Here's the finished 1/48 Hasegawa RF-4C that I built for a customer. It is OOB, with the exception of True Details seats and Fox One Decals (nice!). The camo was sprayed freehand, using Gunze acrylics for the Gray, Tan, and Dark Green, and Model Master enamel for the Medium Green and White. The aircraft doesn't have Air Force wheels. They will be replaced by my customer, so these are just tacked in place with white glue. One of the nosewheels kicked out of alignment while I was moving the model to take the pics.

After painting the metallic tail sections with Alcad II (Aircraft Aluminum, Aluminum, Duraluminum, Dark Aluminum, Magnesium, and Steel) and giving it a Future overcoat, I washed it with oils. The drop tanks, gear, doors, and antennas were the finishing touches. Overall, a fun build and a nice change of pace for me (I build 1/48 WW II for myself).















Hope you like it, and thanks for letting me share it with you !

Thank you Bill for sharing this superb model with us. A beautiful rendition of the aircraft that made its maiden flight on my birthday ( OK it was 10 years before i was born :-) ).
The speed and quality of your builds still amazes me. I would cry if i had to part with my models, if they were as good as that.
Andy

Hi Bill!

Too bad you didn't finished it last month and entered it in the "Teeth" campaign. I would have been honored to award you a ribbon for your superb model! It's also too bad you have to give it away. But I assume you are mentally prepared for that! By the way, did you already built a model that you didn't returned to your customer because you wanted to keep it for yourself?

Jean-Luc

Thank you Andy and Jean-Luc !

Andy - this one wasn't done too quuickly. I was building six 1/48 kits at the time (5 commission, 1 for myself), and this one took me about 2 1/2 months.

Jean-Luc - for what I get paid to build these, I can buy a few of them for myself. If I like the kit, and want one, the commission build lets me find out where the "bones are buried" and avoid any glitches with the next one.

I never look at the build as my own, it always belongs to someone else. That way, I never get "attached" to it. In my youth, I did a lot of retail jobs which involved using a cash register. Even when I was broke, I never viewed the money as mine. It was just a tool that kept me employed.

Thanks again !

Hi Pix....
Thanks for sharing this beautiful Phantom with us....

Thanks Penny !

Whether it's pics or experiences, I'm always willing to share with my fellow builders. Glad you like the old Rhino.

Cheers to an exquisit Build! I love Phantoms!

Exactly 2 1/2 months is fast. Compared to me of course.

But seriously excellent build as always Pix.

Thanks Joe and ygmodeler !

ygmodeler - I'm disabled, so I have all the time in the world to build. The deadlines on the five commission works approached rapidly (Phantom before August, the 4 "Soccer War" kits before September). I have a 1/48 Hasegawa P-38 with Eduard PE for myself that I'm itchin' to paint (with Alcad ). After the "Soccer War" kits are done, I have two more commission works to start. One is Eduard's 1/48 Bf 108B Taifun with Eduard PE (not the ProfiPack kit, but separate kit & PE). The other is ProModeler's 1/48 Bf 110G-4 with the Verlinden update set. I built one of these a couple years ago: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal4/3101-3200/Gal3190_Bf-110_Lachance/gal3190.htm and someone wants one of them for himself. Someday, I'll be able to build the dozens of kits I've been accumulating lately. Someday . . .

Thanks again !

Wow that Bf-110 is a real beauty. Hope you get to finish your P-38 soon.

Hi Bill.
Ive been looking forward to seeing this in all its glory!
Fabulous Phantom and well worth you wait.
Another satisfied customer,and another inspirational build.
Thankyou for sharing this with us,even though I look at what you build and then look at my efforts and shake my head,,lol.
Looking forward to the next one.
Nige

Thanks Nigel !

We're all on learning curves here. We see pics of where we've been, and pics of where we want to go. Building is a journey, not a destination. The most important part is to have fun on the trip !

Beautifully put Bill. Sums the hobby up perfectly

I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner on this thread but work has been running me ragged lately. I just wanted to say what a beautiful job you've done on this Phantom Bill. Everything about it is grade A perfect! I'm hoping in a few years that I myself can do a subject half as nice as what you've turned out here.
Thanks for sharing the build and the fantastic pictures.