Tamiya 1/32 No14 Japan Air Self-defense Force F-4ej Review

abril 17, 2022 Publicar un comentario

Tamiya 1/32 McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom Two Early Production (USAF) and F-4EJ Phantom Two Japan Air Cocky Defense

Past Thierry Laurent & Ben Brown

TYPE: Mc Donnell Douglas F-4E Phantom Ii early production (USAF) and McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ Phantom II Japan Air Self Defence force
Calibration: 1/32
Company: Tamiya
KIT NUMBERS: 60310 (F-4E), 60314 (F-4EJ)

MOLD Creation Engagement:

1995 for C/D sprues
1997 for F-4J sprue (J))
2001 for F-4E sprues (50,M)
2004 for F-4EJ sprues (grey M, Northward, P)

KIT DATABASE ENTRY:

http://www.largescaleplanes.com/kitdb/details.php?kit=892

TWEAK Listing VERSION i.2 (publication date: Apr 2005)

The following listing is intended to help modelers in improving scale accuracy of an aeroplane model replica. In no way is it intended to support or be offensive towards a scale model visitor.

As such, it is only the result of a progressive procedure and is in no manner intended to exist absolute or even comprehensive. Hence, it is intended to focus on commonly admitted discrepancies and will probably not cover some errors. It is upward to the modeler to decide whether correcting the listed issues is worth the fourth dimension and money he will have to invest in the quest for accuracy process.

No aftermarket correction or item set is mentioned in this certificate every bit the availability of such items may be very variable. Hence, refer to other LSP sections to find relevant information. Moreover, aftermarket sets do non necessarily correct all listed issues. Delight refer appropriately to relevant documentation.

NOTE: Both Due east & EJ marks are covered in the same list every bit visible differences between them are really minor.

NOTICEABLE FUSELAGE Bug (from front to rear)

Intake ducts do not match intake lips. Supersede unabridged intake with aftermarket ane or apply sheet plastic/two components putty to get a smooth transition. If you do non want to use a resin correction set, the all-time way to obtain a smooth transition is to cutting the intake duct office from the fuselage and to gather the duct with the other parts (B26-27/42-43), smooth the joints, mucilage the duct to the engine front and intake parts (B11-12/17-18/A1-2/C-17) and gum the assembly to the fuselage. Another selection is to employ FODs to hide intake bug!
Improve vari-ramps (air splitter plates) vents (rear of parts B17/xviii): thin edges and add two thin internal walls. The outboard panels of the vari-ramps were moveable, and they had a panel that slid over the inboard section on the top and lesser of the ramp. Made them with very sparse styrene. Besides note how the inboard edge of the ramp is angled down, not straight across like every F-4 kit ever produced has. The one on the underside is straight across.
A small drain exhaust is missing on each fuselage side (above the root of the leading edge of the wing).
Take intendance to position correctly A3 function as it is smaller than the opening. Apply plastic strip.
Add the two missing small refueling lights, side by side simply forward of refueling door.
F-4E was not fitted with Ram Air Turbine (on left side of fuselage in the centre of the walkway) and just had avionics placed there under a spiral-downward panel. Fill up ram air turbine swivel lines and re-scribe as straight lines.
There is no corresponding rectangular panel opposite the RAT panel. Fill panel lines here.
Blade of "splitter plate" on intake at base of fin is too thick.
Pocket-sized blank metal bleed air frazzle located on each fuselage side just above the engine exhaust is wrongly shaped. (very difficult to correct).
Mail service that provides mounting signal for fin is besides alpine and interferes with brace inside of fin. Remove a couple of millimeters and fin will fit much improve.
Drill an oblong hole in the indented square located up to the front end titanium surface area on the starboard fuselage (forrad of the right stabilator). This is door 62 on the total scale air-frame. Add the window and arresting hook gear hydraulic oil servicing gauge and air filler valve with a yellow cap: Some plastic sprue lengths with a spare gauge decal backside an oblong transparent part volition mimic this.
Lower aft fuselage does not fit well. Area is hard to paint after stabilators are installed. It is best to remove stabs from pivot mount and install them during terminal associates. Exit the semi-round tabs attached to the stabs.
Add together missing pocket-sized drain piping under tail, between the stabilators.
Add together V shaped office behind the arresting claw end (scratch-congenital or photo etched part).
Add missing pull rod for opening the drag chute door, nether the aft fuselage, between the stabs.
Afterburner nozzles are much besides small in diameter. Replace with correct bore resin ones or some from Revell F-4E/F-RF-4C/Eastward kits.
Raised panels all over fuselage are not present on almost F-4s. Sand these off and scribe console lines where edges of raised panels used to be. BTW, these are non Battle Damage Repair panels!

NOTICEABLE Fly/WEAPONS Bug

Dihedral of outer wing panels is too great: information technology should be 12.five degrees.
Remove structural reinforcement plates on wings for sixties versions as they appeared during the seventies.
As upper wing halves have no locations on the fuselage sides and are somewhat flexible, add together thick plastic spacers betwixt wing halves to keep the wing solid.
To avoid every bit much every bit possible to apply filler betwixt upper wing and fuselage, dry out examination the fit between them and add a spreader bar between both internal fuselage sides to decrease as much every bit possible fuselage flexibility. However take care to avoid interfering with other internal elements such equally air intake ducts.
AIM-9E Sidewinders are hybrid: front end part of 1st generation simply rear part and general length of 2nd generation. Two possible solutions: utilize aftermarket missiles or decrease height of rear wings and add 8mm to the body to obtain correct AIM-9E. F-4EJ has correct AIM-9L missiles.
Add together Sparrows frazzle.
Add detonator wires and cross-shaped air-spiral on Mk 82 bombs torso (scratch-built or photo-etched role).
Add together connector hoses on the rear part of TERs & MERs.

NOTICEABLE COCKPIT Issues

Front cockpit weapons selector panel represents F-4C/D mark.
Add seat belts or use aftermarket resin seats.
Add map reading lamp in each cockpit station (a length of sprue with a coiled wire).
Add circuit breakers, other details and insulated panels on sidewalls if you practise non use an aftermarket cockpit (OOTB there is nothing except the big starboard rear circuit breaker panel).
Add oxygen hoses, map case as well every bit landing gear, brakes and other missing levers if you do non apply an aftermarket cockpit.
Add details in front of rear side of upper WSO panel (many conduits and circuits wires are missing between the stations).
Add together like wires behind the WSO station.
Radar brandish appears to be too small in diameter.
Notation that in the rear cockpit, the consoles did non go all the way back to the rear bulkhead, but stop about even with the middle of the seat. Aft of these, at that place were shelves with the various black boxes on them. Consequently, add missing black boxes at the rear of side instrument consoles and on rear bulkheads if yous practice not use an aftermarket cockpit.
Rear bulkhead of aft cockpit should exist vertical.

NOTICEABLE Awning Issues

Accept care removing clear canopy parts from the sprue (the way they are molded makes it very easy to damage them).
At that place are no awning hooks. Use photo-etched ones.
Add canopy knives, information cards and other details on canopy internal sides.
In that location are no holes in cockpit sills (corresponding to to a higher place mentioned hooks).
F2 and F3 canopy retraction struts are a petty scrap too long (1 to 2 mm).
Add some rear-view mirrors. (Tamiya gives no mirror for the airplane pilot, and requite them inside the central section betwixt the two cockpits for the WSO. However, F-4s generally have the mirrors mounted to the underside of each canopy).
The "Canopy Interdictor Block" (keeps the seat from firing until the canopy has been jettisoned) wire is missing. This is a small-scale coiled wire that goes from the correct rear of the ejection seat to the rear of each canopy.

NOTICEABLE LANDING GEAR ISSUES

Olfactory organ gear strut: a lot of wiring is missing as well every bit a rod that is probably part of the nose bicycle steering system.
Lens in nose gear door should be slightly frosted.
"Shrink links" (the spur-like tabs) are mounted on center-line of main gear struts. They should exist mounted on outboard side of strut, with a bare metal rod connecting the tip of the link with the lower part of the strut where the oleo bolts to the strut.
Main landing gear doors rear edge should exist reshaped (kit has "Navy" doors" that take a different profile higher up the notch in the door).
Add together hydraulic lines, wiring & linkages detail in gear bays.
Add together hydraulic lines on gear legs.
Mayhap replace landing gear tie-downwards rings with new ones fabricated from brass wire.

OTHER NOTICEABLE ISSUES & MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS

Upper department of front end and primary landing gear legs (fixing points) is simplified to ensure model rigidity. Fixing this is very hard just fortunately the discrepancies are not really visible. Moreover, correcting it and keeping model rigidity is far from obvious.
No landing gear down locking jack is provided.
No center-line fuel tank.
Detail inside the auxiliary air intakes on the abdomen is very simplified. Actually, the undersides of the engines need to accept various pumps, pipes, and wiring added. However, this expanse is far from being really visible on a model.
Throttles should exist put on the full aft ("idle/cut off") position.
Tamiya decals are expert only on the thick side. Put decals between gloss coats.
Decals do not include panel numbers. If you want to add together them, use aftermarket ones (wet or dry).
F-4E kit depicts an early sixties type (66-30 to 69-Thirty, pre-Pave Fasten, TISEO, ARNIE or other later modifications). Apply a resin conversion set or scratchbuild relevant modifications to build a later airplane.
F-4EJ has a transparent or grey plastic nose option.
F-4EJ "slime" lights panels and triangular strengthening plates on horizontal stabilators are stickers to glue on fuselage and stabilators parts.

REFERENCES

The following sources were used to build this listing:

Modelling essentials:

Fearis, Peter, Scott, Peter, Sands, Glen, Defenders of Nippon: F-4 Phantom Two, Kaburaya books, 2002.
Coughlin, Geoff, Ashby, Neil, Modelling the F-4 Phantom II, Osprey Modelling, Osprey Publishing, 2003.
Kinzey, Bert, F-4E& F-4G - F-4 Phantom II Part 2, Detail & Scale, Kalmbach/Squadron Signal Publications, 1993.
Lake, Jon (editor), Mc Donnell F-iv Phantom, Spirit in the skies, Airtime Publishing, 2002.
Peeters, Willy, F-4E Phantom 2, Lock-On serial N°8, Verlinden Publications, 1990.
Mc Govern, Tim, Mc Donnell F-4E Phantom Ii, Aerofax Minigraph northward°twenty, Aerofax Inc., 1987.

Scale plans and TM extracts:

Hughes, Kris, Dranem, Walter, McDonnell Douglas F-iv Gun Nosed Phantoms, Warbird Tech Vol. 8, Specialty Printing, 1997.
- , F-4E Phantom II, Famous Airplanes of the Globe northward° 23, Bunrin-Practice, 1972.
- , F-4 Phantom Ii USAF models, Famous Airplanes of the Earth n° 86, Bunrin-Do, 2001.
- , F-four Phantom II export version, Famous Airplanes of the Globe northward° 23, Bunrin-Do, 2000.
- , F-iv Phantom II, Koku-Fan Illustrated, 1980.

Colour pictures photofiles:

Cupido, Joe, "Rhino" - The immortal Phantom II, Wings n°six, Windrow & Greene Publishing, 1993.
Dorr, Robert, Phantoms Forever, Osprey Colour Series, Osprey Publishing Express, 1987.
Dorr, Robert, Vietnam the Air War, Osprey Aerospace, Osprey Publishing Limited, 1991.
Dorr, Robert, Vietnam MIG killers, Motorbooks publications, 1988.
Holmes, Tony, F-4 Phantom II, Osprey Publishing Limited, 1991.
Shaw, Robbie, F-4 Phantom - Guardian of the free world, Airlife, 1989.
Soulaine, Daniel, Phantom Guardians - The F-four in the Air national Baby-sit, Osprey Aerospace, Osprey Publishing Limited, 1992.
Thornborough, Tony, Mormillo, Frank, Wild Weasels: Elite Radar-Killers of the USAF, Osprey Color Series, Osprey Publishing Limited, 1992.
Wagner, Mark, Seymour Johnson, Superbase 23, Osprey Aerospace, Osprey Publishing Limited, 1991.

Other References:

Boyne, Walter, Phantoms in gainsay, Schiffer Military/Aviation History, 1994.
Drendel, Lou, Phantom II - a pictorial history of the Mc Donnell Douglas Phantom Ii, Squadron Betoken publications, 1977.
Drendel, Lou, USAF Phantoms in Combat, Squadron Signal Publications, 1987.
Scuts, Jerry, Hunting MIGs over Vietnam, Airlife Publishing, 1987.
Thornborough, Anthony, Davies, Peter, The Phantom Story, Arms & Armour Press, 1997.
-, Phantom - A tribute to the F-4 Phantom Gainsay Fighter, Classic Aircraft serial N°i, Key Publishing Limited, 2004 (?).
Various magazines articles (more peculiarly from Scale Models, Tamiya mag, Air Fan, IPMS The states & Replic).
Diverse web pages (more particularly LSP and various Internet walk-arounds such as ARC ones).
"F4Sforever" newsgroup old mail.