Looks like its shaping up nicely.
As for drop tanks, I would add them only because I like fully occupied hard points, but if you're gong for a cash strapped mercenary look, then I would go for a light AA load only..
Actually speaking of drop tanks, I just re-watched episode 3 and noticed a funny production error. Shin is in an unloaded phantom and Mickey is in his tomcat, neither one has drop tanks, then in the next scene the tomcat has drop tanks, the scene after that Mickeys drop tanks appear on Shins phantom, which he then jettisons. Also as Mickey flies away you can see a single fuel tank in the middle, so you might want to consider that.