Tamiya 1/32 McDonnell Phantom II F-4 C/D 60305
About the McDonnell F-4C/D Phantom II
In May 1958, the McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II prototype was rolled out of their facility at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri. It was a very large aircraft for a fighter and it was not very pretty by aviation standards. It looked like some giant had stepped on its nose and kicked it in the tail; however, it flew on the 27th of that month and is still flying today, 5,195 Phantoms later. From these beginnings until well into the 1970s the F4 Phantom II would be the primary fighter aircraft of the free world.
By 1982 the F4 had fought in 5 major conflicts, nine years in Southeast Asia, twice in the desert of the Middle East and against each other at one time. It was used in every role; Fighter interceptor, Fighterbomber, Reconnaissance, Tanker and Drone. They specialized in attack roles as Wild Weasel defense suppression and laser designator bombers. They also defeated the best aircraft that the opposition could put against it. The only time it lost was when pitted against another F4, during the Greek-Turkey conflict. With the U.S. Navy in the headlines everyday with this new interceptor, the American Defense Department ordered competitive tests be flown against the best aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory. Convairs F-106 Delta Dart was selected to fly against the Navys Phantom II, and the Phantom easily won top speed, low-level speed, altitude, plus the unrefueled range and radar range. Following this flyoff, much to the disgust and embarrassment of the Air Force, it was decided that the next Air Force fighter would be this U.S. Navy design. It would at first supplement, then totally replace the Air Force F100; F102; F104 and F105 strike and interceptor aircraft. Under the designation F110A, the Air Force Phantom II was basically a Navy-4B airframe with changes made to meet Air Force requirements. Following the F-4C, which was essentially the same aircraft as the designated F110A, the F-4D version was more closely tailored to meet the requirements of the Air Force. With these two versions, the Phantom II established its unparalleled esteem in the U.S. Air Force.
The F-4s in the U.S. Navy had numerous variants through its career to fulfill various requirements from the Navy as well. Following the F-4G, which was developed as a trial, the next variant was designated the F-4J to avoid confusion with the original F4H-1 The F-4J was designed as the follow-on to the original F-4B, correcting some of the deficiencies which had become apparent in service. Its maiden flight was made on 27th May 1966, and mass production started shortly after. As the F-4J was developed for the U.S. Navy in parallel with the F-4D of the Air Force, they had a few differences. The new J79-GE-10 powerplant was further improved from the previous J79-GE-8 to yield more power. Internally, upgraded radar, with an improved fire-control system and a new missile-control system, were fitted to earn even better interception and ground attack abilities. In addition, a fixed inboard leading edge along with a slotted tailplane contributed to better maneuverability at low speeds. Lift at low speeds was further enhanced by furnishing 16.5... dropped ailerons. As a consequence of these alternations, its approach speed was reduced by 20km/h. A further noticeable difference from the previous variants was the bulged inner wingfoot to accommodate the larger wheels employed to cope with its increased weight. Armament was also bolstered. AIM-7 Sparrows and AIM-9 Sidewinders were equipped as the main weapons for air-to-air combat, and a wide variety of bombs, missiles, rockets and explosives could be fitted according to the mission. The maximum load of armament was 5 tons which made the F-4Js attack capability outstanding. Further changes were introduced during the course of production, such as a provision of Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM) and addition of various dogfight-capable computers.
It was in March 1967 when the F-4Js delivery to the corps started. U.S. forces were in midst of the hard-fought conflict against North Vietnam. Back in 1961, the U.S. government decided to send their troops to Vietnam to support the South Vietnamese government, and the conflict kept spreading day by day. Under these circumstances, the Phantom II played a main role in the sky. The Navys Phantom IIs were flown from aircraft carriers, and the Phantom IIs of the Air Force and the Marines were flown from their bases in South Vietnam and Thailand to engage in North Vietnamesess MiGs. It was the end of May 1968 when the F-4Js carried on the aircraft carrier America first appeared over the Vietnamese sky. On 21st July, an F-4J shot down a MiG 21, which was recorded as the first kill by the F-4J. F-4Js streamed to the battle field, and achieved outstanding military results against MiGs especially after resumption of the North Vietnam bombing. The only Ace status in the U.S. Navy during this conflict was attained by an F-4J on 10th May 1972. Lt. Randy Cunningham and Lt. William Driscoll, who had already shot down a MiG 1 and MiG 17, gained three MiG 17s on the day, making themselves the first aces. However, their longest day was not concluded. Soon after their fifth kill, on their way back, their F-4J was tagged by a missile from the ground and the pair ejected and were rescued at sea.
The mass production of the F-4J ceased in December 1972, recording 522 aircraft as the total number produced. The F-4J proved its superb combat capability mainly in the Vietnam conflict throughout its career, and contributed to establishing the high reputation for the Phantom II series all around the world. Seven F-4Js were slightly modified for use by the U.S. Navys Blue Angels flight demonstration team as well. These aircraft had oil and smoke injectors added, and were beautifully painted in the teams attractive blue and gold colors. Their acrobat demonstrations fully utilized their full potential at the many air shows held for the public. Although being replaced gradually by the F-14 Tomcat in the Navy and the F-15 Eagle in the Air force in recent years, the Phantom II dominated the sky all over the world as a guardian for western alignment till the 80s.
- AS-14- 100ml Olive Green (USAF)
- AS-13- 100ml Green (USAF)
- AS-15- 100ml Tan (USAF)
- AS-16- 100ml Light Gray (USAF)
- TS-29- 100ml Semi Gloss Black
- X-1- 10ml Black
- X-10- 10ml Gun Metal
- X-11- 10ml Chrome Silver
- X-18- 10ml Semi Gloss Black
- X-27- 10ml Clear Red
- X-4- 10ml Blue
- X-7- 10ml Red
- X-8- 10ml Lemon Yellow
- XF-1- 10ml Flat Black
- XF-16- 10ml Flat Aluminum
- XF-19- 10ml Sky Grey
- XF-2- 10ml Flat White
- XF-24- 10ml Dark Grey
- XF-51- 10ml Khaki Drab
- XF-56- 10ml Metallic Grey
- XF-58- 10ml Olive Green
- XF-61- 10ml Dark Green
- XF-62- 10ml Olive Drab
- XF-7- 10ml Flat Red
Orders are shipped by either Australia Post, TNT, Toll or Fastway Couriers, please understand these services operate Monday to Friday as a general rule. We have electronic tracking via the carriers but cannot divert goods from the original address given.
Flat Rate Shipping
Our $9.95 flat rate shipping covers all metropolitan areas and all urban areas within Australia.
Free Freight Offer
Our Free Freight option on goods over a certain value applies to online orders only and may change without notice due to commercial competition so please always check this category. We reserve the right to quote freight separately for any oversize, large, heavy or bulky goods which may be ordered. Free shipping may not apply to some oversize items, or orders containing Dangerous Goods.
Dangerous Goods
Some items such as rocket engines and RC fuel require additional charges due to “Dangerous Goods” category. Due to these items being sent by a courier, someone must be home to receive the item, or a slip may be left instead. These items cannot be shipped to PO boxes. Please note, rocket engines of size 'E' or higher cannot be shipped. They can only be picked up in store.
Oversize Items
Any items that are larger than 1 metre in any dimension are considered an oversize item and are not accepted by Australia post and as such, require additional charges to be sent by courier. Due to these items being sent by a courier, someone must be home to receive the item or a slip may be left instead. These items cannot be shipped to PO boxes.
RETURNS POLICY
Frontline Hobbies is committed to providing customers with the best products and service. We are aware that sometimes returns are required and have detailed in this policy how to return a product to Frontline Hobbies.
Please note that all products are sold with manufacturer’s warranty unless otherwise noted.
14 Day Return Guarantee
Not what you expected? Changed your mind?
We offer a 14-day return policy for any unopened, undamaged product in original condition.
Contact us within 14 days of delivery and we will gladly accept your return. Then package and ship it back to us. Once received, we will arrange a credit or refund.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
Please note, for change of mind returns, it is the customers responsibility to pay for return postage.
Incorrectly Shipped Products
If you have received the wrong item, please contact us immediately upon receiving your delivery so we can arrange the correct items to be shipped out, and for return of the item received. We may require a photo of the product so we can verify.
Please keep the products in their original packaging and we will send you a return shipping label. Print it out, attach to the package; and either take to Australia Post, or for larger items we can arrange a courier to collect the items.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
If the product is not deemed to be incorrect, we may return the product to you at your cost or we may offer a reduced credit to cover any shipping costs incurred.
Damaged Products
If you have received a damaged item, please contact us immediately upon receiving your delivery so we can arrange replacement items to be shipped out, and for return of the damaged item. We may require a photo of the product so we can verify.
Please keep the products in their original packaging and we will send you a return shipping label. Print it out, attach to the package. We will let you know whether to return it to Australia Post, or if we can arrange a courier to collect the item.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent further damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
If the product is not deemed to be damaged, we may return the product to you at your cost or offer a reduced credit to cover any shipping costs incurred.
Faulty products
If you have received a faulty item, please contact us so we can arrange the product to be returned to us for assessment. We may check manufacturer standard warranty to verify the product is still under warranty before we arrange a return label.
Please keep the products in their original packaging and we will send you a return shipping label. Print it out, attach to the package. We will let you know whether to return it to Australia Post, or if we can arrange a courier to collect the item.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent further damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
Upon receipt of a faulty product, we will either test the product ourselves or return the product to the manufacturer or supplier for assessment. Goods that require testing may take up to 30 business days.
If a fault is detected, and is not due to wear and tear, or misuse, we will offer you a replacement, credit, or refund.
If the fault does not fit the above criteria and is not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, then a replacement, credit or refund may not be provided. We may offer to repair the product at your cost. We will provide an estimate of any charges before commencing with any repairs.
Processing Credits & Refunds
We will normally issue a credit note within 10 business days of us receiving the goods returned in accordance with this policy. Goods that require testing may take up to 30 business days. The credit notes which are issued can then be used as a payment against future purchases or converted to a refund.
All refunds will be returned to the payment method used for the original purchase. If for any reason we cannot refund to the original payment method, we may require ID to be sighted to verify identity, or offer store credit in lieu of a refund.
Should you require further information, please feel free to contact us.