thierry laurent

Indeed, the CAD-made parts are exquisite. I also like the hand-made, nearly organic feeling you have when looking at the large parts. This is the same kind of feeling you get when looking at full scale airframes of that era. This would not make sense for a F-35 kit but, to me, this gives a convincing look. The rivets are not Trumpeter divots and I'm also convinced they will look ok under primer and paint. This kit will need a little bit of work but nothing looks terrible to me.

You're welcome! People focus on the external differences but for whatever reason always forget the IP differences whereas one is quite visible for a simple reason: the REVI gunsight plug was located on the IP right side on the Friedrich. So the cable going out of the REVI was clearly visible, as well as its plug.

You're right. It is flat. I checked and indeed its location corresponds to the one of a fixing point of the pylon on the wing undersides.

Good news! I hope I will get the two other books I ordered soon. One is a huge French book with hundreds of pictures. So, I'm reasonably positive about the fact something will be useful in them. I will let you know. I'm more and more tempted by the Sea Vampire option...!

Hi Iain, This may help: https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/vampires-soon-to-whistle-through-canadian-skies-the-first-news-photo/499309101?adppopup=true I think this shows that in plan view the nose looks a little bit blunt but without more pictures it is difficult to be fully affirmative and to assess the extent. I'm still looking after better pictures and waiting for two other books. So, wait and see. Thierry

No this is not a light. This is just a round panel (100) but I do not remember its use!

And 14: do not forget the IP starboard side slight differences!

The old one is VERY basic. This is a reflect of the Sixties model kits standard. The second generation of kits is far better but for whatever reason it has MANY other shape issues! We are not really blessed with regard to large scale Phantoms... Finally, the Tamiya kits stay the best option in spite of their deficiencies.

I agree. The issue is that the assembly standard evolved so much during the last twenty years than we can barely highly recommend something that needs a little bit of effort whereas we should be drooling on the floor! This is a large scale Vampire!!!

Thanks Iain, Very good initial review but only "recommended" as a final assessment...? I know this is very subjective but personally I have a better feeling. The cockpit is very well detailed and the LG wells are very nice. Finally, to me, there are few negative points. The choice of two decal schemes is quite limited. The rivets... Well this is a matter of taste and most modellers prefer having them. A good way to attenuate the visual effect is simple: do not put a wash in them as in the panel lines. The resin part also puzzled me but this is a moot point as it is not visible. Hopefully the Vampire could not have the Meteor air intakes! To me, this is the assembly that will give the final word as the Helldiver was not very good in that dimension. I do not know what other people are thinking but to me such planes always look better with a monochrome top! So I hope we will also get a Sea Vampire even if their naval service was less than stellar...

Indeed, the Hasegawa release has annihilated any reason to get the Doyusha kit if you just want a large scale Zero. The only reason to get one is the interest in a Pearl Harbor Zero without willing to go for an expensive kit. And in that case, I would rather recommend the Eduard 1/48 kit (but do not repeat it ;-)

Wow! Another must have from AIMS and timely released for the ZM kit arrival!

I forgot the Willow! This is the only kit never released by anyone else in large scale and the two versions (wheels and floats) are hopefully the best kits in the range. They are the only ones I would recommend and for whatever reason Aires/Quickboost recently released some cheap and nice correction sets whereas the initial release occured more than 40 years ago! Such kits were not intended to be motorized and this shows in a good way.

The Mustang is TERRIBLE! The only acceptable component usable in the box is the decal sheet. Total crap! One of the most awful kits ever released... The Zero is ok even if some shapes are not accurate (e.g. ailerons). It builds quite easily for a Seventies kit. All Doyusha kits have close to no cockpit and very basic landing gear wells if any as they were designed to be motorized. Out of my memory they were initially released by Tomy during the early seventies. Now they are just collectors items as all topics are now available from Revell, Hasegawa or Tamiya.

The two B conversion sets for the Tamiya A are available in UK! https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/teknics-conversion-sets-1-32-32012-f-14b-tomcat-bombcat-cockpit-superset https://www.kingkit.co.uk/product/teknics-conversion-sets-1-32-32013-f-14b-tomcat-bombcat-airframe-conversion- Hth Thierry

In one word: YES!

As Tony wrote, cutting back the C/D fuselage part front is very easy. With regard to the instrument panels and exhausts, you will still have a problem as the E kit does not give you another cockpit and the later exhausts are underscaled! There's no easy or cheap way to model a large scale F-4E! The three sprues I linked give all the required parts that are accurate. For the rest, even with the F-4E kit, you will need aftermarket.

BTW, if you can easily find the C/D, you need to add that to get an early E: https://www.ebay.com/itm/295115148073?hash=item44b63bcb29:g:E4AAAOSw84NdiRVr https://www.ebay.com/itm/304577658581?hash=item46ea3e3ed5:g:47sAAOSwL3ldiRIb https://www.ebay.com/itm/295115148057?hash=item44b63bcb19:g:PyQAAOSw72ddiROX Obviously, you will also need some decals. Hth Thierry

Not yet easy to find! It looks Hannants has some of a first reference: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/QP32005?result-token=1HOYE This looks quite convincing! Hth Thierry

I also forgot one aspect: the slotted stabs: the C/D does not have them. So, from a the perspective of the main visible features, you do not only have to change the nose but also the stabs. Ben is right with regard to the CE resin nose. However, in spite of its deficiencies it was far better than the Revell horrific option!

Hi, I saw rare references to such discs and this makes sense from a practical perspective but I never found any visual evidence. It looks they are quite elusive to say the least. Thierry

Backdating a J would not be more simple as the mark had naval features you do not see on the E.

No, it is the front fuselage/nose with the Vulcan gun that is noticeably different. Wings did not change visibly up to the arrival of the slatted wings E.

Try to find the Tamiya kit unless you want something that just looks like a F-4E. The Academy kit is just a re-release of the very questionable Revell kit with the unslatted wing sprue coming from the Recce versions. Cutting Edge made a F-4E conversion for the Tamiya F-4C/D but it is OOP for ages. So it is without any doubt easier and cheaper to find a Tamiya E!

Actually cameras were only in the plane right before the take-off and right after the landing. Otherwise, they never stayed in the plane. So, they are not mandatory.