Introduction

Appearing on the market August 2020 is ICM’s rebox of their Model T 1913 Speedster introduced in 2018 with updated parts and the addition of a sprue containing two sports car drivers. Known for their detail, this Ukrainian based plastic model kit manufacturer has been producing highly detailed kits since 2003 with exports to several markets including North America.

Zoukei-Mura started there 1/48th scale F-4 Phantom series with the F-4J in 2016 and since then they have issued an F-4S, F-4C, F-4D, F-4J Marines, another F-4J and this latest release, an F-4E Early…we finally have a gunned version and it is magnificent.

Let’s look in the box (and it is packed). There are well over 400 part in the box with lots of options and parts not in use. These are on 14 perfect gray sprues with one clear sprue included for canopy parts, etc. There is one set of marking included for F-4E-35-MC, 67-0308, 469 TFS/388 TFW, Ubon RTAFB, 'Betty Lou' which has two full color sheets. Most of these is taken up with the 400 stencils that go onto the plane- more on that when we get to it. There are a lot of optional position items to chose from when you build also including:

I would first like to give a HUGE shoutout to Mr. Gary Demory, Tamiya America Customer Service Supervisor without whose help this review may not have been able to be completed. During work on this project, I had a “the dog ate my homework” moment when a series of parts was suddenly missing from my workbench, and the guilty party kept saying, “I didn’t do it.” What to do? In spite of Tamiya’s California office being closed due to the pandemic, Gary went to great lengths to assist me in getting the parts I needed. Thanks for all of your help and outstanding service, Gary!

First Impression

The Marder I was a WWII German tank destroyer with a 75mm PaK-40 anti-tank gun. Most of the Marders were actually constructed on the base of a French artillery tractor (Trachteur Blindè 37L), which Germany had acquired more than 300 of after the fall of France in 1940.

History

Designed to replace such aircraft as the USAF F-16, A-10, the Navy’s F/A-18, and the Marine Corps ASV-8B STOL aircraft, Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter was accepted by the armed services and three versions have been produced so far. Those versions are the USAF F-35A, the Marine Corps F-35B VTOL aircraft, and the Navy’s F-35C carrier fighter. A number of foreign countries have ordered the type. The Marine F-35B provides vertical as well as horizontal thrust. The F-35 is capable of several missions, including air superiority, ground attack, and interception duties. The Marine Corps unit VMFA-121 Green Knights was the first unit to receive F-35’s in 2012, and they have since been issued to USAF and Navy units. Currently, F-35A’s are being used as fighter trainers at Luke AFB, Arizona, where I see them flying almost every day. They are most impressive to see and hear in the air.

The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat, twin engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet fighter. The airframe was originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonald Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the Navy and was later adapted for use as a land-based aircraft. In 1968 the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), elected to replace the F-86F with a modified version of the F-4E. This new designation became the F-4EJ and became the main fighter of the JASDF until it was replaced with the F-15J. The last squadron to fly the F-4EJ Kai was the 7th Air Wing based in Ibaraki Prefecture. This new special edition kit from Zoukei-Mura depicts an aircraft in the commemorative markings for “Phantom Forever 2020”, this squadron’s final flight of this venerable aircraft.