1:72 F-4EJ Kai

The real subject

The F-4EJ is the Japanese form of the American two-seat Phantom II fighter. The machines were built under license in Japan and served with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. You can tell the type from a distance by its unmistakable silhouette: the outer wing panels point upward, while the horizontal tail surface is angled downward. Power comes from a pair of turbojet engines and the crew consists of two men seated in tandem.

What the suffix Kai means

Kai denotes modernized machines. During the conversion the aircraft received a new radar and added cockpit equipment, which extended their service and opened the way to newer armament. Outwardly they differ from the earlier machines only in detail, so when building, watch mainly the small things on the nose and in the cockpits.

The model and the build in 1:72 scale

From the dimensions of the real aircraft the finished model comes out about 27 cm long with a span of roughly 16 cm, so it is a fairly large piece for 1:72. Finish and paint both cockpits before you close the fuselage; they can be seen into even with the canopies closed. Mask the frames before spraying. On an aircraft with nosewheel landing gear, check the balance and insert weight into the nose before gluing the fuselage together if need be. Paint the insides of the intakes and the exhaust nozzles dark, otherwise they will look flat.

• 1:72 scale, a plastic kit
• the subject: the Japanese F-4EJ Kai Phantom II fighter
• a two-seat cockpit and a pair of turbojet engines
• a typical silhouette: dihedral on the wingtips and an angled-down tail surface
• the model is about 27 cm long with a span of roughly 16 cm

Terms of supply

Paints, glue and filler are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.