1:72 FOD for McDonnell F-4 Phantom II

What the abbreviation FOD means

FOD stands for damage to an engine by a foreign object that the aircraft sucks into the air intake. A stone, a bolt or a piece of wire from the apron is enough for an aircraft to wreck its blades. Aircraft parked on the ground therefore have covers fitted over their intakes, and the apron is walked regularly. The covers are deliberately conspicuous so that nobody forgets to take them off before flight.

What the accessory does on a model

The set is cut for a model of the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II aircraft in 1:72 scale. The Phantom has large and clearly visible air intakes on the sides of the fuselage, so straight out of the box a shallow, empty duct tends to be visible and gives the finished model away at first glance. A cover closes that view off and at the same time gives the model a strong patch of color. The extent of the set and the way the covers are seated are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

• the parts are not polystyrene, so PVA modeling glue will not work on them
• they are glued with a minute amount of cyanoacrylate glue
• cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little clear of the part and sand the remainder
• wash and degrease them before painting, otherwise the finish will not hold
• test the fit dry, as the mating face usually needs adjusting

The covers suit a model on the flight line or in a scene with a ground crew. They would be out of place on an aircraft shown in flight, because they are removed before takeoff.

Terms of supply

The aircraft kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.