1/48 Hasegawa F-4G's

Gallery Article by Uncle Rick Chin of Uncle Bills Hobby

 

Without a doubt my favourite plane is the F-4.  So I was pleased when Leading Edge decals released the F-4 Idaho ANG decals.  Once I got copies of the decals...then it was time to build some kits.  But first a little bit about each plane....

#298 was built for lt.Col. Eddy 'Fast' Payne who scored a sam kill (first for Idaho) while he was a Major in the "southern Watch" mission after the Gulf war, (something that you do not see on your evening news). 0298 was the last F-4G ( of any USAF F-4) to take off from home field and last active to land at the boneyard. This a/c's markings are included in the decal sheet.  This F-4 is in the markings with the F-105 type shark teeth in the final days which is about 2 weeks before the fly off on April 20, 1996. The funny long ones were put on some a/c when they were in Turkey before coming home.  0298 carried both types of Shark teeth at different times. That's why you see the different Shark teeth on different a/c. 

 

Click on images below to see larger images

#298 was built for lt.Col. Eddy 'Fast' Payne

#303 (69-0303) as built for Col Patrick 'Pato" O'Rorke

#551

The 'SCAT" on 0298 was painted in the evening of the 19th with the permission of Robin Olds.

#303 (69-0303) is in the markings with the F-105 type shark teeth in the final days which is about 2 weeks before the fly off on April 20, 1996.  The funny long one were put on some a/c when they were in Turkey before coming home.  This model was built for Col Patrick 'Pato" O'Rorke who is the co of 190th FG. His name is on 303, but not done in the decal sheet, so I had to draw his name as well as his partner's name.  I built a few of them in various scales, and all of them are in Boise Idaho now.

Only 551 carried the white 1996 fly off logo. 551 had very little or no stencils at all as it was repainted for the ceremony. It was a hanger queen and was in rough paint shape, I had a chance to sneak in the hanger where it was 'quainted to take my cockpit pictures in 1995, I wish I took more. It was supposed to be classified and was never de-classifIed. There was a piece of board put over the rear cockpit instruments on the day of the fly-off! 551 is still in Boise with that board the last time I was down in 1998. 

Both of these models were built from the 1/48 Hasegawa F-4G kit.  The fit of the Hasegawa kit is good with no major problems, there are a couple of inaccuracies in the kit, but only die-hard F-4 modellers will notice.  I was building these kits for F-4 pilots who flew them and I knew the pilots were not concerned with these tiny inaccuracies.  I've built quite a few for them from 1/72 to 1/32 and they are all in Gowen field Boise Idaho.  The Hasegawa 1/48 kit is the best, out of 3, one other is Testor/Italeri which is way cheaper, but not as accurate. The worst is the AMT/Ertl, which is unacceptable, stay away at all cost especially if it is priced in between Hasegawa and Testor kit.  

There is a nasty seam on the spine on all Hasegawa 1/48 F-4s, so be careful.  Some people report a gap between the fuselage and the wing, but I have not had a problem with all of the ones that I've built. The cockpit is quite good and the 'dash'; the instrument panel in the back is almost right on and I've been using them instead of the Eduard sets, however you can use a little bit more detail on the side console. 

All Hasegawa kits of the F-4 except the U.K. and the retooled F-4J/S share the same trees. I used the kit seats as I have the pilots in them. 

0303 was built out of box.  I do not like the way the dropped stabilizers go on the body, with only a tiny stab, they usually break, I usually strengthen them with steel wire and put them through the body through a copper pipe. The other thing I dislike about the kit is the price, especially as it is CDN$60.00 now! 

I used Testor Modelmaster enamels on all these models, cleared with Polyscale waterbase gloss before and after decals and finally flat with Pollyscale again.  The tires were not sanded flat as they are not very flat, I turned on the stove for a few minutes and then turned off the element, then after the element had cooled down a bit, I pressed the tires by pairs on the elements (after cooling off about 10 seconds) to get the flat look, I prefer the coffee maker in the office, if you know what I mean. It may take some practice. 

I've built so many F-4s (especially the Hasegawa kit), that I will say it takes me about 3 to 4 hours on and off for building, including the cockpit, it took about an hour longer for 0298 due to the added resin, plus the decals take a bit of time, I usually spray the 2 tone grey and gloss at one sitting, usually  about 2 hours. There are not many stencils on the F-4Gs, so I would say about 2 to 3 hours for decals and finishing coats. The real 0298 had the oldest and most well used paint job on it, I used all my photos to paint and weather it like the real one, you cannot see them well in these photos, but they are all there including a light spot by the base of the tail on the left side, I think and some smer marks on the Variable intake ramps, 

0303 is cleaner. I used my thinned down black/rust method on most panels especially the undersides, but do not go heavy as all the F-4G were in very good condition and not dirty at all. The natural metal parts of the F-4s by the burners were painted last, as every F-4 has its different shade, so they were painted according to photos, take about an hour with different shade, mix of Testor silver, chrome silver and metallisers. I will say that each F-4 takes me 8 to 10 hours on and off. 

Facts about the Decals
The funny long Sharks teeth were put on some a/c when they were in Turkey before coming home. 0298 carried both types of sharks teeth at different times. That's why you see the different sharks teeth on different a/c. The names on the canopy of 0303 were cut and matched from decals to spell the names, Lt.Col Pato O'Rorke, and Lt. Col 'sven' Stevenson. 305 and 0298 both carry the white tail band. 305 and 0298 both had the different shark teeth at different as both were mid/near East veterans you can build all of them without the shark teeth. Only 551 carried the white 1996 fly off logo. The names of the crews appeared only together with the F-105 type Shark teeth. They never carried them during operation.

Uncle Rick Chin

Click on images below to see larger images

#0298 has a set of KMC side walls on it 

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#298

#551

#298

#298

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#298

#298

#298

#298

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#69-551

#561

 

      

Photos and text © by Uncle Rick Chin of Uncle Bills Hobby