Mc Donnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II (RAF 74 Sqn) (1:72 scale)
- 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 & weight of this Cold War icon the F-4 broke 15 world records & 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.
The first three F- 4J (UK) aircraft were delivered to the RAF in August of 1984 to equip the newly-formed No. 74 Squadron at RAF Wattisham. These aircraft were intended as a stop-gap measure until the introduction of the Tornado F. Mk 3. In later years, these aircraft were made compatible with the BAe Sky Flash air-to-air missile. The No. 74 Squadron F- 4J (UK) fighters were retired in early 1991 by low-time Phantom FGR. Mk 2’s. On September 21, 1992 No. 74 Squadron was disbanded.