The F4E by Hobby Model

[cmdrted]

I was debating about the next project and decided on the USAF version of the Phantom, the F4E. This model was designed with some of the answers to the previous models shortcomings, most distinctly, a gun. The Airforce also had mandated some changes to the landing gear structure, which required wider beefy-er tires, which changed the width of the wings and give a very characteristic wing root bulge. The GPM F4E does not include that bulge, and comes in an air superiority gray scheme. Other changes where the addition of maneuvering slats to the forward wing edges and on the stabilators. The USAF version also has a flyable rear cockpit and some upgraded avionics not apparant in a model. I had both the MAly F4E and the HobbyModel and picked the latter. Then the fun started. The Maly kit has all the neccesary bulges and stuff but doesnot have wheel wells. Not a big drawback, but some of the parts looked rudimentary and will have to be redesigned. Well on with some pics, and well I wonder what the right choice should have been.

[cmdrted]

Overall, the Hobby Model version seemed to have much better details than the Maly. However fit seemed to be a problem. Into the 3rd to 4th segment of the nose, which is a rudimentary cone, the parts started to be "off" in size. I had to shave down some of the fwd part to fit the next part in series. We're not talking minor cosmetic 1mm but 1-2 mm at places. I redid the parts built in some "fudge" factor to adjust and glued and prayed. The next section, the fwd fuselage that contains the cockpit had the fwd most section mal fit also. I cut out the wheel well left it hanging and put a ring of glue tab to the exact circumference of the part in front of it. All this is shown in the arrows on the pics. The solution is working, but man I'm only into the first part of the build, god knows whats next! (The last pic #7 shows more of the trials to come). This was just a plain simple cross piece for the wing wheel wells and falls about 2 mm short! "What if they designed a model and nothing fit?"

[Ashrunner]

Cool. Double Ugly is going to have a Double Ugly partner! hehe

I do hope this one comes out as good as that there Navy version did.

[cmdrted]

Well I'd like to say fwd progress is being made but I can't. The cockpit was just about redesigned from the panels up. It seems this model was designed before CAD, some of the parts are slightly asymetrical, which means they don't phreaking phit! I'm following some previously offered advice, if it takes too long to fit the part, redesign it! All the panels in the fwd and rio areas were redrawn to closer to F4E panels and such. They were also drawn to be symetrical. I threw away the stock seats and put 2 of my own. The mounting area in the fuselage is very ambiguous so I tucked the "rails" part of the fuselage in and glued the sides of the cockpit to them flush to the top of the fuselage. I'll color this in later, it will "hopefully" be covered by the canopy. So far so good, man I wish I picked the blue pill.....

[cmdrted]

More cockpit photos then on to the next Hurdle; the 20mm cannon. This part was almost a breeze until the drawn asymetry fowled things up. I've since redrawn the part, adjusted the misfits but it still needs to be built. I showed the before here. Oh PS, it didn't fit under the contour of the nose section either!

[Darwin]

And I thought I was a masochist. But knowing your model is one of a kind is worth it.

[cmdrted]

Well after a few days of tweaking and redrawing a little "progress" has been made. The main part of the fuselage is a frame work structure of 1mm cards. You then have to "skin" the framework, all well in theory, however, this will work if the parts fit. The 1st section did not have the taper built into it that the framework had so the part needed redrawn, to the tune of 4mm back from the fwd edge and 5mm pointing aft. I included a few "booboos" part me because I'm so frustrated with this kit and part misfit.

[cmdrted]

Included are a few misfits, and the intakes. The air intake splitters actually go together well and pretty much fit. You should add a gluing tab to the fwd edge of the fuselage so the intakes sit against something to keep thier form. also the intake part needs a gluing edge where it fits at the top and bottom. I'll show this when I build the other one.

[cmdrted]

The last bit for tonight is the whole reason for the F4E... The gun. I redrew the thing to actually fit the undernose countour and to be symetrical. I put a sort of barrel assembly in the mouth of the thing. The real barrel assembly would have just been a cylinder with no protuding single barrel, but what they hey I had to use some of the parts that actually fit!

[Gil]

Ted, I guess there is something to designing and building your own models. Only problem that I have is the sinking feeling that the design will need another mod when the parts don't fit.

Keep up the great build. We'll start calling Cmdr MacDac pretty soon...,

-Gil