New Tamiya 1/48 F-4B Phantom review & test fit video

[Dave Williams]

17 minutes ago, Tony T said:

 

Probably. I'm hoping the F-4B and what follows is such a runaway success that we get an RF-4E from which to build a USAF recce jet.

I'm guessing we'll get an F-4J and possibly an F-4EJ hard-wing, before Tamiya lose interest. 

 

The Hasegawa RF-4 kits are nice, but need new inlets etc and these kits are no longer as cheap as chips. 

 

Tony

The USAF used RF-4Cs.  The RF-4E was used mainly by non-US customers.

[Chek]

4 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

Looking at how the sprues are arranged, there are strong indications that a USAF version is in the cards.

 

• The right side forward fuselage has a separate forward section with the USN refueling probe.  This section could be swapped out with a section with the probe deleted, and there is a an empty spot on the sprue opposite where the current nose section is.
• Almost all of the thin wing specific parts are on one sprue that could be simply replaced with a thick wing sprue.  The thin main wheels are on a subsprue attached to a common sprue with seats and wing tanks, so the subsprue could be deleted and replaced somewhere with the thick wheels.
• Both USN and USAF seat parts are in the kit.  The back cushion has the USAF O2 bottle in the notch, which you have to cut off for this kit.  Also, there are two bottom cushions in the kit, one with the round viewing hole for the USN O2 gauge, and one without for the USAF style seats.
• One sprue contains the USN style inboard pylons, USN nose gear door,  and spine without the USAF refueling door, so that could be replaced with a sprue with the curved pylons, different nose gear door and new spine.
• The cockpit parts, F-4B IPs and rear cockpit, are on their own subsprue that could easily be changed for a USAF aircraft.
• The clear sprue has the USAF nose gear door landing lights.

A F-4J would also be possible, as that would need the thick wing and new cockpit parts.  You’d need new exhaust parts, but the exhausts are also on their own subsprue attached to a larger common sprue.  The vertical tail has two different styles of ram air intake at the base, which the one you cut off being the one on the -J (as well as the E/F/G/S)

 

That said, Tamiya has a history of having sprue layouts, as well as extra unused parts, that hint of other versions that never get released (two seat F-16s).  They usually only do 2, sometimes 3, versions from a set of molds, even when more are possible.  My betting is that the next release is a USAF-4C/D, and if they do a third, it will likely be a F-4J.  I don’t really see them doing slatted wings, or gun or recon noses.

 

If the C/D/J thick wings are coming, I can predict a lot of Hasegawa or aftermarket noses and wing sections being adapted.

[chrish]

That looks incredibly well designed and realized!...if I was into Phantoms or 1/48 I'd be in for that for sure! 

But for all my wants/needs it's an easy pass. Still nice to see such great kits coming out!!

[MikeC]

38 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

 The RF-4E was used mainly by non-US customers.

I'd settle for a German E, I'm not overly fussy.

[Ben Brown]

Another thing that shows they seemed to have planned for a J are the inserts for the natural metal areas surrounding the afterburner nozzles. They were shorter on the F-4s with the long AB nozzles. 

 

Ben

[Tony T]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

The USAF used RF-4Cs.  The RF-4E was used mainly by non-US customers.

 

I'm aware of that. However, as the chance of an RF-4C is zero, and a JASDF RF-4E is remotely possible, I would get a rounded nose profile recce C out of an RF-4E just by changing the jetpipes and inner wing pylons. 

 

Looking at the windshield part, I think Tamiya might want to make a point by producing the very different F-4E/EJ/F/G part just because they can.

If they do an F-4C/D to follow the B, I'd rate an F-4EJ as a prime candidate for a third release (if Tamiya haven't bored with the subject, which they're apt to do). Possibly to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of when they started operating in the JASDF.

 

Tony

Edited July 2, 2021 by Tony T
Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition. Our...

[Tony T]

Imagine there will be a bunch of conversion sets before long. 

 

Tony

[allthumbs]

9 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Looking at how the sprues are arranged, there are strong indications that a USAF version is in the cards.

 

• The right side forward fuselage has a separate forward section with the USN refueling probe.  This section could be swapped out with a section with the probe deleted, and there is a an empty spot on the sprue opposite where the current nose section is.
• Almost all of the thin wing specific parts are on one sprue that could be simply replaced with a thick wing sprue.  The thin main wheels are on a subsprue attached to a common sprue with seats and wing tanks, so the subsprue could be deleted and replaced somewhere with the thick wheels.
• Both USN and USAF seat parts are in the kit.  The back cushion has the USAF O2 bottle in the notch, which you have to cut off for this kit.  Also, there are two bottom cushions in the kit, one with the round viewing hole for the USN O2 gauge, and one without for the USAF style seats.
• One sprue contains the USN style inboard pylons, USN nose gear door,  and spine without the USAF refueling door, so that could be replaced with a sprue with the curved pylons, different nose gear door and new spine.
• The cockpit parts, F-4B IPs and rear cockpit, are on their own subsprue that could easily be changed for a USAF aircraft.
• The clear sprue has the USAF nose gear door landing lights.

A F-4J would also be possible, as that would need the thick wing and new cockpit parts.  You’d need new exhaust parts, but the exhausts are also on their own subsprue attached to a larger common sprue.  The vertical tail has two different styles of ram air intake at the base, which the one you cut off being the one on the -J (as well as the E/F/G/S)

 

That said, Tamiya has a history of having sprue layouts, as well as extra unused parts, that hint of other versions that never get released (two seat F-16s).  They usually only do 2, sometimes 3, versions from a set of molds, even when more are possible.  My betting is that the next release is a USAF-4C/D, and if they do a third, it will likely be a F-4J.  I don’t really see them doing slatted wings, or gun or recon noses.

This master modeler wasted no time in converting his Tamiya Bravo into a USAF F-4C.

Click here

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by allthumbs

[Ben Brown]

Wow! I always learn a lot when I visit his blog, but wow!

 

Ben

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Ben Brown

[Dave Williams]

For anyone looking for the kit, Tower Hobbies has it on sale for 25% off this weekend using the JULY4TH code.  $70 before shipping and tax.

[John1]

15 hours ago, allthumbs said:

This master modeler wasted no time in converting his Tamiya Bravo into a USAF F-4C.

Click here

 

 

 

What a great build.   I'll be doing the 32nd F-4C soon, there is some good info here.    Tough reading though, Google Translate struggles with Japanese. 

[mattcour]

Excellent build, that F-4C. But I hate to see wrong angle of open canopies when a model is built with so much skill and mastership.

By the way, the design of the kit intakes is a killer!

[Chek]

12 hours ago, mattcour said:

Excellent build, that F-4C. But I hate to see wrong angle of open canopies when a model is built with so much skill and mastership.

By the way, the design of the kit intakes is a killer!

 

Over 16 years ago in the now defunct Yahoo Phantoms group an HAF crew chief was kind enough to measure and send me the corner-to-corner dimensions from forward sill junctions to corresponding canopy corner locations in the raised positions. They're taken from an HAF F-4E, but I think all F-4s (after the F-4A) are universal

 

To: <F-4Discussion@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [F-4Discussion] Re: F-4 info request
Date: 18 March 2005 20:51

 

The distance for the FWD canopy (A-B) is 117cm.
AFT canopy:  (C-D) 122cm when actuator is fully extended.

HTH

Kxxxxx

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Chek
arithmetic corrected

[mattcour]

That is most excellent and useful information, gentlemen, thank you for sharing those. They must be a real reference to every modeler, master or not.

[Gene K]

On 7/4/2021 at 11:12 AM, Jennings Heilig said:

If you wanted to make a plastic or paperboard template to get the angle right

 

Nice, but may be easier to just cut a toothpick prop to the correct length as illustrated by Chek.

 

Gene K