Shawn 507
19th January 2012, 05:00
So I've always wanted a all black F-4E, to me it just looked mean. Thinking the HM 1926 Turkish Black Eagle model would indeed be black, I would use it for the conversion. Well its turned out alittle more like deep blue grey than black.
The initial paint job was a two tone, Hill Grey look to it. But then it just didnt look right. So I went with all black. I also got with a DHP member to make some custom decals. I wanted red markings from Beale AFB similar to the T-38 chase planes. I was gonna call my F-4E a armed escort for the SR-71 as it entered and departed "Enemy Airspace".
Well the problem on my end was, to get the bright red I would have to lay white decals first then the red ones. I am a AFV modeler, not a aircraft one. So I tried going with the red only. Figurred it would be no worse than CW's Beale SR-71. Well it didnt work out so well. Mostly operator error.
So after the repaint to solid black, a heavy coating of glosscote. I went with the white only markings. It didn't look too bad. Now I needed a cover story. And then bingo it hit me when I went into the diecast room. There they were, HM's Vandy1, CW's Vandy1 and the DW Top Gun F-18.
So here is my story. There was a jiont project between the USAF and USN. The 9th SRW wanted to test their U2s and SR-71s against a new Navy early warning system. The Navy (VX-4) in turn wanted help with the new AIM-120 and AIM-9. So the the Air Force sent a F-4E over as a cover story when people started asking about Air Force types on a Navy base.
As all jiont endeavors go, eventually the two side began trash talking. To settle the argument it was agreed, whichever side had a plane go down from mechanics, their bird gets a repaint to look like the other branches aircraft.
Well the Air Force lost. It was rumored a retired Navy CPO now civie contractor may have had something to do with the F-4 going down. But it was repainted in a water soluble flat black with white markings. The Air Force guys allowed it, but refused to budge on changing out the USAF markings, ie... no Playboy Bunny. EO is serious business in the Air Force you know.
And now the model.
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223602.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223618.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223642.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223743.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223754.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223934.jpg
The initial paint job was a two tone, Hill Grey look to it. But then it just didnt look right. So I went with all black. I also got with a DHP member to make some custom decals. I wanted red markings from Beale AFB similar to the T-38 chase planes. I was gonna call my F-4E a armed escort for the SR-71 as it entered and departed "Enemy Airspace".
Well the problem on my end was, to get the bright red I would have to lay white decals first then the red ones. I am a AFV modeler, not a aircraft one. So I tried going with the red only. Figurred it would be no worse than CW's Beale SR-71. Well it didnt work out so well. Mostly operator error.
So after the repaint to solid black, a heavy coating of glosscote. I went with the white only markings. It didn't look too bad. Now I needed a cover story. And then bingo it hit me when I went into the diecast room. There they were, HM's Vandy1, CW's Vandy1 and the DW Top Gun F-18.
So here is my story. There was a jiont project between the USAF and USN. The 9th SRW wanted to test their U2s and SR-71s against a new Navy early warning system. The Navy (VX-4) in turn wanted help with the new AIM-120 and AIM-9. So the the Air Force sent a F-4E over as a cover story when people started asking about Air Force types on a Navy base.
As all jiont endeavors go, eventually the two side began trash talking. To settle the argument it was agreed, whichever side had a plane go down from mechanics, their bird gets a repaint to look like the other branches aircraft.
Well the Air Force lost. It was rumored a retired Navy CPO now civie contractor may have had something to do with the F-4 going down. But it was repainted in a water soluble flat black with white markings. The Air Force guys allowed it, but refused to budge on changing out the USAF markings, ie... no Playboy Bunny. EO is serious business in the Air Force you know.
And now the model.
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223602.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223618.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223642.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223743.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223754.jpg
http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu276/BoogersDad/IMG_20120118_223934.jpg