Matchbox – PK-404 (40404) – Phantom F-4M/K

Description:

Phantom F-4M/K

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II U.S. interceptor and fighter-bomber introduced in the 60s.

The F-4M/K was an specific variant build for the British Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, re-engined with Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines. The designations in British service was Phantom FG.1 for the fighter/ground attack and Phantom FGR.2 for the fighter/ground attack/reconnaissance.

This is an original Matchbox kit tooled in 1975, and released and upgraded over the time. The original release was released again in 1977 and 1992 again. In 1986 it was updated with new parts to Matchbox – PK-412 (40412) – Phantom FG1/FGR2, and lastly was released with new decals in 1998 as Matchbox – 40421 – McDonnell Phantom FG.1/FGR.2.

The original releases included a decal sheet with 3 markings, one for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and two for RAF. The kit kept the same box art in the three releases of the original F-4M/K variant.

Any of the Phantom kits by Matchbox are very appreciated in the modelling community, but the original series PK-404 or 40404 code numbers are worse than after the 1986 update. If you want to build one of the Matchbox kits the recommendation is to go for the later kits Matchbox – PK-412 (40412) – Phantom FG1/FGR2 or Matchbox – 40421 – McDonnell Phantom FG.1/FGR.2.