Does anyone know Theirry or (Thierry) Laurent (of LSP fame)? If so, could you let me know how to get hold of him. he had made a statement in LSP that I suspect was not written as it came out.

he had mentioned that the JSDAF RF-4EJ (Kai) was not an RF dedicated aircraft (no recco nose), yet the JSDAF ordered 14 of these from McAir...

The way I understand things is that the -EJ was built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Kai update package was also done by Mitsubishi. The RF Phantoms were ordered from McAir as you mentioned, therefore they're not true -EJ aircraft. Therefore, the -EJ Kai is not a recce variant. Perhaps this is what he meant?

Jess,

Actually, he specifically said that the RF-4EJ were not recco-nosed (and I think he meant with the camera nose as in the RF-4B/C/E variants)and that that RF-4EJ's were fighter aircraft with modified avionics and assorted pods. The JSDAF had both variants, although the RF-4EJ (dedicated) were only ordered in a batch of 14 (used by the 501st Hikotai); the other RF- versions were F-4EJ and EJ Kais tasked to the recon role. I was just wondered how he managed to figure that the JSDAF never had dedicated RF-4's.

It makes me suspect that his information about the RF-4C (which I have a copy of) is incorrect. He states that the floors of the cockpit have to be removed and placed higher (up to 6 mm), and yet, Geoff Coughlin and Neil Ashby make no mention of removing or moving the floors of the cockpit higher, or many of the other "recommendations" that Mr. Laurent makes in his webpages. He also states that the control column is backwards in the instructions, yet every picture I've seen of the control column in the pilot's position is the same as the instructions. He and Dr. M Skourpolous both advocate the cockpit "fix" and the good doctor feels that all Revell nose gears need a heavy beefing up (the vertical column, not the wheels).

If you want copies of these webpages, let me know.

I can confirm that the Revell RF-4C cockpit is much too deep. I have a set of True Details bang seats which I'm going to use to replace the kit seats and they sit far too low in the cockpit. I took the easy way out and built them up with sections of sprue until they sat properly relative to the cockpit sills. I hadn't heard about the nose gear leg but I wouldn't be surprised.

You do realize that the seat are adjustable (vertically) in almost every combat aircraft? Maximum height requirements for US (or almost any other pilots) is 6'0" and the seat have to be lowered to their absolute lowest when larger pilots get in the office... also, the GIB has to be lower; he's looking into a scope and the less light in his eyes, the better he can read the scope.

Tops of the seats completely below the cockpit sills do not realistically portray anything near accurate lowered seats. The Revell cockpit is definitely much too deep.

OK, so I need about 5mm in height. I guess I could use some scrap plastic to beef up the seat in the middle where it can't be seen. Does this mean the Tamiya seats are too low as well?

Never having built the Tamiya Toomb, I'm not the person to ask.

Overall, they appear to be similar in shape and general size.

I've read that the -E/EJ nose is too narrow, and that some people have grafted the Revell nose to the Tamiya fuselage to get past that problem. Since I haven't seen the kit I can't say exactly how serious the problem is.

Tamiya being Tamiya I'm a little surprised that they got something wrong. Their kits are usually very good. What's certain is that the fit and general refinement of the Tamiya kit will be superior to the Revell, and that's not mention the one=piece fuselage moulding which eliminates that ugly upper seam.

I appreciate the one-piece body... however, both the Revell kit has the turbine face bulkhead standing straight up; it should lean to the rear at an 11 degree angle. Nobody notices that... not even Thierry...

I expect that they decided it was far enough into the fuselage that it would hardly be noticed, except for the people to whom it is important enough to do the work to correct it. Speaking for myself, I hadn't known that, and would hardly have considered it a fault in the finished model.