1:72 F-4 Phantom II (short nose versions) - F-4B, C, D, J, N, S and all British variants

Master 1:72 F-4 Phantom II - Short Nose Versions, Turned Brass Parts

The set from the Polish manufacturer Master is intended to replace the plastic nose probes on models of the F-4 Phantom II in 1:72 scale. The parts are turned from brass, so they have genuinely thin walls, an accurate shape and a strength that an injection-molded part cannot reach. The set contains a Pitot tube, a ram air inlet and an angle of attack probe. It is not an aircraft kit: neither a model nor plastic parts are included in the package.

Careful: a short nose or a long one?

The Phantom was built in versions with both a short and a long nose: later variants received a different radar and with it a longer nose, which changes the shape and the placement of the probes. This set is intended solely for the short nose versions: the F-4B, C, D, J, N, S and all British variants (the Phantom FG.1, FGR.2 and their relatives). On the long nose versions (the F-4E, F and G and the reconnaissance RF machines, for example) it does not fit; a separate set exists for those. So before you buy, check which variant of the Phantom you are building. The advantage is the wide coverage: one set takes care of the whole family of short nose machines, and that is a large part of the kits available in 1:72.

Use and fitting

• Cut the plastic probe off the kit as close to the fuselage as you can and level the surface.
• Drill a hole of the matching diameter in the plastic that is left (work up from a smaller drill to a larger one).
• Try the brass part dry, then glue it in with super glue (cyanoacrylate).
• Degrease the brass before painting and prime it with a primer; without one, paint holds badly on metal.
• Because the thin tips are fragile, fit the parts at the very end of the build.

Who the set is for

For modelers who want to get rid of the weakest spot on most kits: a thick plastic probe, often bent and easily snapped off. A metal replacement stands up to handling and to transport to a show, and it markedly sharpens the finished model.

This is an accessory for a model. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package.