Man I love your videos. It’s like a cross between a Wings episode (back when Discovery was awesome) and one of those old how-to videos on PBS back in the day. Informative and calming. A great way to unwind.
If you ever get the chance I think you would love to build the Academy Phantoms. They fit together really well and the kits are just plain fun to build
wow, just can't tell you enough how Im enjoying all of your builds! I've watched a few of your other kit builds on your channel, and Im just in awe! Thanks for making it easy to follow along, sharing soem really nifty construction tips, and providing a little background on what your building along the way. Im gettting back into model building after a little hiatus- you've given me more than a little to try on my next kit! keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks. Normally not a big fan of Italeri, but I was thinking about buying this kit. You're video helped a lot to make up my mind. Nice built and amazing end result..
Really enjoy your work, sir. I am currently working on a 1/72 AC130H Spectre by Italeri. I should rephrase that...I am in the research process of two aircraft. One Vietnam Era, one Gulf War. Keep making these wonderful videos. I'm learning a lot and I'm an old dog.
I'd love to see you do a model of the SR-71. Testors had a great model of it. But it's been a VERY long time. Your channel is great and is making me seriously consider getting back into modeling at 44 years old. Thank you for making me remember my childhood :)
Thanks Lord Vulcan, I hope you have some fun and recall some great memories if you decide to start up again. Most SR-71s seem to be on back order and unavailable with 1/72 scale being the most produced.
The f 4 and f 15 made by same team in st Louis mo. My back yard as a teen. And a friend's dad designed and built both aircraft ! F 15 was far better ! But f 4 was a great platform for the work performed. Sad it's gone. But that's the nature. Nice work
Very nice result on such a basic kit. For my taste, the black wash is a bit too much. I would go for a grey wash. But that is just a matter of taste of course.
Hi Vortex, I agree. The decals were super thin, but not flimsy. I was also surprised to find decals with no carrier film outer border. I didn't have to trim the edges at all.
@@MaxAfterburner Absolutely. Men's best friend, always says I love you, always listens to what you have to say and very very rarely disagrees. Perfectly made for humans. 😂😥
@@MaxAfterburner Thanks. I am going to try to make a new set using vacuforming, but that is a whole other project. The rear canopy was totally destroyed but I have a close match from another kit.
Hi, very good videos. What kit/(kits) would you recommend for a complote beginner in aviation modeling. I want to work with 1/48 scale but yet no idea where to start.
Hi Egor, 1/48 scale is probably the best place to start. 1/32 scale models planes have a lot more pieces, detail and work to get through that you might not want to start as a beginner. 1/72 scale is smaller and can be actually more difficult than 1/48. You'd have to pick an era of aircraft you are primarily interested in of course. Tamiya and Hasegawa kits usually fit pretty well together. Other model company kits may be more difficult and require more skill to "correct" them.
Thanks Doctor Wigglespank! It's a fear of mine that I'll open a box and find raised panel lines again. I think if I come across another one, I'll close the lid and put it back on the shelf. :-P
Im still working on that 1/32nd scale Phantom....if you have a private email or messanger id love to show you the progress and see what you think...ive used alot of your techniques from former videos
I'd like to see what you've got! You can e-mail me via the address listed in the "About" section on my channel. I don't want to post it here directly to avoid spam and bots.
Very nice! Your kit is much bigger and more detailed than the one I did. That cockpit has seen some use, I really like what you've done! Are you going to add some panel wash?
Great, looks good! I like the seepage areas around some of the panels. It reminds me a lot of what I encountered during my days working on F-16s, so it seems genuine in appearance. :-)
Right now, in service, I think there are around 150-200 operational F-4s between Greece, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, and Japan. The average service number per country seems to be about 35-40 planes, maybe two squadrons worth, tops. The Iranians claim 53-55 operational planes -- maybe... with baling wire. I think it's a safe bet 4 of those 5 countries will probably be out of the F-4 business in the next seven years. I think only Iran may have them after 2025 for obvious reasons! The US has one flying F-4 left, a civilian-operated F-4 (an F-4D), maybe a second one flying in the next ten years IF they can get that F-4A certified for flying. That F-4A 145310 (the 13th F-4 ever built), has been under restoration for the better part of 20 years now. They already had to modify it a bit because there weren't any salvageable/flight-worthy F-4A vintage engines left. warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/sageburner-mcdonnell-f4h-1f-phantom-ii-for-sale.html J79-GE-15 vintage engines -- Air Force F-4C vintage engines being installed in a Navy (F-4A) plane! Hmmm.... That F-4A has undoubtedly a LONGER flying life ahead of it than the civilian F-4D which was probably worked harder. That F-4A "retired" in 1964 with less than 500 flying hours on it. An F-4 is good for AT LEAST 4000 hours without major rebuild although I think they easily got over 6000 hours on quite a few Phantom fleets in the West (over 5000 on UK Phantoms, most likely over 6000 hours average on the Luftwaffe Phantoms which were around 40 years old by the time they retired). Right now, AMARC Experience's Inventory update (www.amarcexperience.com) says there are only 59 Phantoms left in storage in Arizona. That's a low number for Phantoms... There used to be HUNDREDS of Phantoms in storage at AMARC. My understanding is that the G-models were decimated in recent years by the drone program because they were favored airframes for conversion. They also converted D's and E's but heavily favored the G-model. I'm surprised to see there were 15 F-4F (simplified export E-version) models. Those were the training jets the Luftwaffe left behind when they disbanded their training unit in the US and moved all training "in-house," back to Germany. The US unit training Luftwaffe guys WAS the last "active duty" Air Force F-4 unit, guys. They were operating F-4F's into the 2000s in the US out west (I think). I actually met one of these trainers. I'm pretty sure I annoyed him! (laugh) It was unintentional -- I really didn't mean to be a wiseass but for some reason I've had some bad luck with fighter pilot crews! (OTOH, I'm NOT gonna antagonize a Marine, even unintentionally... That's not a good idea!) There are low numbers on F-18s (A-D models) as well. Less than 80 left BUT reading that these planes are literally being chewed up to the bone and that some have shed pieces during airshows that puts things in perspective! Not surprised to see only 10 F-14s there right now... They're mostly reserved for museums, and one of those units is the 80th Iranian Tomcat but was repurposed for training (I think it's the one listed as NF-14A). Who knows what's going to happen to that plane? I doubt they're gonna hand it over to the Iranian government -- it's just not happening. F-16s? King of the fighters there. Over 400 in inventory right now but that'll probably go down as more are stripped for parts or possibly converted into drones. F-15s? Under 170. Harriers? Mostly the retired British Harriers, about 50 frames left. The Marines parted out 22-frames worth of planes to keep their fleet going on until at least 2025. The only American Harrier I saw listed was a TAV-8A, a first-generation American model roughly equivalent to the Harrier GR.1, the very first production Harrier. The "T" tells you it's a two-seat conversion trainer -- and a very, very old plane. They stopped flying the first-gen Harriers in the US by the late 1980s. They barely had those planes in service 18(?) years and lost about half those planes in accidents. A-4s? Just under 150... That's actually quite a lot for a 66-year-old design! I have a feeling they might still be flying A-4s after the last F-16 in US service is retired!
@@MaxAfterburner Nope --! Just an enthusiast with WAY too much time who read a bunch about this stuff through high school! I like fighter design, they're my favorite military aircraft type, and I THOUGHT about going into engineering but the high level math and some other things made me change my mind quick about that. That and the university I initially went to had some political issues and was NOT an environment I cared for. I only saw F-4s fly three times overhead. First, they overflew the 1988 graduation at my high school because a guy from the graduating class (not me; I left the looney bin two years later!) had been accepted into the Air Force Academy on a football scholarship. They flew a group of Phantoms (don't know which model, maybe a 6-8 plane detachment in a diamond formation) overhead during the ceremony. I'm positive it was to honor the guy who got into the USAF Academy. (The Toledo, Ohio ANG base was still operating A-7's at the time and transitioned to F-16s in the early 1990s. The Toledo base was 60 miles north of where I lived.) I think they came from South so possibly they were attached to the Rickenbacker ANG base south of Columbus, Ohio. They had a fighter wing back then and they were still widely using F-4s through the late 1980s until the F-16 started replacing the bulk of F-4s still in service with the ANG. Rickenbacker, btw, is now a mixed-used facility. Small public airfield and strategic transport. They lost their fighter wing years ago. In fact, they USED to have three fighter wings in Ohio at Columbus, Springfield, and Toledo. Only Toledo has a fighter group because I guess they think we're gonna fight the French Canadians some day? Anyhow, short story is the guy who into the Academy didn't last past a semester. He couldn't hack the math! No, he did NOT get the fuel bill from the government for the F-4 "honor squad" that flew over his high school graduation but I KNOW for a fact that the guy STOLE gasoline from a gas station without paying when he was on our high school track team! The second time I saw F-4s was at the Dayton Air Show in 1990. A pair of RF-4Cs flew past the crowd but didn't do much more than zip in and zip out -- not very maneuverable. They WERE LOUD. I think the F-14 that also flew that day was almost as loud. The Navy Tomcat demo team (both from Ohio, Cleveland and Dayton) flew a brand-new F-14B model (formerly called the A+ upgrade) with F110 engines (basically the same F110 model used by Block 30 and Block 40 F-16Cs; the Navy sold its F110s to the Air Force after they retired the F-14 for good, when it was obvious the plane would NEVER be brought back into service). I was very impressed by that demo and I thought they underplayed how maneuverable that plane really was with that engine! Very tight turns and it NEVER left sight of the crowd. I can't understand how ANYONE would call the F-14 unmaneuverable after seeing a display like that unless they were a knucklehead! The F-16 that flew that day at Dayton accelerated faster and climbed faster (quieter, too) but it also disappeared into the clouds at times and I NEVER had the sense the F-16 was at good at slow speed displays as the F-14, F-18, or (later) the F-15 I saw in Chicago. Just my impression although I think what I've read suggests the F-16 was optimized for middle of the envelope maneuvering anyway. Where the F-18's better at maneuvering is at speeds that WILL get you killed in combat if somebody sneaks up behind you because you have literally ZERO energy at the speeds where it DOES point its nose better than any other plane! You're NOT getting away from anyway in that kill zone and the F-18 does NOT have the best acceleration or climb in the world, either. That's the thing they don't tell people when they're selling that plane! I saw the Blue Angels F-18s at the same air show and I gotta they're the best demo team I've seen and they flew VERY close to the ground. I think I only ever got unnerved by them when I saw them years later flying over Chicago. My concern was WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY HAVE A MECHANICAL ISSUE OVER THE CITY?!? They DID fly over downtown a few times and I think I even heard them practice ahead of the Chicago show, too. The last time I saw the F-4 in person (operational plane, NOT a museum piece) was in 2000/2001 at an EAA fly-in near Orlando, Florida. One of the last F-4F training aircraft used by the USAF for the Luftwaffe squadron based in the US flew in. THAT'S when I bugged the hell out of an Air Force pilot! (I did the same thing to an F-14 crewman/RIO(?) 10 years earlier at Dayton. At least he wasn't part of the demo team; he was just sitting by his fighter. They had 3 F-14s there, two on static display. One A and one B for sure. Not positive if they had a third plane!) I haven't annoyed a Marine aviator yet but I have annoyed flight officers in two of the three major American air arms! To my knowledge, I haven't annoyed any RAF personnel yet...
And now, there are probably less than 100 operational F-4 Phantoms worldwide. The US has one civilian-operated F-4 but who knows for how much longer? Another group (aside from the Collings Foundation) has been trying to get an older F-4A which has less hours on it than the currently operational F-4D Collings operates but who knows if that'll happen. The closest that F-4A has come flying in the air for the first time in over 50 years is taxiing on a runway! Japan is retiring its last 1-2 F-4 squadrons next year. I think it's 23 or fewer planes. South Korea I believe has less than 30 operational F-4s, maybe like 2 squadrons. Greece and Turkey both have less than 30 Phantoms operational. They only reason they still fly them is they can't afford newer planes so they can retire their F-4s now. It's a numbers game to maintain airframe fleet sizes even though the F-4s are high-hours, fatigued planes and really should have been retired 10 years ago. The Iranian F-4s are basket cases held together by baling wire. Who knows? Not like they're gonna admit over half the stuff on the planes doesn't work anymore and that those planes probably wouldn't pass safety inspections in the West! Some sources say a combination of 50 F-4Ds and F-4Es may be operational in Iran but I doubt it's even half that.
The idea for the cover art may have come from a Marine squadron flying carrier quals. It is rather peculiar. The Marines really did not fly mig-cap missions. This bird has a couple AIM-9 sidewinders that appear to be inert training missiles. Obviously, I guess obviously to a trained eye, this bird is not carrying anything like a combat load for a Marine fighter/bomber and that is how the Marines employed their F-4s, especially in Vietnam, where they mostly flew out of Da Nang Air Base. I am not aware of many aircraft carrier combat flight ops for Marine F-4s from carriers off of Yankee Station; no doubt, there may have been a sortie here or there for a Marine aircrew integrated into a USN squadron flying combat missions up north, but it was surely the exception. But as I previously mentioned, this aircraft is nowhere near 'bombed-up' with a combat load. The sky in the picture is beautiful and is not embellished at all. I flew C-130s and flew throughout a good hunk of the Pacific, to places like Wake Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Guam, Midway Island, the Philippines, Johnston Atoll and of course, The Hawaiian Islands. Let me tell you, sunrises and sunsets are absolutely spectacular in the Pacific, especially from the unfettered perspective of the little Coral atolls. Everything about these little specs in the Pacific is, at least to me, emotionally overwhelming; the flora and fauna, the crystal clear ocean waters, the Coral reefs and azure lagoons, the coconut trees and sweet smelling tropical flowers. But these atolls were also the scenes of horrific carnage during battles of the Pacific. Some of these atolls where combat took place were as small as a couple square miles, where over ten thousand or more combatants lost their lives on these tiny paradises, turned into war zones. It is mind blowing to think of the combat forces and firepower concentrated in those flat little arenas of death and destruction. Today they are peaceful little beautiful areas, but 70 years ago, these areas were, Hell on Earth. War must be avoided at all costs!!! Unfortunately the international bankers(we know who they are), see war as a money making venture. Like with any crime, follow the money and generally, you will know who is behind it.
FYI-This F-4J was piloted by Marine, Lt.Col John Cochran...his RIO was Maj. Hank Carr...on the USS Nimitz, 155819/155526 Viet Nam. He was a personal friend of mine and we discussed his tour often...
Another great looking build! I've built a number of Italeri kits and they sometimes can be VERY hit and miss. They have a very bad habit of re-releasing old 1970's era kits in new boxings with new decals. But you appear to have done pretty well on this build and pulled it together nicely! Gotta love them Phantom! Hope you had a great Xmas and all the best for 2019! BTW check out my build albums on scalemates if your interested... www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=18989&p=albums&show=all
Thanks James C! I see you're mainly an armor builder (Nice work, BTW). I love to look at hobbyists' armor pieces. I actually think it's the best genre of all the model fields. It's so versatile in what can be created and how it is detailed. Best wishes to you for 2019!
Great looking Phantom ! I too am old enough to remember when F-4's were a common sight and seeing them at airshows was always cool. I like the mottled application of your base coats, it adds subtly to the weathering. Thanks for sharing this and here's to a great 2019 ! Also, sorry for the loss of your two pups. It is never easy to lose a loved one, whether they have two legs or four.
That pod on the center line should be a gun pod, not a fuel tank. It was originally believed that modern fighters wouldn't need a gun with all the guided missiles. Turns out they were wrong and a gun system was cobbled onto the Phantom.
it was more common for carrier operations to be done using the center line tank as it saved the stress fatigue caused by catapult launching with bombs and outer wing fuel tanks on.
Another excellent build, well done! Your channel is a firm favourite of mine, I normally can't wait to watch when I see you've got a new video up! Merry Christmas!
The F-4 Phantom airframe could keep accelerating until it melted and blew apart. It was limited to Mach 2.4 Any jet made of aluminum, starts turning into jelly at Mach 2.6
Hi Sir I see you covered F-4J Black . I learned Black Color Shows more heat. I also learned heat is light in the Wave Spectrum. Maybe that's way when moist hit stealth planes Black paint Change the layering paint stealth pattern of the plane.I not 100% sure Sir if Micro Robots green paint be goos. I heard Micro paint green when chip of it re paint on the chip area.The Micro robot green paint take Radar wave as energy that's a plus to.wow you did great Teaching the paint layering. Thank you Sir.
love the phantom as well as it was the dominant jet when i started building models in the 70's, and your vids are very helpful. Re: raised panel lines versus recessed panel lines...is there a guideline on what brands and production years that we can expect recessed panel lines on? In the last 3.5 years I have completed two 1/48 Testors Phantom F4-G's, a 1/72 Testors F-16D, a 1/48 Monogram F-15C Eagle, and two 1/48 Revell Tomcats and was disappointed to find all had raised panel lines inside (older kits found on eBay as my son was seeking jets exclusively with tigershark mouths and then jets from bases in our state). A newer 1/48 F/A -18 Superhornet from Revell was purchased locally and thankfully had recessed panel lines and rivet holes. The finished look is so much nicer. I learned from the internet that Italeri and Testors had either used the same molds or that one company had purchased the other's old molds? What year/scale Italeri would you recommend?
Hi alrammd, some model companies were quicker than others to get away from those dreaded raised panel lines, but I can only guess that overall the recessed panel lines became the norm around 2000-2001(?). Max's Models on RUclips has made many interesting videos about the history of some model companies that are still around today and of others that have become extinct. You may note from the documentaries that often molds from companies that go out of business are sold to others and are simply re-boxed under another brand name. Scalemates.com also has many history pages about individual kits out there. You may get "clues" about when quality and standards ramped up from those listings.(The F-4J is the only Italeri model I've built thus far, so I'm not too knowledgeable about their line of products.) Hope that helps! 😄
Great job! I always enjoy your calm explanations and background information on each model. 1/48 is also my favourite scale :) For my own model building (the first after some 25 years) I'm soaking up your techniques to improve the outcome. Thanks for your work and many greetings from Germany (where the Phantom looked way different, but I remember the chill on my skin hearing the exact same sound of it as a child)
Sorry for your loss,my little buddy Lumpy the cat passed in 2005,and still miss her.Excellent job on that kit too.Very easy build for you,didn't know you build armor to,I too build armor and military vehicles,started out with aircraft in the 80s.So many phantoms that I do believe I also built the same kit.Thanks for sharing.🤓
This could be a nice seller for Italeri..... if they priced it at reasonable rrp. Unfortunately they seem to be asking (at least in the UK) the same sort of money as Academy charge their f-4.
Sorry to bother you again, but with the tomcat every model I have seen it’s been just one whole shade of gray for the entire aircraft while in the instructions it calls for three on the cats from 101 11 and Vf-2. What’s the deal? Please help me! Thanks.
Hi Riley, that's a great question for sure. I struggle with the same conflict. I find in most images of the actual F-14 aircraft that the differences in the grey shades are often indiscernible. I usually go with what I can see in those photographs which may mean I ignore the other greys. However, if you like the look of the paint guide suggestions, definitely go with what pleases you.
Hi Riley, Tomcats were originally painted in the Gull Grey over White Schemes like Max's Phantom, but later they were painted overall Gull Grey. Later still, that scheme was replaced with a Tactical Paint Scheme that was 3 shades of blue-grey. With wear and tear and corrosion control the three greys tended to blend together, so just go with what pleases you!
@@MaxAfterburner Have you tried contacting the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola? I got out of Navy right when F-14's were coming to fleet but everything else was painted gray top and sides, white bottom.
Stunning work as always !!! You've cirtainly got the right noise to resemble the A-10. It sent shivers down my spine !! Lol I hope you get to down from the dipsticks below that just can't help themselves to not put what's wrong with this fabulous build !!! You've done another amazing job. I hope you and your family are well buddy and have a great Christmas and new year !! I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It's horrible we've had dogs all of our lives and lost one last year that I had from the prison where I was stationed as she was to nice to be a sniffer dog. !!! Stay safe my friend and have a brill new year
As someone who voted for the F-4, I was initially disappointed that a smaller scale was chosen. However, after watching the build I was very impressed with the attention to detail including rectifying the (several) flaws of the kit. The finished model looks incredible and is one of my favourites from your series. Thank you very much for sharing this build with us.
Hi A Nac, the gloss coat provides protection of the main surface paint job from the weathering and washes that are subsequently added. It also provides a smooth surface for the wash to run in panel lines to highlight and detail those features as well as create a finish that allows for better application of the decals.
what kind of glue do you use. and also i cant find that putty you normaly use. can you reccomend an alternative. great video as always and great looking build
I mainly use the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement (Green Top). Have you tried Amazon for the Perfect Plastic Putty? I'm not readily familiar with another water based putty that would act as a substitute. Thanks for watching!
@@MaxAfterburner so you mean that the right colour is not mixen 6 different gunze paints + 2 different shades of tamiya light blue and xf-83? So now i actually have to.built one of my kits instead of researching colour schemes?
Hi Black Cat, this Italeri kit takes some extra work to get it in shape. If that's something you wish to avoid, there are probably other kits out there that are better. 😉
Of course, but I just wanted to mention the context of the clip as they were in their "last days". As I was coming onto the base that F-4 made a beautiful pass by the flightline very fast and made a hard 90 degree roll away to the right. It was fantastic, but I wasn't expecting the flyby so I did not have my camera ready to record that!
Good night Max...🙏 Again: Wonderful....Great....The Best!! Super Fi!!! I have 5 dogs. My best friends and family. Much better humans...🤗 Congratulations...👏👏👏 🇧🇷🇺🇸🇧🇷🇺🇸
My name is Cpl.Jim Curry. I was a Trip-Trey Plane captain from 82'- 86' . Knowing this Phantom like the back of my hand, you did one hell of a job on this model! I'm impressed and I'm ordering it! Semper Fi! Ooh Rah!
Hi Jim, thanks for your service first of all. I'm thrilled to hear from a member of the actual unit that's portrayed on the model. I hope your build goes well and that it brings back a lot of good memories. 😃
What a beautifully made F-4J.I'm currently building the Academy F-4J of VF-102 "diamond backs",the Academy kit is one of the best F-4 kits in any scale which I have encountered to date,I built the Italeri kit a while back,using the RAF 74 squadron decals.
Great job on a really 'basic' kit - it's a reissue of the 1980 Esci one with just a few improvements and (much) better decals - Just one 'note' for future USN builds if I may: The XF-19 that you used this time is far too blue and dark for the 'actual' USN Light Gull Grey - that colour is a much lighter and has a more 'mushroom' tone. It may be worth exploring other paint ranges to find more accurate colours, or if you want to stick with Tamiya acrylics, perhaps look at some mixing ratio's for future projects. No criticism intended, I've just found your channel and am enjoying the builds. Really well lit and filmed, great commentary and some nice informative snippets too. Each one is definitely an improvement on the last. Looking forward to your next builds. Best from NZ.
hi Tom, great job as always.. I know you will be building the viewers choice kits, but I just wanted to suggest a future build.. the trumpeter 1/48 L-39 , the aircraft in which you flew in...that would be a cool build...happy modeling..
There are jokes about F-4 like: "a triumph of thrust over aerodynamics" or "the proof that even a brick can fly with a good engine attached to". I don't know, for me - the plain was beautiful, very aggressive and predatory look, a killing machine, for sure. As somebody said: "this machine looks like it was built to kill somebody". Nice video, and great job as always, thanks! So, what do you think about ITALERI?
Amazing job as always! I'm currently working in a F104 in 1/72. This is my first plane and only my second model ever using an airbrush. I'm really struggling, the masking is horrible in this tiny scale and I've had a lot of overspray and applied the primer way too thick. Had to sand it down and lost most of the panel lines in the process. It won't look like I envisioned it before starting the build, but hey I won't give up and finish it anyways. All part of the learning process I guess. I might look at a 1/48 plane next time though. Any advice for working on 1/72 planes?
Hi Marcus AAA, thanks! I personally stay away from the 1/72 scale because it's too small for me. I'd only use it if I was doing a large scale aircraft carrier deck and needed a lot of planes. It's worth practicing and learning if you are having fun with it! I would recommend the RUclips channel by "PLASMO". He generally focuses on 1/72 scale and smaller items--and he's very good. I believe he has the most subscribers of any modeler on the internet that I know of. Good Luck!
Hi Hanz, you know me well! Yes, this particular one was installed correctly! ;-) If you take a closer look in the retrospective portion of this F-4 video episode, you'll see that the HUD on the F-22 and the F-16C were corrected :-P
@@MaxAfterburner Glad the nights spent cringing about the reversed HUDs are now over! :-) i was not yet done on my Tammy/Academy Tomcat Double build and now you have another stunner!
As always these are great videos. I purchased the Revel 1:48 scale A-10 Warthog and want to get to some of the skill level/detail I see in your videos. Do you have a public contact method that I could bounce questions/ideas off to you?
Why dont you save up money to buy a quality kit? Seriously this kit is absolute trash I'm not saying it's your fault but I think you should have gone for the Hasegawa kit which is a way better kit with insane detail. You did a great job with what you had at your disposal here but I can imagine some of the amazing work you could do on a quality kit.
Hi Tyler, actually when I was searching for a 1/48 scale Phantom, this was the only one available at the time for me. However, I did want to try another company that I was unfamiliar with to see what they had to offer and Italeri was the one by chance. Maybe in the future I can do a better Phantom kit and create a comparison video.
Max, these are great videos you've posted. I'm a big fan and from my searching you seem to be the most to explain your process. If you ever get a chance could you please share a few videos of the techniques in a little more detail? Your F-22 video you explained some of the technique issues I had as a kid, like most of us did. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you again.
Great job on the build! I’m currently in the works of building the Tamiya 1/48 F-15C Eagle. I do not own an airbrush and I use a brush to paint. I hope it will be as good as yours
Hi, when I apply the second wash to the decals to blend and dirty them up with the surrounding areas I don't add another gloss coat. However, everything will get that final dull coat at the end.
This is the second of your videos that I've watched, and found them informative. I have a question though, have you ever seen a model of the Grunman A-6E Intruder? I worked on that bird while in the Navy (VA-176 02/81 - 07/84) and would love to find a model to build.
Hi Larry, there are some available and some still on back order depending on the scale of the A-6E Intruder you want to build. You can check them out at Scalehobbyist and also Hobbylinc. Both of these suppliers are online.
I watched a documentary about McDonald Douglass and they said that the reason it did so well was because they went to the pilots and asked what they wanted. The Air Force and Navy did not even want a new plane but, the pilots liked the plane so much and the plane was so good they got it anyway. Awesome job on this model! Can't wait to see what will fly off your bench next.
Beautifully done! I would mention though, the lower speed brakes should be in the down position while parked. They are hydrolically actuated and droop whith power off.
Hi Jaycat48, it would have required a little scratch building and modification since it wasn't an option on this kit, but that would have been a nice detail. 🤔
What a great gift! I use a higher paint ratio than most builders with ~ 80% paint to 20% thinner mix. Most modelers use about 60-70% paint to the appropriate amount of thinner to equal 100%.
It's too vague a question to get useful information. Pressure that you use depends entirely on what you're doing at the time, what paint you use, even the colour. Light colours tend to be thinner so you can often end up with thinner laint/thinner mixture which would require a lower pressure.
@@ryanwu332 precisely :) thinner paint will run easier and takes less energy to get through the nozzle. Similarly you will find that thicker paint, or paints with larger pigments (Metallics etc.) will require a larger nozzle too.
Excellent. The Phantom has always been one of my favorites. Really sorry about your dogs. I know that pain all too well. Cheers.
Man I love your videos. It’s like a cross between a Wings episode (back when Discovery was awesome) and one of those old how-to videos on PBS back in the day. Informative and calming. A great way to unwind.
Hi Peter, thanks! Viewers are finding different ways to enjoy these videos, so this is great to hear!
If you ever get the chance I think you would love to build the Academy Phantoms. They fit together really well and the kits are just plain fun to build
wow, just can't tell you enough how Im enjoying all of your builds! I've watched a few of your other kit builds on your channel, and Im just in awe! Thanks for making it easy to follow along, sharing soem really nifty construction tips, and providing a little background on what your building along the way. Im gettting back into model building after a little hiatus- you've given me more than a little to try on my next kit! keep up the fantastic work!
Thanks Eclipse horse and have fun 🙂
Nice work, love the drum pad.
Thanks Woody! 😉😊
Thanks. Normally not a big fan of Italeri, but I was thinking about buying this kit. You're video helped a lot to make up my mind. Nice built and amazing end result..
Thanks Erwin! It takes a little extra work, but you can get a decent result.
This is one of the best informative videos I have seen for a scale model. I just brought this kit and its been incredibly helpful. Thankyou!
Thanks for the kind comments, I'm glad it was helpful! 😃
Awesome.. Thanks from NZ 👍🇳🇿
Thanks again, All Good! I think the new Tamiya F-4 will certainly overshadow these older F-4 kits out there. 😛
@@MaxAfterburner A good book is USMC Phantoms In Combat by Lou Drendel...
Really enjoy your work, sir. I am currently working on a 1/72 AC130H Spectre by Italeri. I should rephrase that...I am in the research process of two aircraft. One Vietnam Era, one Gulf War. Keep making these wonderful videos. I'm learning a lot and I'm an old dog.
Hi ddhale190, thanks so much for the kind comments! Have fun with the AC130Hs! 😄
I'd love to see you do a model of the SR-71. Testors had a great model of it. But it's been a VERY long time. Your channel is great and is making me seriously consider getting back into modeling at 44 years old. Thank you for making me remember my childhood :)
Thanks Lord Vulcan, I hope you have some fun and recall some great memories if you decide to start up again. Most SR-71s seem to be on back order and unavailable with 1/72 scale being the most produced.
The f 4 and f 15 made by same team in st Louis mo. My back yard as a teen. And a friend's dad designed and built both aircraft ! F 15 was far better ! But f 4 was a great platform for the work performed. Sad it's gone. But that's the nature. Nice work
Thanks Kevin 🙂
Very nice result on such a basic kit. For my taste, the black wash is a bit too much. I would go for a grey wash. But that is just a matter of taste of course.
Certainly!
My condolences for your pets that passed away. Losing a beloved pet is really like losing a family member.
Yes, they are my greatest joy...and sorrow. Thanks, Eric.
@Tristen Jayson Sounds like you need a new girlfriend if you need to hack her account.
One thing I love in Italeri is their decaling options and also the quality is good, better than Tamiya's decals.
Hi Vortex, I agree. The decals were super thin, but not flimsy. I was also surprised to find decals with no carrier film outer border. I didn't have to trim the edges at all.
Awesome work max, we always enjoy your videos!
Thank you Jeremiah, glad to have your support!
афтемаркет не используется совсем... А какой результат!!! Великолепно!
Еще раз спасибо, Леха!
Great work, love the look of it max!
Thanks KAMO! I liked the white, black, grey and decal color combination on this one.
I feel your loss. Our French Bulldog just passed away after my mom had fought for his health for 2 years continuously...
Thanks, and I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It's hard to let them go, isn't it?
@@MaxAfterburner
Absolutely. Men's best friend, always says I love you, always listens to what you have to say and very very rarely disagrees. Perfectly made for humans. 😂😥
Oh-Thank god finally
Ta-Da! Thanks, CO Jeff!
Nice!
Thanks SpicyPepperBlue!
when you remove the panel wash is the swab wet or dry ?
Hi Peter, the cotton is moistened with plain water.
nice work …………………….
Hi Kenneth, thanks 🙂
I have that kit, but I ruined the plastic parts (bad accident). Any suggestions on how to get a replacement set?
Hi Bill 777, all I can suggest is buying a whole new kit (ugh). I can't think of anyone who replaces components of model kits. 😯
@@MaxAfterburner Thanks. I am going to try to make a new set using vacuforming, but that is a whole other project. The rear canopy was totally destroyed but I have a close match from another kit.
I certainly hope that works out. Vacuforming? Wow and...yikes! 😉
Hi, very good videos. What kit/(kits) would you recommend for a complote beginner in aviation modeling. I want to work with 1/48 scale but yet no idea where to start.
Hi Egor, 1/48 scale is probably the best place to start. 1/32 scale models planes have a lot more pieces, detail and work to get through that you might not want to start as a beginner. 1/72 scale is smaller and can be actually more difficult than 1/48. You'd have to pick an era of aircraft you are primarily interested in of course. Tamiya and Hasegawa kits usually fit pretty well together. Other model company kits may be more difficult and require more skill to "correct" them.
Max_Afterburner thank you for response! Very interested in Cold War- present aircrafts. Will be learning using your channel! Thank you again!
you choose the easy f-4j kit i got the academy one
Could make an AV-8 or F-117
Where can I get some kits online?
There are numerous outlets available with a simple search online. Two popular sites are Scalehobbyist and Hobbylinc.
Max_Afterburner thank you
Nice job! I didn't realize that the Italeri kit had recessed panel lines. I thought it was similar to the old Monogram kit.
Thanks Doctor Wigglespank! It's a fear of mine that I'll open a box and find raised panel lines again. I think if I come across another one, I'll close the lid and put it back on the shelf. :-P
Im still working on that 1/32nd scale Phantom....if you have a private email or messanger id love to show you the progress and see what you think...ive used alot of your techniques from former videos
I'd like to see what you've got! You can e-mail me via the address listed in the "About" section on my channel. I don't want to post it here directly to avoid spam and bots.
Very nice! Your kit is much bigger and more detailed than the one I did. That cockpit has seen some use, I really like what you've done! Are you going to add some panel wash?
@@MaxAfterburner i actually did add panel wash...somehow i didnt send you those pics...standby lol
Great, looks good! I like the seepage areas around some of the panels. It reminds me a lot of what I encountered during my days working on F-16s, so it seems genuine in appearance. :-)
@@MaxAfterburner thanks! i got that idea from you and loved how those f16s looked....keep up the great vids! cant wait fore more!
Right now, in service, I think there are around 150-200 operational F-4s between Greece, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, and Japan. The average service number per country seems to be about 35-40 planes, maybe two squadrons worth, tops. The Iranians claim 53-55 operational planes -- maybe... with baling wire.
I think it's a safe bet 4 of those 5 countries will probably be out of the F-4 business in the next seven years.
I think only Iran may have them after 2025 for obvious reasons!
The US has one flying F-4 left, a civilian-operated F-4 (an F-4D), maybe a second one flying in the next ten years IF they can get that F-4A certified for flying. That F-4A 145310 (the 13th F-4 ever built), has been under restoration for the better part of 20 years now. They already had to modify it a bit because there weren't any salvageable/flight-worthy F-4A vintage engines left. warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/sageburner-mcdonnell-f4h-1f-phantom-ii-for-sale.html
J79-GE-15 vintage engines -- Air Force F-4C vintage engines being installed in a Navy (F-4A) plane! Hmmm....
That F-4A has undoubtedly a LONGER flying life ahead of it than the civilian F-4D which was probably worked harder. That F-4A "retired" in 1964 with less than 500 flying hours on it. An F-4 is good for AT LEAST 4000 hours without major rebuild although I think they easily got over 6000 hours on quite a few Phantom fleets in the West (over 5000 on UK Phantoms, most likely over 6000 hours average on the Luftwaffe Phantoms which were around 40 years old by the time they retired).
Right now, AMARC Experience's Inventory update (www.amarcexperience.com) says there are only 59 Phantoms left in storage in Arizona.
That's a low number for Phantoms... There used to be HUNDREDS of Phantoms in storage at AMARC. My understanding is that the G-models were decimated in recent years by the drone program because they were favored airframes for conversion. They also converted D's and E's but heavily favored the G-model.
I'm surprised to see there were 15 F-4F (simplified export E-version) models. Those were the training jets the Luftwaffe left behind when they disbanded their training unit in the US and moved all training "in-house," back to Germany. The US unit training Luftwaffe guys WAS the last "active duty" Air Force F-4 unit, guys. They were operating F-4F's into the 2000s in the US out west (I think). I actually met one of these trainers. I'm pretty sure I annoyed him! (laugh)
It was unintentional -- I really didn't mean to be a wiseass but for some reason I've had some bad luck with fighter pilot crews! (OTOH, I'm NOT gonna antagonize a Marine, even unintentionally... That's not a good idea!)
There are low numbers on F-18s (A-D models) as well. Less than 80 left BUT reading that these planes are literally being chewed up to the bone and that some have shed pieces during airshows that puts things in perspective!
Not surprised to see only 10 F-14s there right now... They're mostly reserved for museums, and one of those units is the 80th Iranian Tomcat but was repurposed for training (I think it's the one listed as NF-14A). Who knows what's going to happen to that plane? I doubt they're gonna hand it over to the Iranian government -- it's just not happening.
F-16s? King of the fighters there. Over 400 in inventory right now but that'll probably go down as more are stripped for parts or possibly converted into drones.
F-15s? Under 170.
Harriers? Mostly the retired British Harriers, about 50 frames left. The Marines parted out 22-frames worth of planes to keep their fleet going on until at least 2025.
The only American Harrier I saw listed was a TAV-8A, a first-generation American model roughly equivalent to the Harrier GR.1, the very first production Harrier. The "T" tells you it's a two-seat conversion trainer -- and a very, very old plane. They stopped flying the first-gen Harriers in the US by the late 1980s. They barely had those planes in service 18(?) years and lost about half those planes in accidents.
A-4s? Just under 150... That's actually quite a lot for a 66-year-old design!
I have a feeling they might still be flying A-4s after the last F-16 in US service is retired!
Hi AvengerII, wow! Know something of jets, do you? ;-)
You're definitely an expert, thanks for the info!
@@MaxAfterburner Nope --!
Just an enthusiast with WAY too much time who read a bunch about this stuff through high school! I like fighter design, they're my favorite military aircraft type, and I THOUGHT about going into engineering but the high level math and some other things made me change my mind quick about that. That and the university I initially went to had some political issues and was NOT an environment I cared for.
I only saw F-4s fly three times overhead.
First, they overflew the 1988 graduation at my high school because a guy from the graduating class (not me; I left the looney bin two years later!) had been accepted into the Air Force Academy on a football scholarship. They flew a group of Phantoms (don't know which model, maybe a 6-8 plane detachment in a diamond formation) overhead during the ceremony. I'm positive it was to honor the guy who got into the USAF Academy. (The Toledo, Ohio ANG base was still operating A-7's at the time and transitioned to F-16s in the early 1990s. The Toledo base was 60 miles north of where I lived.) I think they came from South so possibly they were attached to the Rickenbacker ANG base south of Columbus, Ohio. They had a fighter wing back then and they were still widely using F-4s through the late 1980s until the F-16 started replacing the bulk of F-4s still in service with the ANG. Rickenbacker, btw, is now a mixed-used facility. Small public airfield and strategic transport. They lost their fighter wing years ago. In fact, they USED to have three fighter wings in Ohio at Columbus, Springfield, and Toledo. Only Toledo has a fighter group because I guess they think we're gonna fight the French Canadians some day?
Anyhow, short story is the guy who into the Academy didn't last past a semester. He couldn't hack the math! No, he did NOT get the fuel bill from the government for the F-4 "honor squad" that flew over his high school graduation but I KNOW for a fact that the guy STOLE gasoline from a gas station without paying when he was on our high school track team!
The second time I saw F-4s was at the Dayton Air Show in 1990. A pair of RF-4Cs flew past the crowd but didn't do much more than zip in and zip out -- not very maneuverable. They WERE LOUD. I think the F-14 that also flew that day was almost as loud. The Navy Tomcat demo team (both from Ohio, Cleveland and Dayton) flew a brand-new F-14B model (formerly called the A+ upgrade) with F110 engines (basically the same F110 model used by Block 30 and Block 40 F-16Cs; the Navy sold its F110s to the Air Force after they retired the F-14 for good, when it was obvious the plane would NEVER be brought back into service). I was very impressed by that demo and I thought they underplayed how maneuverable that plane really was with that engine! Very tight turns and it NEVER left sight of the crowd. I can't understand how ANYONE would call the F-14 unmaneuverable after seeing a display like that unless they were a knucklehead!
The F-16 that flew that day at Dayton accelerated faster and climbed faster (quieter, too) but it also disappeared into the clouds at times and I NEVER had the sense the F-16 was at good at slow speed displays as the F-14, F-18, or (later) the F-15 I saw in Chicago. Just my impression although I think what I've read suggests the F-16 was optimized for middle of the envelope maneuvering anyway. Where the F-18's better at maneuvering is at speeds that WILL get you killed in combat if somebody sneaks up behind you because you have literally ZERO energy at the speeds where it DOES point its nose better than any other plane! You're NOT getting away from anyway in that kill zone and the F-18 does NOT have the best acceleration or climb in the world, either. That's the thing they don't tell people when they're selling that plane! I saw the Blue Angels F-18s at the same air show and I gotta they're the best demo team I've seen and they flew VERY close to the ground. I think I only ever got unnerved by them when I saw them years later flying over Chicago. My concern was WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY HAVE A MECHANICAL ISSUE OVER THE CITY?!? They DID fly over downtown a few times and I think I even heard them practice ahead of the Chicago show, too.
The last time I saw the F-4 in person (operational plane, NOT a museum piece) was in 2000/2001 at an EAA fly-in near Orlando, Florida. One of the last F-4F training aircraft used by the USAF for the Luftwaffe squadron based in the US flew in. THAT'S when I bugged the hell out of an Air Force pilot! (I did the same thing to an F-14 crewman/RIO(?) 10 years earlier at Dayton. At least he wasn't part of the demo team; he was just sitting by his fighter. They had 3 F-14s there, two on static display. One A and one B for sure. Not positive if they had a third plane!) I haven't annoyed a Marine aviator yet but I have annoyed flight officers in two of the three major American air arms! To my knowledge, I haven't annoyed any RAF personnel yet...
And now, there are probably less than 100 operational F-4 Phantoms worldwide.
The US has one civilian-operated F-4 but who knows for how much longer? Another group (aside from the Collings Foundation) has been trying to get an older F-4A which has less hours on it than the currently operational F-4D Collings operates but who knows if that'll happen. The closest that F-4A has come flying in the air for the first time in over 50 years is taxiing on a runway!
Japan is retiring its last 1-2 F-4 squadrons next year. I think it's 23 or fewer planes.
South Korea I believe has less than 30 operational F-4s, maybe like 2 squadrons.
Greece and Turkey both have less than 30 Phantoms operational. They only reason they still fly them is they can't afford newer planes so they can retire their F-4s now. It's a numbers game to maintain airframe fleet sizes even though the F-4s are high-hours, fatigued planes and really should have been retired 10 years ago.
The Iranian F-4s are basket cases held together by baling wire. Who knows? Not like they're gonna admit over half the stuff on the planes doesn't work anymore and that those planes probably wouldn't pass safety inspections in the West! Some sources say a combination of 50 F-4Ds and F-4Es may be operational in Iran but I doubt it's even half that.
max..please built the su-30 Mk2 indonesian air force scale 1/48 please..model kit from academy hobby kit
That looks like a great jet to build. I'll have to put it on my list!
@@MaxAfterburner yeah...!!!that do awesome dude...
my su-30 academy model kit scale 1/48 didn't finish...maybe yours video helpful for me
The idea for the cover art may have come from a Marine squadron flying carrier quals. It is rather peculiar. The Marines really did not fly mig-cap missions. This bird has a couple AIM-9 sidewinders that appear to be inert training missiles. Obviously, I guess obviously to a trained eye, this bird is not carrying anything like a combat load for a Marine fighter/bomber and that is how the Marines employed their F-4s, especially in Vietnam, where they mostly flew out of Da Nang Air Base. I am not aware of many aircraft carrier combat flight ops for Marine F-4s from carriers off of Yankee Station; no doubt, there may have been a sortie here or there for a Marine aircrew integrated into a USN squadron flying combat missions up north, but it was surely the exception. But as I previously mentioned, this aircraft is nowhere near 'bombed-up' with a combat load.
The sky in the picture is beautiful and is not embellished at all. I flew C-130s and flew throughout a good hunk of the Pacific, to places like Wake Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Guam, Midway Island, the Philippines, Johnston Atoll and of course, The Hawaiian Islands. Let me tell you, sunrises and sunsets are absolutely spectacular in the Pacific, especially from the unfettered perspective of the little Coral atolls. Everything about these little specs in the Pacific is, at least to me, emotionally overwhelming; the flora and fauna, the crystal clear ocean waters, the Coral reefs and azure lagoons, the coconut trees and sweet smelling tropical flowers. But these atolls were also the scenes of horrific carnage during battles of the Pacific. Some of these atolls where combat took place were as small as a couple square miles, where over ten thousand or more combatants lost their lives on these tiny paradises, turned into war zones. It is mind blowing to think of the combat forces and firepower concentrated in those flat little arenas of death and destruction. Today they are peaceful little beautiful areas, but 70 years ago, these areas were, Hell on Earth.
War must be avoided at all costs!!! Unfortunately the international bankers(we know who they are), see war as a money making venture. Like with any crime, follow the money and generally, you will know who is behind it.
FYI-This F-4J was piloted by Marine, Lt.Col John Cochran...his RIO was Maj. Hank Carr...on the USS Nimitz, 155819/155526 Viet Nam. He was a personal friend of mine and we discussed his tour often...
Another great looking build! I've built a number of Italeri kits and they sometimes can be VERY hit and miss. They have a very bad habit of re-releasing old 1970's era kits in new boxings with new decals. But you appear to have done pretty well on this build and pulled it together nicely! Gotta love them Phantom! Hope you had a great Xmas and all the best for 2019!
BTW check out my build albums on scalemates if your interested...
www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=18989&p=albums&show=all
Thanks James C! I see you're mainly an armor builder (Nice work, BTW). I love to look at hobbyists' armor pieces. I actually think it's the best genre of all the model fields. It's so versatile in what can be created and how it is detailed. Best wishes to you for 2019!
One of the best Phantoms i've ever seen! Great job Max! Greetings from Switzerland!
Thanks Michi Panther, I appreciate your comments from all the way overseas!
His modeling skills are incredible.
@@MaxAfterburner Please make a Hawker Tempest mk 2 of the Pakistan air force.
love from Pakistan.
Great looking Phantom ! I too am old enough to remember when F-4's were a common sight and seeing them at airshows was always cool. I like the mottled application of your base coats, it adds subtly to the weathering. Thanks for sharing this and here's to a great 2019 ! Also, sorry for the loss of your two pups. It is never easy to lose a loved one, whether they have two legs or four.
Thanks very much JS Idaho for all your comments! Best Wishes to you for the New Year 2019 :-)
At 20:30 you got the AIM-9 mixed up with the AIM-7. You did get it right at the start of the video.
Regardless great job. It looks really good.
Hi MacGynan, I sure did! :-P
Tengo una 💡 en los motores ponerle luces y dentro del motor pintarlo en rojo como si estuviera prendido Nice 🙂
That pod on the center line should be a gun pod, not a fuel tank. It was originally believed that modern fighters wouldn't need a gun with all the guided missiles. Turns out they were wrong and a gun system was cobbled onto the Phantom.
it was more common for carrier operations to be done using the center line tank as it saved the stress fatigue caused by catapult launching with bombs and outer wing fuel tanks on.
By the time VMFA333 was stationed on the Nimitz the war in Vietnam was over and they hardly ever carried the gun pod.
Another excellent build, well done! Your channel is a firm favourite of mine, I normally can't wait to watch when I see you've got a new video up! Merry Christmas!
Thanks Oliver, Happy New Year to you for 2019!
The F-4 Phantom airframe could keep accelerating until it melted and blew apart. It was limited to Mach 2.4 Any jet made of aluminum, starts turning into jelly at Mach 2.6
Excellent work,but Italeri PHANTOM models have mistake with canopy. It must be always open.
Hi Sir I see you covered F-4J Black . I learned Black Color Shows more heat. I also learned heat is light in the Wave Spectrum. Maybe that's way when moist hit stealth planes Black paint Change the layering paint stealth pattern of the plane.I not 100% sure Sir if Micro Robots green paint be goos. I heard Micro paint green when chip of it re paint on the chip area.The Micro robot green paint take Radar wave as energy that's a plus to.wow you did great Teaching the paint layering. Thank you Sir.
Hi Richard, glad you enjoyed this F-4J Phantom II ! 😎
love the phantom as well as it was the dominant jet when i started building models in the 70's, and your vids are very helpful.
Re: raised panel lines versus recessed panel lines...is there a guideline on what brands and production years that we can expect recessed panel lines on? In the last 3.5 years I have completed two 1/48 Testors Phantom F4-G's, a 1/72 Testors F-16D, a 1/48 Monogram F-15C Eagle, and two 1/48 Revell Tomcats and was disappointed to find all had raised panel lines inside (older kits found on eBay as my son was seeking jets exclusively with tigershark mouths and then jets from bases in our state). A newer 1/48 F/A -18 Superhornet from Revell was purchased locally and thankfully had recessed panel lines and rivet holes. The finished look is so much nicer. I learned from the internet that Italeri and Testors had either used the same molds or that one company had purchased the other's old molds? What year/scale Italeri would you recommend?
Hi alrammd, some model companies were quicker than others to get away from those dreaded raised panel lines, but I can only guess that overall the recessed panel lines became the norm around 2000-2001(?). Max's Models on RUclips has made many interesting videos about the history of some model companies that are still around today and of others that have become extinct. You may note from the documentaries that often molds from companies that go out of business are sold to others and are simply re-boxed under another brand name. Scalemates.com also has many history pages about individual kits out there. You may get "clues" about when quality and standards ramped up from those listings.(The F-4J is the only Italeri model I've built thus far, so I'm not too knowledgeable about their line of products.)
Hope that helps! 😄
My all time favourite fighter plane. Beautifully built. Thanks for your great job.
Thanks Sebastien 😉
Excellent video and I'm very sorry for the loss of your sweet dogs. Very nice memorial at the end of the video. Take care!
Thanks Kevin!
That super thin spray pattern coming out your airbrush is giving me an anxiety attack. But overall it looks awesome. Great job!
Hi Driveway STAR, thanks for the kind comments 😃
Enjoyed watching your build! Wish I had your talent. Hope to watch more great builds from you, great job!
Thanks Charles, you can do it too!
Those ECM fairings on the intakes make it an F-4S...
F4j had also
I love how use no music, just the art of model building. period.
edit: but you did use some, in a not over powering way.
Hi Fish BBQ, sometimes I don't have much to say, but I'm trying to increase the amount of narration in my newer videos. 😉
Todo modelo debería traer los pilotos se verían más atractivo Si
Just beautiful brother! Keep it up. I always look forward to watching you build.
Thanks so very much Manny 1!
Beautiful jet. I love how you did the wash.
Question. What do you use for your wash?
This one was a wash using pastel powder mixed in water.
Another great, informative video. Thank you.
Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed!
Great job! I always enjoy your calm explanations and background information on each model. 1/48 is also my favourite scale :) For my own model building (the first after some 25 years) I'm soaking up your techniques to improve the outcome. Thanks for your work and many greetings from Germany (where the Phantom looked way different, but I remember the chill on my skin hearing the exact same sound of it as a child)
...and - what I saw just now after posting my comment - feeling with you about your recent loss. We've been through it, two times, too...
Thanks Filo, I hope you have great success on your projects!
Si compras el modelo sería bueno que trajese los parches
Sorry for your loss,my little buddy Lumpy the cat passed in 2005,and still miss her.Excellent job on that kit too.Very easy build for you,didn't know you build armor to,I too build armor and military vehicles,started out with aircraft in the 80s.So many phantoms that I do believe I also built the same kit.Thanks for sharing.🤓
I wish I could have a tenth of you patience. You're amazing
How's it going? You did not seem to have to use a lot of putty work,how do you rate this kit overall?
Hi Walter, it's not a bad one. Although, the new Tamiya F-4 Phantom kit has gotten a lot of good reviews. 😉
This could be a nice seller for Italeri..... if they priced it at reasonable rrp. Unfortunately they seem to be asking (at least in the UK) the same sort of money as Academy charge their f-4.
Great models, your job is fantastic !
Sorry to bother you again, but with the tomcat every model I have seen it’s been just one whole shade of gray for the entire aircraft while in the instructions it calls for three on the cats from 101 11 and Vf-2. What’s the deal? Please help me! Thanks.
Hi Riley, that's a great question for sure. I struggle with the same conflict. I find in most images of the actual F-14 aircraft that the differences in the grey shades are often indiscernible. I usually go with what I can see in those photographs which may mean I ignore the other greys. However, if you like the look of the paint guide suggestions, definitely go with what pleases you.
Hi Riley, Tomcats were originally painted in the Gull Grey over White Schemes like Max's Phantom, but later they were painted overall Gull Grey. Later still, that scheme was replaced with a Tactical Paint Scheme that was 3 shades of blue-grey. With wear and tear and corrosion control the three greys tended to blend together, so just go with what pleases you!
@@MaxAfterburner Have you tried contacting the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola?
I got out of Navy right when F-14's were coming to fleet but everything else was painted gray top and sides, white bottom.
Stunning work as always !!! You've cirtainly got the right noise to resemble the A-10. It sent shivers down my spine !! Lol I hope you get to down from the dipsticks below that just can't help themselves to not put what's wrong with this fabulous build !!! You've done another amazing job. I hope you and your family are well buddy and have a great Christmas and new year !! I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It's horrible we've had dogs all of our lives and lost one last year that I had from the prison where I was stationed as she was to nice to be a sniffer dog. !!! Stay safe my friend and have a brill new year
Thanks Steve, always great to hear from you! Dogs Rule! I wish you and yours the very best for the New Year 2019!
As someone who voted for the F-4, I was initially disappointed that a smaller scale was chosen. However, after watching the build I was very impressed with the attention to detail including rectifying the (several) flaws of the kit. The finished model looks incredible and is one of my favourites from your series. Thank you very much for sharing this build with us.
Thanks gcm747! I'm trying to keep consistent scale wise by going with the 1/48. The 1/32 scale would have definitely taken a lot longer!
Turkey F-4's RF-4E Phantom II And F-4E 2020 Terminator :D
Why did you add the clear testors gloss coat before putting on the panel line wash? I am doing the same kit and currently gathering knowledge
Hi A Nac, the gloss coat provides protection of the main surface paint job from the weathering and washes that are subsequently added. It also provides a smooth surface for the wash to run in panel lines to highlight and detail those features as well as create a finish that allows for better application of the decals.
@@MaxAfterburner thanks, just about to get working on it and I have semi gloss clear ill take it into consideration to put on clear before wash
JUST WOW NICE WORK
Thanks Juan! 😃
Estas alas volantes siguen siendo fantasticas k bueno k los hagan a scala también estan del uno
Muchas Gracias, Francisco!
At one time Israel had plans to up engine and upgrade avionics on their F-4s that would have made them better than the F-15.
what kind of glue do you use. and also i cant find that putty you normaly use. can you reccomend an alternative. great video as always and great looking build
I mainly use the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement (Green Top). Have you tried Amazon for the Perfect Plastic Putty? I'm not readily familiar with another water based putty that would act as a substitute. Thanks for watching!
@@MaxAfterburner alright. thank you
The F4 phantom, proof that if you cram big enough engines on a brick, it will fly...
The Phantom lovers are going to come after you! 😄
@@MaxAfterburner LOL!
I didnt say it was bad, just...less than optimally aerodynamic ;-)
Lol. Always looking for the right colour and it turns out to be tamiya xf-19.
My favorite paint for the grey jets. 😉
@@MaxAfterburner so you mean that the right colour is not mixen 6 different gunze paints + 2 different shades of tamiya light blue and xf-83? So now i actually have to.built one of my kits instead of researching colour schemes?
Max, do you like this kit?
I wanna build a 1/48 Phantom and i am thinking about this kit.
Hi Black Cat, this Italeri kit takes some extra work to get it in shape. If that's something you wish to avoid, there are probably other kits out there that are better. 😉
@@MaxAfterburner Thank you Max.
I am italian and i am very disappointed about Italeri..
Biggest part of their kits is junk..
😞
I swear I saw this bird @ 0:40 being painted at Randolph AFB, I remember the checkers without a doubt.
Hi Poopster4U, that was one of the last F-4s still flying at the time. They're all retired now in the U.S.
@Max_Afterburner Ah ok, well it was around 2011 when the maintenance dudes were painting it.
Of course, but I just wanted to mention the context of the clip as they were in their "last days". As I was coming onto the base that F-4 made a beautiful pass by the flightline very fast and made a hard 90 degree roll away to the right. It was fantastic, but I wasn't expecting the flyby so I did not have my camera ready to record that!
Donde SE puede conseguir los pilotos? Los venden aparte?
No se proporciona ninguno en el kit
Great Job, just found your channel and had no other Option to subscribe. All thumsb up
Thanks De Lan, I hope you enjoy past as well as future content!
Do you keep all your models that you build or are these for customers?
Hi jbseitz001, I just keep them on display at home.
Good night Max...🙏
Again: Wonderful....Great....The Best!!
Super Fi!!!
I have 5 dogs. My best friends and family. Much better humans...🤗
Congratulations...👏👏👏
🇧🇷🇺🇸🇧🇷🇺🇸
🐶
My name is Cpl.Jim Curry. I was a Trip-Trey Plane captain from 82'- 86' . Knowing this Phantom like the back of my hand, you did one hell of a job on this model! I'm impressed and I'm ordering it! Semper Fi! Ooh Rah!
Hi Jim, thanks for your service first of all. I'm thrilled to hear from a member of the actual unit that's portrayed on the model. I hope your build goes well and that it brings back a lot of good memories. 😃
What a beautifully made F-4J.I'm currently building the Academy F-4J of VF-102 "diamond backs",the Academy kit is one of the best F-4 kits in any scale which I have encountered to date,I built the Italeri kit a while back,using the RAF 74 squadron decals.
Thanks Dark Knight 13 and good luck with your latest F-4J 🙂
Great job on a really 'basic' kit - it's a reissue of the 1980 Esci one with just a few improvements and (much) better decals - Just one 'note' for future USN builds if I may: The XF-19 that you used this time is far too blue and dark for the 'actual' USN Light Gull Grey - that colour is a much lighter and has a more 'mushroom' tone. It may be worth exploring other paint ranges to find more accurate colours, or if you want to stick with Tamiya acrylics, perhaps look at some mixing ratio's for future projects.
No criticism intended, I've just found your channel and am enjoying the builds. Really well lit and filmed, great commentary and some nice informative snippets too. Each one is definitely an improvement on the last. Looking forward to your next builds.
Best from NZ.
Thanks Ian!
aim 7j sidewinder? i think you messed up a bit there for further reference its aim 9 no hard feelings tho
Hi Sour Nugget, yes, you're correct. I just misspoke at that point. Someone already pointed that out way back when the video was first uploaded. 😉
Max_Afterburner alright got it its a beautiful model though wish i could get on right now but the whole coronavirus got my model shops cloesed
hi Tom, great job as always.. I know you will be building the viewers choice kits, but I just wanted to suggest a future build.. the trumpeter 1/48 L-39 , the aircraft in which you flew in...that would be a cool build...happy modeling..
Hi Peter, great idea! I've flown on a couple different L-39s, so I'd have to flip a coin or build two.
There are jokes about F-4 like: "a triumph of thrust over aerodynamics" or "the proof that even a brick can fly with a good engine attached to". I don't know, for me - the plain was beautiful, very aggressive and predatory look, a killing machine, for sure. As somebody said: "this machine looks like it was built to kill somebody". Nice video, and great job as always, thanks! So, what do you think about ITALERI?
Hi tpochep, the kit was ok, but it could use an upgrade. The decals were very good though.
Amazing job as always! I'm currently working in a F104 in 1/72.
This is my first plane and only my second model ever using an airbrush. I'm really struggling, the masking is horrible in this tiny scale and I've had a lot of overspray and applied the primer way too thick. Had to sand it down and lost most of the panel lines in the process.
It won't look like I envisioned it before starting the build, but hey I won't give up and finish it anyways. All part of the learning process I guess. I might look at a 1/48 plane next time though.
Any advice for working on 1/72 planes?
Hi Marcus AAA, thanks! I personally stay away from the 1/72 scale because it's too small for me. I'd only use it if I was doing a large scale aircraft carrier deck and needed a lot of planes. It's worth practicing and learning if you are having fun with it! I would recommend the RUclips channel by "PLASMO". He generally focuses on 1/72 scale and smaller items--and he's very good. I believe he has the most subscribers of any modeler on the internet that I know of. Good Luck!
Hope you didn't assemble the gunsight/HUD in reverse...
Hi Hanz, you know me well! Yes, this particular one was installed correctly! ;-)
If you take a closer look in the retrospective portion of this F-4 video episode, you'll see that the HUD on the F-22 and the F-16C were corrected :-P
@@MaxAfterburner Glad the nights spent cringing about the reversed HUDs are now over! :-)
i was not yet done on my Tammy/Academy Tomcat Double build and now you have another stunner!
As always these are great videos. I purchased the Revel 1:48 scale A-10 Warthog and want to get to some of the skill level/detail I see in your videos. Do you have a public contact method that I could bounce questions/ideas off to you?
Hi Roger, thanks! You can contact me via my address in this channel's "About" section.
My buddy builder aircraft kits talking unit beauty is one.... F-4 Phantom II. :-).... Killer Migs :-). Super joob Max. Edie.
Thanks Edie!
Why dont you save up money to buy a quality kit? Seriously this kit is absolute trash I'm not saying it's your fault but I think you should have gone for the Hasegawa kit which is a way better kit with insane detail. You did a great job with what you had at your disposal here but I can imagine some of the amazing work you could do on a quality kit.
Hi Tyler, actually when I was searching for a 1/48 scale Phantom, this was the only one available at the time for me. However, I did want to try another company that I was unfamiliar with to see what they had to offer and Italeri was the one by chance. Maybe in the future I can do a better Phantom kit and create a comparison video.
Max, these are great videos you've posted. I'm a big fan and from my searching you seem to be the most to explain your process. If you ever get a chance could you please share a few videos of the techniques in a little more detail? Your F-22 video you explained some of the technique issues I had as a kid, like most of us did. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you again.
Hi Roger, will do. My next project will have me trying out some ideas in my head since it is an unusual aircraft subject.
Great job on the build! I’m currently in the works of building the Tamiya 1/48 F-15C Eagle. I do not own an airbrush and I use a brush to paint. I hope it will be as good as yours
Hi Sky Kid, many hobbyists are very skilled with the brush and achieve great results! I'm not one of them, hence the airbrush ;-)
Wil you apply a coat to seal the decal before you apply wash?
Hi, when I apply the second wash to the decals to blend and dirty them up with the surrounding areas I don't add another gloss coat. However, everything will get that final dull coat at the end.
What type of putty do you use for filling in the gaps?
02:56
This is the second of your videos that I've watched, and found them informative. I have a question though, have you ever seen a model of the Grunman A-6E Intruder? I worked on that bird while in the Navy (VA-176 02/81 - 07/84) and would love to find a model to build.
Hi Larry, there are some available and some still on back order depending on the scale of the A-6E Intruder you want to build. You can check them out at Scalehobbyist and also Hobbylinc. Both of these suppliers are online.
I watched a documentary about McDonald Douglass and they said that the reason it did so well was because they went to the pilots and asked what they wanted. The Air Force and Navy did not even want a new plane but, the pilots liked the plane so much and the plane was so good they got it anyway. Awesome job on this model! Can't wait to see what will fly off your bench next.
@rustybuttpate Google Draco. It will blow that out of the water. Trust me
Beautifully done! I would mention though, the lower speed brakes should be in the down position while parked. They are hydrolically actuated and droop whith power off.
Hi Jaycat48, it would have required a little scratch building and modification since it wasn't an option on this kit, but that would have been a nice detail. 🤔
Great build and video of a very special and wonderful aircraft..Phantoms Forever.!!!!!!
Hi The majestic magnificent, glad you enjoyed it! 😃
Question...I received a new Iwata Neo (same as you use) this year as a holiday gift. What ratio of paint to thinner are you using?
What a great gift! I use a higher paint ratio than most builders with ~ 80% paint to 20% thinner mix. Most modelers use about 60-70% paint to the appropriate amount of thinner to equal 100%.
You make almost any model kit look as easy to build as a snapfit model. You sure are a rarity...
Love your builds but I got to tell you..your music selection...WTF?..lol nice work
Thanks Eduard! Not a lot of music out there that is "free" for use...
Very nicely done! What PSI do you spray at?
Hi Ryan, I don't have a gauge on my compressor, but I estimate it's at about 20-22 psi.
@@MaxAfterburner Alright, thanks for the information!
It's too vague a question to get useful information. Pressure that you use depends entirely on what you're doing at the time, what paint you use, even the colour. Light colours tend to be thinner so you can often end up with thinner laint/thinner mixture which would require a lower pressure.
@@Planehazza So does that mean the thinner the paint,the lower the PSI I should spray at?
@@ryanwu332 precisely :) thinner paint will run easier and takes less energy to get through the nozzle. Similarly you will find that thicker paint, or paints with larger pigments (Metallics etc.) will require a larger nozzle too.