Scale Aviation Modeller International 08.2018

27. The inner rear flaps, ailerons,
    and two-part inner wing leading
    edge flaps are all separate, which
    is nice, but the outer wing leading
    edge flaps are provided as a part
    to fit after you cut away some of
    the outer wing leading edge.
    The instructions show them
    all fitted neutrally and also detail
    the max angles for each of them
    should you wish to pose them. As
    you rarely see the leading edge
    flaps drooped, unless something is
    happening like takeoff or landing
    (and there’s no detail behind them
    if you did droop them), I fitted them
    in the closed position and fitted the
    outer wing panels as provided.
    The inner rear flaps are always
    in the neutral and locked position
    when on the ground, so I fitted

them as such, but the outer rear

flaperons are usually seen drooped.

I left these off for the time being,

with the intent of fitting them

nearer to painting. If you want to

droop them, you need to remove

the locating pins and file an edge,

and they then fit very nicely.

Some of the detail around the

leading edge flaps was a little

light, so I ran a blade over most

of it to make it more defined.

Stage 27 covers the arrestor

hook and Stage 28 covers the

stabilators. I left the stabilators

off for now, as they would just get

in the way and are easy to fit at

the end. It’s possibly worth noting

that the stabilators (unslatted,

obviously) are provided without

the arrowhead reinforcing plate

seen on many F-4s. Apparently,

these were not fitted until after the

Vietnam War, so they are correct

for the markings provided, and

as far as I can see most of the IIAF

F-4Ds didn’t have them either. But

if you make another F-4, check your

references closely for if or when

you should add the reinforcing

plates (provided as etch parts in

the Hypersonic set; http://www.

hypersonicmodels.com/product/f-

4-phantom-unslotted-stabilator).

Apparently, some aircraft only

had topside plates, some only had

underside plates, and others had

both. I also noticed that ZM have

removed the small strip from the

underside of the tip of the stabilator

that was on their F-4J (according

to one source, this is a tip vortex

generator and reinforcement

structure). This feature is certainly

present on extant F-4Ds and

most other variants I have seen,

so I was a little confused.

After exchanging emails with

several people with an interest in

the Phantom without coming to a

definite conclusion, I remembered

I had an email contact at Volks.

After a few emails and the sending

of some pictures, I got a reply to the

effect that “The strips are common

to all types” and “It looks like the

part has gone because of a mistake

at the factory during production”.

So now I had to either add some

strips or break out another set of

Hypersonic’s tail planes. As I had

already painted the upper surface

and the metal areas, I figured I

would just add the strips, so I cut

some slivers of sheet plastic to

the approximate shape and size,

attached them, let the glue set,

sanded them down slightly, and

called them done. That’s a day or

so of worrying and emailing and

searching I won’t get back for the

sake of something no one will

know about unless I point it out!

As the next eight stages (29-36)

cover the undercarriage, gear

doors, aerials, airbrakes, and the

like, I thought it about time to get

seriously into painting. This meant

jumping to Stage 37, in order to

fit the coaming and gunsight, so I

could fit the canopy to protect the

cockpit from overspray, and that

meant time to do some masking.

Two canopy options are

provided, a one-piece part and a

four-piece setup to pose it open. I

knew from the F-4J that the open

option fitted really well so I was

going with that. I masked the

transparent parts and fitted the

three parts that make the fixed

section between the two moving

canopies and then took another

look at the front windshield.

The instructions would have you

“Dilute transparent blue colour and

paint it on the front of the canopy”

to produce the tinted look often

seen in photographs. And while I

know where they’re coming from

I again decided to leave it; it’s a

nice touch but it could easily be

overdone and look unrealistic.

Before adding the windshield,

the instrument panel coaming

needed fitting. This is much better

than your typical kit part and

looks to be a good shape, and the

two-part sight has more detail

than most. Now, with the canopy

masked and tacked into place it

was nearly time for some paint.

I say nearly because I needed

to decide which top to use on the

vertical tail. As I was doing this

in Iranian markings (using the

Hi-Decal sheet) I had two choices:

a pre-revolution IIAF example

without the RHAW, and a post-

revolution Islamic Republic of

Iran Air Force (IRIAF) aircraft,

which was one of the four that

had the RHAW antenna.

Though I was tempted into

producing a non-RHAW aircraft,

I also wanted to do an Iran-Iraq

conflict aircraft, so I went with the

decals I had and added the chin

pod to the nose and the RHAW

tail top. I had to guess which

rear fairing to use as I failed to

find pictures of the real thing.

And NOW it’s time for paint!

10 • AUGUST 2018 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

006-13-FEAT-Phantom-0818.indd 10 12/07/2018 11: