1/72 MCDONELL DOUGLAS F-4D PHANTOM II 66-7733, 480TH TFS, USAF, PHU CAT AB, 1969 (WITH 12 X MK.82 BOMBS ON UNDERWINGS)

The F-4 Phantom II first entered US Military service in 1960. It was designed as a fleet defense fighter for the US Navy but by 1963 it was adopted as the US Air Force primary fighter-bomber. Despite the size and weight of this Cold War icon the F-4 broke 15 world records and continued to hold five of them until 1975.

Produced from 1960 to 1981 there were 5,195 Phantom IIs manufactured. Eleven countries other than the USA had the Phantom II in their inventory.

In 1957 the 480th TFS was established as the 480th FBS equipped with F-100s. In May 1969 the 480th TFS converted to the F-4D and later that year moved to Phu Cat AB, South Vietnam. The squadron was the first to shoot down a MiG-21 and had a total of 9 MiG victories. F-4D 66-7733 was delivered to the 366th TFW in 1969 and then the 480th. After Vietnam, the 480th TFS was disbanded and 66-7733 moved from squadron to squadron before being sent to AMARC in 1989 and scrapped in September 1998.

Dimensions

- Length: 17.7m

- Height: 4.7m

- Wingspan: 11.6m

- Wingarea: 49.2 sq m

- No. of Engines: 2

- Powerplant : General Electric J79-GE-10 (A/B 17,900Lb/8,119Kg)

Performance

- Range: 2,222 km

- Cruise Speed: 908 km/h

- Max Speed: 2,299 km/h

- Climb: 12,572 m/min

- Ceiling: 16,672 m