Cutting Edge 1/32 Phantom FG.1/FGR.2 conversion set and decal preview Dec 20 2005

1/32 Phantom FG.1/FGR.2 conversion and decals

Preview info from Meteor Productions

on Dec 20 2005

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1/32 Phantom FG.1/FGR.2 conversion for the Tamiya F-4J kit

The master conversion was made by Dr Frank Mitchell of Atlanta, Georgia. Frank previously published an internet article on the massive work required to complete his conversion. Cutting Edge used Frank's parts except for the lower wing. The wing on our set will have the normal Phantom wingspan, something that Frank chose not to do when he built this conversion for himself. This is a HUGE conversion that includes a new fuselage top (cast the same way as the Tamiya F-4J fuselage), a new lower wing/fuselage part (cast the same way as the Tamiya F-4J), new larger intakes with seamless interior trunking, new inboard upper wing parts (to accommodate the wider fuselage), fin cap RWR, new nose gear strut for the FG.1, and of course the huge new Spey engine nozzles, along with many more parts. Even with all these parts, it is a conversion and will require quite a few of the Tamiya F-4J parts.
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The ten jets below will be covered by Cutting Edge decals to be released concurrently or slightly later than the conversion itself.

Pricing has not been set at this time, nor has the exact release date (which will be soon). I will notify you when and as the sets become available. Cutting Edge will also email our customer base when the sets are available. Cutting Edge suspects that they'll only make about 200 of these sets since they're such a pain to produce.

A couple of notes about this decal artwork.

First, it is not complete; Cutting Edge expects to finish it in the next few days.

111 Sq Black Mike (XV582) is of the version with the pristine gloss black finish. There was another version with a multitude of red stencils on the airframe, but I don't like that one as well since it breaks up that gorgeous gloss black.

Click on image below to see larger image

The 19 Sq sharkmouth was applied with chalk or grease pencil just before this jet returned to the UK for repaint. The sharkmouth and "Phantom II" cartoon will be supplied in the form of decals printed in the PYN-up Decals printing process for maximum realism. This jet can of course be built without the self-applied zaps if wished to portray an earlier version, and we also include the "481" for the fin RWR for an even earlier incarnation.

Click on image below to see larger image

The 74 Sq/56 Sq combination red tail (XV426) also includes 74 Squadron-only markings option with the 74 nose badge and smaller tiger head for the fin.

Click on image below to see larger image

The 41 Sq commander's bird (XV571) can be built of course without the gaudy spine checks since they were removed at some point in the jet's life.
The RN 892 Sq "Colonial Navy" bird will include full non-zapped Royal Navy markings, including both the Queen's Jubilee "77" and the later 892 Sq crest for the nose swoosh. Also note that the nose swooshes on the 892 birds were individualized and each jet was slightly different. We've done XV590/001 because that's the bird that got the full "Colonial Navy" treatment by US Navy personnel during cross-decking operations on a US carrier.
The Alcock & Brown scheme includes only XV424, the jet that made the actual memorial flight. I have not included the minor changes for the backup bird.

You'll note the absence of my favorite Phantom of all time, the A&AEE "Raspberry Ripple" jet. That plane had a non-standard radome that we don't have time to make right now; look for it as a POSSIBLE future option with decals if there is enough interest.

Obviously there is much more information on each of these jets available, and the decal instructions will go through those details.

Merry Christmas and have fun modeling!

Dave at Meteor Productions