A smart new decal sheet has been added to this 1/48 RF-4E, which was last released in 2016… but has much older origins as CHRIS CLIFFORD explains.
For several years, Italeri has been reissuing vintage ESCI toolings from the 1980s, but providing new markings with them. It did this in 2016 with its 1/48 RF-4E Phantom II – a kit that amalgamated original ESCI components with a new fuselage, wings and other parts moulded by Italeri. The same set of runners has just been re-released via kit 2818, accompanied by a large, handsome decal sheet offering stunning markings for five different Phantoms. All are flown by export users.
For an item that dates originally to the era of big shoulder pads, ‘Yuppies’ and Rick Astley’s debut, ESCI’s parts are surprisingly good, with sharp panel line engraving on the wings, tails and air intakes. Italeri’s newer recce-profiled fuselage also has engraved lines, which are 99% as fine as ESCI’s. Other plus-points include both styles of camera bay fairings employed by the RF-4E (curved/angular), reasonably convincing wheels and a generally accurate overall shape. There is also the provision of cameras for installation inside the nose (which has the requisite lens covers on the clear runner).
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