CANicoll

Thanks Carl. I need something quiet as I'm in a condo building. I am surprised as how expensive these things can be! A part of the hobby I guess...

Perfect, thanks Scott! Very helpful, and HF just sent me a 15% off coupon. Seems like Karma, huh?

Carl, Well, We are 3/4 there, then LOL!! Tried to thin out the Gatling Gun cover, which went great, until the end when I broke one vent. Oh well. It was worth the 40 min using a sanding stick to thin the inside and then finish with a #11 blade (hence the break). At least its on the underside and will be hard to see. Will see about fixing the break...

Carl, Thank you! I have a lot of extra ordinance I won't be using so happy to send your way regardless. Cheers, Chris

Sigh, it has been a weekend! First as I get ready to lay down some cockpit colors, my air compressor tank springs a pinhole leak. I clearly have not been very good at draining the tank like I should. Ok, have a temp until the new compressor shows up tomorrow. Got the cockpit color laid down. Yay! THEN, as I move through the instruction book, time to work on the rear horizontal stabilizers. Umm WHAT stabilizers?? The entire J sprue is missing. I knew when I bought the kit the clear nose was gone, and the GT intakes were added. Nobody said anything about the stabilizers going away. Sent a message to Tamiya USA to see how I can get another J Sprue for this kit. There really are NOT that many steps to this build. The cockpit is the bulk of the work.

Any idea how to get from the quick disconnect shop adapter to something I can put a moisture trap/pressure adjuster on to size down to an airbrush hose? This is NOT my area of specialty...

I LIKE it!!!

Sigh, My trusty Badger compressor's air tank just let loose with a pin-hole leak. My bad for not draining it as religiously as I should have... Just as I had lined up a lot of painting for today!

Peter, Sorry, just found this thread. As Mike has said, the Metallics are different than Model Air, and spray beautifully. I also have the Flow Enhancer and do not use it with the Metallics - I don't think its needed. Agree with Mike on the Vallejo Gloss Black primer - wonderful stuff and when I need a gloss black I often defer to using just that. However, I do thin it about 30% with their thinner, if not a bit more. I have seen where, maybe depending on humidity, it seems to go on splotchy, but if you have patience and just let it dry, it smooths out nicely. It does seem like SB has trouble getting the Gloss Black primer, versus the regular Black primer. Chris

Wow, quite the upgrade and fantastic quality of work. Fran, thanks for the review. Are you using the kit in a build now? Chris

That is just the coolest looking thing! Love the LEDs. Nice work Carl!!

Carl, Thanks. I did see a number of IP Panels and finally looked at the back of the instruction booklet to see which parts don't get used. Thanks for the note. Chris

Peter, I still can't believe your missiles!! I think I'll be going blind when I get to mine, but yours look amazing so I at least have a target to shoot for. I did see where even the camo'd Phantoms were still covered in stencils, so I'll be setting aside extra patience (and reference materials!) for that task. Just pulled the Tamiya sheet with the stencils - it was hidden in the bottom of the box, face down so white on white. Just found it. Over 300....Ugh.

Thanks Peter, and I agree with you. I'm just going to use what I have and I'm sure I'll be happy with the result. The Quinta set I have says early E/EJ and I'm using the Tamiya EJ kit, but not stressing about it. Eyeballing it I do not think there will be major problem getting the pieces in place. I did look at some reviews and build threads on the F-4 and several people noted the extensive stenciling on the F-4, and how on the SEA planes the stenciling varied from white (on green background) to black (on tan background). So ordered a set of stencils. THREE SHEETS!!! The stenciling may take me to Christmas...

John, Beautiful build! First one done, that is not a surprise!! Nice work!! Love this aircraft and your build is terrific. That Ares kit is very cool and you did a great job putting that in. Chris

Oh, that is REALLY COOOL!

One issue I'm having to work with is the Tamiya instruction sheet diagram of the IP panels does not quite match up with what the Quinta IP decals look like. In most instances, such as the side panels, the Quinta pieces are definitely a nice representation. However, for the main IPs, the differences are pretty apparent. This is where my lack of detailed research and knowledge about the F-4 shows itself. This build may not be the most accurate of aircraft builds I've done. The front scope is of a very different shape between the Tamiya and the Quinta sets. The shape and size of the scope here is particularly different. This is the Quinta set for the F-4EJ, too. Most of the cockpit parts are primed and will be painted the cockpit color this week, then we will see how the Quinta set works with this cockpit.

Peter, you are right, and I even missed at least two more pieces that need to be prepped. As you pointed out, once the pieces are in place, it going to look amazing.

I had not read this article before, but I found it VERY interesting, and now I may just have to build ONE MORE MUSTANG..... I have TWO in the stash including the Revell 1/32... Hmmmmmmm

Martin, you are always a wealth of knowledge and information! Thanks for sharing. Chris

Brief update: Fine-tuned the fit of the resin intakes and sawed off the pour block from the inside end of the intake and dry-fitted the fans. Priming is coming next for these parts, after I pull out the parts for the cockpit. Using the Quinta cockpit set means having to remove the relief from no fewer than 12 pieces, not counting the canopy pieces. So that is next, then priming and painting the cockpit colors, along with the intakes (and fuselage). Nothing exciting to see here!

Mark, GREAT idea! I have not fit them yet so still time to do that. Thanks for the suggestion - much appreciated.

Wow, how did you get the wings off, or they were not attached? Nice re-do, for sure.

I'm glad there is a research thread here now since so many people here have so much good information which is freely shared, but sometimes a bit hard to go back and find. Here is my contribution: Well known researcher Dana Bell, who is a member of the local IPMS chapter, gave me copies of his scans from the Library of Congress regarding the coloring of Lou IV. He has published a number of books on the colors of various aircraft types. These scans are his, which he has allowed me to share freely. The notations on the pictures are his. Even after seeing these pictures, I know there are folks who say that they believe Lou IV was all green. I'm not trying to change any minds. The scans here are simply for use by anybody in building one of these aircraft. The largest file I posted is the first picture which should allow you to enlarge the picture significantly. Dana's original scan was enormous. I also have several other pictures from this sequence if anyone is particularly interested - showing these aircraft in different positions relative to each other. Clearly the formation was intended to provide the best photographic perspective (see the position of the sun) and Dana's thinking is the color pictures were staged. One thing I find interesting is the underwing invasion stripes so not seem to be completely painted over or removed - only the center section.

Thanks Peter. My trepidation was actually unwarranted. The instructions were pretty clear and despite some tight fits and all, the surgery was not that difficult. I'll be working on it today and ideally will get the intakes attached. This fuselage is a handful, however. I am not exactly sure where the final assembly is going to take place - my workbench isn't that wide.