SPA Modeler

Hi all,

It's my birthday next month - I'm obviously considering some plastic (or a Canon A-1 but that's another story) and I was thinking about an F-4 and maybe a Hawkeye for my USN collection.

Any tips on 1/72 kits? I know Hasegawa do a Hawkeye but I was thinking of a good Vietnam Era F-4.

Cheers

Stuart

I really hate to say this, but, "it depends".

If you are just going to do one, to fill your collection's "Phantom slot",,,,,,,,then the Hasegawa is still the ticket, although they are quite expensive. (the cheapest way to get them is in the "combo box" which includes two models,,,,at a discount)

The problem with the Hasegawa if you think you will build more than one Phantom,,,,,,,is that you can finish about 3 of any of the other companies' models before I can get one Hasegawa Phantom built. (yes, they are that fiddly)

Next is a group of good models, that all build up pretty reasonably, if you are open to anything Vietnam era from F-4B to F-4E. Those would be the Fujimi, Monogram, AMT/ERTL, Esci, Testors/Italeri, or the newish Revell F-4E and RF-4.

You can also get the F-4G from Tamiya (this is the old Italeri, reboxed by Tamiya)

You will want to avoid the old tool Hasegawa F-4B/J/D boxings, the old Revell, the old tool Hasegawa F-4E, and the fairly new Italeri F-4S (tooling not related to the other Italeri kits), and the Airfix/MPC kits.

But, if you want to do Vietnam, and USAF is okay, the new Revell kits, and the Tamiya F-4G are fun builds.

For USN, my money is on the Fujimi kits,,,,if you can find them. With the Monogram a close second to those.

(I have ten different 1/72 Phantom toolings, by 20 different companies, and I wish they were all Fujimi moldings)

Hi Rex,

Fujimi or Monogram it is then (if I can find one) as I'd muchrather have a more buildable kit, than a wholly accuracte one that's a pig to build.

Thanks!

Stuart

portman wrote:Hi Rex,

Fujimi or Monogram it is then (if I can find one) as I'd muchrather have a more buildable kit, than a wholly accuracte one that's a pig to build.

Thanks!

Stuart

The Monogram kit was also reboxed by Accurate Miniatures.
I did a pair a couple years ago (AccuMini boxing), not bad...not bad at all!
Also did a Pair from Hasegawa...not bad either!

Fermis wrote:

portman wrote:Hi Rex,

Fujimi or Monogram it is then (if I can find one) as I'd muchrather have a more buildable kit, than a wholly accuracte one that's a pig to build.

Thanks!

Stuart

The Monogram kit was also reboxed by Accurate Miniatures.
I did a pair a couple years ago (AccuMini boxing), not bad...not bad at all!
Also did a Pair from Hasegawa...not bad either!

Thanks for the tip Fermis.

Hey Stuart, PM me your mail address, and I'll send you a Monogram F-4J as a birthday gift.

If you don't mind a box in "just going to build the kit" condition, that is. I'll make sure it is 100% complete, and cut some decals out from an aftermarket sheet so that you have "fresh decals".

Rex, that´s a really nice move! Wow!!

RexCag wrote:Hey Stuart, PM me your mail address, and I'll send you a Monogram F-4J as a birthday gift.

If you don't mind a box in "just going to build the kit" condition, that is. I'll make sure it is 100% complete, and cut some decals out from an aftermarket sheet so that you have "fresh decals".

Wow Rex - if you're sure that's really kind of you, and I certainly don't mind the box condition!

PM inbound ASAP!

Cheers

Stuart

What about Academy's new 1/72nd F-4J? Supposed to be a sweet kit