Tamiya 1/100 F-4EJ
Japan selected the F-4 Phantom II as its new fighter at the end of the 1960s.
The F-4EJ entered service with the JASDF in August 1972 with a total of six Hikōtai (Squadrons) operating the aircraft: the 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306th.
On 9 March 2020, the RF-4 was retired after 45 years in JASDF service. 301st Hikōtai continued to operate the F-4EJ until 14 December 2020 when the Phantom was withdrawn from front-line service, remaining in use with the Air Development and Test Wing at Gifu.
The 306th Tactical Fighter Squadron was founded at Hyakuri Air Base on December 1, 1981 with F-4EJ aircraft.
This is one of Tamiya 1/100 kits which the company introduced back in the early 1970s, hoping to become the standard small scale. Things did not work like this, though, with Tamiya giving up introducing 1/100 toolings after a dozen types or so, many of which were periodically reissued since then. Their Japanese Phantom is one of those cases, first introduced in 1969 and reissued seven times ever since, twice by Revell, twice by Ben Hobby and three times by Tamiya, the last reissue taking place in 2004, which is the subject of this review.
Though not exactly shake and bake kits, they are not too challenging to build and can be considered well done in their own manner. The specific kit, together with another very nice Tamiya 1/100 Me-262/Me-163 combo, was offered as a Christmas present to my sons from my local club. Should you wish to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/viet/us/usaf/fighters/penej.htm
Happy Modelling!
A very neat build of a Phantom in what is now an unusual scale, Spiros. Thanks for the history of the Japanese aircraft as well.
Thank you kindly, my friend @chinesegeorge!
It's an excellent model and very nicely finished. One of my friends in Japan was a pilot with the 304th so your model links nicely.
Thank you so much, my friend @christopher!
Nice job, Spiros. Interesting kit. Not familiar with the 1/100 scale kits.
Thanks a lot, my friend @gwskat! Tamiya 1/100s are nice, pleasant builds.
Excellent small scale build, Spiros.
Thanks a lot, my friend @dbdlee!
Would have never guessed the scale…Great build!, and I had no idea they built F-4s in Japan.
Thanks a lot, my friend @jimh!
Great build and I too would never have guessed it is a 1/100 scale model. The back story on the Japanese licensed production and use is very interesting.
Thank you very much, my friend @russjurco!
Great work on this Phantom, Spiros (@fiveten). I have looked at the Tamiya 1/100 kits before, but worried that it wouldn't build into a good model. This one looks great, so you have proven me wrong. Well done.
Thanks my friend @gblair! Tamiya 1/100s, while not totally shake and bake, are quite pleasant builds. We can day they are well done in their own manner.
Clean looking Phantom and well written back story, Spiros@fiveten. I am not familiar with 1/100 scale either. Just how big is it?
Thanks a lot, my friend @eb801! It is roughly two thirds of the size of the 1/72 Phantom and around the same size with the 1/72 MiG-15.
I never realized there were 1/100 kits - I definitely won't drop down from 1/72 to that scale! A nicely done Phantom, Spiros!
Thank you kindly, my friend @gkittinger! Never built a 1/100 before this. Well, odd scaled but fun!
It's not a 1/72nd and it's not a 1/144th - nice to see this in between scale so nicely built, Spiros.
And the kit came with the Aim-4 Falcon missiles? That's not too common.
Thank you so much, my friend @georgeswork!
Yes, the kit came with Falcons!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful result and history of this amazing aircraft, Spiros @fiveten
Never knew that Mitsubishi built those F4s in license, thanks for sharing all the information.
Thanks so much, my friend @johnb!
Spiros @fiveten the Phantom is a mean looking machine and hiromarus on it look even better! Lovely build in an unusual scale!
Thank you very much, my friend @fxrob!
Hey Spiros @fiveten. Echoing the thoughts above. Wouldn’t guess it’s a smaller kit based on the photos and presentation. Fantastic work! Guessing the decals were pretty small!
Thanks a lot, my friend @yellow10! Yes, the decals were small, had to struggle with those numbers!
You do great work at any scale, Spiros! My first ever model was a 1/100 Corsair, have built them in every scale since :). I've never seen a 1/100 corsair kit since then though.
Thank you so much, my friend @robgenev665! The 1/100 Corsair is very hard to find today, last reissued by Tamiya in 2004.
Nice job on your 1/100th scale F-4, Spiros. Nice to see it carrying its ordinances.
Thank you very much, my friend @v1pro!
Nice looking "mini Phantom" Spiros! I always like the early JASDF, it's what a US navy gunned F-4 might look like.
Thanks a lot, my friend @roofrat!