1/72 Accurate Miniatures/Monogram F-4D (2x)

Gallery Article by Patrick Vossenberg on Dec 16 2020

 

      

These AM kits are reboxings of the old Monogram kits. I built both largely out of the box, only adding a few details: a bit of wiring on the backseater’s instrument panels, gunsights and PE mirrors. Construction is pretty straightforward (less parts than for example the Hasegawa kits), but filling and sanding is needed, especially around the intakes and exhaust areas, where fit is a bit problematic. The kits come with both separate open canopies and an all-in-one closed canopy set: I cut and used the windscreens from the latter, as this - strangely - gave a much better fit than the separate windscreens. Open airbrakes and lowered flaps are options in the kit. Despite their age, I really enjoyed building these two classics: the level of molded detail in the cockpit and around the airframe is just great!!

Click on images below to see larger images

Number 66-8793 shows markings from a 23rd TFS / 52nd TFW aircraft, operating from Spangdahlem AB, Germany. Decals are from a (very, very old) Superscale sheet, showing the aircraft during the 1976 Tactical Air Meet at Twente AB, The Netherlands (the aircraft was credited with downing a MiG-17 over North-Vietnam in October 1967, hence the killmark on the splitter plates). These Superscale decals worked surprisingly perfect - stencils are taken from various spare decal sheets. Reference photos show a pretty well-maintained aircraft, so I kept weathering limited to a little pre- and post-shading, also trying to slightly accentuate the kit's raised panel lines (SEA paints are Gunze by the way). The travel pod is modified from a spare napalm cannister, the gun pod is taken from the kit. I also replaced the kit’s LORAN antenna with a spare one from a Hasegawa kit, as this is molded much finer, and used an ECM pod from Revell's F-4F.

Aircraft 68-8723 "Ripley's believe it or not" flew with the 13th TFS / 423nd TFW, being stationed at Udorn AB, Thailand, during 1969 operations over Vietnam. I added a chinpod taken from the Italeri F-4C/D. Bombing load-out consists of Mk.82's from the kit (on Hasegawa TER's) and spare box Mk.83’s on the outboard pylons (found in the Fujimi kit). Sparrow missiles are Hasegawa items and the ALQ-87 is from the kit. Again, Gunze SEA paints were used, followed by Eagle Strike decals with stencils from the spares box. I went a bit heavier with weathering this one.

Enjoy the pics!

Patrick Vossenberg

Click on images below to see larger images

 

Photos and text © by Patrick Vossenberg