Help me decide which F-4 to get

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:42 am

i've given up hope on ever seeing a 1/18 phantom, so i've decided to get an r/c one. There are two available and i'm having trouble deciding which way to go, so i'd like opinions.

This is the first one:

http://rc-castle.com/shop/product_info. ... cts_id=890

it's a bit underscale but not much, around 1/18.7 to 1/19. Has clear canopy and a navy paint scheme. The nose is for an F-4E, which is incorrect of course for a navy phantom, so it would have to be modified. It's also a bit cheaper.

This is the other choice:

http://rc-castle.com/shop/product_info. ... ts_id=1470

it's a bit overscale at around 1/17 or a hair bigger (about the same scale as the BBI F-16). Has an airforce paint scheme, which i like better. Tinted non clear canopy though. It's also a bit more expensive but that's not really a big issue.

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:10 am

Navy - the clear canopy looks much better than the tinted AF version.

Stug45 · Post by **Stug45** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:59 am

I have to go with the airforce scheme

batmex1 · Post by **batmex1** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 12:10 pm

GO NAVY!!!

Panther F · Post by **Panther F** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 12:30 pm

I like the airforce version best too.

scbvideoboy · Post by **scbvideoboy** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:02 pm

???? As it's a R/C who cares? As it's your money buy what you want, no need to do a "poll"

DH

STARMAN 352 · Post by **STARMAN 352** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:31 pm

I like the USAF Version a little better.
I was checking out the other planes on there is that F-22 on there at 1:18 scale too?

Airacobra · Post by **Airacobra** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:24 pm

Air Force, all the way.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:27 pm

The air force one will look good next to the oversized Bbi F-16

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:55 pm

Can you get the camo one with a clear canopy ?

I say go that way if you can.

popeye357 · Post by **popeye357** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:58 pm

Get em both!

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:32 pm

no, the camo one just has the tinted canopy option.

the poll is to help me decide which one to get, not whether i want one or should get one. I'm going to get one but am having trouble deciding which is the better option.

there are a bunch of f-22's out right now. The closet is 1/19 scale but has a big american flag painted on it, which i don't like. Otherwise it's pretty good.

http://rc-castle.com/shop/product_info. ... ts_id=1376

there should be cheaper options available in time.....airframe only is what you want and should be around $120 or so.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:43 pm

While I am a sucker for the Navy schemes, I think the Air Force plane looks better. The tinted canopies may be inaccurate, but at least they hide the lack of cockpit detail.

That F-22 looks odd, but could be repainted easily enough into a standard scheme.

sledgehammer · Post by **sledgehammer** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:02 pm

Hmmmmm....yep, both. There both too neat to decide which.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:10 pm

well they're somewhat different in size so they'd look odd together, if i got both. The larger airforce one also has a navy painted version, but has the same F-4E nose, so it looks odd and the nose would have to be reworked a tad.

http://rc-castle.com/shop/product_info. ... ts_id=1469

Post by **aferguson** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 9:07 am

well, thanks for the input gang. The poll is closer than i expected. I thought it would be a landslide for the bigger, airforce scheme.

I've done some detailed calcs and the big one scales out to 1/17.3, however the wings are a bit big and scale out to 1/16.4....it's not unusual for r/c planes to have oversized wings.

The smaller one scales out to 1/18.9 in both length and span.

So technically the bigger one is slightly closer to scale while the smaller one is better proportioned.

The dark canopy of the big one doesn't bother me that much. I've got a few wooden aircraft models i've commissioned and they all have painted on canopies, so i'm used to non clear canopies. Besides it saves me the hassle of having to come up with pilot figures.

Given that i really like the SEA scheme, it is slightly closer to scale and there is an optional Navy version scheme that i can (and probably will) pick up at a later date, i've decided to go with the big one, i think. Besides the smaller one looks a bit funny in the nose to me.

Rylau · Post by **Rylau** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:21 pm

Go for the camo....looks much better.

digger · Post by **digger** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:22 am

Given that i really like the SEA scheme, it is slightly closer to scale and there is an optional Navy version scheme that i can (and probably will) pick up at a later date, i've decided to go with the big one, i think. Besides the smaller one looks a bit funny in the nose to me.

So much for the poll - I guess you didn't need us!

Post by **aferguson** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:59 am

i will always need you guys..

when i made my decision the poll favoured the airforce scheme. Overnight things have changed in favour of the smaller navy one. Very surprising.

normandy · Post by **normandy** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:17 pm

I got here a little late but picked the second choice before I saw which one you picked.
So now the poll is 50-50

I glad we all think alike.

Small Scale Military Headquarters