Rockin’ Rhino By Eduard #1143 1/48th scale

Kit

Injection moulded plastic – (ex Academy McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II)

Parts

499 components, 16 transparencies, 2 photo-etch sheets (1 coloured), 23 resin, canopy mask and 2 Cartograph decal sheets.

Mouldings

The ex Academy parts are cleanly moulded with fine recessed surface detail.

There is no evidence whatsoever of any flash on the multitude of parts, whilst ejector pin marks could not be easily found.

General comment

On opening the box one is presented with a massive quantity of parts. Unlike Hasegawa, Academy tend to include all the required weapons and underwing stores, and Eduard have used the lot!

A rather concise instruction book is included which will be required given the complexity of the build.

The cockpit tub includes all the instrument panels and side consoles, multi-part ejection seats, crew figures, and control column. Photo-etch is extensively used to enhance this area, whilst replacement resin ejection seats are supplied. Components for the nose wheel bay fit to the bottom of the sub assembly.

The undercarriage components have excellent fine detail on the gear legs with treaded replacement resin tyres included. Wheel bay detail is fairly basic.

Resin components are supplied to replace the engine tailpipes and burner cans.

External stores include a mixture of AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, bombs, and drop tanks. These were carried on centreline and wing pylons with the mix depending on the mission profile.

The supplied transparent parts are thin and clear with no noticeable blemishes. A canopy mask is included.

Decals

Two approximately A4 sized Cartograph sheets are supplied with one featuring US national markings and a multitude of stencilling! The other sheet carries all the aircraft squadron codes and individual aircraft markings.

Five aircraft are depicted –

1. F-4J Phantom II, 153775, VMFA-451 “Warlords”, USS Forrestal, 1976.

2. F-4J Phantom II, 153882, VF-92 “Silver Kings”, USS Constellation, 1973.

3. F-4J Phantom II, 157270, VF-114 “Aardvarks”, USS Kittyhawk, 1971.

4. F-4J Phantom II, 153887, VMFA-235, “Death Angels”, MCAS Kaneohe Bay, 1972.

5. F-4J Phantom II, 153783, VX-4 “The Evaluators”, NAS Point Mugu, 1972. This is the overall gloss black “Vandy One” with the famous white bunny logo on the tail!

Daryl N. Williams.