1/48 Hasegawa RF-4C Phantom II

by Massimo Busolini

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The kit I chose to build my model is the RF-4E from Hasegawa, in 1/48 scale.  To start, I purchased the Aires resin set n° 4128 "exhaust nozzles", regarding the motors of the version C, the cockpit set n° 4220 was by AIRES for the RF-4B, practically identical to that of the C, and finally the set n° 4231 to detail the electronic bay.  All these kits are of high quality, but require work to get them to fit the original kit, therefore there is much dry fitting to make sure everything fits properly.

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The idea to build a Spanish RF-4C, came to me one day while I was looking at the photos on www.airliners.net of the Spanish Phantom by now in open storage on the Spanish base of Torrejòn.  Particularly, I realized the aircraft 65-0835 of the 123 Escuadròn, wing 12, of the ejercito de l'aire in the summer of 1993.  This RF-4C also participated in the very last flight of a Spanish AF Phantom on 4th February 2003.  To build this aircraft I purchased  the decals from HI-DECAL n°HDL48023 very precise, and above all of high quality.

 

The camouflage in the underside has been realized in light grey FS26463 while the topside part was in light ghost grey FS26375, and finally the radome in radome grey FS36495.  The colors and the transparent clear coat that I used are from  Model-Master, and for the weathering I used the dusts of the Tamiya, very effective to represent the losses of oil and fluid.  Overall this was a challenging build, but in the end she was worth it. 

I hope you like it....

Massimo

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Photos and text © by Massimo Busolini