I've got the Revell/monogramm F-4 in my to do pile, and can vouch for it safely. Its still a great kit albeit with raised panel lines (which don't worry me too much). The new Academy kit is no doubt better engineered, and goes together like a dream but then your gonna pay top dollar for that. Hasegawa kits in the UK cost a bomb so I can't afford to go there. I recon you'll get as much fun/pleasure out of the Monogram offering and still have enough cash to splash out on aftermarket decals or the like. Money wise i recon its a no brainer but then it depends on whether you want the easier build. You gets what you pay for i guess!

Try this web site for a video review. http://www.florymodels.co.uk/january-13/

I don't have the Academy kit yet, but from the photos and kit reviews I've seen, it's the best, most detailed 1/48 Phantom kit available now. I've built both the Hasegawa and Monogram Phantoms, and they are fine kits, with both good and bad points. The highlights of the Monogram kit are accuracy, ease of construction, and above all, price. You can buy three or four Monogram Phantoms for the price of one Hasegawa or Academy kit. I have two Monogram and three Hasegawa Phantoms in my stash, but I still plan on getting the Academy kit at some point, since it has features such as an opened refueling probe, boarding ladder, and a one piece seemless fuselage, and a full set of weapons.