1/48 SWS F-4J - VMFA-232 "Red Devils" 1972

[DirkE]

Besides the ES-3A I started a new project. Its the new ZM F-4J kit. I hesitated a bit, since there are already very good 1/48 Phantoms on the market. But in the end I was courious what SWS could have done better. They said, they wanted to do the best 1/48 F-4J. Hmm...

 

I am not going to do the box art NG-100 "Showtime 100". Its a nice scheme and the plane has a interesting history. I decided to an other Vietnam war F-4J with an not so glorious story. Its the WT-10, BuNo 155811 from the VMFA-232 "Red Devils". 155811 was the only Marine jet shot down by MiGs during the Vietnam war. It was downed by NVAF MiG-21 ace Nguyen Duc Soat with an Atoll AAM on Aug 26 1972. Crew of pilot 1LT Sam Cordova KIA, RIO 1LT D L Borders rescued.

 

Lt.Cordova spoke to U.S. aircraft in the area over his survival radio while safely parachuting from his aircraft. He later radioed that he had fallen into a ravine and heard his pursuers approaching. According to a member of Cordova's squadron, Sam Cordova's last transmission stated that he was going to be captured if he wasn't picked up immediately. Cordova's backseater was rescued, but rescue attempts for Cordova were hampered because of heavy ground fire. Sam's emergency radio beeper was traced to Ban Na Ca Tay, a Viet Cong village. Attempts to contact him through the device failed. This seemed clear indication that Cordova was captured, but he was classified Missing in Action (later KIA).

 

There are no decals for this ac on the market I know of. So I need to steal some decals from other decal sheets with Red Devils F-4J.

 

I started with the ejection seats. They are from the kit, but I enhanced them with some small parts and decals. They come without seatbelts. Not even as a decal. So, I got the HGW F-4 (Navy) seatbelts # 148541. More photos will follow soon.

 

Dirk

 

[Guest]

COOL !!........Harv

[DirkE]

Some shots of the details from the fuselage.

 

[LSP_Kevin]

The surface details look a little heavy to me. Is that your impression, Dirk?

 

Kev

[Guest]

I agree, but to be honest, most 1/48 models are. At least to me anyway.......Harv

[DirkE]

The surface details look a little heavy to me. Is that your impression, Dirk?

 

Kev

 

Well, it doesn´t look....crisp (?!).  I don´t say I am disappointed, because after looking at 1/48 Italeri surface details for the last 6 weeks, this lloks really nice. But there wasn´t a "wow-effect" after I looked at the details of the SWS kit.

 

Dirk

[Guest]

Also 1/32 kits sometimes have "trench" lines too. There haven't been that many smaller scale kits I've seen, have scale panell lines. I'm NOT saying it's a bad kit, in fact it does look nice. How is the fit of parts?......Harv

[DirkE]

 

 

Also 1/32 kits sometimes have "trench" lines too. There haven't been that many smaller scale kits I've seen, have scale panell lines. I'm NOT saying it's a bad kit, in fact it does look nice. How is the fit of parts?......Harv

As far I can see, the fit is ok. Here is a photo of the leading edge wing slats. Closed position.

 

 

Dirk

Edited December 2, 2016 by DirkE

[Guest]

Thank you. Carry on sir !....Harv

[ClumsyDude]

Detail looks pretty good to me! I built the Hasegawa 1/48 phantom a few years back and the fit and detail were nowhere near this good.

 

Great work Dirk, keep it up.

 

Jim

[DirkE]

Ejection seats from the kit with HGW #148541 seatbelts. Those are made of micro-plastik foil plus pe parts. Very fiddly.

 

 

Dirk

[FunkyZeit]

Amazing work so far.. and SWS kit having fit issues? Who coulda known . If this is your first ZM kit.. test fit 30 times and check 5 steps ahead before you drop any glue.

 

Justin

[DirkE]

Thanks Justin. I will keep that in mind. And yes, it's my first ZM kit.

 

Dirk

Edited December 5, 2016 by DirkE

[DirkE]

front wheel well. Cockpitflor is the top of the well.

 

 

Dirk

[DirkE]

finished the front well with added wires and some smaller plastic sheet parts.

 

 

 

 

Dirk