1/32 Tamiya F-4E Phamtom II

Converting McDonnell Douglas

 F-4E Phantom II Tamiya kit from early to late model

by Shmuel Boyarski

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This kit from Tamiya number 60310 is the early version of the aircraft, but I converted it to the late version.  In order to convert from early version to late version I used Cutting Edge conversion:

The Tamiya parts assembled very easily and very well.

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I used LED's and fiber optic in the cockpit and Exhaust NozzlesI built a stand that delivers 3 volts of power via a plug in/out connector to get it to light up.  It is very easy to put the model on the stand and to remove it in order to display the model on its wheels. There is also an mp4 that can be play when the model is attached to the stand.

This plane was one of 34 F-4E PHANTOM II delivered to IAF in the 1973 war after great loss during the first days of the conflict.  The plane served in the "hammers" squadron in the "sea" – south East Asia scheme till the mid 80's.  The plane is famous because of its tail number: 306.  It is the missing IAF pilot navigator Ron Arad plane, but its represents the plane before it was painted in the standard IAF scheme.  Unfortunately the plane crashed on 16/10/1986 because a bomb dropped by the plane exploded to early near it.  The pilot was rescued but the pilot navigator Ron Arad is missing till today.

Shmuel 

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Photos and text © by Shmuel Boyarski