• 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.
• Canopy can be displayed open or closed.
• Pilot figures included.
• Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic.
• Highly collectable.

Starting in 1973 the Japan Air Self-Defense Force received 154 F-4EJ
Phantoms that were based on the USAF F-4E. 138 of these aircraft were
manufactured under license by Mitsubishi who produced the last F-4 Phantom
II several changes were made to the F-4E to make it an F-4EJ. Basically it
had any offensive weapons removed but eventually these restrictions were
lifted and the aircraft were updated with missiles and the latest electronic
equipment.


Six squadrons (hikotais) were equipped with the F-4EJ. The 301st, 302nd,
303rd, 304th, 305th and 306th. Originally based at Hyakuri Air Base the
301st  Squadron of the JASDF, 7th Air Wing (koku-dan) painted some aircraft
in a “MiG Silhouette” scheme so they would resemble MiG-21s at a distance.
Hopefully this would fool the enemy long enough to take advantage of the
encounter if it should happen. By 1992 the original 140 F-4EJs had been cut to
125 aircraft through attrition.

During 1979 and 1980 the JASDF received 14 unarmed RF-4E’s from the U.S..
These were to replace the aging RF-86F Sabres they had been using for
reconnaissance. In 1982 a program was started to update the JASDF F-4EJ’s
by strengthening the structure, adding the in-flight re-fuelling probe, new
avionics such as improved radar, new computers and wired for Side-winders.
The upgraded aircraft were given the designation F-4EJ Kai (Kai – short for
kaizen or improvement). Included in the upgrade were 13 of the 14 RF-4E
that received new radars and were referred to as RF-4E Kai. These RF-4E Kai
were operated by 501 Hikotai (squadron).