RoKAF F4D Phantom
By Wayne Bowman
MATERIALS USED
- Kit: 1/32 Tamiya F4C/D Phantom
- Accessories:
- Eduard (32032) Photoetch set
- True Details (32401) MB 7 Ejection Seats
- TAC Scale SUU23 Gun Pod
- Waldron Instrument faces
- MV Light Lenses
- Paints:
- Interior / Exterior colours & clear gloss - Gunze
- Clear matt final dull coat - Humbrol
- Metallic areas - Testors Metallizers
- Ejection seats - Humbrol
CONSTRUCTION NOTES
Positive elements
- configuration of parts / build up is excellent (i.e. one piece upper fuselage)
- recessed panel lines / faseners
- kit cockpit is accurate and well detailed.
- metal MLG/NLG and all of those screws make this very solid model when built. Very tolerant of bumps and jostling during transportation.
- Cutting Edge decals went on nicely and settled into recesses with only a little extra persuasion from Microsol required.
- TAC Scale gun pod was nicely cast
- MV lenses are very convincing (I'll definitely use these again)
- Eduard photoetched formation ("slime") lights look much better than decals but only if you have the patience to fabricate and fit the 26, inserts to make them look right (see additions section)
Negative elements
- ahhhh, the intake tunnels!!!!!! Buy or make yourself some intake covers
- many mystery raised patches on fuselage and wings
- some fit problems in the area of the wing to fuselage, mismatch on exterior profile of port intake to the fuse at the roll, poor fit of exhaust area part to upper fuselage, poor fit of vertical stab to fuselage
- had some problems getting the MLG wheel assemblies to fit on the white metal MLG struts
- both canopies had an internal imperfection / delamination at the sprue gate which could not be completely removed
- Instrument panel decals were out of register and poorly printed
- hard to find a lot of reference material on RoKAF aircraft
Scratch built additions and corrections
- Scratch built inlet covers
- Added plumbing to MLG and NLG
- added some framing, plumbing and instrumentation to cockpit sidewalls
- added electrical lines to aft face of RIO instrument panel
- replaced kit decal instrument faces with Waldron instrument faces
- replaced all kit lights (except anti collision light), with MV lenses
- fabricated and fit (Qty 26) rectangular inserts from .005" sheet styrene for slime lights
Weathering
- oil wash used to accent panel lines, dirty the overall scheme and simulate hydraulic fluid streaking
- panel lines on metallic areas done with watercolour paints (little paint pucks that you find in kids paint sets - works really well)
- pastels used on some metallic panels to slightly alter their shade
- oil wash and dry brushing used in cockpit
- paint chipping / wear in cockpit done with silver Prismacolour pencil
Comments
I split the stabilators and left them off until late in the game to avoid having a masked footprint on the aft fuse when I painted it. After painting the fuse and the stabilator separately, I permanently attached each stabilator in place.
I tried using Future for the first time as a clear coat. This experiment set me back two weeks (strip and repaint) and cost me a set of decals after it crazed severely. I won't repeat that mistake.
This was a fun project and I love the size and "brutish" appearance of the final product.
© 2005 Wayne Bowman
This article was published on Wednesday, July 20 2011; Last modified on Saturday, May 14 2016