I had this kit a few years ago and it got trashed. I picked up another and will try again. I am doing it as the box art F-4E Betty Lou but using much better after market decals-Microscale. The kit is currently en route to me.
I have the 1/48th Zukie Maura kit of this aircraft in my stash. I will follow your build.
The decals, I have pictures of it in Thailand in 1969 and decals show long gun muzzle which is wrong, it was an early F-4E with the short gun muzzle.
Thanks, that’s the 2nd tour I think with command stripes. I am doing the initial first tour, have you considered using Bullpups? Here is a picture of that one with Bullpups.
Bullpups??? Whatever happened to “Not a pound for air to ground”??
Well, it was invented just after that - when they were developing the F-15 and F-16
I am rereading this book by a pilot that flew with this unit that flew F-4Es from Korat. If you want to know about the plane, missions or people read this book by Maj. Ed Rasimus, Palace Cobra, about his second tour in Vietnam conflct. I also read his first book on his first tour flying F-105s, When Thunder Rolled. Both times he was stationed at Korat, 1966 and again in 1972.
The fuselage is assembled and the cockpit assembly is started. I need to add a little weight in the nose before I put cockpit into the fuselage from the bottom. I still need to paint and decal the instrument panels and seats.
I have some weight added to the nose, 15 grams, the cockpit installed and the wings assembled and placed on but not glued on yet. I will leave the seats out as I have a bad habit of knocking off the ejection seat loops when handling during assembly.
I have the wings glued on and the gap on the bottom puttied. I also added the gun pod to the nose and air intakes on the fuselage behind the gun pod. I need to putty the seams on the side of the fuselage where the cockpit slipped into the fuselage bottom.
For future thought, they have acrylic putty out now that you can use a damp Qtip to help clean up and smooth, reducing the sanding you will have to do.
Thanks, tried it years ago and was not impressed. Hell it took me untill the 80s to even start using putty. I used Revell tube glue back in the 60s. I may give it a go though as sometimes products get improved.
I also failed to mention that I build a lot of older kits. They have less then stellar fits. The putty fill the gaps BUT sometimes the gaps are uneven so I need to fill and sand to “contour” shapes. Magic “wipe n dipe” putty doesn’t help me sand plastic parts to shape. That’s my main concern.I find Q tips useless to hog plastic to shape. LOL
My experience with the acrylic putty was less than impressive, it was like using latex caulk, automotive Bondo is the go-to for me nowadays.
Cajun