Gary's Fujimi 1/72 Phantom FGR.2 'Firebird'

[Richard48]

Hiya Gary.
Glad to have you back and your Phantom.Its good to have a dual build together as at it feels like im plowing a lonely farrow.You certainly are moving a lot at pace.Missiles are coming along great mate.I had a bit of luck the other night and found a few tins of the old Humbrol Barley Grey before it became "Super enamel",So i might brush paint my jet.Im going to Essex modellers show this Sunday as im hoping to get some Ak Air gen 3 colours for my Phantoms to come.I did think about trying some of the paint markers in metallic colours to do the metal parts on the engine end.Your jet pipes look great.A friend is going to cast me some of the afterburner rings from the newer Fgr2 boxing so i can cover some of the earlier less detailed Firebird kits staring at me in the pile.I saw a great video on Youtube on the last few months of Phantoms at Raf Wattisham in May 1992.Lots of 56 Fgr2s and 74 flying Fgr2s.I believe some of the 74 tiger ones were the ones that came back from Raf Wildenwrath in Germany when the base closed.
Keep going mate,Just going to start the sanding and filling in my jet.Worst bit of aircraft models.
Richard

[gweller]

Hi Richard, you are making good progress as well, judging by the last set of photos! Cockpit looks very nice! Yes filling and sanding are not my favourite parts of a build and I try to minimise gaps by lots of dry fitting. But with these older kits sometimes it's just unavoidable.
The paint markers are very nice but I found them more useful for small details or touch ups. You are of course stuck with the brush tip fitted on the marker and for some things I prefer a flat brush to a round one.

[Richard48]

Hi Gary.
I just done 2 hours on the FG1.The top fueslage seam sanded nicely with only a few dinks to fill.Im never keen how Fujimi had the front missile bay part butting up to the lower wing.Lots of test fitting and did think about gluing it onto to the lower wing section and then getting it to line up with the nose section.Had to use a bit of CA and clamp as it was bit warped.Sanded the drop tanks and gun pod and got to drill the gun pod end open and add the holes in gun barrel.When i did my Phantoms in early 1990s Humbrol had the buffable metallics in small spray cans the size of a small body spray can.These were great coz i used to mask 2 jets and spray away.They also used to do small cans of Varnish which were spot on.Good shake and Satin or Matt finish instantly.Pondering how to do the metal work at the rear.Might even use some Warhammer paints as my neighbour says they go on well.So could be worth a go.
Happy modelling.
Richard.

[gweller]

Getting somewhere at last. Once more coat on the fuz still to go, plus some touching up to do plus the metal areas around the exhaust. And of course the nose cone!

[Richard48]

Always good to see U.k Phantoms in their plummage Gary.Did you handpaint her?,I bought some A.k air 3rd gen Barley grey last week.I will probably brush paint mine.Im thinking of doing the hot end with warhammer metal paints.My neighbour who does Warhammer says they brush nicely.
Ive got some catching up to do.
Richard