1:48 F-4E FOD covers PRINT

Intake covers for the Phantom F-4E in 1:48 scale

This item is not an aircraft model but a detail set from the Czech maker Eduard from the PRINT line. It adds to a Phantom model the air intake covers that are fitted on the real aircraft whenever the machine stands on the apron, so that no foreign object gets into the engine. On a model they serve twice over. They hide the empty intake openings, where a close look shows that the duct behind them leads nowhere, and at the same time they give the model the clear story of a parked aircraft.

The real subject

The McDonnell Douglas F-4E is the most widespread version of the Phantom II, with a lengthened nose and an internal cannon. It is powered by two General Electric J79 jet engines, and air reaches them through large side intakes with their characteristic movable ramp. It is their size that makes the covers so conspicuous on real machines and on a model, and why in colored renderings they were used as a visible signal that the aircraft was not ready to fly.

Usage tips

Wash the parts in lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap before painting and let them dry. They are bonded with super glue; ordinary cement for plastic does not hold on them. Spray the covers separately and fit them to the model only at the very end, after the airframe has been matted and weathered. If you want to be able to display the model without them too, glue them only in spots so that they can be lifted carefully. A deep red needs a light base, otherwise it will not cover.

Who the set is for

• For modelers who are building the Phantom F-4E in 1:48 scale
• For dioramas and scenes with an aircraft parked on the apron
• For builders bothered by empty intake openings on a finished model
• For collectors who want to bring a model to display standard

This is an accessory set, not an aircraft kit. The base model, paints and glue are not included in the package.