Hobby Master 1/72 McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom II 66-496, 48th TFW, RAF Lakenheath, 1975 HA1978
The F-4D was an improved C variant with most improvements being internal electronics and avionics. The F-4D entered operational service in April 1966 and joined the combat forces in Southeast Asia in May 1967. With the arrival of the D most of the C variant was reassigned to ground attack with the Ds taking on the air-to-air interceptor role. In 1968 - 1969 a total of 825 D models were produced 793 for the USAF and 32 for the Iranian Air Force.
McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II 66-7496 was delivered in 1970 the USAF 417th TFS (67th TRW). In 1971 the aircraft went the 417th TFS (49th TFW) but in 1975 the F-4D moved to the USAF 493rd TFS (48th TFW) based at RAF Lakenheath, England where it remained until 1979. That year 66-496 began the first of several more moves that included three different ANG TFS's between 1980 with the last being the Minnesota ANG in 1990. In July 1990 the aircraft was sent to AMARC for storage.