Donivanp
Captain
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II has always been on the top of my list of favorite fighters of all times. Each era, or conflict brings out a "top dog" so to speak and we all have out favorites. For me I think WWI was the Sopwith Camel and the SPAD XIII, WWII is the P-51D Mustang, the P-47 a close second. Korea the F-86 Saber and for Vietnam is the F-4 Phantom II and the F-105 Thunderchief.
When it comes to kits of the F-4 I have always liked the Monogram F-4J and C/D as a pretty accurate and inexpensive kit. Though it has raised panel lines I have found that is, IMHO, it's biggest drawback. The Hasegawa series of Phantoms is far more extensive then the Monogram offering, but there are several drawbacks to their design of the kit. The biggest in my mind is that the aileron, on the ground, droops. as the hydraulics bleed out it drops. , Hasegawa molded every thin in the up position, I guess it just irritates me that I have to pay $50 plus for a kit and then have to hack and slash to make it right. Then they quit supplying weapons to dress it up with and want you to buy one or more of their weapons kits at $25 pluss to get weapons to load on to their kits.
It took long enough for Academy to come around but they really hit a home run when they did. At a bout the same price point (often a little less) as the Hasegawa offering, Academy release a Phantom with all the bells and whistles. Starting with the F-4B and then the C, they offer a kit that has all the dirty drag a Phantom should have. You have a offering of different noses to make the plane you want with the chin that depicts the plane you are looking at. Eduard took the Academy (as they often do) and took it one step higher with resin add ins and five different aircraft markings. I did get this kit but I only paid $30 for it as it is missing all the Brassen resin add ins.
SWS has come out with the latest in the Phantom line and I hear it's a real doozy, but a near $100 it doubles the price point of the Academy and is not in my near view list.
I have a large file for F-4 markings and I am not sure what dressings I shall use quite yet. I do like the Furball 366 Gunfighters sets 1 and 2.
When it comes to kits of the F-4 I have always liked the Monogram F-4J and C/D as a pretty accurate and inexpensive kit. Though it has raised panel lines I have found that is, IMHO, it's biggest drawback. The Hasegawa series of Phantoms is far more extensive then the Monogram offering, but there are several drawbacks to their design of the kit. The biggest in my mind is that the aileron, on the ground, droops. as the hydraulics bleed out it drops. , Hasegawa molded every thin in the up position, I guess it just irritates me that I have to pay $50 plus for a kit and then have to hack and slash to make it right. Then they quit supplying weapons to dress it up with and want you to buy one or more of their weapons kits at $25 pluss to get weapons to load on to their kits.
It took long enough for Academy to come around but they really hit a home run when they did. At a bout the same price point (often a little less) as the Hasegawa offering, Academy release a Phantom with all the bells and whistles. Starting with the F-4B and then the C, they offer a kit that has all the dirty drag a Phantom should have. You have a offering of different noses to make the plane you want with the chin that depicts the plane you are looking at. Eduard took the Academy (as they often do) and took it one step higher with resin add ins and five different aircraft markings. I did get this kit but I only paid $30 for it as it is missing all the Brassen resin add ins.
SWS has come out with the latest in the Phantom line and I hear it's a real doozy, but a near $100 it doubles the price point of the Academy and is not in my near view list.
I have a large file for F-4 markings and I am not sure what dressings I shall use quite yet. I do like the Furball 366 Gunfighters sets 1 and 2.
