Can you make a F-4E into a F-4 J

[USMC Herc]

I have a F-4E kit by Revell. Is there a halfway easy way to convert it?

I cannot afford a Tamiya F-4J anytime soon.

 

Cheers

Jason

[Lee White]

If you can get someone to send you the nose cone and gear doors, it should a relatively easy cut and shut. Now as far as cockpit differences.....

[thierry laurent]

Flightpath is selling the short nose radome. This may help noticeably. 

[Tony T]

Yes, if you belong to the "cutting up old yoghurt pots" school of making do, and love filling and sanding (which some do). 

 

The slatted wing could be tweaked to create a slatted J (aka Navy/Marines S). And, as the E had so much more going on in the cockpit it's mostly a subtraction process in conjunction with the aforementioned scrap plastic method. You really need a J radome like the resin Flightpath one and then just treat the project as a muck-about effort which might, or might not, work out satisfactorily. 

 

A fundamental flaw with the Revell Phantoms is the poor canopy profile. You can "hide it a bit" by leaving the hoods open but then would need to pay more attention to the cockpit. 

 

Frankly, I'd look around for a new Tamiya F-4J for a "serious" model or build a "what if?" Navalised F-4E from the Revell. 

 

Tony

 

[thierry laurent]

8 hours ago, Jennings Heilig said:

The Navy outboard slats are completely different from the AF slats.  

Well the cross section is different as well as the fences length but all other features are similar if not identical. This is not a big deal to change. 

[phasephantomphixer]

If you can get a nosecone set including lower space just aft of radome (where gun trough is removed) and both NLG doors, maybe find a Blackbox (Avionix) J cockpit set and scratch sills (old Model Technologies PE set big help), there's the two side chin scoops, then the Bridle hooks for wingroot undersides, and J main wheel set, second pitot on LE of Vert. tail, scribe in refueling boom doors, and red oval light. For wings, delete three inner wing slat teardrops, and remove outer wing slat mounts, as well as wingtip RHAW antennas (teardrop shaped). Also can't recall if the Revell E. comes with Navy inner pylons... I would keep on the lookout for a Tamiya kit at local show or shop, maybe try local IPMS club too.

Edited September 29, 2019 by phasephantomphixer

[DonH]

I'm no expert, so my advice is build a -4E

[thierry laurent]

1 hour ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

If you put slats on an F-4J, you have a model of an aircraft that never existed however, so it's kind of a moot point.

The aircraft that never existed was simply named F-4S! 

[thierry laurent]

By the way, many years ago, when LSP was launched, there was an article about a F-4S made from a Revell F-4E. I think I possibly have a copy somewhere. 

[thierry laurent]

Well, this is not so simple. When you look at last F-4J production batches and early Sierra ones, you really see a progressive evolution rather than a revolution. So, saying an 'F-4J' as such does not mean anything either. 

[Dave Williams]

I don’t think any amount of mental or verbal gymnastics will get one to the conclusion that there was a slatted wing Navy F-4J that was still considered a “F-4J”.  Technically  all F-4Ss started out as F-4Js since they were conversions, but the OP asked about the F-4J specifically, and F-4Js didn’t have slatted wings.  If they did have slatted wings, they were called F-4S.

 

We all assume that the OP wanted to do a F-4J.  If so, he needs to get the hard wing for the Revell kit.  If he wants to just do any USN/USMC Phantom from his F-4E kit, then he can do a F-4S.

[thierry laurent]

Not necessarily. I built a hard wing from a slatted Revell one. By the way, this is the wing conversion that is sold by AMS. So, it can be done! 

Obviously, there was no slatted J named 'J'. What I meant is simply that some of the modifications commonly associated with the S appeared on late upgraded J planes before they got the wing and some other changes to formally become 'S' planes. 

[thierry laurent]

Conclusion: you have the following options to build a J:

1. The best one: try finding a not too expensive Tamiya Navy boxing (the cheapest one). 

2. Find the very old Revell J for a very low price and use it as a donor for the nose and hard wings. But you still need to get decals as I'm ready to bet the ones you may find in the old J box will be useless. 

3. Use the Flightpath resin nose, the AMS hard wings, aftermarket decals and a lot of elbow grease. 

 

Frankly I am not that sure options 2 and 3 will be really cheaper in the end. Alas, the cheapest and easiest option stays very probably the Tamiya kit. 

[Barry]

42 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

Frankly I am not that sure options 2 and 3 will be really cheaper in the end. Alas, the cheapest and easiest option stays very probably the Tamiya kit. 

 

I totally concur with Thierry.

 

Capturing the forward fuselage shape of a short nose Phantom starting with the E would be a lot of work and IMO harder than it looks!

Just look at the point that Tamiya cut C/J fuselage mold off to make the E.

 

Also keep in mind that once you make that cut on the Revell E fuselage unless you're prepared to go the distance you'll end up with a box of parts.

I would look for a Tamiya J version at a price I could live.

 

Just mt 2 cents worth,

Barry

Edited September 29, 2019 by Barry

[Tony T]

6 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I don’t think any amount of mental or verbal gymnastics will get one to the conclusion that there was a slatted wing Navy F-4J that was still considered a “F-4J”.  Technically  all F-4Ss started out as F-4Js since they were conversions, but the OP asked about the F-4J specifically, and F-4Js didn’t have slatted wings.  If they did have slatted wings, they were called F-4S.

 

We all assume that the OP wanted to do a F-4J.  If so, he needs to get the hard wing for the Revell kit.  If he wants to just do any USN/USMC Phantom from his F-4E kit, then he can do a F-4S.

 

There isn't any need for this pedantry. I referred to a J with slats so that the O-Poster could get an instant snapshot. 

 

He's very clearly interested in USMC jets and the Marines flew a bunch of the Js upgraded with slats, AWG-10B, updated ALQ-126 yada yada yada yada and re-stencilled F-4S above their BuNo near the stabilator following modification and respray — which didn't always happen simultaneously. There were some 43 hard wing S's too awaiting slat mod kits. 

 

Tony