A4D Skyhawk & F-4 Phantom II - 1:72 Lindberg

[Julien]

A4D Skyhawk & F-4 Phantom II
1:72 Lindberg

This is a double boxing recently re-released by Lindberg. Lindberg kits have been around for a while and it would seem that the F-4 kit dates back to 1965 not too long after the first Phantoms went to the US Navy. The A4D seems to have its origins in the IMC kit from the 1970s which was first reboxed by Lindberg back in 1990. Both kits featured the addition of extra parts to re-create a "battle damaged" look to them, and no doubt to appeal to the younger generation of modellers.

A4D
The overall shape for the Skyhawk seems to be good, details as expected from a kit this age are sparse. The pilot is moulded to his seat, and the bombs to their oversize pylons. The battle damaged parts consist of a second left fuselage and second horizontal tail part.

F-4G
The kit was boxed as an F-4G and may reference the US Navy F-4G aircraft from 1963 which were modified F-4B aircraft. Indeed the kit has the thin wing of the F-4B. For this kit that's where the similarity ends, the nose, and under nose fairing look like no F-4. There are no seats for the pilots in the cockpit and no underwing stores apart from external tanks. Damaged parts are a new left intake and a left upper wing.

Decals
Two options are provided for both kits. The ones for the Skyhawk seem to represent real squadrons, where as those for the Phantom are entirely fictional. The A-4 has the standard US Navy Scheme of the day, where the F-4 features both a SEA scheme and a grey scheme. The decals for the A-4 look well printed, where as he F-4 not so good.

Conclusion
These kits are a product of their age. Recommended only if you fancy some nostalgia modelling, or fancy trying the "battle damaged" look.

Review sample courtesy of
UK distributors for

[sloegin57]

Julien

the Phantom kit looks like a modified but re-hashed version of the original "look-at-me-when-I-grow-up-I-am-going-to-be-a-1/72nd-kit-of-a-Phantom" which cam out in the mid/late '60's. It has the same canopy/wheels/tyres/exhaust cans as the Revel kit but the big give-away are the 370 gallon underwing tanks - MDD made not Fletchers.

HTH

Dennis

[tempestfan]

Both kits originated as IMC - or well, rather they originated - as Dennis said - with Revell for the F-4B/"RF-4B"...and possibly heavily-modified Airfix, looking at the contraptions serving as main u/c legs in the A-4. IMC also had MiG-21 and F-100 (I think), plus A-1E and F-105 which were quickly pulled being rip-offs of Monogram kits, causing Monogram to sue IMC. One wonders if there is any decency left in the world...I have still to figure our or read an explanation how those kits came to Lindberg, as IMC's moulds were bought by Testors (or Hawk ?) around 1970. Possibly when Testors and Lindberg were both owned by RPM. Only Lindberg started calling the kit a G, and showed a kit in two greys in the catalog that I don't think was the one which they supplied.It was tied to the 1991 Iraq war, I think.

Edited May 23, 2016 by tempestfan

[Julien]

Thanks for the info.