RE: CJM F-4D Conversion and Build
Hoping no one minds if I drop in on this build thread, but I'm also working on a (pre-owned) CJM F-4 that I picked up last year. It is really nicely painted in the Bicentennial livery. I am in Australia, but I think this jet had its birth in the US. Bruce Saunders from CJM thinks its possibly the one built by a chap called William Donner. I have no idea how old it is except its the one piece wing and I'm told was first built as a DF jet.
I'm going to put a 36 lb turbine in it. I have the stainless bifurcated pipe, servos, landing gear, brakes, UP3 sequencer, etc basically ready to install or re-install. Everything came out and has been checked and fixed and is waiting to go back in, but with some changes.
The model came with a single huge tank between the inlet ducts. My experience of heavy forward tanks in F-4 has been very profound - I lost my first smaller F-4 within the first 20 secs because of a heavy forward tank leading to a too nose heavy CG. So, pictured are the saddle tanks I have just finished building. Not as pretty as USSCAT's but hoping theyll do the job. They hold about 1.6L each. Combined, and with a smaller front tank, I should have around 5.5L.