Shaun's Phabulous Phantom Sisters

[AndrewR]

The Phantoms are moving along nicely, despite the irritating work thing intruding.

Are they going into Panto this year? Not as the Ugly Sisters, obviously, maybe the Aesthetically Challenged Sisters...

[ShaunW]

Thanks to you all for your kind words. I really did want to finish at least one of these ladies by the end of the GB but it ain't going to happen as work is really making me have it this week. It really seems to be one thing or the other these days, either cruising or flat out! I should manage to get something more done by the end of play however.

Aesthetically Challenged Sisters Andrew? You do have a point. If my memory serves me right, didn't an Admiral once wonder whether the F-4 had been delivered upside down as he found it to be so ugly? I think the looks are best described as being purposeful or an acquired taste. I love 'em though.

[AndrewR]

"Rhino" describes them perfectly!

[Dazzled]

An extra 5 days have been tacked on to the end of the GB Shaun (roughly, with superglue ). Is that any help?

[ShaunW]

PM sent on this Darryl. Many thanks for extending the GB and I should be able to get the basic paint scheme onto the F-4J over the weekend (phamous last words!). After that, I'll keep pressing on until the end of the GB but I think it is doubtful that I'll totally finish either one of this pair.

[ShaunW]

Some progress has been made over the weekend, not tons mind, but it's better than a poke in the eye with a dirty stick

The F-4J has now received its main colours. As with the F-4E, blu-tak has been used for the upper and lower surface masking to give a slightly uneven demarcation with a relatively soft edge. All paint is acrylic. Undersides, including drop tanks and pylons, together with upper wing control surfaces, rudder (all of which are currently hidden by the masking) and outer panels of the tail planes (not in shot) are Vallejo white, which went on nicely with no thinning required. The remainder of the upper surfaces are Mr Hobby FS26440 Gull Grey, which also went on very nicely straight out of the jar and I would say even more smoothly than the Vallejo paint. Both paints were sprayed at quite a low pressure using the medium nozzle and needle set up on my airbrush. Also hidden under the masking are the nose cone and wing tips, which were painted earlier on in Tamiya X-7 red. Tomorrow I'll remove the masking and take it from there.



Thanks for looking.

[Dazzled]

Definitely better than a poke in the eye with any sort of stick Shaun .

Any progress is good and it's certainly looking good too .

[AndrewR]

Looking smoother than Stephen Fry as Jeeves.

[splash]

Smoother than a snakes smooth bits.

Regards Splash

[ShaunW]

Thanks for your comments chaps and flattery will get you everywhere you smooth talkers

Right, a bit more progress on the F-4J, the masking is now off to reveal the classic Gull Grey over white U.S. Navy scheme. The Tamiya tape did its job and there was no significant bleed through, save for a little under the nose where I found it difficult to get the tape down due to the presence of a moulded on antenna. Still to do is the anti-dazzle black nose panel ahead of the cockpit and the metal areas under the tail and inner tailplanes. I've also got to deal with the wing tanks, both of which have relatively minor paint runs in them due to my general clumsiness wielding the airbrush





It's so long since the cockpit was unmasked that I'd all but forgotten about the nice bit of Eduard PE that I'd used in there for the front and rear cockpit IPs.



This model is now basically at the same stage as the F-4E and most of the painting required on both is now the detail work.

Thanks for looking.

[Sissel]

Great job with the painting it looks very smooth. And interior looks marvellous! The PE set sure makes a difference.

Are you going to nickname it "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer"?

[splash]

I fully agree with Sissel that pe makes a big difference.

Regards Splash

[ShaunW]

Many thanks folks. It must be about 16 years or so since that PE was mounted in the cockpits and I was quite surprised when I removed the masking!

Good suggestion Sissel, I'd never thought about Rudolph, despite all the Christmas adverts on TV at the moment reminding me about what time of year it is

[Clashcityrocker]

Haven't seen a red nosed Phantom before. Looks cool.

Nigel

[ShaunW]

Cheers Nigel. The red nose is unusual on a Phantom and will be covered in small stars. The scheme is for the USMC squadron VMFA-235 "Death Angels" and is quite gaudy even by hi-viz standards