F-4C Eduard Good Eevening Da Nang

Donald Dickson II
So finally got to this baby. You can see I got some extras beyond what came with the re boxing. The Eduard Big Sin weapons kit, canopy striping, intake decal, walkway decals (though I wont be using those for this version I think).

It has been going together relatively smoothly. The cockpit flew together and the PE dressed it up beautifully. Though I cant find the pics of it before it was placed into the fuselage. I deviated from the instructions as it made no sense to build the wheel wells THEN put them on the wing. Easier to do so right onto the wing. Things like that.

The only real gap issues have been the intakes (is there an F-4 model that doesnt have some level of issue there?) and the underside where the front joins the wing. Though they are not that bad. Some bending and fiddling got them much better than the initial dry fit showed.

Murad ÖZER
samo, instructions are a bit weird and the intakes are going tı need some elbow grease but apart from these if i didn't know i wouldn't believe this is an academy kit, surprising honestly.

Kerry COX
That's what had me park my academy F-4 in the box too. The gap and struggle to get things to 'align' was just a bit beyond what I was ready for. But good going with it mate. 👍

Donald Dickson II
I got them to the point where I think I will not have to do a lot of sanding. At least I am hoping that is the case. I will shoot a bit of paint and see how they look and go from there.

Murad, yes, the directions are certainly wonky. And I am definitely surprised as to the issue with intake fit. I have heard so many raves about the Academy kit. But to be fair, everything else has gone well so far.

Adam Gudynowski
Watching

Spanjaard
Watching 🙂

Donald Dickson II
So between life stuff, some progress made. All major parts except vert stabs on. Cockpit blue tacked in place for painting. First brown went on, then blue tack worms. I don't usually do this, but what the heck. Then dark green sprayed. Not shown yet, but more blue worms and med green has been sprayed.

Michael Phillips
Not sure how I missed this... But nice start to what looks like an epic project! Keeping an eye on your progress!

Stephan Ryll
I'm also in - have the same kit on my bench - saw quit few F-4's kreeping to live here at the moment 🙂

Bryn Crandell
Oh my! Watching this baby!

Patrick Hagelstein
Nice one Donald! I'll be watching this one!

Donald Dickson II
OK, camo is on, but far from done. Still have to even things out a bit and do touch ups. Then I will be applying light coats of the colors lightened with white to make it faded.

Choppa Nutta
great kit, want one 😄
love the camo you've gone with
can't beat a Nam aircraft 🙂

Donald Dickson II
Choppa, I have done so many over the years, and I never get tired of that pattern. The kit is awesome (but for those intakes) so I would say go for it.

Martin Oostrom
Following this.

Germen V
coming along great

Stephan Ryll
Lookin good Donald 👍

Holger Kranich
Very cool build! The intake - issue is a pitty but nevertheless the Rhino looks nice! How do you like the Big Sin goodies?

Murad ÖZER
sea camo looking nice Donald, decided for the markings yet?

Donald Dickson II
Thank you gents! 🙂

Holger, they are very nice indeed! The only issue I have had is the rear fins on the sidewinders are paper thin. I have managed to break two of them off so far. But, that is my own ineptness.

Murad, I am going with the plane with the blue stripes on the fuselage.

Clifford Keesler
Excellent, how did I miss this one. I agree with the wonky instructions, I built my wheel wells in the wing also and left the main gear struts off until last. I don't remember having any problems with my intakes. I built the "B" model though. I may have but don't remember it.

seb H
following, keep the good work 🙂

Donald Dickson II
Got some more done today. Worked on missiles (no pics there yet) and some painting. I faded the colors. I mixed them up with some white to make a lighter shade. Then I sprayed them in a pretty much random manner. This is just the first stage of weathering. I like how it turned out, but welcome any comments or further ideas.

Donald Dickson II
Thank you sir. 🙂

I have an issue with that damn decal though. The blue stripes. You will notice a line running down the middle of it. That's because it was two decals. NOT the best design IMO. I got it slightly better than in the pic, but not much. Now I don't know if I can live with that or not. And trying to paint that would not be an easy thing at all. *sigh*

Clifford Keesler
It doesn't really look that bad Donald. Maybe you can match the blue and touch it up with paint, if you can't live with it as is.

Michael Phillips
It doesn't look bad to me, and Clifford offers a good option to try to make it less noticeable. I assume they did it that way because making a decal that size to go over those contours on both side as one decal would be pretty difficult to deal with I think.

Donald Dickson II
Thanks guys, but it was making my eyes twitch. A LOT. I ended up removing them and going with the plane featured on the cover.

Clifford Keesler
Who did the blue stripes belong to. Was that "Boots Belsae's " aircraft? I have decals for his A/C. That is what my next F-4 will be done in. I have a sheet for his and Robin Old's aircraft.

Choppa Nutta
I too prefer the box art classic scheme, good choice ! 🙂
Anyhow, is it me or do those wing tip sections look flat in line with the wings ? as in no dihedral ?
difficult to tell, a view from the front would be easier to see if the tip dihedral is missing 🙂

[img1]

Donald Dickson II
Choppa, leave it to you to catch my screw up. I will not repeat the string of expletives I let loose when I realized what I had done. Suffice it to say that being a retired firefighter I can curse with the best of sailors. And it caused my son who was just walking out of the room to turn around and just walk right back into his room and close the door.

I have had to break off the wing tips and reglue them in the proper manner. Which therefore left me with puttying work to be done. Once I complete the repairs I will post the results.

Donald Dickson II
Clifford, I think so. I will double check when I vet home later.

Choppa Nutta
Haha Don, I'm so sorry mate 🙂
but we've all done it😉

Patrick Hagelstein
And that's why it's called a Phantom! It keeps haunting you!

Donald Dickson II
LOL. I couldn't have done that with an old Monogram kit. Nooooo.

Choppa Nutta
haha, well, not without standing on it first at least 😄
anyhow, I reckon you must have had a brain fart on this one dude as those wing tips are something of a characteristic feature of the Phantom haha😉
Still though an easy (if annoying) repair,
repainting the join should be ok though ?

Donald Dickson II
We shall see. I did not get home until late tonight. I probably wont get back to it until Mon evening.

And it was beyond a brain fart. It was my brain oozing out of my ears idiocy. LOL

Kerry COX
I HATE it when that happens. 🙁 Ewe. ! 🙂

Patrick Hagelstein
😄

Choppa Nutta
........"Clean up in isle three please"
haha, a brain fart with some follow through.... Medic !!!

[img1]

Kerry COX
👍 🙂

Donald Dickson II
Glad you all could have a laugh at my expense. The mental anguish I am suffering here...

LOL Joking of course.

Choppa Nutta
haha, I reckon we're laughing at ourselves too hey, as we've all done something as stupid 😄 😄 😄
.... at least you didn't make a mistake like this on an RC model as that can get expensive really quick.
One of my dumb mistakes cost me more than £400 in 2 seconds....
... I cried like a baby and swore like a trooper 🙂

Donald Dickson II
Wow. Yeah, that would have caused me tears as well.

Kerry COX
We all suffer mate, on just about EVERY kit we build. :-9
I know I do.
As every kit I open, I always find dramas, but mostly of my own making.hahahaha
We could all write quite a thick book on our stuff-up's and stumbles, that's for sure. :-/

Donald Dickson II
Yeah, I have managed to do a few in my time. This one was the dumbest though. LOL

And I am working on it. I may be able to make it fairly OK.

Choppa Nutta
I have every confidence 😄
what I'm wondering is how you managed it in the first place,
don't the parts have a special angle to make the join ?
or did you get the tips swapped and the join angles made them flat ?
I can't help but think you must have had a fit issue to glue them like that .....

Anyhow I'm still chuckling, nice that you can laugh about it too😉 😄
glad it aint the end of the model though, gonna be nice when complete 🙂

Soeren R.
Really nice work so far.

Donald Dickson II
Chopra, I am thinking I got them swapped. Both sides look exactly the same and I just wasn't paying attention. Like I said, I clearly hadn't taken my brain out of the jar and put it in.

Thank you Soren.

Tim Heimer
That's why they call us human, we're not perfect.

Choppa Nutta
"I clearly hadn't taken my brain out of the jar and put it in."

................. hahaha, oh I know that feeling lol 🙂

I'm still waiting for my upgrade unit 😄
Although I do have a backup system, the Jack Daniels V1.0 systems support unit😉

Kerry COX
Sip away your anguish. 😉 Ahhhhhhhh🙂

Choppa Nutta
haha yes indeed 🙂
I'm renaming it the "Anguish Suppression Unit"

Kerry COX
Good call Choppa. 🙂 👍 hehehehe

Clifford Keesler
I hope you get it fixed, it sure is looking good. You have to watch Choppa, if you make a boo boo, he will find it. LOL. He took great pleasure in telling me I glued the canopies on my TF-104 on the wrong side. LOL. It is all in good fun. And yes we all make silly mistakes.

Choppa Nutta
Haha oh yeah, sorry about the Clifford😉 😄
anyhow, if ... sorry, when.. I next make a boo boob and I miss the cruelest thing you could do to me is not point it out, except maybe waiting until the end and then tell me haha 😄
I'm pretty sure I've got a few more decent boobs in me yet 😄 😄 😄

Choppa Nutta
oh man, that last sentence of mine came out a bit wrong ........ oops
plus there is one or two missing words,
a boob straight out of the box !!
seems like a gotta box full of boobs ! 😄

Patrick Hagelstein
😄 😄 😄

Donald Dickson II
LMAO Box full of boobs...making me worry here dude.😉

And Jack is good, RUM is better. 😄

I got the puttying done and sanded and repainted the joins. Had to sand a bit more on one, so have to touch it up again. This is NOT easy with decals already on and all that. I should have it done and pics tomorrow some time.

Donald Dickson II
OK, so that's where I am. Still have to touch up the right wing where I had to sand more. And the weapons and tanks are not glued on yet. Just placed for the pic. I think I rescued this one from my idiocy fairly well. Wont win a major competition now, but at least not embarrassing.

Choppa Nutta
Good save dude ! 👍 🙂

Clifford Keesler
Looks good, nice repair job.

Martin Oostrom
Operation Coverup is a succes 👍

Donald Dickson II
Martin, LOL! I like that.

And thank you gents. I pulled my ass out of the fire on that one for sure.

So I made her all dirty. Didnt take pics of the top side, just underneath. Got the air brakes on and gear doors on one side. My back decided I was done for the evening at that point.

Michael Phillips
The weathering and streaking of the underside really looks great Donald!

Michael Hickey
Looking very good.👍

Clifford Keesler
Looking good.

Donald Dickson II
So the underside is done. I may add bombs later, but its good for now. Got the pilots seat done. I will do the back seater tomorrow and the canopies and dull coating. Pretty sure that will be it.

Clifford Keesler
Think it looks cool with just the sidewinders and sparrows. They did not always carry bombs. Especially when escorting the Thuds.

Martin Oostrom
Marvelous seat!

Donald Dickson II
Well, she is mostly done. Enough so to call her complete. I took a pic with my 1/72 Hasegawa Phantom. I am pretty sure I will leave her without bombs. I have plenty of other kits where I can use them. 🙂

Michael Hickey
She looks great, you did a really good job.👍

Spanjaard
well done 🙂

Donald Dickson II
Thank you gentlemen.

Choppa Nutta
Nice seat ! 🙂

Patrick Hagelstein
Donald, I hate to be the bad messenger... the auxiliary inlet doors at the bottom should be hinged at the centerline. In that way they can be opened when the belly tank is installed.

Spanjaard
i am afraid that Patrick is absolutely right, as usual

Choppa Nutta
Looking good Don !
almost finished😉 😄

Donald Dickson II
^%#^%$*^(*_&)(+_)**_+)%(&#^%@$%&%&*())_*_(+)+

Michael Phillips
LOL Donald, somehow you got a wink emoji in there randomly. You crack me up!

At least that should be an easy fix.

Clifford Keesler
I can't believe Choppa missed that one. I know I did. Hang in there Donald. She still looks good.

Choppa Nutta
.... lol Cliff, I think I've caused enough trauma already haha 😄

....... Ah Don, Don, Don.... I feel your pain,
especially when you express yourself so eloquently 🙂

Patrick Hagelstein
Sorry.....

Patrick Hagelstein
Should have seen that in picture 27...

Donald Dickson II
Hey Don, your wing tips are on wrong.

Hey Don, your inlet doors are on wrong.

Bunch of nit pickers I swear. Negative Nancys. Debbie downers. And to think I post here of my own free will. Sheesh.😉

LOL Thank you for the catch Patrick. It would have been embarrassing showing up to the meeting tonight and having the F-4 pilot (YES, we freaking have one in the club. You cant bring a Phantom when he is there with any mistakes. LOL) point it out.

Patrick Hagelstein
😄

Choppa Nutta
next time you'll follow the f@rking instructions mate 😄 😄 😄

Donald Dickson II
I did! Mostly. Kind of. For the most part...

Donald Dickson II
Took first at the meeting last night. 😄 😄 😄

Choppa Nutta
Wahooo !!!
good on ya !
it was worth all the tears and the verbal explosions of imperfect French ! haha 😄
well done though, you gotta feel pretty chuffed at that 👍 🙂

As for -
"I did! Mostly. Kind of. For the most part..." you mean "eventually" surely haha 😄

Patrick Hagelstein
Good one Donald!!!

Donald Dickson II
As you would say Choppa, cheers mate. 🙂

Even given my screw-ups it turned out really really well. I can only imagine how nice it would look if I hadn't screwed things up. I'm still going to add remove before flight tags and get a PSP base for it and use the wheel chocks I have. And then it will be 100% complete.

Choppa Nutta
..... "I can only imagine how nice it would look if I hadn't screwed things up"

.............................. it would look 0.1% better😉 😄 😄 😄

Clifford Keesler
I hope the rest of it goes well. LOL. I was cleaning out a tray on my work bench today and found the right tip tank to my Canberra in it. I knocked it off at some point and did not even notice it. Hope it was there when I took the pictures or Choppa, will never let me live that one down. It is a good thing that we can tease each other about our mistakes, and not get all bent out of shape about it.

Clifford Keesler
I did take the pictures with the missing tip tank. AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGG!!.

Choppa Nutta
Hey Don, I found this, something I've not watched before but quite cool 🙂
Youtube Video

Donald Dickson II
I will sit down and watch that after this weekend. I am moving, so don't have time for it. But thank you sir! I am sure I will enjoy it.

Choppa Nutta
Good luck with the move bud 🙂

Patrick Hagelstein
Yes, good luck! Where are you moving from/to?

Spanjaard
good video Choppa, i wish i would have seen it before 😛

Choppa Nutta
... He's moving to America .......... 😄

Tim Heimer
Really????? North or south??? LOL

Choppa Nutta
Yeah, it is a good video, I like the way they showed all the various surfaces in operation, air brakes, flaps, the wing tip folding and a look at the tip root etc. plus a lot of them looked like Nam Phantoms 😄

Spanjaard
yes, i was looking for pictures of how the flaps and slats were for my Black bunny, true it is a J model, but the movie has a very good shot of what i was looking for. well, it seems i did not do it that bad after all 😄

Choppa Nutta
yeah it too turned out great Spanjaard 🙂

Murad ÖZER
Donald big huge congrats with the award! 👍

Spanjaard
thanks Choppa 🙂

Gareth Windsor
Nice build and well done.

Christian Ristits
The award is well deserved, congrats donald!

Donald Dickson II
Thank you All!

Yes, I am moving to America. LOL From Virginia to Pennsylvania. It's only about an hour and a half move.

Patrick Hagelstein
Well, I'm moving to America too! From Gulpen in the Netherlands to Oklahoma-City. It's only 16 and a half hours apart. 😉

Michael Phillips
Oh really? So cool. Oklahoma City is not close to me, but it's cool that you are moving to the States. We should have a big Scalemates meet someday somewhere...

Patrick Hagelstein
I think Oklahoma will be the place to be then! 😄

Patrick Hagelstein
I will be there for work for the next three years. Part of my stash is on it's way already. I'm eager to continue building again.

Choppa Nutta
ROFL 🙂
I'm moving too !! .... from the living room to the bathroom,
my movements are about 16 and a half hours apart too😉 😄 😄 😄

Clifford Keesler
I agree we should. I live near ST. Louis Mo. Wood River IL. actually, but is just across the river from STL. I have 2 friends that live in OK. City.

Patrick Hagelstein
😄

Tim Heimer
Let me know I'm in Chicago!

Donald Dickson II
Set it up in some Central part. Could be fun.

Bryn Crandell
Patrick there is a good hobby shop up near Tulsa. Top Shelf Hobbies in Owasso, OK. A couple hours from OKC. Otherwise, I am six hours away form OKC.

Patrick Hagelstein
Thanks Bryn! I was already searching the internet to find something. Momentarily I live very close to the German border near Aix-la-Chapel where a very good hobby shop is. Next Monday I will be flying in. When I'm sorted out I will look into that Tulsa shop!

Patrick Hagelstein
I read about an OKC IPMS chapter, is that any fun?

Michael Phillips
I don't know about that particular chapter, but I joined a local IPMS chapter (IPMS John Glenn Cleveland) and really enjoy it. I would think it would be a similar experience there too. 🙂

Donald Dickson II
The NOVA IPMS chapter is awesome. If the OKC one is the same, you will love it.

Patrick Hagelstein
Thanks for the encouragement guys! After next week I will know for sure. 🙂

Stephan Ryll
By the way very nice work and well deserved Donald 👍

Donald Dickson II
Thank you Stephen. 🙂

Clifford Keesler
Agree with Stephan, well done sir.

Donald Dickson II
Cliff, thank you sir.