Separate splitter plate means it can be fitted towards the end of the built. Intakes can be fitted and sanded. Then intakes and fuselage can be painted. After all that splitter plates can be fitted. I see the separate splitter plate as a bonus on the ZM kit and Meng does not have the splitter plate to fuselage support structure which is a step backwards when compared to the ZM and Tamiya kits.
They're actually called intake ramps, not splitter plates. The F-4 has a variable ramp system (which were referred to as "vari-ramps" in our tech data when I was a Phantom Phixer) to set up to form shockwaves that slow the airflow as it enters the duct to subsonic speed even when the Phantom is flying at Mach 2. The front ramp is fixed position followed by two variable position ramps that function to put the shockwaves at the optimum position as the airplane accelerates. The most significant difference I see between the two kits is that Meng left off the four support struts between the ramp and fuselage. If you care about accuracy and don't want to scratchbuild the supports, the Z-M kit appears to be the best choice for accurate intakes and ramps.
Is it true a tooth-pick had to be placed in each tiny hole before they were painted? A crew chief told me that (same one that sent an airman basic for a spool of flight-line).
The splitter plate is the plate between the intake and the fuselage. The intake ramp is the piece that deflects incoming air thats directly in front of the intake. Thats the piece with all the tiny holes.
@@davidrosen5137 I don't know. I worked on F-4Cs and F-4Es from 1980-86 as an avionics tech and CUT (Cross-utilization trained) assistant crew chief. I never had the opportunity to see an intake ramp being painted. That being said, I don't recall the inside edges of the holes looking like they'd been masked or had the paint drilled out in any way.
@@utley Tech Order 1F-4E-1, page 1-3 says "The variable duct ramp system provides primary air, at optimum subsonic airflow, to the compressor face throughout a wide range of speeds. The ramp assembly consists of a fixed forward ramp and two variable ramps. The forward variable ramp is perforated to allow boundary layer air to be bled off and exhausted overboard. The aft variable ramp is solid." Note it is called a "fixed forward ramp" and not a splitter plate.
@Scott Wilson so it doesn't say anything about the splitter plate the ramp is attached to? Then where did this whole splitter plate come from? It's not something called on any other aircraft, splitter plate was unique to the phantom.
Hey Doog thank you for doing these comparison videos I have a zoukei mura F 4C 1/48 scale and your videos have shown me the problems to look for before I get to them again thanks for sharing
The only thing Doog you don't have to say is... I missed the 4 distance plates behind the splatter plate /Fuselage (each side)... On the Meng kit... ZM got it... Yeah no problem to fixed it with 4 tiny sheet stripes... But most people forget this distance plates
A good point below on the flexibility to make different versions of the Phantom. I guess there may have been quite a few differences to the ramps for the Rolls Royce Spey engine. This said I think the UK Phantom also had a different shaped slightly wider fuselage. Looking at the kit though the ZM kit does offer that extra detail and also there is something about the kit parts count and an opportunity to increase the parts count without detriment to the overall quality and engineering of the kit.
Hi Matt! Great comparisson again! Do you know though, that there's a paint splatter on your camera? It's in the top right corner and only in your videos, so it's not my screen. Cheers Patrick
The separate splitter plate not necessarily pointless. British Phantoms had a different one. If they decide to make FG.1 or FGR.2, they don't need to retool the whole inner plate of the intake, just the splitter plate. The outer shell is a different story, that needs full retooling.
Is generally agree with that, but the splitter and inner plate are all on the same sprue. So if they were to do a British Phantom they'd have to put the splitters on a new sprue with other Brit-specific parts or tool the whole inners again. But then ZM has tended to be a bit fast and loose with future planning
Separate splitter plate means it can be fitted towards the end of the built. Intakes can be fitted and sanded. Then intakes and fuselage can be painted. After all that splitter plates can be fitted. I see the separate splitter plate as a bonus on the ZM kit and Meng does not have the splitter plate to fuselage support structure which is a step backwards when compared to the ZM and Tamiya kits.
Really cool. Thank you for sharing.
They're actually called intake ramps, not splitter plates. The F-4 has a variable ramp system (which were referred to as "vari-ramps" in our tech data when I was a Phantom Phixer) to set up to form shockwaves that slow the airflow as it enters the duct to subsonic speed even when the Phantom is flying at Mach 2.
The front ramp is fixed position followed by two variable position ramps that function to put the shockwaves at the optimum position as the airplane accelerates.
The most significant difference I see between the two kits is that Meng left off the four support struts between the ramp and fuselage.
If you care about accuracy and don't want to scratchbuild the supports, the Z-M kit appears to be the best choice for accurate intakes and ramps.
Is it true a tooth-pick had to be placed in each tiny hole before they were painted? A crew chief told me that (same one that sent an airman basic for a spool of flight-line).
The splitter plate is the plate between the intake and the fuselage. The intake ramp is the piece that deflects incoming air thats directly in front of the intake. Thats the piece with all the tiny holes.
@@davidrosen5137 I don't know. I worked on F-4Cs and F-4Es from 1980-86 as an avionics tech and CUT (Cross-utilization trained) assistant crew chief. I never had the opportunity to see an intake ramp being painted. That being said, I don't recall the inside edges of the holes looking like they'd been masked or had the paint drilled out in any way.
@@utley Tech Order 1F-4E-1, page 1-3 says "The variable duct ramp system provides primary air, at optimum subsonic airflow, to the compressor face throughout a wide range of speeds. The ramp assembly consists of a fixed forward ramp and two variable ramps. The forward variable ramp is perforated to allow boundary layer air to be bled off and exhausted overboard. The aft variable ramp is solid."
Note it is called a "fixed forward ramp" and not a splitter plate.
@Scott Wilson so it doesn't say anything about the splitter plate the ramp is attached to? Then where did this whole splitter plate come from? It's not something called on any other aircraft, splitter plate was unique to the phantom.
Hey Doog thank you for doing these comparison videos I have a zoukei mura F 4C 1/48 scale and your videos have shown me the problems to look for before I get to them again thanks for sharing
The only thing Doog you don't have to say is... I missed the 4 distance plates behind the splatter plate /Fuselage (each side)... On the Meng kit... ZM got it... Yeah no problem to fixed it with 4 tiny sheet stripes... But most people forget this distance plates
A good point below on the flexibility to make different versions of the Phantom. I guess there may have been quite a few differences to the ramps for the Rolls Royce Spey engine. This said I think the UK Phantom also had a different shaped slightly wider fuselage. Looking at the kit though the ZM kit does offer that extra detail and also there is something about the kit parts count and an opportunity to increase the parts count without detriment to the overall quality and engineering of the kit.
Doog where have you been?
4 months, and no new videos.. Did something happen?
I'm surprised you didn't mention the better joint to the inside of the intake where the white paint is, meng is much better aligned than the zm
Hi Matt! Great comparisson again! Do you know though, that there's a paint splatter on your camera? It's in the top right corner and only in your videos, so it's not my screen.
Cheers Patrick
Good catch - I'll have a look at it
The separate splitter plate not necessarily pointless. British Phantoms had a different one. If they decide to make FG.1 or FGR.2, they don't need to retool the whole inner plate of the intake, just the splitter plate. The outer shell is a different story, that needs full retooling.
Is generally agree with that, but the splitter and inner plate are all on the same sprue. So if they were to do a British Phantom they'd have to put the splitters on a new sprue with other Brit-specific parts or tool the whole inners again.
But then ZM has tended to be a bit fast and loose with future planning
Not nearly enough profanity. 🤪