F4J Diamondbacks USN Fighter

Ended up picking up this particular model at my local hobby shop at a great discount. At first glance after opening up the box, I was very impressed with the amount of parts, and fit and finish of molding. Flash is non-existent. Just a few minor seams needing attention. Nothing filling and sanding couldn't fix. Nice recessed panel lines throughout. Directions give you two paint scheme options - 1973 and 1976 - as well as 4 different ordinance options to choose from. Directions were lacking when it came to differentiating between parts for each version, and in some cases is left up to the modeler to determine which parts go with which scheme. At the end of the build I was left with almost half the parts included with the kit being unused. I guess that's why suggested retail price is as high as it is. Felt like I could almost build a second model with all of the leftover parts. Fit of parts was also lacking. I had to finesse quite a few parts in order to fit properly. This was especially true with the underside and bottom of cockpit assembly. The engineering is just not on par with other manufacturers (hint, hint, Tamiya). Some other reviews I have read on the model complain about the intake assembly with the fuselage. I didn't have too much of an issue with this. Nothing thin set cement, rubber bands and a little elbow grease couldn't fix. I just wish Academy would have thought through some of their engineering choices when designing the model assembly. Big highlight for this kit was Academy's use of Cartograf decals. What a dream! I found them to be not overly thick, but didn't fall apart at the smallest repositioning (hint, hint, Tamiya). Just be prepared for the amount of decals you will be placing, especially on the underside. I had to step away from applying the decals a couple of times so that I wouldn't go crazy. Overall, I'm happy with the end result. I don't know if I would purchase at the manufacturer's suggested retail price, but had no problem dishing out just north of $40 for the kit. Would recommend as a good alternative for those who don't feel like spending over $70 for the more well-known kits. Also, great for those looking for a different version of the F-4, as I am aware of only this kit depicting the Phantom in Vietnam era Diamondbacks livery.