Painting the Phantom

Actually this build has been completed and on display for a couple of weeks now so I need to finish up this posting and catch up on my new project.

This one is going to be picture heavy to get to the end.

So let's get started!

Here I've got a base coat on and filled in panel lines. This is my first real shot at panel lines to this extent. I also ran out of masking tape but came up with a brilliant idea to cover large areas...…

It's really kind of messy. Doesn't really matter, I'll get it cleaned up in a bit. Messiness came from this being a first attempt, (well I did a few practice tests on an unbuilt wing you may have seen earlier on the bench) and using the attached brush in the panel liner bottle - not a very fine tip. After all this is 1/72 scale.

See, it did clean up real nice.

Now time to decal.

Now let us look at the underside for a preview of the fun part.

You see this pylon is missing a Sidewinder. I've mounted magnets on it instead so as not to damage anything when it gets transported.

 Now let's have one last look at the pilots.

Well, two looks.
 Man, I think they look good.

Canopy on and now for the final touch: