on most days and see what you're up to, and am constantly encouraged by your projects...thank you! Cheers Anthony