RAF F-4M Phantom FG.1 (Italeri 1:72 scale model)

[@MikeUSA67]

I built my last Phantom over 40 years ago and I can honestly say that it looked nothing like yours 😄Congrats and hats off to you! Have a nice summer!

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you mate, I really appreciate your kind words. Have a great summer!

[@steveashforth5097]

This video brought back some memories. I spent a few years working on them, as an Airframe Technician, when I was in the RAF. Your mention that the airbrakes are red on the inside made me smile. It's obviously a 'warning' colour, but we, in the hangar, said it was to "hide the blood". A rather black joke, but it did have some truth to it. The Phantom could 'bite' you very easily so you had to be on your toes all the time. Anyway, thanks for another great video.

[@ModelNerd]

Haha - love a bit of black humour. Thanks for watching!

[@richardgraham4512]

Very nice review and build. The kit is a reboxing by Italeri of the Fujimi kit from the mid 1980's. Fujimi released a series of "British" phantoms at the time (early and late) - even incorporating improvements to the basic kit over time (better engine nozzles, flaps, air brakes etc). To be slightly pedantic the kit version should actually be of the F-4K (called FG.1 in UK service) originally procured for Royal Navy service on aircraft carriers. The Navy reduced its requirement and the surplus aircraft went to the RAF - initially 43 Sqn in the air defence role. The RAF's own version, the F-4M (FGR.2 in RAF service) was initially intended for the close air support role & did differ in avionics and weapons fit and most obviously had an "unslotted" tailplane/stabilator. Fujimi made kits of both versions and its Italeri's cock-up here. Your model is quite correct for an FG.1 (F-4K) of 43 Sqn! 🙂 The kit itself was regarded as state of the art and remains well regarded today and still stands comparison with recent kits. The kit's cockpit is a little generic in its design as there was no side instrument panel on the right side in the navigator's cockpit on these particular aircraft. The part you were puzzling where to locate is intended to cover the panel up by sitting above the panel, between the panel edge and underside of the cockpit lip - making a sort of "false wall" on the side, as it were.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks for the information, Richard - very useful indeed. Much appreciated!

[@Quadrant14]

The Fujimi kits will stand with any F-4 kit today, they are superb.

[@robbo1068]

Bang on job, MN. For a 1/72 scale kit it certainly punches above its weight with detail and you've done it justice. Really like the camo scheme and the weathering, subtle but still visible. Enjoy your break and the shopping!!

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Robbo

[@stuartmiller8053]

Great result from an old kit, have a good holiday

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you, Stuart - I will. Got a few modelling / military places to drop into during the journey too :)

[@jonnynguyen276]

SO REAL THATS A JOB WELL DONE MN

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Jonny

[@greenhilldesign]

I built this kit in the late 1980s. as others have said its a retool from Fujimi. I brush painted it back then but did enjoy it too. It still holds up well to newer tooling. nice job.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate. Yes, I was very pleased with how it came out, especially given it's age.

[@ovidiuschley3346]

That's a great airplane project RAF F-4M Phantom FG.1 , from Italeri at 1/72 scale . The features of this airplane are fantastic and very detailed . The final result is absolutly remarcable and the details and very realistic . Thank you so much for sharing my friend and take care !🎩👌🏻🏆🏅👍🏻

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks -I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@darrenhillman8396]

Superb job! Love the Phantom - one of my favourite Cold War jets. Keep up the good work!

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks - yes, I'm a big fan of it too. I have an SWS 1:48 scale Phantom in the stash too :)

[@HelixRsix]

Very nice build and I really love the old green grey colour scheme

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate

[@BrushQuill]

I am a fan of the Phantoms. Lovely looking aircraft, and a great looking model mate. Lovely build.

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you. Yes, there's something about the Phantom that I really like too.

[@BrushQuill]

@@ModelNerd I sometimes go to the museum just for the Phantoms hahaha (though last time it was for the big girls)

[@petermerz2704]

Looks great! Love those canopies. Thanks for sharing. Happy days and model on! 😎🇨🇦

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you Peter, I'm glad you liked it.

[@GeorgeBrown-t4d]

fantastic video and build, thanks for sharing.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it

[@ja37d-34]

Really nice build. :) All british Phantom IIs look great!

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate

[@lh-tv280]

What a wonderful build! thanks as always for the video

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Luke. Yes, I was really pleased with this result.

[@lesthiele4921]

The F4-M came out perfectly, and looked outstands, I hope you are pleased with the result, I have said before, I never tire of a F4 build and in my favourite colour scheme green/ grey, cheers mate best regards from Australia a Kiwi living in Australia

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Les - yes, I love the green-grey scheme too and am really pleased with this result.

[@johnwoodside8714]

Absolutely wonderful finish. Top job as always

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you very much John!

[@martynperring8195]

Technical note: The Phantom FG.1 was the F-4K, not the F-4M. It was the navalised, Spey-powered, version flown initially by the R.N. and by 43 Squadron R.A.F. When Ark Royal was decommissioned, the Navy's aircraft were transferred to the R.A.F. and were issued to 111 Squadron. That's what the box-art markings for this model depict. The F-4M was known to the R.A.F. as the FGR.2.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Martyn

[@calumclark1719]

Looks Great, a nice little kit,

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Calum. Yes, it was a fun little build. I'd definitely consider some of Italeri's other aircraft kits in this scale.

[@jetsofthecoldwar1149]

Nice build and finish of a classic Cold War warrior. Might have to pick one of these up for my stash.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate, I'm glad you liked it

[@paulhennessy5627]

Halfords has been "my go-to guy" for many years now. The only issues I have ever had have been down to operator error- i.e. heavy thumb. Rarely use anything else these days.

[@ModelNerd]

Oh yeah, it's very good and excellent value. I'm sure most of the problems I experience are "between the chair and the workbench" :D

[@paulhennessy5627]

@@ModelNerd yup, its the modelling equivalent of the Bermuda triangle...

[@user-lw7om1sg1m]

Nice job!

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Alan

[@OzScalemodeling]

Very nice build and well videoed, have a good trip . Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you mate!

[@simonrichards6739]

Brilliant work sir, my favourite RAF aircraft as a kid. 👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you Simon. Yep, one of my faves too :)

[@davegiles2344]

Nice build👍👍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Dave

[@paulholmes7941]

Really great build, well done, I would love to have that skill level. For your information it's not an F4M version but it's a F4K. All the Royal Navy Phantoms where the F4K version and when the Navy lost it's large aircraft carriers their Phantoms where transferred to the RAF to 43 Sqn and 111 Sqn.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks Paul. My understanding was that both the F-4K and F-4M were variants based on the F-4J (which the UK later purchased as well). Either way, I'm glad you liked it and thanks for watching :)

[@stephenchappell7512]

@@ModelNerd I confer with Paul's above comment ⬆️ the F-4K/FG.1 was carrier capable with 52 being built to equip two front line and one training squadron, however following the cancellation of Eagle's refit her aircraft were instead transferred to the RAF The phantom's specifically ordered for the RAF known as F-4M/FGR.2 were non-carrier capable with 118 being built Again congratulations on a superb build 👍

[@ModelNerd]

@@stephenchappell7512 Thanks both, always appreciate learning something new :)

[@Simon-bg3st]

That's partially correct. The aircraft on the box art was indeed transferred from the Royal Navy. However, 43 Sqn originally received brand new F-4Ks. They never operated the F-4M. 111 Sqn did operate the F-4M, and then converted to the F-4K, with the surplus FAA aircraft from 892 Sqn when Ark Royal was taken out of service.

[@Quadrant14]

Great build, thanks mate, PS: I have a 20+ year old 1/48th Tamiya F4J and it has also Rubber Tyres included. I have this kit to do soon, after my old Fujimi F-4K's I have

[@ModelNerd]

Thank you mate!

[@allanrichards3752]

That is a nice looking build. If I was being picky I would challenge the scale of the small decals, I recently built the 1/48 Tamiya P38 Lightening and the small decals looked about the same size as those you have on that 1/72 kit. I use Halfords car primer as it sticks really well to the plastic and I find the Tamiya acrylic paint sticks well to the primer. There are two types of primer, a normal one and a high build primer. I only use the normal primer. I haven't had it go rough but if you did it recently it has been very hot so it might have dried too quickly.

[@ModelNerd]

Hi Allan. Yes, I thought the same about some of those stencils. IIRC it wqs very hot when I put down the primer so that could be it. After living in Asia where it was always very hot and very humid, I'm not used to so much variation in weather conditions :)

[@allanrichards3752]

@@ModelNerd Welcome to Britain, the weather is a national conversation point here. I think in 1/48 the new Tamyia Phantom kit knocks all the others out of the park. Its on my wish list at the moment. As for the UK Phantom the fuselage was a different shape to accommodate the Spey engines. I wonder if your 1/72 kit included that difference.

[@SprueFascinationChannel]

Very nice result 👍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks!

[@Kickback-dm7zt]

Looks impressive. Wonder how it compares to the current airfix 1/72 FG.1 kit.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate. A good question - the Airfix kit certainly looks like it has some interesting options (e.g. the ability to pose the nose open to show the radar gear inside).

[@Kickback-dm7zt]

@@ModelNerd absloutley.. Have 3 phantoms in the stash in 1/72...the above mentioned airfix kit, Italeri F-4E/F and Hasegawa "Blue Angles" F-4S

[@cl9k24la]

Nice build. That panel in the rear cockpit is supposed to blank off the right side panel. Common on British Phantoms and the F-4B/J/S

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks!

[@slotcarpalace]

this is a rebox of the Fujimi kit, in their day, the best phantoms available for RN/RAF.

[@ModelNerd]

It certainly was a pleasant surprise to see the cockpit detail

[@ModeliteDiorama]

Nice result, only could it be that you forgot to clean the top of the cabin wall from the sprue remains and paint it? :)

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate. Ah, I pulled some of the paint off when I removed the PVA glue from the closed cockpit, and forgot to repaint it. Oops.

[@9501599]

Another great build, how is our Dora coming along?? Looking forward to seeing more. Sunny in Blighty raining in New Zealand. Stay safe.

[@ModelNerd]

Hi Guy. The Dora is coming along slowly. Once I'm back from my trip in a week or so I will give it the big push to the finish.

[@9501599]

@@ModelNerd enjoy your trip. Folks here want to go to Australia 🇦🇺, it's school holidays, but snow and other weather has delayed 😑flights. Lots of frustrated parents here at present

[@uingaeoc3905]

The UK Phantoms had a different rear fuselage to accommodate the RR Spey engines, quite different to other variants.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks for the info

[@AlexandrMI-]

Посоветуйте тройку лучших моделей Фантомов в 72 масштабе.

[@ModelNerd]

This is the only one I have built, so I don't know - sorry

[@robertjensen1438]

Just a comment for the algorithm

[@rothschildianum]

For my taste, I would like to add more weathering....

[@ModelNerd]

Fair point. I generally like a cleaner look, although I have seen some very well weathered models out there.

[@rothschildianum]

@@ModelNerd I saw some added too much weathering without good taste so that it ruined the result instead of enhancing the result.

[@BIGM-gg9ln]

excellent job!!! italeri are bad kits, gone are the glory days of airfix and matchbox.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks. I don't hear many good things about them, but honestly this one was fine.

[@christopherstaples9487]

I think this kit is an Italeri re-issue of the Fujimi kit.

[@PeteCourtier]

@@christopherstaples9487 Correct👍

[@igorsevcov4081]

🤝👍

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks

[@johntreloar8203]

Italeri are a bit hit and miss, and for that reason I steer clear of them, those cockpit parts that are supposed to fit down the side of the seats, looks like the part should of been above the cockpit on the insides of the cockpit?,IE on the walls above the tub???. doesn't help that the instructions aren't very clear, over all you did a great job with what you had.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks John - that's a good point, maybe they were supposed to go there. That would make sense.

[@richardgraham4512]

This kit is most definitely a hit - but then it is not an Italeri designed kit, but a rebox of a Fujimi kit from the mid 1980s!

[@blacknass1943]

i am only watch model videos witout stupid musik ihn background ^^ yours is nice. aboniert.

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks

[@modeltraingeek6544]

Nice build 👍🏻

[@ModelNerd]

Thanks mate