spyrosjzmichos Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Hello everyone! Hope you're all doing well and staying healthy in these challenging times. While I have to work at home (and I'm extremely grateful I still have a job ) I'm also taking the opportunity to work on a new project. This time I chose Tamiya's 1/32 scale F-4EJ model which I plan to build as a Black Panthers squadron bird. These aircraft wear the same attractive sea camouflage as their successors, the Mitsubishi F-2. Unfortunately, finding enough reference pics has been a challenge so fare with very few available online. I did find multiple pics of the RF-4EJ wearing the same camo which I plan to use, too. The overall kit quality is good but definitely not at par with Tamiya's recent releases such as the Corsair or Mosquito. I find engineering to be crude in some places including the engine area and horizontal stabilisers while the cockpit detail is limited. I plan to use the following aftermarket sets: Quickboost resin MB Mk7 seats Eduard resin exhaust cans and exterior PE set DEF Models FOD covers DXM Decals The rest of the details will be made from scratch using lead wire, plasticard and metal rods. Uncarina, Cheetah11, AlbertD and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lothar Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 That'll be interesting to watch - I dig those paint schemes, excellent choice!! Lothar spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyrosjzmichos Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 I began the project by working on the cockpit. Unfortunately, Tamiya doesn't provide an accurate version for the F-4EJ (that also includes the vertical tail and wing sensors). To make matters worse, while Wolfpack made an update set some time ago, this is long out of production and I simply cannot find any available sets. I wasn't confident enough to make the required changes on the instrument panels so instead I went with what I had. However, I still tried to make it look as busy as possible without necessarily being very accurate. For basic reference I used Eagle Aviation's excellent book, Phantom Under The Skin vol. 1. The lower cockpit areas were detailed with document pouches which I sculpted out of Milliput epoxy. I also added a few boxes and panels from plasticard on the bulkheads. The cockpit sidewalls were enhanced with lead wire, plasticard and spare parts. The cockpit breakdown does make it difficult to take pics of the sidewalls and complete assembly... The first set of oxygen hoses turned out way overscale so I remade them. I used a pilot figure for scale reference for my second attempt. Michael931080, Uncarina, Whitey and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgem37 Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Nice additions. Sincerely, Mark spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogier77 Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Wow, this work looks amaizing. Keep up the work. I like your works on detail. Good luck with the progress, and keep the photo's comming. Rogiér spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Man Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Hello. I have the same kit in the works for conversion to a GAF F-4F. Really like what I see. Keep it up. Robert Jan spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyrosjzmichos Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 2 hours ago, dodgem37 said: Nice additions. Sincerely, Mark Thanks Mark! 2 hours ago, Rogier77 said: Wow, this work looks amaizing. Keep up the work. I like your works on detail. Good luck with the progress, and keep the photo's comming. Rogiér Many thanks Rogiér! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyrosjzmichos Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 44 minutes ago, Dutch Man said: Hello. I have the same kit in the works for conversion to a GAF F-4F. Really like what I see. Keep it up. Robert Jan Thanks Robert! German F-4Fs have some very interesting options in terms of camos and weathering! Look forward to your work! Dutch Man 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themongoose Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Oh yah! Gonna follow along. Is there a seat in the middle somewhere, excuse me, excuse me, pardon me chrish and spyrosjzmichos 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncarina Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Great subject! Here are a couple of links that might be of use: https://designer.home.xs4all.nl/models/f4ej-32/f4-32-1.htm https://www.airliners.net/photo/Japan-Air-Force/McDonnell-Douglas-Mitsubishi-F-4EJ-Kai-Phantom-II/5899451 Mr Paint also has a dedicated set for these colors: https://mrpaint.sk/Japan?product_id=390 Cheers, Tom spyrosjzmichos and Greg W 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyrosjzmichos Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 5 hours ago, themongoose said: Oh yah! Gonna follow along. Is there a seat in the middle somewhere, excuse me, excuse me, pardon me Lol! Please! Take a seat! 3 hours ago, Uncarina said: Great subject! Here are a couple of links that might be of use: https://designer.home.xs4all.nl/models/f4ej-32/f4-32-1.htm https://www.airliners.net/photo/Japan-Air-Force/McDonnell-Douglas-Mitsubishi-F-4EJ-Kai-Phantom-II/5899451 Mr Paint also has a dedicated set for these colors: https://mrpaint.sk/Japan?product_id=390 Cheers, Tom Many thanks for links Tom! I really don't understand why it's so difficult to find pictures of this aircraft with sea camouflage. I even contacted mr Manabu Sasaki from the Japanese Model Art magazine who said he'd have to look into books or magazines cause digital reference is scarce. Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Fleischmann Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Man I love this scheme! Excellent! This will be a blast to watch- off to a fantastic start! cheers Pete spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markiii Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 Nice work! Have you looked into Koku Fan Magazine? Probably the best bet. spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 This is going to be good! Taking notes. spyrosjzmichos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyrosjzmichos Posted April 10, 2020 Author Share Posted April 10, 2020 On 4/8/2020 at 11:38 PM, Pete Fleischmann said: Man I love this scheme! Excellent! This will be a blast to watch- off to a fantastic start! cheers Pete Thanks Pete! The scheme was probably the main reason I chose this subject. 12 hours ago, markiii said: Nice work! Have you looked into Koku Fan Magazine? Probably the best bet. Thanks! I never considered this magazine. I'll check it out but feel pinpointing the exact edition will be difficult. 12 hours ago, Dragon said: This is going to be good! Taking notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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