Zoukei-Mura F-4S Phantom II 1:48 - Page 2 of 2

The Zoukei-Mura F-4S Phantom II kit

As soon as you look into the box everything is perfectly packaged and there are many sprues with lots of perfectly detailed parts moulded in grey plastic. Inevitably, as the ’S’ is so similar to the ‘J’ model Phantom II the kits are very similar.

Decals and painting guide

You get a new decal sheet and striking it is illustrating an F-4S Phantom II of VF-161 USS Midway, 1981

The quality of the decal sheet included is excellent – they are Cartograf manufactured. I think what’s a little disappointing is that you only get one option again, as you did with their F-4J release. As I say, you can’t fault what’s provided on quality though and you also get a full set of stencils.

The ZM F-4S kit

Quality is astonishing, truly it is – just take a close look at the accompanying photos of the cockpit detail, engines and wheels as examples – really excellent raised and recessed details. That back end under the tail has some incredible ribbing detail.

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Overview

The parts are well formed and certainly accurately capture the look and shape of the Phantom II, I really can’t fault anything there. Assembly is mostly conventional although you do have the option to include a detailed J-79 engine (or two). This is one of those things that’s a bit odd though – not much point in detailing it, for it never to be seen again. You can build the engine and place it on a trolly cleverly made from sections of the sprue frame. The only problem is you only have one set of afterburner/reheat cans and this poses a challenge – it would have been better for ZM to simply add two sets of cans, that would have made life easier.

Cockpit

This is a real highlight – everything is in there that you may want in an F-4 cockpit: detailed seats, instrument panels, sills, rudder pedals, control columns, canopy details and even the complex wiring you get on the rear decking and behind the pilot’s seats is pretty well represented and that’s impressive.

Wheels, wells and undercarriage

very impressive again, it’s all there on the detail front and these areas look impressively realistic on the completed model.

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Engines and cans

I’ve really covered this above just to say that the engines are very well detailed and would look good mounted on a dolly next to your completed model or in a dio. I’d be tempted to buy a set of resin cans from one of the aftermarket manufacturers and then you can have a complete model and display one or both General Electric J79s? Your call.

Full intake trunking is provided that should avoid any issues when you look down into the intakes. This is commonly a tricky area in F-4 kits and ZM has captured it perfectly.

Stores

4 X AIM-9s (early versions), 4 X AIM-7 Sparrows and a centre line drop tank, plus the all-important pair of wing drop tanks complete the package.

Clear parts

The usual two options included for closed or open. Parts are very clear, blemish-free and have no canopy seam line to remove.

Instruction book

Very comprehensive with plenty of clear advice about options and follows the usual exploded view approach. Paint references are included too for Vallejo paints and it’s useful that FS numbers are included where appropriate. Again, it would have been nice to have a few other mainstream paint manufacturers’ colours listed but the lack of them may indicate some commercial arrangement that precludes them.