Subject: Re: A new Gallery submission
From: "Steve Bamford" <[email-masked]>
To: "Jake Melampy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 15:42:18 -0800

----- Original Message -----
From: Jake Melampy <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2002 12:44 PM
Subject: A new Gallery submission

> Hello, Steve.
>
> I hope you are feeling a bit better and beginning to shake the flu.  I
just
> wanted to drop a quick line and tell you how much I enjoy ARC.  I've made
it
> my Internet Home Page.  I also am submitting an article for the gallery.
It
> is of the Tamiya F-4D converted into an F-4G.
>
> I built this F-4 about two years ago.  It began life as the 1/32nd Tamiya
> F-4D, but I have always had a fondness for the Wild Weasel "G" jets, so
when
> Cutting Edge released their conversion, I quickly purchased that and began
> work.  Everyone by now knows the pros and cons of the Tamiya kit, so there
> is no need to review that.  The Cutting Edge set was beautiful.  Perfectly
> cast resin, down to the Weasel-specific antenna that sprout from all over
> the jet.  A nice touch was the WSO's instrument panel.  It was cast in a
> translucent green resin, so that, when painted, it would very
realistically
> simulate the greenish tint to the glass screens. Cutting Edge also
supplies
> new engine exhausts which are wonderful in detail, but very noticeably too
> small in diameter.  Another drawback is the price.
>
> I also purchased the Verlinden cockpit set (designed for the D) and
modified
> it to resemble a G cockpit.  The seats are a little inaccurate, but with
> some time and effort build into very nice seats.  The seatbelts and RBF
tags
> are made from lead foil. The buckles are made from scrap brass, as
Verlinden
> didn't supply them.
>
> Once the cockpit was finally finished, assembly went smoothly.  The
Cutting
> Edge nose mated fairly well to the Tamiya fuselage, requiring some putty
and
> scrap plastic to bridge a small "step", but nothing too bad.  The model
was
> painted with Model Master enamels and weathered using a combination of
> drybrushing, airbrush shading, and a wash of water-based dark gray paint.
> The decals are from Leading Edge.  They laid down perfectly, leaving no
sign
> of the carrier film.  They depict F-4G 69-0298 as it appeared in March of
> 1996.  It was one of the last three F-4s serving in the U.S. Air Force.
>
> Other odds and ends include a scratch-build AN/ALQ-184, and a
scratch-built
> front windscreen, as 69-0298 used the newer one-piece windscreen.  I did
> this by molding a master from wood, and then pulling clear Thermaform from
> Squadron over the master.  Very easy.  Mk.20 Rockeye cluster bombs came
from
> the 1/32nd F-15E and the AGM-45 Shrikes came from the spares box.  The
> Shrikes are not accurate, as they were long since removed from service by
> 1996, but I didn't have any AGM-88 HARMs laying around.  I plan to replace
> the Shrikes soon, though. The centerline 600 gallon fuel tank was robbed
> from a Revell RF-4C.  The RBF tags are made from lead-foil. The engine
> intake covers are Reheat.
>
> All in all, this model was a joy to build.  It is by far my favorite model
> I've built.
>
> I hope you've enjoyed the article and pictures.
>
> Jake Melampy
> Lebanon, Ohio
>
>
>