One can
always count on Yellowhammer to come out with an interesting sheet and this
one is no exception. Right after the Falklands war in 1982, the British had
to send one of its fighter squadrons to the islands to provide air defense.
This left a gap in its NATO commitments and with the Tornado F.2/3 still
being developed, it was decided to obtain surplus USN F-4Js and 15 were
ordered. Reworked at NAS
North Island and painted in some rather odd shades of grey, these were
delivered in late 1984. Subsequently they were repainted in 'normal' colors
and served for many years until replaced by surplus British Phantoms once
other units started re-equipping with Tornados.
This Yellowhammer
sheet provides exactly the same aircraft as their 1/32 sheet, only with the
addition of some more info due to more space being available. The sheet provides markings for any one of 8
aircraft , including one that was specially painted for the 1988 Tiger Meet
in Italy. The decals are very nicely printed and perfect for those wanting
to do something a bit unusual. Any of the Tamiya F-4J kits will do nicely
for this project as the aircraft were virtually unchanged when in British
hands. The only mod will be that there was a periscope installed on several
airframes where the little window between the canopies goes. Check your
references to see if the aircraft you are doing has this.
As always, a comprehensive instruction sheet is provided,
offering all sorts of good information to help you make the best model you
can.