ESCI
F-4E Phantom II |
 |
Gallery
Article by Drewe Manton |
|
|
|
F-4E
Phantom II in RAAF Markings
This is an old ESCI F-4E built to represent one of
the 24 Australia used in the early 70's (and apparently were quite reluctant
to return!) when the F-111C programme was heavily delayed. They were
received brand new straight from the production line and only served for
around three years, being returned in 1973-74.
|
Click on
images below to see larger images
|
|
|
The kit is more or less SFTB, I didn't have a single pair of Mk-7 seats in my box of goodies, so had to use the kit ones (which are pretty horrible!). . to hide this shortcoming I pinched a couple of pilots from a Fujimi Tomcat to busy up the interior, first model of mine to have pilots since I was around 10 years of age! I wasn't too worried as this was largely started as just a quick filler model to kill a few days prior to me going to stay with Chris Bucholtz and the bay area modellers for a couple of weeks in February. Of course I never got it finished in time and it took a week or more of my time after returning from my holiday as well!
Camouflage is freehand Humbrol, weathering was light. . just a little bit of Raw Umber oil paint in some of the panel lines. Decals were from the kit and the Snakeyes are from a Hasegawa weapons set. There are no Air to Air missiles on this model as I have it on good authority that as these were used whilst waiting for the F-111C to show up they never carried Sparrows and very very rarely carried Sidewinders.
Pretty nice model. . apart from the spartan interior it still holds it's own today I feel.
Drewe Manton
(I agree, Drewe - with a little sprucing up in the cockpit, this can be turned into a really nice Rhino, as your photos certainly prove - Ed.)
|
