Hobby Master 1/72 McDonell Douglas F-4J Phantom II No. 2 airplane, US Blue Angels, 1969 Die-Cast Aircraft

The 501st TRS was the JASDF’s only Recon Squadron. It was formed in December 1961 and uses the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker as it emblem. In 1972 the JASDF decided to replace their RF86F with 14 RF-4Es and formed a detachment at Hyakuri AB to handle the new aircraft. The first F-4Es were numbered 6901- 6914 and began arriving throughout 1974 and 1975. For operation over the water 6901, 6905 and 6913 were given a special Ocean Blue scheme while converted F-4EJ and F-4EL Kai were painted in green/gray Forest scheme.

In 1969 the Blue Angels re-equipped with the McDonnell Douglas two-seat F-4J Phantom II. The first F-4Js for the Blue Angels arrived on December 23, 1968. This was the first time they had used a two-seater and the first time both the Blue Angels and the USAF Thunderbirds flew the same equipment. The F-4 allowed the team to add more maneuvers to their routine increasing it to 22 minutes. The aircraft had lead ballast in the nose to compensate for the lack of the AWG-10 radar. The team operated their F-4Js until 1974.

Engines:	2 X General Electric J79-GE-8B/8C/10 turbojets, 11,870 lb.s.t dry, 17,900 lb.s.t. with afterburner.
Dimensions
Length:	58 ft. 3.75 in.
Height:	16 ft. 3 in.
Wingspan:	38 ft. 5 in.
Wing area:	530 square ft.
Weight
Empty:	30,770 lbs
Gross:	46,833 lbs
Combat:	41,399 lbs
Performance
Maximum speed:	1,584 mph at 48,000 ft. (Mach 2.4)
	875 mph at sea level (Mach 1.15).
Service ceiling:	70,000 ft.
Combat ceiling:	54,700 ft.
Initial Climb Rate:	41,250 fpm.
Combat range:	596 miles, maximum range 1,956 miles with maximum external fuel.
Fuel
Maximum internal fuel:	Maximum internal fuel: in fuselage tanks 1,347 US gal.
Internal wing tanks:	630 gal.
Maximum external fuel:	Maximum external fuel: 3,317 US gal. 600 US gal in a centerline tank, 370 US gal in each of two tanks that could be carried underneath the outer under wing pylons.
Armament:	4 X AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in semi- recessed slots in the fuselage belly. 2 X to 4 AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the wings on the inboard pylons. Maximum offensive load of up to 16,000 lbs carried on the centerline and 4 under wing hard points.