1/240 JASDF F-4 Phantom II  

by Jojo B Cruz

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Silly Week 2006

 

This is the 1/240 Japan Air Self Defense Force F4 Phantom II. 

The kit comes in two parts: the plane, and the centerline fuel tank/display stand. The parts were beautifully pre-painted in matt light gray. 

After minutes of painstaking effort lining up and inserting the centerline tank's locating tab into the appropriate slot in the bottom of the aircraft, it was finally time for the finishing touches: the weathering! 

The hefty but well-detailed 4-page instruction booklet included clear diagrams (this was a big plus as the text was all in Japanese). A free postcard of the real thing was also included in the kit.

Click on images below to see larger images

The instructions specifically called for the generous use of a Gundam water-based black marker. 

I tried very hard to replicate the suggested amount of weathering as shown in the picture in the instructions: suggestive of a plane that had not seen the business end of a washing implement since rolling out of the production plant, and I think I succeeded! What do you think? Can you BELIEVE it's just 1/240 scale?! 

Happy modelling!

Jojo

Photos and text © by Jojo B Cruz