McDonnell Douglass F-4K Phantom FGR2

FROG Orange series F262 McDonnell Douglass F-4K Phantom FGR2, Rovex Industries, 1968

HASEGAWA

HASEGAWA Phantom II Very similar to the Revell kit of the Phantom, the Hasegawa effort is moulded in the same colour but without the "wood graining" effect sometimes seen on the Revell item. The nose, moulded integrally with the fuselage halves, is longer, the recess between the engine tail pipes on the belly is marginally deeper, the one-piece tail surfaces move, the dive brakes behind the main wheel housings are separate pieces and the actual cones of the tail pipes are much cleaner altogether.

In other respects, panel lines, rivets, general outline etc. it follows very closely the Revell product. Colour schemes are provided for 5 different aircraft; decals for Army, Marines and Navy (Forestal) are included and are reasonably good; particularly good is the Marines "Tiger Head" motif. A complete stores load is supplied including bombs, two types of missile and a large belly tank. It would seem that this kit, which is priced at ¥250 in Japan can also be obtained for an extra ¥100 in a plated version.

I.P.M.S. MAGAZINE, Vol.3 No.9, SEPTEMBER 1966

"CHICAGO AND BRIGHTON NEWS" (Or "In View - 1968")

Frog (Rovex) showed their new 1/72 scale Blackburn Shark at their London Trade show, and at 3/11d. this beautiful kit must offer some of the finest value for money ever. A Lysander is due about April, and their 1968 catalogue depicts box top illustrations for the Mosquito, Beaufighter, Blenheim 1 and Tupolev SB-2. All are to 1/72 scale and all will have optional parts or alternative markings and finishing details.

Frog have also announced that they will be releasing a series of jet fighter kits during 1968, and on show were the F-4K Phantom, F-104 Starfighter and A-7A Corsair II. All featured alternative transfers and looked most attractive. Release of this series will start in the Spring.

The IPMS magazine, Vol.5 No.3, MARCH 1968

MODELLING
W R MATTHEWS
A FROG QUINTETTE

Frog has issued no fewer than five new kits, all to 1/72nd scale, during recent weeks, two of these representing WW II types, the Mosquito and the Ju 87G-1, and the remaining three representing current fighters, the MiG-21, the F-4K/M Phantom II, and the F-104G Starfighter. The Mosquito suffers from inaccurate outlines to the vertical tail surfaces, engine nacelles, and nose transparency, none of which can be easily corrected. The mudguards are far too thick and heavy and, like the rockets, must be filed down, in other respects, it makes a good model, with neatly-detailed, well-fitting component parts. It may be assembled as the Mk IV bomber or the Mk VI fighter-bomber, alternative nose sections and canopies being provided. To achieve an accurate shape with the Mk IV canopy, Frog has had to mould this in two halves, and we recommend that the joint between these is not cemented during assembly. An excellent decal sheet provides the markings of a Mk IV of No 105 Sqdn and of a Mk 40 of the RAAF. Despite faults. Frog's Mosquito is the best 1/72nd scale kit of this famous type available, and worth having at the UK price of 5s 9d, The Junkers Ju 87G-1, in contrast with the Mosquito, is accurate throughout. Neatly pressed and finely detailed, it fits together well on the whole, but great care must be taken when fitting the wings to the fuselage or excessive dihedral results. Some filling is necessary around the'wing roots. The beautifully-painted and semi matt-finished decal sheet provides markings for one of Hans Rudel's Ju 87G-1's and for a Hungarian Ju 87D-5. If the latter markings are employed, dive brakes and wing bomb racks must be made from scrap plastic as these parts are not provided by the kit for some peculiar reason, At the UK price of 4s, Frog again offers good value for money.

The MiG-21 is another good kit, cleanly produced in somewhat streaky silver plastic and apparently accurate in outline. The component parts generally fit together well, although the manufacture of the fuselage spine and the fin integral with one fuselage half can cause difficulty. Surface detail is fine, but strangely includes Soviet insignia outlined on the surface itself, yet a really superb decal sheet includes Finnish, Iraqi and Egyptian markings as well as those of the Soviet Union, The F-104G Starfighter kit is generally of the same standard as the MiG, but is pressed in light grey plastic and offers a rather better fit of component parts. The decal sheet includes Danish, Dutch, Italian and Federal German markings, and is a real work of art. This is most probably the best 1/72nd scale Starfighter kit, and reasonably priced at 5s 9d in the UK,

The last member of this quintette and the only real disappointment is the Phantom II, displaying a mass of heavy and irregular riveting which will make the people at McDonnell Douglas shudder. Why Frog has reverted to this ham-fisted detailing we cannot say, and it is particularly sad as this is the only generally-available kit representing accurately the British variants of the Phantom. We have no complaints regarding the fit of the component parts and the quality of the decals', and in view of its size and accuracy it is probably worth its U K price of 6s 9d. rivets and all!

NEW KITS (latest review copies received)

RAF Flying Review August, 1968, Vol. 23, No. 12

MODEL ENTHUSIAST
This month's colour

For any piston-engined aircraft model protagonist who bases his preference on the allegation that the modern jet "lacks character", the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II which provides the subject for this month's colour page is perhaps the one aircraft that could give him cause to think and possibly tempt him into broadening his interest, for few combat aircraft of today possess more character than this welter weight from Missouri. No southern belle by any criterion, the Phantom appears to bulge in all the wrong places, refuting the old adage that a plane must look right to be right, but what she lacks in beauty the Phantom certainly compensates for with character. Having been around for nigh on 14 years, the Phantom is no debutante, and today serves with air arms from Australia to Germany and from Israel to South Korea in a variety of versions. In view of its production longevity and its widespread use, it is to be expected that a large number of model kits of the Phantom should have reached the stockists' sheives and the modellers' workbenches.

For those with a penchant for fairly large models there is the now rather elderly kit from Aurora to 1/48th scale which represents the F-4A quite adequately, and to similar scale is a superb RF-4E from Fujimi which is probably the best of all the Phantom kits. Kits to 1/72nd scale have been issued by Hasegawa depicting the F-4B, the F-4J and the F-4K, the two last-mentioned being also included in Frog's list with different — and rather better — decals, and by Airfix and Revell, while a really excellent Phantom kit to 1/100th scale comes from Tamiya. This list is by no means exhaustive, although all the kits mentioned are of good quality and represent their subject well.
W R MATTHEWS

Air Enthusiast 1971-09 vol.01 no.04

Modelling world
James Goulding
1/72 scale Phantoms

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom has long been a favourite with modellers, and consequently the kit manufacturers, as one would expect from the world-wide usage of this very fine two-seat fighter-bomber. There have been kits of the Phantom in many different scales, from Revell's huge, splendid 1/32 scale kits to Tamiya's nice little 1/100 scale models. In the popular 1/72 scale there have been a variety of kits produced over a long period by many leading manufacturers, and it may therefore be helpful to again consider some of the different kits in this scale and their good and bad features.

One of the earliest 1/72 Phantom kits came from Revell and it is still widely available today, either in single form or in boxes of four kits to represent the "Blue Angels" or "Thunderbirds" display teams. It is available as an F-4B in single kit form or in the "Blue Angels" team, or as an F-4E with revised nose for the "Thunder-birds" team. This model is also available in slightly revised form as a Royal Navy F-4K.

In overall shape the Revell model is reasonably accurate, although the wing gives the impression of being rather thin in section and the tailplane is a little undersize. It also lacks the unique fixed slat along the tailplane leading edge, which is a characteristic feature of many Phantoms. Surface detailing gives skin lines and rivets, which should be reduced by sanding. Four Sparrow missiles and underwing tanks are provided in the kit.

Airfix first produced their Phantom kit as an F-4B, but have now revised the model, with additional parts, to permit the F-4B, 'C, 'D, 'E or 'J to be modelled. This is still one of the best Phantom models and the kit includes a fine variety of alternative weapons, such as Sparrow missiles, centre-line and underwing tanks, bombs and excellent Vulcan gun packs. The general outline shape is good and surface detail is confined to fine skin lines. A unique feature of the Airfix model is the moving tailplane, which again lacks the fixed slat. A fine decal sheet gives markings for any of the versions quoted and used by the US Navy, USAF or Israeli Air Force. The Airfix kit has a separate cockpit hood and windscreen, for those modellers who want to display their model with an open hood.

Hasegawa has produced two basic Phantom kits: one for the F-4K and 'M versions (and also marketed as an F-4J in "Blue Angels" colours) and two kits of the F-4E in either Japanese Air Self-Defence Force markings or in the markings of a standard USAF aircraft, an Israeli version or one from the "Thunderbirds" team.

The Hasegawa F-4K and 'M has several outline errors although it is the only kit of the Spey-powered version yet available in 1/72 scale. (Rumour has it that there may be another before long). The canopy is rather high and the enlarged windscreen tends to lose the characteristic downward slope of this component. The nose radome shape is not correct as the contours should taper more abruptly down to the nose point. The wing is too thin in section and lacks the deepened areas for the wider tyres when the undercarriage is retracted which results in bulges on upper and lower surfaces near the root. Surface detailing shows extensive riveting > as well as skin lines and these should be reduced by sanding.

Stores in the kit include multiple bomb carriers, Bullpup missiles, Sparrows and centreline fuel tank. This kit is also marketed by Frog with different markings both as a Royal Navy F-4K and a Royal Air Force F-4M.

Hasegawa's second Phantom, the F-4E, is a much better kit and one of the best in 1/72 scale of this big fighter. The general overall shape is excellent but the nose contours should be tapered to a sharper point, which is easily done. The wing looks convincing in this model, with correct thickness and local bulging. The tailplane, too, is the best representation of the type, with the special inverted camber at the root particularly well shown.

Surface detail is confined to finely engraved skin lines and panels. The cockpit canopy and windscreen shape looks correct on this model. As in Airfix's kit this F-4E is provided with an impressive array of stores: there are four Sparrows, four Falcons, four sidewinders, eighteen 340kg Mk 117 bombs, two packaged recce pods, two underwing tanks and one centre-line tank — a remarkable assortment of weapons, which give a Phantom model the true character of the full size aircraft. Special pylons are provided for the various loads.

Of these kits, I think the one from Airfix makes up into the best F-4B or 'C, and either the Airfix or Hasegawa kits the best F-4E or 'J. In my opinion the Hasegawa F-4E has the edge over the Airfix model by virtue of an improved tailplane and additional weapons. The nose contours of the Airfix F-4E version are, however, better.

The Revell F-4B is a good second best to the Airfix kit, but lacks the extensive weapon loads, the model being armed as an intercepter with Sparrows and long-range tanks. The Spey-powered Phantoms are not so well-represented but the situation may change. The existing Hasegawa-designed kit can be made to look satisfactory with modifications to the canopy and radome. The new F-4F, optimised for the intercepter role with new leading edge slats, is not yet represented in 1/72 scale, but doubtless it will soon get the attentions of the manufacturers.

In addition to the high standard of decals in the kits a number of Phantoms are featured in the superb Modeldecal sets: sheet No 2 gives markings for an F-4B, an F-4C and a Royal Navy Phantom FG.l. An F-4B is featured on sheet 15, and an F-4E is in set 16. A Luftwaffe RF-4E is featured in set 19, and set 23 has a 43 Squadron Phantom FG.l and a similar type is in set 24, this time from 41 Squadron. The attractive markings of 17 Squadron's Phantom FGR.2s are featured in set 12.

Our sample of the Hasegawa F-4E was kindly supplied by A. A. Hales Ltd of Hinckley, Leics, who are the Hasegawa distributors in this country. Modeldecal sets are obtainable from Modeltoys of 246 Kingston Rd, Portsmouth.

AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED 1975-06

FROG Orange series F410 McDonnell Douglass F-4K Phantom FGR2, Rovex Industries, not issued (~1973)

Hasegawa JS-020-250 McDonnell Douglass F-4K Phantom FGR2, 1966
ジ ハセガワ 1/72 イギリス海軍 F-4K 「ファントムⅡ」 イギリス 軍用機

HONG KONG COMMENT

HASEGAWA Phantom II Very similar to the Revell kit of the Phantom, the Hasegawa effort is moulded in the same colour but without the "wood graining" effect sometimes seen on the Revell item. The nose, moulded integrally with the fuselage halves, is longer, the recess between the engine tail pipes on the belly is marginally deeper, the one-piece tail surfaces move, the dive brakes behind the main wheel housings are separate pieces and the actual cones of the tail pipes are much cleaner altogether.

In other respects, panel lines, rivets, general outline etc. it follows very closely the Revell product. Colour schemes are provided for 5 different aircraft; decals for Army, Marines and Navy (Forestal) are included and are reasonably good; particularly good is the Marines "Tiger Head" motif. A complete stores load is supplied including bombs, two types of missile and a large belly tank. It would seem that this kit, which is priced at ¥25O in Japan can also be obtained for an extra ¥100 in a plated version.
C.B.

I.P.M.S. MAGAZINE, Vol.3 No.9, SEPTEMBER 1966

HONG KONG COMMENT
by Colin Bramwell.

This "comment" is going to sound like a "plug" for one firm---HASEGAWA, whose 1/72 scale Jet Series continues with the F-105D. Better than either the Phantom or Mig 21, this kit has recessed rivet and panel detail, (very little of the former) which, when painted gives a satisfactory imitation of the real thing. Semi-matt decals for camouflaged or natural metal versions are provided! and all sorts of underwing stores are included as is current Hasegawa practice in this series. Moving parts are limited to wheels and friction pivot tail planes. On the whole a good kit of a very big single seat jet.

The IPMS magazine, Vol.4 No.3, MARCH 1967

HONG KONG COMMENT by Colin Bramwell

This will be a review of one kit and a passing comment on another. Both items are from Hasegawa to 1/72 scale.

The passing comment is that the F-4J Phantom is the same as the earlier F-4K, except for the box art, decals and jet orifices.
    

The IPMS magazine, FEBRUARY 1968, Vol.5 No.2

HONG KONG COMMENT by Colin Bramwell

The F-4K Phantom II just released, has been so thoroughly reworked from the original Phantom II as to be virtually a new kit. The F-4 used to be No. 1 in the Hasegawa range but No. 1 is now listed as the MiG-21. This F-4K (No. 10) is moulded in a rather bright deep blue plastic throughout and has a reworked shape forward of the cockpit including slightly different intakes and jet pipes; the afterburners, arrester hook, and stores pylons and tanks are also given. The canopy is less ribbed than before, but is distinctly misty. The decals, which are sIightl/glossy, are for the much-publicised No. 1 F-4K XT 595 and for the first F-4M XT 852.

It looks like an F-4K, but I confess to some confusion over these rather subtle sub-variant changes in this particular aircraft.

The IPMS magazine, Vol.5 No.10, NOVEMBER 1967

UPC 5080-100 McDonnell Douglass F-4K Phantom FGR2, 1968

AMT A-655-130 McDonnell Douglass F-4E Phantom II, 1969

FROG Orange series F262 McDonnell Douglass F-4K Phantom FGR2, Rovex Industries, 1975

KIT COMMENT
BRIGHTON 1974

Just before this issue went to press, UK model manufacturers previewed their wares for the current year at the Brighton Toy Fair. Frog, Lesney, Airfix and Revell have a long list of new releases, indicated by either box art or test shots.

The following 1:72 scale subjects are scheduled for release by Frog, with their decal sheets in paren-thesis: Hunter FGA.9 (No 54 Sqdn and No 1 Survellance Wing, Swiss AF); Spitfire VIII/IX (No 72 Sqdn RAF and No 457 Sqdn RAAF); Javelin FAW.9 (Nos 5 and 54 Sqdns RAF); P-47-25 Thunderbolt (FAF and No 615 Sqdn RAF); Phantom FGR.1/2 (No 31 Sqdn RAF and RN deeals); Dornier Do 335 A-6/A-12 (Luftwaffe and captured RAF); Mirage IIIE; Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe (901st and Yokosuka Air Corps); Lavochin La 7; Lockheed PV-1 Ventura (Aero navale and No 13 Sqdn RAAF); Jaguar T.2/GR.1

Aviation News Vol 2 Num 19 15-28 February 1973

NOVO Cat.No.78182 M.D.D. F-4K/M Phantom II, Novo Toys Ltd., 1980