This article is a compilation of the build log for the Tamiya 1:32 scale F-4C kit with the addition of the BlackBox resin kit with Fox One decals to complete Col. Robin Old’s fighter jet at Operation Bolo. This build was competed for the 50th Anniversary of the Phantom II Exhibition organised by F-4dablemodels and Hobby HQ in May 2008 recently. The full build log can be revisited at the forum section here .
COCKPIT
Starting with the seats, a quick comparison can be seen where BlackBox’s resin update is a mark imrovement over the Tamiya offering out of the box seat. The value in the BB set is more apparent in the sum of all the improvement of the additional details throughout and of course the lack of the complete F-4C cockpit details in the Tamiya kit which was modelled for the D version.
The MB MkH7 ejection seats and consoles looked spot on compared to the Kalmbach’s publication D&S Vol 43. No major complains here. You will need to be careful with the WSO and pilot seat as they were not interchangeable when I dry fitted them.
Some major hacking is required for the tabs and some cleanup of air bubbles and resin bubbles will be required.
The kit cockpit area was hacked and prepared to receive the tub, the details of which can be referred to the link mentioned above.
The detailed touch up for highlights painting were picked with with Vallejo acrylics while a white drafting pen (0,1mm) was used to pick up the additional stencils on all the control panels.
Some coaxing and section by section fixing will be required to get the tub to fit well.
FUSELAGE
Tamiya’s kit was totally unexpected to have some flaws which needed fixing. These were at the (1) misaligned air intake details, (2) misaligned fuel pod halves, (3) poor and brittle plastic, (4) poor fit at the air intake to main fuselage parts. The rectification is detailed in the full build log and suffice to say that, once done, paiinting can proceed.
Some putty work is required.
PAINTING
The bird was preshaded along the panel lines with Tamiya black before GSI Mr Hobby colours were appiled. The South East Asia camo scheme was an attractive scheme but due to the inferior paint and on site application, major fading and chipping can be seen in resource photos. I decided not to apply chippings for this plane which in hindsight now was a poor choice. Some revisit will likely happen in the near future to correc this. The plane was air burshed with a range of shades to denote weathering and interest. After a layer of Futures and applying the excellent Fox One decals ( which depicts the plane when it was in service and not as rendered by Tamiya’s decal which was based on the restored bird), final touch up was done with an oil turpentine wash with some localised pin washes. Before the wash dried completely, some air drag marks were done by gently running a flat brush along the air streams of the plane.
I am glad to say that after completing this, another F-4E/J sits patiently in the storeroom for another session of Phantom building.
Article by Loo Chee Keong