Col Olds's F-4C Phantom

OK, so I am doing another Phantom. Almost as surprising as me doing an Eagle LOL

So, I was asked to do one to use the landing gear and exhaust set by 3D Chute Expert out of Taiwan. My club Pres has a page that he highlights builds and products, and 3D is one of the companies he showcases. So he sent me this set. I am still plugging away on the B-58. But Like with the 105, I need something to do when that one frustrates me or paint/glue/putty has to set.


This is the Academy kit. I LOVELOVELOVE this kit. This is my 3rd one. The only drawback to the kit is the gear wells, but I think I have the best way to do them figured out now. Still the only part of the kit I detest. So, as I wait for the Eduard PE for the cockpit to get here, I moved right on to the landing gears. As I said, I was given this set to try out, and I will give my honest opinion. You all know I dont mince words. LOL That being said, these things are great! The detail is superb. They fit right into the wheel well with no hassles. I simply hit them with some gloss white, a dirt wash as this is going to be Col Olds's plane as it flew, not as the museum piece. Did a couple of the lines black and poof, thats it. No need to add any parts from the kit (aside from maybe landing lights) as they have every detail already on them. A total winner in my book.

And as to the subject matter. If you dont already know, Col Robin Olds (he eventually made Brigadier General) was one of the best pilots to grace the cockpit of an aircraft. Triple ace between WWII and Nam. Definitely should read up on him. There arent many, if any, left like him. If youre a Phantom phan and a USAF guy, this plane is a must do.

Quick note about the first pic. I took this at the USAF museum in Dayton OH. Notice the paint on the nose. Looks like they didnt let the first coat cure long enough.

Landing gear installed and wings together. Intakes together and done with the latex paint method. Got the PE for the pit finally, so that has commenced as well.

smokeriderdon said:

Landing gear installed and wings together. Intakes together and done with the latex paint method. Got the PE for the pit finally, so that has commenced as well.

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Great details on the instrument panels. Pantherman

That's all Eduard. LOL PE set.

OK, PE installed for the pit. The lading gears came with wheels as well. And they are just as nice as the gears. Just gotta add a little dirt to em. And the seats from the kit. I could have sworn I had some resin seats in my parts box, but alas, no. I ordered the PE belts to dress up these. They are pretty good aside from no belts. I need to redo the oh shit handles.

Great subject

Is this the 1/72 kit?

Col Olds, as in Robin right?

o7!

Who doesn't love a Phantom ? Ready to tackle the stencils decals? When you are…. Welcome to Hell… ROFLMAO!

Those Eduard cockpit PE look fantastic. Definitely will look into getting a set next time.

I've done 1 Phantom thus far - Hasegawa kit. Great kit. I want to do another one soon - Turkish Phantom.

In order. LOL

It's the Academy 1/48.

Yes, Robin Olds.

I will NOT be putting all the stencils on. In real life they didn't have the full stenciling once they got repainted in the field. I refuse to drive myself nuts putting over 100 silly little decals on. LOL

The Academy is my favorite kit. I haven't done the Tamiya because they have only done a B. I'll do Navy planes, but preferenc is USAF. I have the ZM D kit, but haven't done it yet. Not sure I want to as the rear of it is incorrect. Supposedly it goes together great, my thought is, OK it went together great. So? It's still got an incorrect fat ass.

I have a few Hasegawas, but have only done a 1/72. I 2 48s in the stash. Or is it 3??? LOL

The aforementioned Phantoms I have done. The first is the 1/72 Hasegawa.

Looking like a phantom now.

I just watched an Air Warriors show on the F-4 and Robin Olds was featured. He never lost an aircraft in either WWII or Vietnam. Amazing career.

TimM63 said:

I just watched an Air Warriors show on the F-4 and Robin Olds was featured. He never lost an aircraft in either WWII or Vietnam. Amazing career.

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Great show is that the one where they mention he forgot to switch his fuel switch after dropping the drop tank and made his first kill in WWII while gliding? I think it was his daughter talking about it if I remember correctly.

OK, back to this. Got one seat done and in, the other started.

smokeriderdon said:

OK, back to this. Got one seat done and in, the other started.

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Nice. PM

Nice work.

OK, back to this one. Primed and silver sprayed a bit. You can see the blue spots. Thats masking fuid. Once I paint the camo over it, I will scrub the paint and get the chipping effect his plane has in the pic.

Thats the plan anyway. LOL

So I was away for 2 weeks dog sitting. I took my stuff with me, so got some work done on this. The progress pics are really irrelevant. This where she stands.

I over did the weathering. However, I have seen plenty of people get accolades and the model looked like a chess board with a metric shitake ton of dirt and junk dumped on it. At least to me. So Im gonna leave this as is.

Working on the decals. Not going to do much by way of stencils. But the couple I did do by the cockpit are driving me nuts. They arent silvered, but I can dull them down. Grrrrrrrr.

OK As discussed here and Edberts thread, no way am I doing all those stencils. I did the few for emergency egress and a couple warnings, and thats sufficient. I once spoke with an HH-43 pilot who told me half the birds he flew didnt even have the US Air Force on the tail. I am pretty sure the planes being pretty was the last thing on their minds during that war.

Anyway, this is her. Just have to do the little things like bay doors. Then the part I hate the most. Weapons. Blargh. So next trip to the bench will be that and getting pack into the P-61.