1:32 McDonnell F-4 J Phantom II - Marine Version
Item #60308

Product Description

About the McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II Marines

When test pilot Robert C. Little prepared to take off in the
YF4H-1 prototype on May 27, 1958, few onlookers could have
guessed at the success story yet to unfold. Over thirty years
from that faithful day, the successors of that prototype, the
Phantom series of aircraft, would be protecting the skies over
the free world and see adoption by eleven nations including the
U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marines. The Phantom II was developed by
McDonnell Douglas and first pitted against Vought's F8U-3
Crusader III to see which aircraft would be the Navy's next main
carrier-borne fighter. In 1959, the selection was made in favor
of the robust Phantom II. The early production model, the F4H-1F,
underwent various tests and training exercises, eventually
leading to the F4H-1 model, which was deployed to several Navy
and Marine divisions. In 1962, in efforts to unify the names of
Navy and Air Force aircraft, the F4H-1F and F4H-1 became
designated the F-4A and F-4B respectively.
Just after its adoption by the Navy, the Phantom II showed the
world what it was made of, breaking record after record,
including top-speed, altitude, and time-to-climb. To top off
these results, the U.S. Navy ran Project LANA, a transcontinental
speed race. The roman L stood for the number 50, for "50th
Anniversary of Naval Aviation". The contest was to demonstrate
the Phantom's shocking speed and reach. Based on this impressive
track record, and on comparative tests against Air Force fighters
at the time, it was decided that the next main fighter of the
Air Force would also be the Navy's Phantom II. The F-4B version
was specially tailored to the needs of the Air Force, and became
designated the F-4C. Further improvements to that aircraft
resulted in the F-4D model.

The Navy continued to make improvements to the Phantom II.
Mounting the F-4B with an automatic carrier landing system, yet
another variant, the F-4G was born. On May 27th, 1966, perhaps
the best known of the Navy's Phantoms, the F-4J, made a
successful maiden flight. It housed powerful General Electric
J-29GE-10 turbo jet engines, the powered-up version of the
J-29GE-8 engines used on the F-4B and F-4G. It was also fitted
with an AN/AWG-10 radar on its fire-control system and an ASW-11
one-way data-link. Stronger landing gear of vacuum-melted steel
fitted with wide tires were added to meet the strict sink rate
requirements, and the top and bottom surfaces of the inner wings
were slightly bulged out. The Navy's foremost requirement being
improved takeoff and landing, the F-4J was added a slot to the
stabilator leading edge, which provided tremendous down force at
low speeds. This Phantom II was capable of carrying a maximum
weapon load of about five tons, which gave it a truly powerful
punch. Its main air-to-air armaments consisted of AIM-7 Sparrow
and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and a 20mm gun pod. AGM-12 Bullpup
and AGM-84 Harpoon air-to-surface missiles, as well as various
bombs and rockets were also loaded in great numbers. In 1966, the
101st Fighter Squadron of the Navy became the first to be
outfitted with the F-4J. Deployment to the Marines soon followed
in 1967, with F-4J aircraft outfitting the 334th, 232nd, 235th,
and 333rd Fighting Plane Squadrons.

As the deployment of the F-4J to the Navy and Marines continued
through 1967, U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was getting
deeper and deeper. Back in 1961, the U.S. government decided to
send their troops to Vietnam to support the South Vietnamese
government, but the chaos only worsened. It was the carrier-borne
Phantom II that launched the air battle, engaging the MiGs of
the North Vietnamese. In late May of 1968, F-4J aircraft from the
Navy's 33rd and 102nd Fighter Squadrons arrived at the Gulf of
Tonkin aboard the USS America. The Navy's Phantom II headed for
North Vietnam for roles in bomber support and anti-MiG patrol.
This jack-of-all-trades aircraft was equipped with Mk.82 bombs
and Sidewinder missiles for self-defense, and often served as
effective close support for the ground forces of the Marines. The
service of the F-4J in Vietnam is highlighted by one particular
episode. On September 11 1972, Major Thomas (Bear) Lasseter and
Captain John D. Cummings of VMFA-333 "Shamrocks" shot down a
MiG-21 near Hanoi, the only time in the war that a MiG was downed
by a U.S. Marine aircraft. That F-4J was later downed by a SAM
(surface-to-air missile), but the pilots were later rescued.

The production of the F-4J ended in late 1972. However, because
the development and deployment of its successors, the F-14 Tomcat
and F/A-18 Hornet were late, about 250 F-4J planes were equipped
with the latest fire control devices and engines, and later
designated F-4S. These aircraft remained in Marine use until
1991. Battling in five major conflicts spanning over three
decades, and breaking almost every conceivable aviation record,
the highly versatile Phantom II earned a special place in
warplane history.

Suggested Paint Colors

AS-20 - Insignia White (USN)
X-10 - Gun Metal
X-11 - Chrome Silver
X-18 - Semi Gloss Black
X-23 - Clear Blue
X-26 - Clear Orange
X-27 - Clear Red
X-7 - Red
X-8 - Lemon Yellow
XF-1 - Flat Black
XF-16 - Flat Aluminum
XF-18 - Medium Blue
XF-19 - Sky Grey
XF-2 - Flat White
XF-56 - Metallic Grey
XF-57 - Buff
XF-62 - Olive Drab
XF-7 - Flat Red