Eagle Strike continues its Phabulous Phantoms series with this selection of three eye catching F-4s. As this is an early Eagle Strike sheet, the instructions consist of black & white line drawings.  Each aircraft has a large left side profile drawing, with a smaller right side profile beneath it. The back of the instruction sheet has several smaller drawings of a wing to show decal placement.      The decals come on two sheets, with one set of national insignias, intake warning triangles, "NAVY", & "MARINE" stencils.  No walkways or maintenance stenciling is provided.

      The first a/c covered is the Marine Air Group commanders a/c from VMFA-115 "Silver Eagles", during the Bicentennial.  It really pays to carefully study the instruction sheet, as this is a special paint scheme with many non-standard markings, such as the air conditioning intake lips & engine intake lips both being painted red.  The aircraft is in the gull gray/white, but the vertical tail needs to be painted white.  While not visible here in the review, the top & bottom surfaces of the wingtip & stabilators have red, white, & blue stripes.  The red, white, & blue "triple nuts" modex can be done as one decal, or done as individual numbers.  All other markings are standard.

           The next a/c covered is the CAG's mount from VMFA-531 "Gray Ghosts".  This F-4N was deployed with CVW-14 aboard the USS Coral Sea as one of the two fighter squadrons.  This aircraft took part in Operation Eagle Claw, the failed Iranian hostage rescue attempt in 1980.  The aircraft has black & yellow ID bands on the top & bottom of the right wingtip.  The modeler must paint these stripes on, as there are no decals to represent them.  Also, the air conditioning intakes on the nose were painted yellow.  The aircraft is in the overall matte gull gray scheme.  The tail markings are all on one decal per side.  The units well known skull markings, & "NK" tail code are the same gull gray as on the aircraft, so they are clear on the decal sheet.  All other markings are standard.

      The final a/c is an F-4J from VF-33 "Tarsiers" in the gull gray/white scheme.  This is one of the few operational F-4 units that incorporated a black tail in its markings.  The vertical tail, air conditioning intakes, & canopy trim are all gloss black, & must be painted by the modeler.  Otherwise, this is a standard F-4J.

      VMFA-115 became the first East coast Marine F/A-18 unit in 1985.  VMFA-531 transition to the Hornet in 1983, but were disestablished in 1992.  VF-33 transition to the F-14A in 1981, but were disestablished in 1992 along with many other F-14 units.

     Overall, a sheet I recommend to my fellow Phantom Phreaks.

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