Hasegawa 1/48 RF-4E Phantom II 'Sea Camouflage' Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

Italeri recently released their 'updated' 1/48 RF-4E Phantom II kit which was arguably the best kit of the RF-4 for many years until Hasegawa developed their RF-4 tooling. Here is their RF-4E reissue timed to coincide (more or less) to the Italeri kit. As before, this kit is molded in light gray styrene, the kit is presented on eight parts trees plus two trees of clear parts. Among the features and options in this kit:

• Detailed front and rear cockpits
• Two optional seated crew figures
• Canopies can be positioned open or closed
• Detailed cameras inside camera nose
• Positionable stabilators
• Positionable speed brakes
• Positionable photo flash cart launcher doors
• Chaff/flare launchers for the inboard pylons
• Unslotted stabilators

External stores include:

• 2 x 370 gallon wing tanks
• 1 x 600 gallon centerline tank (original type)
• 1 x 600 gallon centerline tank (F-15 type)
• 1 x ALQ-131 pod

The kit also includes four AIM-7 and four not good representations of the AIM-9J but these aren't used in this version.

The kit provides markings for two options:

• RF-4E, 47-6901, 501 Sqn, JASDF, Hyakuri AB, 2015
• RF-4E, 67-6913, 501 Sqn, JASDF, Hyakuri AB, 2015

The Italeri kit has slotted stabilators while this kit has the unslotted types. The JASDF RF-4s use the unslotted type as shown in the cover photo that also has the F-15-type centerline drop tank also installed. Check your references to see if the RF-4E you're modeling has the slotted or unslotted stabs and swap accordingly.

This kit is going to look nice straight out of the box as the sea camouflage is going to look awesome especially with the full set of stencils that cover the airframe.

My sincere thanks to Hasegawa USA for this review sample!