Japanese Solid Model Archive

In recent years, plastic models have advanced remarkably—good news for all of us model enthusiasts.
By contrast, reports say solid models have been in decline, and meetings of solid-model clubs around the country feel rather subdued. That is unfortunate.
The other day someone told me, “At this rate, a few years from now, everyone who still carves wood will be certified Living National Treasures,” and I felt quite dejected.
Although many contributors have published methods in this magazine, we have seen surprisingly few solid models that appear to have been built by following those articles. I wonder why.
Perhaps because many of the past authors are regarded within their clubs as “No. 1” or “masters,” readers may have come to think solid modeling is extremely difficult.
I do not believe solid modeling is that difficult. What matters is to make a solid model that brings out your own skills to the fullest.
To be honest, I am not especially skilled myself—there are many members in Saiunkai who are better than I am. But I will not lose in the will to build. I encourage you to take up your knives with a light heart and enjoy the work.

A solid model aims to be a true scale representation of the real aircraft, but at 1:50 there are limits. For aircraft with scant documentation, of course, and even when accurate documentation exists, it is virtually impossible to reproduce details such as cockpit interiors and landing-gear minutiae.
Find your own points of compromise. Boldly omit areas that are hardly visible from the outside, or that are simply beyond your ability (for example, the rotor hub assembly on a helicopter). Otherwise you may get stuck and abandon the project.
My motto is not “How faithfully can I copy the real machine?” but “How convincingly can I suggest the real machine?”
With that in mind, let us build the F-4 Phantom II.

A foldout drawing of the F-4C appeared in the August 1964 issue of Kōkū Fan. That drawing is for the Air Force C model, but externally the Navy B model is essentially the same (see figure below). To build at 1:50 you must enlarge that drawing by about 1.3×.

Do not trust any drawing blindly—always examine it critically before use.
Photographs do not lie, so use photos to check your drawings. In the August issue drawing, the front view of the air intakes seems a little off; the upper portion is not so narrow on the production aircraft. Early variants may have that shape, but production models differ.
The small intake on each side of the nose also appears a bit too long when viewed from the side; on the real aircraft it extends only to about just ahead of the nose-gear strut.
Because many F-4C drawings show side views with Sparrow missiles mounted under the fuselage, the actual lower contour of the fuselage can be hard to read. Study photos and add this line to your drawing. If you can draft your own plans, so much the better—but in any case, start by checking the accuracy of the drawing you will use, correct anything that needs correction, and bring it as close to the real aircraft as possible.
Gather as many photographs as you can from your own sources; many have appeared in this magazine. In my notes I found Phantom photos in the following issues: 1964 (March, October, November, December); 1963 (February, May, June, October, December); 1962 (April, May, July, August, September, November, December).
Use high-detail photos when you work on details. Even when details are unclear, unit markings and codes are useful—collect images focusing on the F-4B of the unit you want to model.
In addition to these materials, I used photographs I personally took at Yokota Air Base during last year’s Armed Forces Day open house. Armed Forces Day is approaching again; if you have the chance, go to Yokota or Atsugi and take as many detail photos of the F-4B as you can.
There is no reference more accurate than the real aircraft, and, as the saying goes, “Seeing once is worth a hundred descriptions.” Do go and see it.

Because my family business is cabinetmaking, friends often say, “You’ve got lots of tools—lucky you.”
Indeed, I own many planes and chisels, but I do not possess that many tools specific to solid modeling. There are builders who can make a mock-up with nothing more than a knife and do it far better than I can. Owning good drills or woodworking machines does not automatically yield better models.
Therefore, make the most of the tools you already have.
I rough out mock-ups with one plane, two or three chisels, and a saw. I use a penknife only when scribing panel lines.
Sharp tools make work easier, but many people are not fond of sharpening. In solid modeling, the sharpness of the tool does not directly appear in the finished model. I have a friend who buys a cheap carving chisel for scribing, throws the blade away when it dulls, and keeps only the handle for a drop tank. Even on an F-4C, two or three such chisels are enough for scribing.
In short, use the tools that are comfortable for you to the fullest. If you put your mind to it, besides knives, planes, and chisels you can use anything—wood files, fragments of glass, etc.
Even the fussy landing gear need not be soldered; I know modelers who have made the gear of a Zero or Raiden using adhesive alone.

Please look at the assembly diagram. From our perspective as solid-model enthusiasts, the Phantom II has a particularly troublesome fuselage.
This is my second F-4B. The first time, I carved the fuselage from a single block of magnolia, and it was extremely laborious. This time I divided it into three parts.
For the fuselage center section, prepare one block 26×43×360 mm, and for the intake sections two blocks 15×31×200 mm each.
Decide the width of the fuselage center section as accurately as possible. Plane the mating faces so they fit perfectly before gluing.
Transfer the side profile from the drawing to the center block and carve only the side profile first. The arresting hook on this aircraft is much larger than on earlier Navy types, so I make that portion from wood as well. The tip that catches the wire will be fabricated from tinplate later and faired with putty—so at this stage, it is safer not to carve away the root of the hook.
Because the aft fuselage has a complex cross-section, glue the three parts together before carving. Do not carve anything except the side profile yet.
After carving the side profile of the center section, mark the intake attachment areas on the center block using the intake templates, and shape everything else. In other words, carve the fuselage top and the nose, but leave the aft portion and the bottom rather blocky for now.
Likewise, fabricate each intake section separately and glue them on firmly with a strong adhesive.
Once the joints have fully cured, carve the planform and then round the cross-section. Take special care to capture the distinctive “area-ruled” planform characteristic of the F-4B.
Cut the spar slot for the main wing before gluing, if possible. The intake shapes are complicated—compare drawings and photographs carefully and carve to match.
I carved with reference to photos and sectional sketches. Beginners, or anyone concerned, may make gauges for each station and use them.
Pay attention to the missile mounting fairings under the fuselage; photographs make the aft portion hard to read, but from the main-wheel bays rearward the contours are quite angular. Study this closely.
In the end, what matters is to use your tools to the fullest and carve with drawing and photos always at hand.
My approach is to carve the side profile slightly oversize and then true it to the drawing with very coarse sandpaper (around 50-grit). After that I finish the surfaces with finer papers.
As for the exhaust nozzles, turn separate wooden cylinders, hollow them out, and fit them in. You may also make them from tinplate.

You will need a somewhat wide board for the main wing. If you have straight-grained magnolia with a bluish tint, select a good piece. Transfer the wing outline from a template and rough-cut it slightly oversize by 2–3 mm.
Form the wing-root tab at the same time. If possible, align the wood grain along the trailing-edge line; this helps when scribing. Remember the grain direction at the leading edge as well—once painted, grain becomes invisible, so fix it in your mind now.
After reducing to approximate thickness, shape the section with reference to sectional drawings—but do not rely on the airfoil drawings too much. Judge the fullness at the root and the sharpness of the leading edge by studying photos, and carve accordingly.
On modern jets, the wing section is often close to symmetrical. Some types have “drooped” or “dog-tooth” leading edges; again, compare carefully with photographs.
One key to a clean-looking solid model is to make the trailing edge as thin as possible. When held to a light bulb, you should see a faint glow through the trailing edge. If it remains chunky, you will never capture the crisp feeling of a jet.
I carve wings mostly with a plane. Fix the plane upside down, and, holding the wing in your hands, shave it as if you were slicing katsuobushi (bonito flakes). Once it is roughly shaped, fold a sheet of sandpaper in two, lay it on the desk, and rub the wing over it by hand.
A very thin trailing edge will be fragile, but paint will stiffen it. Because it mars easily, determine the mounting position and true the planes first, then do the final trailing-edge thinning just before installation.