Author Topic: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II  (Read 3033 times)

Offline Some Duck with an Ultimax

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1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« on: April 12, 2019, 01:45:59 AM »
When the Byakkan Intervention in Zaire began, it was anticipated to be a relatively low-level affair, with the six FA-1 Mod. 1 Harriers of 5th Sqdn. BAAC deemed to be adequate for air support. As such, 6th Sqdn. BAAC were on exercise at the Byakkan training area in Brunei at the time of the initial strike.

Byakkan Phantom pic 1 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr

However, it rapidly became obvious to the commanders on the ground that further support would be needed, especially once South Katangese MiG-15s began to be deployed in that nation’s incursions to the South. While the Harrier was in many ways the better aircraft, the limited numbers available meant that they could not be used for CAP, with CAS taking priority in the areas around Mbanza-Ngungu, which had continued to hold out for several months. With the South Katangese situation deteriorating rapidly, the Fisher administration made the decision to reinforce the BAAC complement in Zaire with the addition of half each of 4 Sqdn. and 6 Sqdn., bringing the total Byakkan fighter strength in Zaire up to 9 Harriers and 6 Phantoms (in addition to larger numbers of helicopters). 6 Sqdn. arrived in country on the 9th of March 1976, having flown by a long and circuitous route to Zaire, and took up residence at Mobutu’s former palace, with its long runway.

Byakkan Phantom pic 3 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr

Having rushed from training, the craft still bore their high-visibility markings, in white, on the sides of the fuselage. In practice these should have been painted over in black, but paint was low on the list of priority items to be shipped to Zaire, and as such none was sent.

Byakkan Phantom pic 6 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr

The Phantoms very quickly proved their worth, downing a South Katangese MiG-15 within two days of arriving in country. They would go on to provide a successful service in Africa, halting the South Katangese incursions practically without any ground support, and remained in the Congo until almost a year after the infantry had been withdrawn, returning to Byakko in early 1978.

Byakkan Phantom pic 5 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr

Byakkan Phantom pic 7 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr

Byakkan Phantom pic 2 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr

Byakkan Phantom pic 8 by SomeDuckWithAnUltimax, on Flickr
Never trust a man who tells you that you have too many paints, for he is obviously a liar and will most likely try to deceive you again in future.

Offline Some Duck with an Ultimax

  • Now known as "Ducky"
Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2019, 01:52:31 AM »
Hello all, here's my latest project. I wasn't lying in my post when I first joined that I was slow at making models - I've been working on this one since at least January!

This is the 1/144 Academy kit, and, let me just say, it's a pig of a kit. Really quite terrible in some areas, not least the gear doors - abysmal! They're an utterly different shape to the gear wells, and after trying to resculpt them to fit I had to just give up and use milliput instead, which I think turned out alright - especially as you hardly see the underside, anyway.

In the description for my South Katangese MiG-15 in the MiG GB you may have seen mention of a country called 'Byakko', and if you were wondering what it was (you probably weren't, most likely you ignored it), it's a fictional alt-history city-state similar in many ways to Singapore, situated just across the Singapore straits where Batam sits in the real world. The story of it originally comes from a political role-playing game (sorta like Dungeons and Dragons with elections) I played at school in about 2016 with some friends. After that game ended, I tried to somewhat rationalise the timeline and create a canonical, plausible story for the country. Many bits where quite easy to do this for, although our invasion of the DRC in 1975 was a bit harder (not least because the DRC didn't exist in 1975 - we weren't very good at geography). You'll probably be seeing some more 'Byakkan' models from me in the future (although how distant I can't really say at this point).
Never trust a man who tells you that you have too many paints, for he is obviously a liar and will most likely try to deceive you again in future.

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2019, 02:26:24 AM »
 :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Offline apophenia

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2019, 05:50:19 AM »
Good stuff ... and love your backstory. City-states are perfect for whiffery  :smiley:
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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2019, 08:15:31 AM »
That's very well done, Mr Duck and I especially like the cool custom markings!

Doubly impressive to see such fine work done in such a small scale!

Brian da Basher

Offline elmayerle

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2019, 08:46:02 AM »
^ What these folks said.  Beautiful work in a small scale.

Online FAAMAN

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2019, 10:20:09 AM »
This F-4E is from the original 1/144 scale LS molds from the mid 1970's, one of my fave kits as I've built it seven times so far with another five to go  ;)
Really needs the LS weapons sets to improve the ordnance load out. 
"Resistance is useless, prepare to be assembled!"

Offline elmayerle

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2019, 12:42:41 PM »
This F-4E is from the original 1/144 scale LS molds from the mid 1970's, one of my fave kits as I've built it seven times so far with another five to go  ;)
Really needs the LS weapons sets to improve the ordnance load out.
I can't prove it, but I suspect those are modified from the even older Otaki F-4B kit in 1/144.

Offline Some Duck with an Ultimax

  • Now known as "Ducky"
Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2019, 06:19:13 PM »
This F-4E is from the original 1/144 scale LS molds from the mid 1970's, one of my fave kits as I've built it seven times so far with another five to go  ;)
Really needs the LS weapons sets to improve the ordnance load out.

I can't say I share your enthusiasm for the kit! Maybe I've been spoilt by tamiya and new-tool airfix, but the fit felt really atrocious on mine, and as mentioned above, the gear doors.... It wasn't as if they were slightly the wrong size or anything, the entire shape was completely and utterly different to that of the gear wells. The canopy, too, is a bit short, and you have to position so that you either have a gap at the front, a gap st the rear, or both.

But, hey, at three quid I can't really complain!
Never trust a man who tells you that you have too many paints, for he is obviously a liar and will most likely try to deceive you again in future.

Online FAAMAN

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2019, 08:02:15 PM »
Elmayerle the LS F-4E and Otaki F-4B are very different molds, I have both and the LS F-4E molds are light years ahead of the Otaki F-4.

 Some Duck with an Ultimax I do not know anything about short canopies or shape problems, check out my LS F-4E's and EJ's here,
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3462.msg51685#msg51685
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Offline elmayerle

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Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #10 on: April 17, 2019, 12:43:11 AM »
Okay, I stand corrected.  I do suspect, though, that these molds have passed through several companies over the years.

Offline Some Duck with an Ultimax

  • Now known as "Ducky"
Re: 1/144 Byakkan F-4E Phantom II
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2019, 06:19:34 AM »
Elmayerle the LS F-4E and Otaki F-4B are very different molds, I have both and the LS F-4E molds are light years ahead of the Otaki F-4.

 Some Duck with an Ultimax I do not know anything about short canopies or shape problems, check out my LS F-4E's and EJ's here,
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3462.msg51685#msg51685


The canopy could easily have been a problem of quality control not spotting it on my particular kit, but the gear doors must be a problem with design rather than manufacturing, it wasn’t like just having lots of flash or anything, the piece was a totally different size and shape than the well was.
Never trust a man who tells you that you have too many paints, for he is obviously a liar and will most likely try to deceive you again in future.