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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

Tamiya F-4J VX-4 „Black Bunny“


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This is my Tamiya F-4J of VX-4 Evaluators in a special livery from 1977 I build several years ago and want to share with you. Decals are from Yellowhammer and stencils from Icarus-Decals. More than 400 to apply because every stencil is a single decal. Painted with Humbrol Gloss Black which makes a nice sheen. Walkways also painted on. I know that the bunny head on the tail should be quenched but I didn’t want to paint it on. I also know that the burner-cans are too small in diameter but there were no replacements available at that time. All ABDR-panels eliminated and rescribed (:censored:). Eduard interior used and some scratchbuilding mainly in the landing gear bays. Thanks for looking.

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Very nice Phantom, beautiful paint finish!

I like the landing gear down locks! Maybe the first time I've seen them modeled and no in service Phantom was every left unattended without them.

Barry

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31 minutes ago, Barry said:

Very nice Phantom, beautiful paint finish!

I like the landing gear down locks! Maybe the first time I've seen them modeled and no in service Phantom was every left unattended without them.

Barry

Thanks for your feedback Barry.
When I was working in the GAF in the aircraft maintenance of the Tornado it was the first thing to secure the aircraft on the ground and the down locks were one of them.

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1 hour ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Very nice Phantom! A gloss black finish is so hard to do cleanly. 

Carl

Thank you Carl.

To be honest. I had to paint her twice since the first attempt didn’t turn out as I expected it to be. Revell Gloss Black over Primer didn’t work well.

The second attempt was Humbrol Gloss Black on pure plastic. That worked. 

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1 hour ago, FME erk said:

Thats dedication for you  . . . . when a man wants to put on 400 decals, 400 ?

Black gloss can be a killer but you got it licked . . .

Turned out really well

great effort  Kai

Ian

Thanks for your feedback Ian. Much appreciated. 
When I remember well it took about 2 weeks to apply all decals. I hope that I will never have to do that again. But 
modelers sometimes have to be masochists ;)...

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4 hours ago, Vandy1 VX-4 said:

you did a marvelous job on your Vandy 1

FYI
3783 in the top photo is 1977 point Mugu airshow. the below photo is 1972 or 1973 Oct. But it is the same aircraft for your information 

Also the double Vandy’s Are F-4s  

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Thanks for your feedback and the photos. I haven’t seen the last one so far.


The White Bunny Vandy 5 would also be an interesting subject to build. But I don’t know if they are available from a decal supplier. For 1/48 they are. Do you have a tip for me? 

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I like what you did with your Vandy 1

 never cared for the squashed bunny, But I always liked the blue and gold with white stars trimming.  When I finally do mine I’m gonna build an S like the far one in the double photo!   Here’s some more info
 

 

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51 minutes ago, Vandy1 VX-4 said:

One of the F 14 A’s in the above photo if you look at it real closely The bunny  it’s crying!!!

It’s the one with a group of enlisted men in front of it 1992

Thanks a lot for the extracts of articles. Very interesting! What kind of Magazine is this? I‘ve never seen the picture with the crying Bunny before. Amazing!

My vavourite also is Vandy 1 with the blue/gold stripes with the white stars. Makes it much more interesting! 

Cheers

Kai

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4 hours ago, Kaireckstadt said:

Thanks a lot for the extracts of articles. Very interesting! What kind of Magazine is this? I‘ve never seen the picture with the crying Bunny before. Amazing!

My vavourite also is Vandy 1 with the blue/gold stripes with the white stars. Makes it much more interesting! 

Cheers

Kai

It’s actually point Mugu’s newspaper the missile you can contact the base public relations and request photos and the newspaper they may still have copies. 
photos were taken by V. Vasquez If I recall correctly. He was the base photographer at that time. 
if you haven’t figured it out I live near the base.  I will post a photo later of the crying bunny more of a close-up

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8 hours ago, Vandy1 VX-4 said:

It’s actually point Mugu’s newspaper the missile you can contact the base public relations and request photos and the newspaper they may still have copies. 
photos were taken by V. Vasquez If I recall correctly. He was the base photographer at that time. 
if you haven’t figured it out I live near the base.  I will post a photo later of the crying bunny more of a close-up

Thanks for the tip. I will contact them regarding fotos and the newspaper. If I don’t succeed I will come back to you again! Thanks for offering help!

BTW: Sounds great to live near Point Mugu! 
 

The close-ups are really nice! Especially the picture of the crying bunny! Great idea for the last call! 
Thanks again! 
 

Cheers

Kai

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