1/72 Hasegawa F-4E and F-4EJ Kai

Gallery Article by Patrick Vossenberg on July 21 2020

 

      

Another double build, this time the classic Hasegawa F-4E in two colour schemes I have always enjoyed seeing. I built both kits with some Eduard colour PE for the instrument panels. The E version also has the kit's ejection seats with PE seatbelts added, in the EJ a couple of Verlinden resin seats were installed. In both cockpits I added some simple sidewall details and detailed the areas behind the seats with some wiring as well. Modifications towards the EJ version are mostly included in the respective kit (fin cap, dragchute housing, correct wingtip fairings and spine antenna). The F-4EJ's pilot instrument coaming was modified a bit to better show its shape difference versus the F-4E.

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The F-4E is finished as a USAF aircraft from the 57th FIS "Black Knights", operating from Keflavik AB (Iceland) in the '80s. This interceptor unit was tasked with controlling a large area of the North Atlantic airspace during the cold war era. The unit flew the F-4C/E from 1973 until 1985, when these were replaced by F-15C's. I used Xtracolor enamel ADC Grey as a basis with Alclad shades for the exhaust area. BareMetal/Expert’s Choice decals were used for the unit specific markings, with stencils and panel numbers taken from an IsraDecal sheet, in order to bring some variation to the overall grey finish. The AIM- 9E Sidewinders are from one of the Hasegawa weapons sets. Weathering is rather restrained (just a dark gray enamel panel line wash and some oil streaks) as the Black Knights had a solid track record of keeping their aircraft in excellent condition.

The F-4EJ Kai is finished in JASDF markings, from the 8th Squadron, stationed at Misawa AB (Japan). This squadron's mission is anti-shipping/sub for which the very interesting sea scheme in two shades of blue / blue-grey was applied. I used DXM’s excellent - and exhaustive - decal set, with this particular aircraft being the winner of the 2003 ACM contest. Colours are Tamiya/Gunze acrylics with again Alclad on the exhaust area. The ASM-2 missiles are taken from a Hasegawa set. On the two blue colours: I looked at several other modeler's experiences and builds, and did some trial and error airbrushing on scrap plastic to see what looked best - settling in the end for these mixtures: the Light Blue is Tamiya XF-14 with some XF-18 (to add a touch of grey) in roughly a 7/1 ratio and only one drop of white, the Dark Blue is a 1/2 ratio mix between Tamiya XF-8 and XF-17 again with a drop of white. I also oversprayed with a heavily thinned Gunze H307, as well as a thinned Light Blue, to blend the colours. Also here, I just moderately weathered the aircraft.

Enjoy the pictures!

Patrick Vossenberg

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Photos and text © by Patrick Vossenberg