Matchbox 1/72 Phantom F-4M/K
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:31 pm
Evening all!
This is my first ever group build entry on ISM and I'll be entering with this special one.
Matchbox F-4M/K Phantom II as FG.1 A&AEE IAT 25th Anniversary:
I'll be using the Freight Dog Doppler nose resin conversion set and the Xtradecal X72296 set.
Spreu shot:
Please note I forgot to take a spreu shot as I was so keen on getting started so used another Matchbox kit from a different boxing from the stash
Review of a different boxing of the same kit(not mine):
https://modelingmadness.com/review/mod/mcdf4.htm
Royal Air Force/Royal Navy F-4 Phantom II Background information:
The United Kingdom operated the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal combat aircraft from the 1960s to the early 1990s. The UK was the first export customer for the Phantom, which was ordered in the context of political and economic difficulties around British designs for the roles that it eventually undertook. The Phantom was procured to serve in both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force in several roles including air defence, close air support, low-level strike and tactical reconnaissance.
Although assembled in the United States, the UK's Phantoms were a special batch built separately and containing a significant amount of British technology as a means of easing the pressure on the domestic aerospace industry in the wake of major project cancellations. Two variants were initially built for the UK:
The F-4K variant was designed from the outset as an air defense interceptor to be operated by the Fleet Air Arm from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers.
The F-4M version was procured for the RAF to serve in the tactical strike and reconnaissance roles. In the mid-1980s.
A third Phantom variant was obtained when a quantity of second-hand F-4J aircraft were purchased to augment the UK's air defences following the Falklands War.
The Phantom entered service with both the Fleet Air Arm and the Royal Air Force in 1969. In the Royal Navy it had a secondary strike role in addition to its primary use for fleet air defence, while in the RAF it was soon replaced in the strike role by other aircraft designed specifically for strike and close air support. By the mid-1970s it had become the UK's principal interceptor, a role in which it continued until the late 1980s.
Airframe information:
XT597 was a pre production varient of the F-4K and first flew on the 1st of November 1966, she spent her entire life on various trials work, including the initial carrier suitability trials on USS Coral Sea. Moving from the MoD(PE) to the A&AEE, she became a laboratory aircraft from 1974 onwards and had the long nose probe fitted at the time prior to having the Doppler Nose fitted. She was used as a high-speed chase and calibration aircraft and on retirement was earmarked for lightning strike trials before finally being donated to the Boscombe Down museum where she was one of the star exhibits. Sadly the museum's plans to open to the public on a regular basis were stymied by the MoD bureaucracy and with a recent massive increase in rent the Collection moved out and had to leave the F-4 behind. Efforts to get her to Bruntingthorpe and return her to ground running condition were sabotaged and she apparently became one of the first F-4s to be disposed of to Everett Aero (in November 2012), who are now building up quite a collection of them.
She wore special titles to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the F-4 Phantom at the 1983 RAF Greenham-Common International Air Tattoo.
A few reference photos off the net of XT597 wearing the IAT scheme:
Heres a walk around video of XT597 at her current "home" at exRAF Bentwaters:
Please note these are not my photos or video, all credit goes to the various photographers and hosting sites, I've only used these as a reference.
On a side note I think this is the nicest looking Phantom to ever grace the skies and one I've wanted for a good few years.
I was originally looking for the Fujimi boxing but could only find it for £50+ and that was out of my budget so I traded a couple of WWII aircraft with a friend for the kit and bought the decals and nose from Hannants for a fraction of the cost so it worked out just nicely.
I also got lucky with the nose as it was the last one in stock!
This is my first ever group build entry on ISM and I'll be entering with this special one.
Matchbox F-4M/K Phantom II as FG.1 A&AEE IAT 25th Anniversary:
I'll be using the Freight Dog Doppler nose resin conversion set and the Xtradecal X72296 set.
Spreu shot:
Please note I forgot to take a spreu shot as I was so keen on getting started so used another Matchbox kit from a different boxing from the stash
Review of a different boxing of the same kit(not mine):
https://modelingmadness.com/review/mod/mcdf4.htm
Royal Air Force/Royal Navy F-4 Phantom II Background information:
The United Kingdom operated the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal combat aircraft from the 1960s to the early 1990s. The UK was the first export customer for the Phantom, which was ordered in the context of political and economic difficulties around British designs for the roles that it eventually undertook. The Phantom was procured to serve in both the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force in several roles including air defence, close air support, low-level strike and tactical reconnaissance.
Although assembled in the United States, the UK's Phantoms were a special batch built separately and containing a significant amount of British technology as a means of easing the pressure on the domestic aerospace industry in the wake of major project cancellations. Two variants were initially built for the UK:
The F-4K variant was designed from the outset as an air defense interceptor to be operated by the Fleet Air Arm from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers.
The F-4M version was procured for the RAF to serve in the tactical strike and reconnaissance roles. In the mid-1980s.
A third Phantom variant was obtained when a quantity of second-hand F-4J aircraft were purchased to augment the UK's air defences following the Falklands War.
The Phantom entered service with both the Fleet Air Arm and the Royal Air Force in 1969. In the Royal Navy it had a secondary strike role in addition to its primary use for fleet air defence, while in the RAF it was soon replaced in the strike role by other aircraft designed specifically for strike and close air support. By the mid-1970s it had become the UK's principal interceptor, a role in which it continued until the late 1980s.
Airframe information:
XT597 was a pre production varient of the F-4K and first flew on the 1st of November 1966, she spent her entire life on various trials work, including the initial carrier suitability trials on USS Coral Sea. Moving from the MoD(PE) to the A&AEE, she became a laboratory aircraft from 1974 onwards and had the long nose probe fitted at the time prior to having the Doppler Nose fitted. She was used as a high-speed chase and calibration aircraft and on retirement was earmarked for lightning strike trials before finally being donated to the Boscombe Down museum where she was one of the star exhibits. Sadly the museum's plans to open to the public on a regular basis were stymied by the MoD bureaucracy and with a recent massive increase in rent the Collection moved out and had to leave the F-4 behind. Efforts to get her to Bruntingthorpe and return her to ground running condition were sabotaged and she apparently became one of the first F-4s to be disposed of to Everett Aero (in November 2012), who are now building up quite a collection of them.
She wore special titles to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the F-4 Phantom at the 1983 RAF Greenham-Common International Air Tattoo.
A few reference photos off the net of XT597 wearing the IAT scheme:
Heres a walk around video of XT597 at her current "home" at exRAF Bentwaters:
Please note these are not my photos or video, all credit goes to the various photographers and hosting sites, I've only used these as a reference.
On a side note I think this is the nicest looking Phantom to ever grace the skies and one I've wanted for a good few years.
I was originally looking for the Fujimi boxing but could only find it for £50+ and that was out of my budget so I traded a couple of WWII aircraft with a friend for the kit and bought the decals and nose from Hannants for a fraction of the cost so it worked out just nicely.
I also got lucky with the nose as it was the last one in stock!
.
