1:72 F-4 Phantom-II wheels w/ weighted tires, late

F-4 Phantom II in 1:72 scale - resin wheels of the late type

A set of cast wheels with weighted tires for a model of the F-4 Phantom II in 1:72 scale, in the form for late machines according to the box. It is not an aircraft kit but an accessory that replaces the plastic wheels from the kit. The underside of the tire is cast flattened, as if the weight of the machine were pressing on the wheel, and the one-piece casting has no parting line from two halves on the tire.

The real subject

The F-4 Phantom II from McDonnell Douglas was a twin-engine two-seat machine that first flew in 1958 and became one of the most widespread combat aircraft of the West. It served with the US Navy, the Marine Corps and the Air Force and in many other countries. Late versions got wider main tires, for which the covers of the landing gear bays in the wing had to be bulged. It is exactly this difference that divides the wheels of early and late machines, and that is why both forms are sold separately.

How to work with the resin wheels

Wash the parts in warm soapy water so that the mold release agent disappears. Cut the casting block off with a fine-toothed saw and sand the face down, protecting your breathing while you sand. Glue with cyanoacrylate, that is, super glue; cement for polystyrene does not hold on resin. Point the flattened part of the tire toward the base and align both sides. Spray a primer before painting.

Who the set is for

• Builders of late versions of the Phantom in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who want wheels with a faithful flattening of the tire
• Owners of older molds with coarsely shaped wheels
• Diorama builders who build a machine standing on the ground

The set is supplied unpainted. Glue, paints and the base kit are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.