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

RR Spey powered RAF Phantom conversion


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Hi all.

I have always admired the RAF Phantoms in dark green/ocean grey camouflage since I was a boy. They looked powerful and brutish not to mention much more different from the other Phantom oprators. In I /32 scale there are a few options. Wait for the upcoming HK Models kit, get a second mortgage to buy the Wild Hare conversion or....make your own conversion. I do not want to wait that long, a second mortgage is out of the question so option three would be it. Luckily I am not the only one with this desire. Master modeller Frank Mitchell did just that and with his articles on LSP for reference it was time to wield my trusty saw. Based on Tamiya's F-4J kit the differences are mostly in the intakes and rear fuselage/exhausts as te Spey was larger than the standard engines. The intakes need to be widened and the exhaust cans have a larger diameter and are shorter. With the articles to hand work began on the intakes. I let the pics do the talking.

Cees

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HK announced an FG.1/FGR.2, but save for those "initiated", no one else really knows the actual status of the project. Simmering on the back burner, shelved for the time being or maybe even axed?)

Given the (potential) complexity of his project, all I can do is to raise my hat to Cees in awe. Cool project, anyway.

Purely motivational:
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I'm desparate for a Spey engined bird but not enough to try and do this to an expensive kit! I grew up just across the river from Leuchars, so saw the 111 and 43 squadron machines doing 'circuits and bumps' all the time. Come on HKM tell us the status!

Hats off Cees, that's a great start and I'm sure this will be easyish compared to the Manchester.

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Thanks Carl. I may keep that in mind. This wil be a carbon copy of Frank's conversion.

The intakes get some preliminary clean up. The edges look good. To keep the wing joint usable a cross brace is fitted.

Next installmen will see some heavy cutting.

Cheers

Cees

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Mr Wingco57,

 

Have tread down this road myself an accurate renderings is a big, big undertaking.

I have a large quantity of data as was among those asked to "share" with HKM and that lead to the stalling out my project. I do not want to high jack your thread but wanted to share some pics of my efforts. First top pic is an OOB Tamiya, lower is the highly modified intake/exhaust.

Barry

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Hi Barry,

Wow what a nice piece of craftsmanship. Can you elaborate how you modified the rear fuselage? It looks well and truly cut up (makes me look like an amateur in comparison^_^). I read that due to the larger engines the area rule (coke bottle shape) was lost.

Cees

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Well...as promised the butchery has begun. Cuts were made to enable the intake fairings to spread out and connect to the widened intakes. Pieces of wedge shaped plasticard fill the gaps. So far so good.

Cees

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NoNOSZceX.jpg

Note though Cees, it's not only a widening of the intakes, but they also rise to a point about level with the rear canopy fairing.

Despite Frank's valiant effort, this omission was enough to spoil the look of his method for me. The whole intake of the Spey Phantom looks like it's been cranked downwards, and without the vertical rise, you can't get enough of that downward crank.

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Thanks, I noticed and I plan to build up that "bump" with Miliput. The top has to be smoothed out anyway after the intakes were widened because of the piece of plasticard that was inserted the smooth flow of the sides was interrupted.

Cees

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Nice work Cees. If you need to do any finer cutting work, may i suggest the JLC saw from modelling tools.co.uk 

One things for sure, as soon as tyou finish this a kit will be released. i seem to remember many moons ago Trumpeter were going to release a range of RAF F-4's?

If you need any little bits and bobs for your build let me know, I think I have a load of odd Decals and PE bits left from my mega build of Easy Rockin Mama?

 

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Thanks Nige,

That (razor)saw I have since 1988 and it has made many casualties over the years. It still is quite sharp.

If a kit is released before I finish my conversion I don't care and would buy it anyway as there are plenty of interesting liveries to model.

Cees

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Thanks for thinking of me Carl.

Some more sawing was in order. I seperated the front of the bottomsection in order to fit the cockpit after the wing and fuselage have been assembled. In that way the cockpit will not be damaged during the cutting and sanding proce and the parts can be cemented together. I made a straight cut across and the joint looks to be perfect. Also very pleased with the wing to fuselage join where the widened section fits nicely on top. That will save some filling. Very pleased with the progress so far.

Cees

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On 1/30/2019 at 2:14 AM, Wingco57 said:

Hi Barry,

Wow what a nice piece of craftsmanship. Can you elaborate how you modified the rear fuselage? It looks well and truly cut up (makes me look like an amateur in comparison^_^). I read that due to the larger engines the area rule (coke bottle shape) was lost.

Cees

Hi Cees,

Sorry for the tardy reply. It was all purely Mk 1 eyeball fro picks and drawings. I just cutting as needed to get the downward slope as close as I could.

Barry

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