Phantom, airframe groups
Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:06 pm
This thread is going to be about the Phantom airframe groups.
I am going to try and tell the history, and build order for each group.
The reason for this specific grouping of the airframes is to make the groups more "modeler friendly", because in order to build a specific Phantom, you first need to know which group of models have the airframe in it that you want.
These are the groups, and the sub-groups in them.
The F-4A group.
Right away, I better tell you that these 47 aircraft had so much going on with them, with intake vari-ramp changes, nose designs, test probes, etc,,,,,,,,,that they have had their own separate book by Dave Klaus http://fineartofdecals.com/goodies/other-treasures/ , their own webpage by Tommy Thomason http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009 ... m-iis.html , and Tommy is currently writing a book of his own about these early aircraft.
Having said that, the last 24, BuNo 148252 to 148275 , looked just like early F-4B, with different Intake Vari-Ramps as the main visual change. I will
include them in posts concerning the Short-Nose Phantoms.
The Short-Nose Phantoms.
These are the Phantoms with the short nose, with no gun.
They are sorted as Thin Wing and Thick Wing, then the Fuselage variation of the F-4K/FG 1 and the F-4M/FGR 2.
Long-Nose Phantoms.
These are all of the Phantoms derived from the F-4E. This also includes the F-4G Weasel, and the RF-4EJ of Japan, also included here are the F-4E(S) which were converted from F-4E and their noses weren't of the "standard" Recce type as a result.
Reconnaissance Phantoms
These are the Phantoms with the Recce nose, whether they have Thin or Thick Wings. These include the RF-4E built in America and sold to Japan, but, not the RF-4EJ converted from F-4EJ built in Japan and converted there.
there it is, to build a model that you want to end up with, you start with
F-4A Unique type
Short-Nose Thin Wing
Short-Nose Thick Wing
Short-Nose Thick Wing, Spey Engines
Long-Nose
Recce-Nose Thick Wing
Recce-Nose Thin Wing
Note: there are many "Ringers" in the Phantom range, those will be included in the designation and airframe types posts.
I am going to try and tell the history, and build order for each group.
The reason for this specific grouping of the airframes is to make the groups more "modeler friendly", because in order to build a specific Phantom, you first need to know which group of models have the airframe in it that you want.
These are the groups, and the sub-groups in them.
The F-4A group.
Right away, I better tell you that these 47 aircraft had so much going on with them, with intake vari-ramp changes, nose designs, test probes, etc,,,,,,,,,that they have had their own separate book by Dave Klaus http://fineartofdecals.com/goodies/other-treasures/ , their own webpage by Tommy Thomason http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009 ... m-iis.html , and Tommy is currently writing a book of his own about these early aircraft.
Having said that, the last 24, BuNo 148252 to 148275 , looked just like early F-4B, with different Intake Vari-Ramps as the main visual change. I will
include them in posts concerning the Short-Nose Phantoms.
The Short-Nose Phantoms.
These are the Phantoms with the short nose, with no gun.
They are sorted as Thin Wing and Thick Wing, then the Fuselage variation of the F-4K/FG 1 and the F-4M/FGR 2.
Long-Nose Phantoms.
These are all of the Phantoms derived from the F-4E. This also includes the F-4G Weasel, and the RF-4EJ of Japan, also included here are the F-4E(S) which were converted from F-4E and their noses weren't of the "standard" Recce type as a result.
Reconnaissance Phantoms
These are the Phantoms with the Recce nose, whether they have Thin or Thick Wings. These include the RF-4E built in America and sold to Japan, but, not the RF-4EJ converted from F-4EJ built in Japan and converted there.
there it is, to build a model that you want to end up with, you start with
F-4A Unique type
Short-Nose Thin Wing
Short-Nose Thick Wing
Short-Nose Thick Wing, Spey Engines
Long-Nose
Recce-Nose Thick Wing
Recce-Nose Thin Wing
Note: there are many "Ringers" in the Phantom range, those will be included in the designation and airframe types posts.