Academy Aircraft 1/48 F4J VF84 Jolly Rogers FUSN Fighter Kit

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor aircraft/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. It was also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force. The Phantom is a large fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It featured a tandem two-seat with twin-engines. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs. The F-4 was designed without an internal cannon, but later models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record, and an absolute altitude record.

The F-4J aircraft featured a much-improved radar and avionics, as well as improved aerodynamic design. In addition, it had an improved J-79 engine with a longer afterburner nozzles. Gone from, was the infrared seeker located under the nose that was a mainstay of the F-4B/C/D versions. Although it did not carry a gun, the aircraft performed well as an interceptor with its Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles. The Navy's only Vietnam aces flew the F-4J for all of their five kills, one pilot and one radar intercept officer (RIO). The Phantom has the distinction of being the last U.S. fighter flown to attain ace status in the 20th century. Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981, with a total of 5,195 built, making it the most numerous American supersonic military aircraft.