Another Update On Cutting Edge's F-4B/N Conversions for the 1/32 Tamiya Kits

New and more elaborate photos below (and some changes)!

OK, before my fellow 1/48 guys bite my head off, YES, the 1/48 F-4B/N conversion for the Hasegawa "late" (engraved panel lines) F-4J kit is 10-14 days behind the release of the 1/32 kits!

For you 1/32 guys, I guess it was not clear before that these sets will fit ONLY the Tamiya F-4 series, and NOT THE REVELL F-4s! Let me be completely clear: we are NOT doing parts for the Revell kit, and these parts will NOT fit the Revell kit, so you'll have to look elsewhere if that's where you want to start.

Also for modelers of both 1/48 & 1/32, YES, we are working on quite a few decal markings sets for the F-4B and F-4N. We're following the guidance you all gave us in our F-4 online survey a few months ago. It will be a while before our decals are ready, and we'll let you know what the subjects are and when they'll be released a bit later.

I expect to be able to start shipping our 1/32 F-4B/N sets by Friday or Monday, and since as of tonight the pricing has not yet been set, it's still too early to order. We'll let you know via email and modeling website announcements when we're prepared to take orders for these sets, which may be as early as a day or two.

I saw some commentary on LSP regarding the "flat" wing tops and bottoms. Yes, we have you covered! We give you a complete "flat" upper wing (left and right) in the basic conversion set (CEC32180), as well as "flat" insert parts for the lower wings.

This photo shows the lower wing parts in place, and also gives a peek at the revised forward and aft landing gear bay walls required for the "flat" wing. Note that there is one very small area aft and inboard of the flap bay that you will have to sand flat on each side. It's not very "humped" to begin with and I decided it was actually less work for you to sand this area flat than cut it out and replace it with a resin insert. This is the "hatched" area in the photo.

 

Another part we are including in the basic conversion set (CEC32180) corrects the small vent on each side just above the exhaust nozzles. We've known from the day the Tamiya kit hit the street that these vents were the wrong size, shape, angle, and location. Interestingly, Revell got the size, angle, and shape right on in their 1/32 F-4 series, and was off the correct location by only about three scale inches, which is no big deal (if you're building a Revell kit, which has other problems).

We've corrected these vent panels for the Tamiya kit and will provide you with new, triangular resin inserts that fit along existing panel lines in the Tamiya kit. Here's a photo that shows one of the panels in place (along with the rear fuselage extension parts needed only when you start from the F-4J and included in set CEC32187).

Click on images below to see larger images

  

The descriptions and photos below show what will be in each set. If you want any additional parts to be included, send an email RIGHT NOW! to suggestions.

How Our F-4B/N Airframe Conversion Sets Are Organized

Based on the F-4 survey we ran several months ago, about half of our customers plan to start their conversion from the Tamiya F-4C/D kit and about half plan to start from the Tamiya F-4J kit (these sets will not fit any of the 1/32 Revell F-4 kits).

You also told us that you don't want to buy any more parts than you actually need to make your model, regardless of which kit you start from. Well, I listened to you!

Obviously, some of you want to start with the F-4C/D kit as the base, and some of you want to start with the F-4J kit as the base. Aside from from starting with a kit already in your collection, the cockpit style can be a consideration (Navy RIO positions had a vertical right sidewall; no console was mounted on the right side). More about the cockpit later.

We've broken the parts needed to make a F-4B or F-4N into three sets:

  • Parts required regardless of which kit you start from
  • Additional parts required when you start from the F-4C/D kit
  • Additional parts required when you start from the F-4J kit

As you can see, by breaking up the parts into sets necessary for each Tamiya kit, we've minimized your expenses--you don't have to buy parts that you don't need! This means you will need TWO Cutting Edge sets to complete this airframe conversion: the basic set and whichever additional set is necessary for the basic Tamiya kit you use. This is the best way to limit your purchase to only those parts necessary for your starting kit (F-4C/D or F-4J).

Here are the set descriptions and parts lists:

Set #1: CEC32180 F-4B/N Basic Conversion Set for Tamiya (starting from F-4C/D or F-4J)

(Click the image above to see a larger photo)

 

These are the parts you will need REGARDLESS
of which Tamiya F-4 kit you start from (F-4C/D or F-4J)

 

Wings

  • Flat right upper inboard wing with MLG mounting point stiffener bulges (bulges are easy to remove for earlier versions before the bulges were installed)
  • Right MLG bay front wall
  • Right MLG bay aft wall
  • Right lower wing triangular flat insert
  • Right lower wing flat insert abaft of the MLG bay
  • Right flat speed brake
  • Right flat MLG inner door
  • Right flat MLG outer door
  • Flat left upper inboard wing with MLG mounting point stiffener bulges (bulges are easy to remove for earlier versions before the bulges were installed)
  • Left MLG bay front wall
  • Left MLG bay aft wall
  • Left lower wing triangular flat insert
  • Left lower wing flat insert abaft of the MLG bay
  • Left flat speed brake
  • Left flat MLG inner door
  • Left flat MLG inner door
  • Thin main wheel & nose wheel (2 each)

Fuselage

  • Fin cap with AN/APR-30 RHAW leading edge antenna
  • Plain fin cap without RHAW antenna
  • Late under-nose IR seeker with horn antenna
  • AN/APS-127 Shoulder ECM antennas (L/R)
  • Rear fuselage vents above nozzles

Set #2: CEC32185 F-4B/N Conversion from Tamiya F-4C/D (also requires CEC32180)
(Click the image above to see a larger photo)

 

These are the ADDITIONAL parts you will need if you start from the Tamiya F-4C/D kit

Wings

  • Catapult hooks and bays
  • Navy-style pylons
  • ECM radomes for lower wings (later aircraft only)

Fuselage

  • Navy refueling probe, bay, door
  • Slotted stabilators without reinforcing plates
  • Drag chute door
  • Nose gear main door & clear resin lights

Set #3: CEC32187 F-4B/N Conversion from Tamiya F-4J (also requires CEC32180)

(Click the image above to see a larger photo)

 

These are the ADDITIONAL parts you will need if you start from the Tamiya F-4J kit

Wings

  • Rear lower wing/fuselage extensions for the J79-GE-8 nozzles

Fuselage

  • Radome for IR seeker assemblies (yes, the radome above is a resin casting!)
  • IR seeker with AAA-4 (AN/APR-30)
  • Unslotted stabilators
  • Rear fuselage extensions for early engine nozzles for J79-GE-8 nozzles

Additional Future F-4 Sets from Cutting Edge
  • F-4B/C/D/N J79-GU-8 Detailed Nozzles (COMING VERY SOON!)
  • F-4B/N Super Detailed Cockpit
  • Early drop tanks
  • Wing folds
  • Centerline fuel tank (included only in the Tamiya F-4J kit; needed only for the F-4C/D base kit)
  • Additional F-4 ordnance

OK, I'm tired and need sleep (again--what's with these late nights??). This is it for tonight, but BE SURE to watch your email over the next few days for the official release announcement!

***

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Thanks again for your business.

Good luck and good modeling!

Dave

DAVID H. KLAUS
President
Meteor Productions, Inc.

p.s.

Watch your email over the next several days for some more very important announcements from Meteor!

p.p.s.

Be sure to watch for the upcoming issue of Aerospace Modeler Magazine! It should be released in several weeks, and it's a HUGE issue on NAVAIR (Naval Air) subjects. I was even able to contribute a fairly long (14 pages!) article on SBD Dauntless/A-24 Banshee camouflage and markings with the help of Mike Lampros. The issue has something else very special bound in, so be sure to check it out!


See HyperScale, Aircraft Resource Center, Internet Modeler, CyberModeler, Modeling Madness, and IPMS/USA for reviews and pictures (we have pictures on our site meteorprod.com too!)

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