There are 2 etched frets included with harness and cockpit details as well as some airframe details. As is usual with Trumpeter, rubber tyres are included. Many people don’t like these however I quite like them as all that is needed is some distressing with a sanding stick to get a nice worn look.
The main snag with this kit is that I don’t think it represents an F-4; it’s more like a G-2, in fact, some of the sprues are even labelled as a G. The cowlings have the G scoops moulded on which will be an easy fix. Also the fuel filler hatch below the cockpit is missing which will be fairly straight forward to scribe in, as will the filling of the G hatches on the spine. Where it gets more difficult is the canopy which is the heavy framed G type. There are a few ways to get round this, sand off the framing, polish up and then add the correct framing from thin card, replace with a vac form replacement such as the one that’s in the Aires conversion for the Hasegawa kit, or go with RB productions photo etched set.
The decals look very nice on the sheet. I am fan of Trumpeter’s decals; they behave quite well in my experience so I’ll probably use these in my build. The schemes are all based on RLM 74, 75, 76 which is a bit dull as the F version probably has more varied schemes than any other mark, I think Trumpeter have missed a trick here.
In summary…
I think this kit looks pretty good in the box. It’s a typical Trumpeter product, nicely detailed, has good photo etched frets and really nice decals in a good looking overall package which isn’t too expensive. However, what also is present is the common Trumpeter fault and that is an accuracy clanger or two. Apart from the suspect rudder and spinner, this kit does not represent an F-4, that’s why I’ll be doing mine from the box and painting it as a G-2!
Jamie H.