Hobby Master Archive

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 was the main multipurpose aircraft for the US Military for 20 years. The F-4E variant was an improved version of the C/D with an elongated nose and compact radar. These two things made it possible to install a 20mm M61A1 6 barrel 1387 aircraft being made over its 12 year production period. The “E” also equipped more air forces than any other variant of the Phantom II.

In 1963 the Australian Government decided to order a replacement aircraft for their aging English Electric Canberra bombers. The aircraft of choice was the General Dynamics F-111 that was still in the developmental stages with delivery to begin in 1968. 1968 and 1969 came and went and the F-111 program was still encountering problems and delivery date could possibly be as late as 1974. Finally in June 1970 the Australian Government had reached an agreement to lease 24 F-4E Phantom II’s for two years at a cost of $34 million US with the option to buy the F-4’s at a cost of $12 million US per aircraft if the F-111 program was cancelled. One month later USAF Maintenance Training Teams began arriving in Australia and aircrews went to the US for their training. In September 1970 the various crews had completed their respective conversion training. On September 14th 1970 5 F-4E’s arrived at RAAF Amberley led by 69-0306 piloted by Wing Commander Roy Frost, C/O of 6 Sqn, RAAF. Each aircraft was fitted with a 600 US gallon center-line ferry tank, wing mounted 370 US gallon drop tanks and MXU-648 travel pods attached to the port inner wing pylon. Every aircraft was a new 1969 model right from the factory and wearing the standard USAF Technical Order 1-1-4 camouflage, better known as the “Vietnam or SEA (South East Asia)” paint schemes. The aircraft arrived with the USAF Serial Number in black on the tail fin with the last one or two digits of the serial number in white being applied to the side of the fuselage at a later date. These numbers would make for easier RAAF identification. There was no squadron markings added to these aircraft. RAAF Phantom’s had the honor of participating in RAAF 50th Anniversary Air Shows held throughout Australia during 1971. On October 25th,1972 with the lease up the first six RAAF Phantom’s, of which 69-0305 was one were flown by USAF crews and returned to the United States where all the RAAF leased F-4’s would eventually be converted to “G” series aircraft. Finally on June 22nd 1973 the last two Phantom’s departed for their US home. After only 2 years 9 months and 3 days the Phantoms had come and gone from RAAF service.

A brief history for F-4E 69-0305 “05” Built under contract number 3848 the aircraft first flew on June 24 1970. It departed the US for Australia on September 14 1970 and arrived on September 19 1970. The aircraft was assigned to 6 Squadron at RAAF Amberley. 05 participated in the RAAF 50th Anniversary Airshow at RAAF Richmond in April 1971. October 1972 the aircraft was returned to the USAF and converted to an F-4G “Wild Weasel” The aircraft participated in “Operation Provide Comfort” in 1991. This was to provide support and defense for the Kurds in northern Iraq who were facing annihilation by Saddam Hussein forces. 05 flew its last operational mission during Operation Provide Comfort. The aircraft was transferred to AMARC on April 9 1996 under AMARC # AAFP1044. (Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center), is a joint service facility managed by the US Air Force Material Command located in Tucson, Arizona, USA. This facility is often referred to as “The Boneyard”. AMARC provides an aerospace storage and maintenance facility for aircraft that are not required for service at this time. Being located in the desert there is a very low humidity to threaten any corrosion and some aircraft can be prepared quickly to return to service if needed and others can be used for spare parts. 05 was removed from AMARC and converted to a QF-4G (target drone) serial number AF-170. On June 3, 2000 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico the story of 69-0305 ended when the aircraft crashed without being shot down.

Specifications McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II Engines - 2 X General Electric J79-GE-17 turbojets Thrust - 11,870 lb. st dry, 17,900 lb. st with afterburners Fuel Maximum internal fuel - fuselage tanks 1,364 US gallons (up to block 40) and 1,225 US gallons (from block 41 on). Additional - 630 gallons of fuel in internal wing tanks. External fuel load - 600 US gallons centerline tank Additional - 370 US gallons tanks under each wing attached to the outer pylon Total fuel load - 3334 US gallons (up to block 40) or 3195 US gallons (from block 41 on)

Performance Maximum speed - 1,430 mph at 36,000 ft (Mach 2.21) / 914 mph at sea level (Mach 1.19) Cruising speed - 585 mph Landing speed - 158 mph Initial climb rate - 61,400 fpm Service ceiling - 62,250 ft Combat ceiling - 59,600 ft Combat range - 595 miles Maximum range - 1885 miles with maximum external fuel

Weights Empty - 29,535 lbs Gross - 40,562 lbs Combat - 38,019 lbs Take off - 61,651 lbs Dimensions Wingspan - 38 ft 5 in Wing area - 530 sq ft Length - 63 ft 0 in Height - 16 ft 6 in

Armament 1 X 20-mm M61A1 cannon with 639 rounds in an under-nose gondola 4 X AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in semi- recessed slots in the fuselage belly 2 to 4 X AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the wings on the inboard pylons Total offensive load of up to 16,000 pounds could be carried on the centerline and four under-wing hard-points.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA1908 McDonnell-Douglas F- 4E Phantom II Royal Australian Air Force, No. 6 Squadron, 1970

1/72 scale.

Professionally painted. Great attention to detail. All markings are Tampoed (pad applied). Option to display the model on a stand that is provided. Model can be shown with the landing gear in the down or up positions. Loads of optional armament provided. Canopy can be displayed open or closed. Pilot figures included. Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic. Highly collectable.

THESE PICTURES ARE PRE-PRODUCTION PICTURES ONLY, THEY ARE NOT THE FINISHED MODEL