1:48 F-4 J/S Phantom II - wheels and canopy frame paint mask

Wheels and cockpit framing of the carrier Phantom F-4J and F-4S

Stencils for the canopy frames and for the landing gear wheels of the naval Phantom II in 1:48 scale.

The Phantom from the deck

The J version belonged to the Navy and the Marine Corps. It received a radar with Doppler processing, a slotted stabilator and drooping ailerons, which improved behavior on the approach path when landing aboard ship. The letter S is carried by a later rebuild of the same airframe with leading-edge slats, a strengthened structure and engines that smoked less. Carrier operation called for a stronger airframe, an arrestor hook under the tail section and folding wing tips, which were raised when parked on the ship. The machines long flew in a light scheme with gray upper surfaces and a white underside, on which every part of the landing gear is clearly visible.

Wheels on a machine from a ship

A light hub against a dark tire is a strong contrast on a naval finish and a transition made by hand between them cannot be hidden. The order is simple: the dark rubber first, then the stencil and finally the shade of the hub. Keep the weathering of the wheels in proportion; deck operation was hard, but the aircraft went through regular maintenance. Leave the canopy frames to the same stage as the landing gear, so that the resulting sheen matches the rest of the model.

Who we recommend it to

• Models in the gray and white naval finish
• Those interested in the late rebuild with leading-edge slats
• Those who want a clean transition between hub and tire
• Modelers of Marine Corps squadrons
• Dioramas from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier