Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA1951 McDonnell-Douglas RF- 4C 106th TRS, 117th TRW, Alabama Air National Guard

True 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 Canopies can be displayed open or closed Crew figures Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic Highly collectable

The first production RF-4C flew in May 1964. The RF-4C was an unarmed recon variant designed for information gathering. This variant is quite easy to recognize from other F-4 variants because of the distinctive nose. The larger nose was designed to accommodate radar, sensors and flat windows for cameras. During its years of service the RF-4C used two nose variations. The original design was the angular version with a later design that had a smoother rounded camera bulge. There were 503 RF-4cs built with 499 being officially accepted by the USAF.

In February 1971 the 106th TRS of the 117th TRW of the Alabama ANG was the first ANG squadron to receive the RF-4C. These aircraft were the replacements for the older RF-84F Thunderflash. The RF-4C was still in use in 1990 when six LOROP (Long Range Oblique Photography) aircraft from the 106th TRS of the 117th TRW of the Alabama ANG were deployed to Bahrain. The 106th flew cross-border recon missions during Operation Desert Shield gathering vital information about the Iraqi military build up as well as locating mobile “Scud” missile launchers. In December 1990 the 106th was replaced by a Nevada Guardsmen unit.

Specifications for the McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II Type - unarmed photographic reconnaissance version of the USAF’s F-4C.

Dimensions Wingspan - 38 ft 5 in Wing area - 530 sq ft Length - 62 ft 11 in Height - 16 ft 6 in

Performance Engine - 2 X General Electric J79-GE-15 turbojets Thrust 10,300 lb.s.t. dry 17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburner Fuel Maximum internal fuselage tanks Up to block 40 aircraft - 1,260 U.S. gallons Aircraft block 41 and on - 1,142 U.S. gallons Maximum external tanks Center-line - 600 U.S. gallons On outer pylons - 2 X tanks (1 per wing) 370 U.S. gallons