F-4J Phantom “Jolly Roger”

Scale: 1:32
Manufacturer: Tamiya

This build is pure box with only few add ons - seat belts from plumb stripes, F.O.D by Quickboost and HGW stripes "Remove before flight".
The kit is very nicely detailed and requires only very little effort to finish it in excellent look.
For those who never built this kit I have two advices - do not buy too much add ons - everything is just perfect. I would only replace seats and jet exhausts, nothing else. Wheel bays are very nicely detailed and if you want, there is possibility to fold wing tips.
The second advice - think through if you really want to have intakes open - it is the most painful part of the kit. It is so badly designed that I decided to cover them with FODs (and I do not regret!).
As this was mentioned as "clean and display only" build, I skipped all weathering, preshading and postshading, so there is just basic color and wash done by AK Neutral Grey.
At the end - there has bad surprise come: decals. I do not know if this is Tamiya standard, but decals were extremely fragile - yes, I was aware of this as I read some reviews of this kit, but I was not prepared for what happened. Decals tended to rip every time, and also after applying Mr. Softener... One decal reacted with covering clear coat (GSI) and twisted from surface! Another one has peeled off partially... Fortunately, I was able to use part of remaining decals to fix these placed, but it was daily horror...
Even the manipulation with finished and completely varnished aircraft is about touching just the places where there is no decal (just for sure).

Despite above described decals episode I really enjoyed this build - Tamiya has proved its top quality manufacturer again, everything was clean and very well instructed. And if you can spend some money for buying another decals - do not hesitate and do it.

8 additional images. Click to enlarge.