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by David W. Aungst

Eight images covering this model.

The kit is Hasegawa's 1/48th scale F-4F Phantom II (Stock # P007). It is far from a stock kit, with the following additional work undertaken:

• I incorporated Hasegawa's etched metal Phantom cockpit and canopy etchings set.
• I scratch-built the wiring details between and behind the cockpits.
• I replaced the kit ejection seats with Verlinden products. I've since decided that I like the True Details seats better.
• I opened the gun gas purge vent on top of the nose.
• I replaced the kit engine exhausts with High Flight products.
• I added the pitots inside the engine intakes and replaced the nose pitot with brass wire and styrene stock.
• I replaced all the blade antennas with etched metal antennas from the Hasegawa Phantom cockpit and canopy etchings set.
• I replaced the plastic kit landing gear legs with Hasegawa's white metal landing gear, adding plumbing and electrical lines. I maintained the Hasegawa plastic wheels, though, as the true Details F-4E/F/G wheel set was not available when I built this model.
• I rescribed all the following items to obtain engraved scribing over the entire model:

• Horizontal Tails
• Inboard Weapons Pylons
• Outboard Fuel Tanks
• Forward Spine, just behind the Cockpits

• I scratch built and cast my own travel pod. It is the earlier, rounded style used before the newer angled ones became vogue.
• I scratch built and cast my own ACMI Pod.
• I added sway bracing to the inboard weapons pylons and enhanced the detailing of the flare and chaff dispensers on the rear portions.
• I obtained (from Hasegawa's F-15C kit) the newer F-15 style fuel tank and modified the center fuselage to accept the different tank.

I used all X-tra Color enamel paints for the camouflage. After painting the airframe once without "scale-effecting" the colors, I found it to look way too "rich". So, I toned down the paints with 20% white. This provided colors more in standing with the pictures I was seeing in books and magazines. The natural metal tail surfaces are done with various name brands of Metalizer paints (five shades, interspersed to give the effect of separate panels).

The aircraft is from JBG 35 of the (then) West German Luftwaffe as seen when it visited Deci AB for an exercise in 1990. The main decal markings are out of the Hasegawa kit, except the German Serial Numbering and the JBG 35 unit badge on the intake sides. These came from various SuperScale decal sheets.

Because I live for data markings on aircraft models, I could not resist applying the 207 decals needed to put all the access panel numbering all over the airframe. I printed these on my PC laser printer. I used the SuperScale decal instructions and various photographic sources to get all the numbers mapped out. I could not just use the SuperScale decals because they are printed in two tone (black and gray). I needed them all in black.

Weathering was achieved with thinned down enamel paint washes and air brushing to highlight the panel lines and demonstrate general wear and tear on the airframe. A final silver dry-brush rounded out the weathering.

I spent 88.1 hours on this project, broken down as follows:

- 5.5 hours of Research (trying to decide which German camouflage I liked better)

- 14.0 hours of Construction

- 42.1 hours of Painting

- 10.4 hours of Decaling (includes creating my own panel numbering decals)

- 16.1 hours of Extra Detailing / Conversion Work

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Models, Description and Images Copyright © 1999 by David Aungst
Page Created 17 April, 1999
Last Updated 26 July, 2007

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