Seamless Jet Intakes
F-4B/C/D/E/F/G/J/N Phantom for
Tamiya's kits
Cutting Edge Modelworks
Reviewed by Brett Green
HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Meteor
Productions
One of the frustrations about jet kits is the
engineering of jet intakes. Intakes are almost always supplied in
multiple parts due to the limitations of the injection moulding process.
This usually means a very visible joining seam on the inside of the
intake that is almost impossible to remove.
Cutting Edge Modelworks has released several
seamless replacement jet intakes in resin over the last five years or
so. I have used one of these earlier sets on my
Hasegawa 1/48
scale A-4K Skyhawk. The intakes had a big impact on the model and
were quite easy to install.
In the meantime, Cutting Edge's seamless intakes
have become more detailed and more comprehensive.
The latest release is for Tamiya's 1/32 scale F-4
Phantom kits. These are large models with very prominent jet intakes.
Cutting Edge's seamless intake set is, in fact, a
very simple replacement comprising only two large parts - one for each
fuselage side.
Installation could not be easier. The new seamless
intake is supplied almost ready to use with no casting block. The big
intake simply clips to the Tamiya splitter plate and intake fan.
The parts are cast in white resin. One of the other challenging tasks associated with intakes
is spraying the deep interiors of the ducting, especially as the
standard colour of this area is white. White is difficult to spray
evenly and with solid coverage at the best of times, but these tight
quarters make things very difficult indeed. The white resin makes
painting this area much easier, if the modeller decides to paint inside
the intake at
all!
Cutting Edge's seamless intakes are a worthwhile
addition to any jet model. It is great to see Tamiya's big F-4 Phantom
family added to
the exclusive, but growing list of models to receive the CE Seamless
treatment!
Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Cutting
Edge Modelworks for the review sample
Cutting Edge Modelworks products are
available online from Meteor Productions
website
Images and Text Copyright © 2007 by Brett Green
This Page Created on 07 February, 2007
Last updated
04 June, 2007
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