VF-4 Missiles

[NZEOD]

So I have a question on all the models I've seen of the VF-4 while I work on mine...

No one treats the 12 long range recessed missiles on the airframe as missiles. Everyone seems to paint them the same colour as the airframe. Any reason?

Ordnance is generic and never painted to match any weapons platform. They are usually white, grey, green or yellow and if its a prac round its blue. The striping colours refer to the type of warhead carried and its intended role.

So, do people not realise these items highlighted in red in the image below are actually weapons and not blisters on the airframe?

[mickyg]

I was always under the impression that everyone knew they were missiles. The Yamato (now Arcadia) toy has these as removable items, even. True, the colour isn't terribly distinct from the rest of the airframe, but you get that on the real thing, too. If I recall correctly the AIM-120 AMRAAM is usually painted FS36375, which is the same as the lighter colour on most US Navy Jets.

EDIT:

These are practice rounds, but you get the idea:

Edited February 1, 2016 by mickyg

[NZEOD]

I've seen blue and also camo vf4s with blue and camo missiles...lol

Edited February 1, 2016 by NZEOD

[mickyg]

I hadn't noticed those before, even though I'm sure I've seen the pics before. I see what you mean now! Yeah, they should be white a the very least.

[VF-1A Grunt]

I had no idea those were missiles until I read it here a few weeks ago, precisely because of the way they're always depicted (same color as the fuselage). To be honest, I think the artwork doesn't do a good job of portraying them either, because they appear more as organic bulges on the skin of the aircraft than ordnance. If they are truly meant to be irregular and sort of fish-shaped (for lack of a better term), they would be difficult to manufacture, and I don't think their shape would be a huge benefit compared to the difficulty in mass-producing them. I'm guessing they're intended to be stealthy, but I think they could still achieve that effect with RAM in a more easily-manufactured cylinder shape.

Those are fantastic-looking models though. I'd still love to have a mass-production (e.g. Hasegawa) model. I'd have to do one in CF brown!

[mickyg]

I'd jump on a Hasegawa model kit too!

It looks like the toy makes this even more confusing, in that all the missile parts are slightly different shapes. From Jenius' site:

[NZEOD]

They are normal missiles with deploying fins. You'd have an ejection charge then when the main motor fires it forces the fins to deploy. I've had many an hour searching for parts with a grid square search and metal detectors then having to write investigation reports after things went pear shaped and fins didnt deploy correctly.

They aren't meant to be banana shaped or fish shaped. Guessing the idea in the artist head was the VF-4 already struggles in atmosphere, so moving the guns from a hand cannon to nacelles aids aerodynamics, why not blend in the Missiles as well.

Edited February 2, 2016 by NZEOD

[mickyg]

I can't recall for sure, but I think the black "things" on the back of the missile bodies aren't fins but exhausts for the rocket motors. With the idea being something similar to thrust vectoring but OverTech style. Having said that, I can't find anything to back that assertion up. Maybe they are housing some sort of fin?

[NZEOD]

yeah I guessed that and have mine painted like that, but a missile cant fly without fins unless you want it trying to go sideways. The fins will pop out or unwrap from the body once its under way. I was just commenting on the lack there of in the modeled form.

Edited February 2, 2016 by NZEOD

[Jefuemon]

Yeah, I knew they were missiles.

[spanner]

I've seen blue and also camo vf4s with blue and camo missiles...lol

off topic but definitely one of the coolest looking fighter modes around!

[NZEOD]

Yeah, I knew they were missiles.

Did you redo your canopy? The supplied ones (3 supplied for screwups I guess) are a terrible approximation.

[Jefuemon]

Did you redo your canopy? The supplied ones (3 supplied for screwups I guess) are a terrible approximation.

Nope, because mine is an original Musashiya, not the recast.

[NZEOD]

ahhhhhh...

[Bolt]

Good call NZ..👍

[MechTech]

I believe people either don't think about the realism in colors or don't know about the missiles are missiles. Then there's the fact that masking and then painting them is a pain! - MT

[chyll2]

I believe people either don't think about the realism in colors or don't know about the missiles are missiles. Then there's the fact that masking and then painting them is a pain! - MT

This should be a factor as well.

[Jefuemon]

I don't know about the other kits, but on the Musashiya the missiles were white metal parts, not casted as part of the body

[NZEOD]

yeah yeah stop showing off that your one is awesome and mine a not so cheap knock off...

Edited February 5, 2016 by NZEOD

[Model-Junkie]

Valk009's (Andy) kit was, according to him, "based on the rare Musasiya kit with modifications and updates." I cannot remember if he acquired the original molds / master but his released was not a straight recast or knockoff. Almost everyone commented the quality of Andy's kit and the improvements done. His first batch of kits also came with white metals parts but later switched to all resin for simplicity and ease in building.

Edited February 11, 2016 by Model-Junkie

[chyll2]

I still want Hasegawa to have a go with this. The resin kit are so pricy and the cheaper one you can get (which imo is still not cheap) are recast.