F-4J Phantom II by Fine Molds

1/72 scale
Kit No. FP 43S
Cost: $45.00
Decals: Three versions – all U.S. Navy
Comments: Engraved panel lines, optional position canopies; ordnance limited to center line, under wing drop tanks and does not include missiles, detailed cockpit and landing gear; two pilot figures

History

The McDonnell (after 1967, McDonnell-Douglas) F-4 Phantom II was perhaps the most famous, certainly the most recognized, jet fighter in the world in the latter half of the 20th Century. It took its maiden flight on May 27, 1958, and from the outset, the F-4 was a thoroughbred. Early flight tests exceeded expectations as it reached Mach 1.01; acceleration and climb-rate figures also surpassed their goals. With its two General Electric J-79 turbojets, the F-4’s amazing performance set world records for altitude (98,537 ft. on December 6, 1958) and speed (1,606.03 mph, or Mach 2.6, on November 22, 1961). Between September 1960 and April 1962, the Phantom broke an additional 13 world records.

The Phantom II was the result of a years-long development project begun after McDonnell lost out on a contract for a Navy carrier fighter to Chance Vought in 1953. The sting of losing to what later became the F-8 Crusader drove McDonnell to begin a series of design studies tailored to meet future needs. It began with a survey of the U.S. Navy hierarchy — the Chief of Naval Operations, the Bureau of Aeronautics, an office called Head of the Fighter Branch, the Overhaul and Repair units, and any Navy personnel willing to listen and fill out a questionnaire. The end result was the Navy’s December 17, 1958 announcement that the F4H-1, as the initial prototype was designated, had been selected as its first all-weather fighter. Poetic justice was dispensed in that the Phantom II beat out several contenders, including an advanced version of the Crusader, the F8U-3. The Phantom II was the first aircraft to make extensive use of titanium (in its keel, aft fuselage skin, engine shrouds, and part of the internal fuselage structure). It was also the first aircraft able to independently detect, intercept and destroy any target that came within radar range – other fighters of the day still needed help from surface radar units.

The Navy, in conjunction with McDonnell, embarked on a rigorous flight test program over the next three years. The first operational Phantoms, designated F-4B, entered service with the Navy and Marine Corps on March 25, 1961 – even before the completion of the test program that November. The Air Force could not overlook the outstanding new fighter and adopted the type in 1963. Over the next 25 years, a total of 17 different variants among 5,200 aircraft followed.

McDonnell F-4J
The F-4J, the subject of this kit, was an improved version of the Navy’s F-4B. It featured upgraded J79-10 General Electric engines capable of a greater maximum take-off weight of 58,000 lbs. The B’s J-79-8 engines had a maximum take-off weight of 54,600 lbs. The J also had greater static thrust at sea level, 17,900 lbs. to the B’s 17,000 lbs. The F-4J incorporated a host of improved avionics, including upgraded radar warning and fire control radar systems along with an improved navigational computer. But it also carried equipment the B lacked altoghether, notably an inertial navigation system. It was, in short, a more capable, state-of-the-art F-4B. The F-4J was arguably less capable in one area only: it could carry only four AIM-7 Sparrow missiles to the F-4B’s six — but this was mitigated by the fact that air combat in Vietnam demonstrated that the radar-guided Sparrow had a poor rate of reliability, with some reports indicating Sparrow launches actually brought down enemy aircraft only about ten percent of the time. The heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder (both aircraft could carry four of these) was far more reliable.

The U.S. military retired its Phantoms from front-line use in 1996, by which time the venerable fighter-interceptor had become long in the tooth.  Considered an outstanding long-range interceptor in its youth, by the early 1980’s it had limited range compared to newer fighters that were coming into service.  The workload on the pilot was always high in the Phantom, and in the era of multi-role fighters, an aircraft that demanded a pilot spend the bulk of his time flying the aircraft was considered increasingly outdated.  The F-4 had a reputation as an unforgiving aircraft if pushed too hard at a high angle of attack, and all versions but the integrally gun-equipped F-4E (issued only to the Air Force) were hard pressed to hold their own in a close-range engagement in which only guns could be brought to bear.  As one Vietnam era Navy pilot who had been up against the gun-equipped MiG-17 put it, “Missiles aren’t much use when you’re in a knife fight.”

The Kit

Fine Molds F-4J Phantom II is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of 177 parts, including eight clear plastic parts for the canopies and gunsight. The cockpit is well done with raised detail on both ejection seats as well as the main and side instrument panels, and there is an option for decals for the instrument panels for modelers to prefer them. The seats include the handles for the ejection shroud above the head rest, a detail that manufacturers frequently omit from Phantom kits. However, the instructions are unusual in calling for the seats to be added to the cockpit in the final stages of building the kit (Step 34). Two pilot figures are provided, along with a paint guide.

Fine Molds may hold the record for the most complex fuselage assembly ever in 1/72 scale. The fuselage is unusual in that it is broken into twenty (20) separate parts: nose cone, two halves of nose section, two exterior panels for the nose section around the cockpit, two intake trunks, two intake trunk covers, two intake ramps, rear fuselage, separate large dorsal panel, four parts for the tail section, one part for the separately mounted vertical tail, and two parts for the stabilators. There will be seam hiding galore and one hopes that the fit of the parts will be flawless, or close to it.

The wing assembly includes the bottom of the fuselage, a standard approach on Phantom kits, with exceptional detail in the wheel wells, particularly the nose well. The burner cans are added midway through construction but toward the end of the fuselage assembly, just before the tail surfaces are cemented on. The landing gear are very well detailed, with the most impressive parts being the gear doors. Although placement of air-to-air missiles is covered in the instruction illustrations, no weapons are provided in the kit, but pylons and missile launcher rails are. Three drop tanks are provided also.

Markings

The kit decals are fully in register with realistic color and no color bleeding, however they bear a finish that appears to be a little on the flat side. Markings are provided for three versions of U.S. Navy F-4J’s. The first is for “Linfield 206,” Bureau No. 157249, operated by VF-114 from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, circa May 1972. The second is for “Linfield 201,” Bureau No. 157245, also operated by VF-114 from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, circa May 1972. Both of the VF-114 aircraft have what appears to be a red aardvark on the vertical tail. The third version is for Bureau No. 155891, an F-4j operated by VF-21 from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger, circa June 1970. All three aircraft feature the standard U.S. Navy Gray FS16440 over White FS17875 paint scheme. This aircraft features a large yellow flash on its vertical tail, and within that flash is a black panther atop a coat of arms, decorated by a deck of playing cards in the upper left, lightning flashes in the lower right, and a banner carrying the word “Freelancers.”

Conclusion

This is an exceptionally detailed kit of the F-4J, and if the fit is as good as the mold itself, it will build up into a beautiful kit. However, the 20-part fuselage seems like ambitous overkill in striving for detail, and it is irritating that Fine Molds chose to release this kit without missiles. These pet peeves aside, this may be the most exquisitely detailed F-4J ever produced in 1/72 scale. Highly recommended.

Reference

Modern Fighting Aircraft Volume 4: F-4 Phantom II, by Doug Richardson and Mike Spick; Arco Publishing, New York, 1984.