Good Kit for a Novice Modeler
I wasn't blown away by this model, but neither was I disappointed. It's listed a Skill Level 3, but I'd say it's more like a level 2.
The instructions leave a lot to be desired, but they're on par with most other model kits (Except Tamiya, which are outstanding, as are Airfix and Walthers). You'd think in the digital age, Revell et.al. would be able to create an instruction booklet with clear graphics and actual written directions. Since it appears that's not going to happen in my lifetime, I do the best I can with what I know from previous experience. One plus to the directions is that they have images of the sprues with the part numbers labeled. They also contain color images of the paint and decal placement schemes, which helped a lot.
The part sprues are a mixed bag. They're not well laid out, with parts scattered about arbitrarily. However, the parts came off cleanly and needed very little trimming or sanding.
One of the reasons I feel this is a Level 2 vs Level 3 is that a lot of the small details are built into the external shell. That's not a bad thing for me, thanks to a disability and aging eyes, but it might annoy someone who enjoys assembling all the detail work. The parts all fit their holes and slots with surprising ease. I used a combination of polystyrene cement, and for the smallest parts, a thin CA with an accelerator, and that worked out well.
The paint scheme was actually true-to-life. I served aboard the USS Forrestal (CV-59) in the early '80s, and our air group still flew the F4-J. I have a few pictures of the Phantoms on deck, and the model coloring came very close to what it looks like in those photos. (I've always thought the F4 had a very masculine appearance, with air intakes suggesting broad shoulders, and the exhaust very testicular. As part of training one time, the Phantom's did a series of supersonic fly-bys at flight deck level for all hands who could make it up on deck, and it was breathtaking to say the least.) The one problem I had with the paint -- and it's increasingly something you're seeing with ever more manufacturers -- is the issue of mixing paints. This is something that should be confined to modelers at Level 4 and 5, folks who really know what they're doing. A true Level 3 is a good place to start learning the art of paint mixing.
Over all, this is a good model, neither spectacular nor a train wreck. At under $17 USD, it's a true bargain for the novice modeler. There's good detail, the parts are easy to work with, and the finished product looks true-to-life. It's my goal to do models of all the aircraft that flew on the Forrestal, and this is another notch in that belt (only the A6 Intruder, E2C Hawkeye, and the S3 Viking to go.)
