AMS Resin 1/32 F-4 Martin-Baker H5 (Pre-1970) Ejection Seats First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | March 2010 | Manufacturer | AMS Resin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-4 Martin-Baker H5 (Pre-1970) Ejection Seats | Scale | 1/32 |
| Kit Number | 32040 | Media | Resin |
| Pros | Very nice ejection seat backdate for the Tamiya or Revell kits | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $28.00 |
First Look
AMS Resin continues to turn out some nice aftermarket detail sets at reasonable prices. In this latest release, AMS has provided a simple backdate for the Tamiya or Revell 1/32 F-4 Phantom II kits.
This set is a pair of Martin-Baker Mk.5 ejection seats as fitted to all production F-4 Phantom II variants produced through 1970 before they were replaced with the Mk.7 seats. The Mk.5 was one of the last production 'bang' seats that used an explosive gun charge to propell the crew clear of the aircraft. These bang seats caused serious back injuries and while the H5 could be used at zero elevation, the aircraft had to be moving at least 90 knots in order to safely eject. The H5 seats had a soft parachute pack at the shoulders. The H5 seats were converted to or replaced by H7 seats which replaced the gun with a rocket motor and the soft parachute pack with a hard case. The H7 was a true zero-zero (could be safely used at a full-stop on the ground) ejection seat.
This set will backdate Tamiya's F-4C/D, F-4E, and F-4J kits as well as Revell's F-4 kits (except for the slatted F-4E which came after 1970). The set comes with a pair of nicely detailed seats, overhead face curtain handles and the lower pull handles.
This set is recommended for experienced modelers!
My sincere thanks to AMS Resin for this review sample!
For more information on the F-4, stop by our online reference on the subject here.