For some inexplicable reason I felt like digging this little kit out and playing with it a bit. I suppose I don’t have to explain my reasoning to most of you lol.
First, this kit isn’t exactly the best 1/144 kit out there if you want to model a Phantom, but it’s got enough potential to work with I suppose. Unlike the P-51D and the P-47D I also have, this one at least comes with seats for the Office.
At this point I have done some scratch building for the pit, but basically just sticking to everything above the window line. There isn’t much point IMO to building the rest of it as the canopy glass is super thick. But not so thick as to obscure the upper levels from sight.
For what I thought would be a quick build in the beginning… well this is going to take a bit of work. My plan is to rescibe the panel lines (including some that are missing) so it will take a wash later. I’ll add other details as I go along. Deciding what is, and isn’t worth trying to replicate in this scale.
There are also a lot of large gaps between key areas such as the wing roots that I’ll fill. This isn’t going to be as quick as I would like it to be.
Masking the canopy went fairly smoothly. Not much of an issue there. Just a bit of guessing where the frames should be based on photos online. The clear canopy piece doesn’t have any frames molded to it, so guessing is the best I’ve got to work with.
As of this evening I have been working on little things here and there with no significant progress to show.
Anyways, First posted topic of 2017 for me. Happy new years my friends.
I just spent the afternoon rescribing the panel lines on this model. I’ve got half of the top of the plane done. Added some missing panel lines on the tail, but there is still a bit to do. I haven’t even got to the bottom yet.
Toshi, I don’t think you’d like this kit so much. If you’re not cool with the idea scratch building some details then this kit is going to disappoint you.
Im hoping that all this extra effort will be worth it when I’m done.
Im still contemplating the idea of cutting out the flaps and leading edge slats. Perhaps even folding the wing tips?
There is a Use.com link in the first post that should lead you to the pictures. Sorry I’ve not got them actually posted here yet, but Pb is being a jerk.
Although the Phantom is one of my more favorite modern jets, this is only the second time I’ve built one and also the second time I’ve built it in this scale. I’m seeing a pattern here lol.
When I can convince Photobucket to cooperate there will be pictures posted here like normal.
The outboard flap comes down a few degrees when at rest, but the rest stays up. You could open and drop the speed brakes and there are two doors under the fuselage inboard of the main gear wells that drop, too.
