Hi there an exciting package arrived today from Japan! Zoukei-Mura have sent a pre-production sample of their new 1:48 F-4EJ Kai in 2020 retirement markings.!
See the News story announcing the kit HERE
The instructions are a print-out and the decals will be arriving separately, but I’ll get started on a review/build as soon as I can.
The timing’s just right to take advantage of the UK’s lockdown starting later this week. 
All the best
Rowan
Hi Rowan,
Looking forward to seeing you build this. I don’t think I have seen you build anything this modern 
Andy 
Hi again,
With this build you could always sign up to the Phantom build.
Phantoms 60 Campaign
Andy 
Hi Andy
You’re right - seeing as it will be sporting 2020 markings, I think this really will be the most modern subject I’ve ever built (even if the Phantom II itself counts as a classic jet).
I guess I could join the campaign, couldn’t I. Hmmm. That’s a nice idea.
All the best
Rowan
Do it, Rowan. You know you want to!
Michael 
Hi Michael
Yeah - I probably will.
I got my first chance to examine the kit closely today as I took sprue shots for the forthcoming review. I’ve got to say the detail crispness and overall quality is fantastic, so I’m looking forward to this build more than ever. What did catch me by surprise, though, is the sheer size of the beast! I’ve never built a Phantom (I or II) in 1:48 and, coming to it straight from working on Eduard’s new Spitfire Mk. I, I was blown away by just what big b*gger it is! 
All being well, I should get underway next week.
All the best
Rowan
Great looking markings should be great
Go for it Rowan, I have found it refreshing tackling some WWII Luftwaffe subjects recently. I preferred prop less aircraft previously, now I’m not so sure… 
Hi again everyone
Dohh! Now look what you’ve made me do - I’ve only gone and clicked on the enlist button for the Phantoms campaign! 
All the best
Rowan
Hi again
I’ve made a start today, doing a test-fit of the major components ahead of writing a “First Look” review. The fit is excellent and it certainly looks like a Phantom!
The only point of concern I have at the moment is a slight warp on each stabiliser. Hopefully they’ll straighten out taped to a flat surface and held under hot water.
All the best
Rowan 
Hi again
I’ve made a start on the cockpit and should have some progress to show soon. I’ve ordered some Gunze Sangyo paints (as you might imagine, I don’t have many modern US Grays in my collection ) and they should arrive any day now.
Meanwhile, I’ve posted a First Look Review of this pre-production sample HERE
All the best
Rowan 
Hi once again
A few pics as promised.
I’ve strayed slightly from Z-M’s suggested construction sequence to make painting the cockpit and nosewheel well simpler, fitting the side panels and consoles to make more complete sub-assemblies, while still leaving things so they can be clipped together once they’re painted:
There are still a couple of ejector pin marks I want to get rid of on the cockpit floor, but this gives an overall impression of how things look when clipped together:
And, turning everything over, the nosewheel well:
More soon.
All the best
Rowan
Hi again
A nice selection of Mr Hobby FS Grays arrived today, so I’m all set to start throwing some paint at the cockpit over the weekend. I think this will be the first time I’ve used their solvent-based paints, so that should be fun. That said, I’ve always used cellulose thinners with their aqueous paints, so it’ll be interesting to see what the difference is.
All the best
Rowan
Hi again
The decals have arrived from Zoukei-Mura, so I’ve updated the review and can get on with build. What isn’t apparent in this photo is that the darker blue and the stars are printed in metallic ink:
The effect as you see the decals from different angles is great! This scheme will be even more eye-catching than I’d imagined.
More soon. Take care and stay safe.
All the best
Rowan
Hello Rowan,
Following this thread with very high interest.
One thing I would like to know , as you have the decal sheets ( test or definitives…?) on your workbench…
Can you tell me me whether all these servicing stencils are black printed only or do some which should go on black painted or dark blue painted area (Cfr. on wing leading / trailing edges and fuselage top) are still black but printed on a grey background.
It appears that during the painting process of this beautifull scheme, the servicing stencils that would be covered by the black and dark blue were masked or reapplied on a grey background so that these could still be readable after that the new scheme had been applied.
Have a nice time modelling this beautifull aircraft.
Hi Daniel
Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn’t actually thought to look at the decals that closely. Looking at the sheet under a magnifier, I can see close-trimmed grey backgrounds on a lot of the stencils. I’ve spot checked a few of the numbers against the placement diagram where there’s the blue or black, and they’ve added the grey in each case.
I hope to get back to the build very soon - I’ve just got rather a lot of new reviews to write at the moment.
All the best
Rowan
Hi Rowan ,
Thanks for this quick answer. No wonder these grey backgrounds are close trimmed because on the real airplane, each line composing the stencil to be applied on dark surfaces (Black-Dark Blue) received a gray background, gray corresponding to the gray of the original camouflage. In short, a real painstaking job!
If this is also the case on the ZM decal sheet, then this is a first. I don’t think Fine Molds has come this far with their new 1/72 “Phantom Forever” F-4EF Kai. I personally have the Hasegawa 1/72 version. The decals are superb but the stencils which must appear on the dark parts, to paint oneself, are given in black on a transparent background. So black on black equals invisible!
For your information, the decoration given by ZM is the last one which was adopted around mid October 2020. Originally (April 2020) the painting scheme was the same, except for the stars which were black and, these becoming invisible from certain angles, they were changed to metallic silver-gray in October for more visibility.
Now, seen from a distance, these stencils applied to dark colors appear white.
If all this has been done on decals by ZM or Cartograf , it is a first !
That only could decide me to buy this Limited Edition of this beautifull blue bird !
I wish you a nice time building this kit.
Al the best.
Madcop
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This is looking good! I can’t wait to see the build, I’m doing a Phantom Phorever scheme on a 1/32 bird so I may be taking some hints along the way
Hi Denis
Sorry for the delay in getting the build back underway! I was actually only looking at the Phantom last weekend. We’ve got a timetable to work to now in the UK for the remaining Covid-19 lockdown, so I mustn’t waste the chance to get to the workbench!
It should be a busy few weeks ahead, considering all the builds I’ve got planned… 
All the best
Rowan
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