PHANTOM 1/48 SCI-FI Channel Inspired

[G.Marcat]

Being very tired looking to complete the Single Engine Phantom at a certain point I have had an idea for fast new project.

After the F-104's family of whatifs it's time now for a line of Phantom's oriented projects.

This time I build what I call the Phantom SCI-FI Channel because it's vaguely inspired to SKY-ONE from the tv series UFO:



The donor kit is the old but not so bad ESCI's F-4J in 1/48:



Here there are a pair of my preliminary drawings:





Looking at the drawings more than at the Sky-One the SCI-FI Phantom look like inspired to the VIGGEN!!!
However I like the idea, and the project look like as possibly be done in very fast times.

The conversion foresee:
The relocation of the originals wings
The complete removal of the tail zone located from the  engine's exhausts
The relocation of the vertical tail moved forward
The horizontal tail planes will be telocated and from tail planes rhey will be canard winglets

This time there will be not big challenges involved in the conversion, the only operation that can be source of trouble is the relocation of the wings.
But this operation do not cause me fear because I have experiences in this field when I have built the past year the T-Tailed Phantom http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,25940


Follow me to the next post....

[G.Marcat]

After the initial work on the sub asseblies (wheels, cockpit and so) the first serious work on the kit is the assembly of the wings and the their initial modification:

The Esci's wing need a lot of brute force to stay glued together...



After this, separated the two outer wings from the underbelly part:

[G.Marcat]

Another work done:

the separation of the vertical empennage from the tail:

The usual lot of brute force to hold the tail together (this part is very more well done than the wings.)



Immediately as the accelerated superglue have worked it's time for the surgical work:





The same night I have also separated the tail cone from the fuselage and assembled the nose: more images this afternoon I hope.

[beowulf]

now that looks rather tasty!....looking forward to seeing this one progress 

[G.Marcat]

now that looks rather tasty!....looking forward to seeing this one progress 

There will be fresh news very shortly: I'm going gorward with this build like a bolt!!!

[G.Marcat]

Two new images:
the fuselage with the front part completed and the rear cutted.
The resulting assembly look strange: look like a bottle!

[pyro-manic]

This looks great!

[G.Marcat]

This looks great!

I hope the finished model will be interesting as appear in the drawing.

[noxioux]

Yeah, that's got some serious potential.  Liking it so far

[G.Marcat]

Used the the last two days to do this:

The tail ready for the transplant in the new position



The wings have been moved rearward, added a bit of sprue for a sure contact:



In the Esci kit have a  real trench in the underside:



The result of the two days of efforts is this:












Look like a Viggen

[beowulf]

im really liking how this is progressing 

[G.Marcat]

im really liking how this is progressing 

If all go well in a pair of days could be time for the first hand of primer.

[Radish]

Yeah, baby, yeah!! Whoooohooooo

[buzzbomb]

Oh Yea.. Oh Yea...

Great job there. Waiting for more

[Taiidantomcat]

That really is Viggen like... Would have never thought they would be so close