1:72 F-4K Phantom FG.1 Late vol.2

The machine that traded a deck for dry land

The order for Phantoms for the Royal Navy counted on domestic engines, and so the airframe was given Rolls-Royce Spey units. The turbofan engines had more thrust at sea level, but the wider fuselage raised the drag and the top speed dropped instead. When the Royal Navy gave up conventional aircraft carriers at the end of the 1970s, the machines passed to the Royal Air Force and rounded out the defense of the islands.

Late service and how it looked

In British colors the FG.1s served mainly at a Scottish base, from which they took off to identify aircraft approaching across the North Sea. Their paint schemes went through a development from green and gray camouflage to all-gray finishes, and it is precisely the late period that this box captures. Against the first part of the series it differs in the choice of color options, while the plastic parts are the same.

Box contents

The basis is injection-molded parts from proven Japanese tooling with fine engraved detail, to which the Polish publisher has added sheets of decals from an Italian printer and masks for the glazing of the canopy. A more experienced builder will appreciate not having to buy the accessories separately and being able to concentrate straight away on shape work and the surface.

Building recommendation

Pay attention to the seating of the substantial air intakes and to the transition of the wing into the fuselage, where gaps most often appear on this subject. The cockpit for a crew of two deserves at least belts and a readable instrument panel, because it can be seen into well under the clear canopy. Drooping the flaps slightly and opening the canopy are also worth trying; the silhouette then looks less static.