1:32 F-4 Phantom II Hook for Plastic Tail kit Parts

F-4 Phantom II arrestor hook for the plastic tail parts from the kit (Kopecky Scale Models, 1:32)

A resin detail part for a kit, not a stand-alone model. It is the arrestor hook for the F-4 Phantom II in 1:32 scale. This version is shaped for the plastic tail parts straight from the kit box, typically the large Tamiya kit, which you have to own. If you have used separately sold aftermarket tail parts instead of the plastic ones, the second, sister version of the hook intended for those is the one for you. The manufacturer is the Czech brand Kopecky Scale Models.

What the arrestor hook on the Phantom is for

The arrestor hook is a hinged hook under the rear fuselage. With it a carrier-based aircraft catches the tensioned arresting cable when landing on an aircraft carrier and stops within a very short distance. The F-4 Phantom was among other things a carrier machine, so the hook belongs to its characteristic features. The resin version comes out finer and crisper than the thicker hook molded in plastic.

Fitting and tips

Wash the casting first in lukewarm soapy water so that the mold release agent disappears and the paint holds. Cut the casting block off cleanly and handle the thin hook carefully. The only glue is super glue (cyanoacrylate); ordinary cement for plastic does not work on resin. The key thing is to pick the right version: this one belongs with the plastic tail from the kit, and the version for aftermarket tail parts is a different one, so that the hook matches in shape.

Who the part is for

• For builders of the F-4 Phantom in 1:32 who build the tail from the original kit plastic.
• For modelers for whom the coarser plastic hook from the box is not enough.
• For owners of the large Tamiya kit who want to refine the rear of the aircraft.

An accessory for a kit, not a stand-alone model. The base kit, super glue and paints are not included in the package. Mind the choice of hook version according to the type of tail parts.