1:32 F-4D Phantom II

The Phantom in the colors of four air forces

The D version came about as a reworking of the Phantom tailored to the US Air Force. Against the earlier series it was given different guidance equipment and a better ability to act against targets on the ground. It entered squadron service from the middle of the 1960s, went through combat over Southeast Asia and served its last years with Guard and reserve squadrons.

Seven machines on one sheet

The choice is unusually varied. Two machines belong to the Air National Guard, one of a Texas squadron from Houston of the late 1980s, the other of a Kansas squadron from Wichita of 1986. One carries the insignia of a South Korean squadron from Taegu air base in 1990. A pair of Iranian machines shows the same airframe in two eras: once still under the empire in 1973, and again at the beginning of the 1980s. The remaining two aircraft served with the American reserves in Texas and in Florida.

Before you reach for the scissors

• the sheet is printed on a continuous backing, so cut every motif out as close as possible
• polish the base under a decal with a gloss coat, as a matte surface holds air and creates a silvery veil
• on broken surfaces a decal softener and pressure with a cotton bud help
• once dry, give the whole model a matte coat so that the edges of the film disappear

The sheet holds markings only. Obtain the model of the aircraft, the paints and the varnish separately, and before applying them it is good to check the shades of the particular machine against the documentation, because the Guard and Iranian camouflages differ markedly from one another.