Hobby Master 1/72 HA19002 McDonnell Douglas RF-4E Phantom II 20267, IRIAF, Mehrabad AB, 2009

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 was the main multipurpose aircraft for the US Military for 20 years. The F-4E variant was an improved version of the C/D with an elongated nose and compact radar. These two things made it possible to install a 20mm M61A1 6 barrel 640 round Vulcan gun pod in the nose. The F-4E was the most produced variant with 1387 aircraft being made over its 12 year production period. The “E” also equipped more air forces than any other variant of the Phantom II.

With 27 aircraft ordered Iran was the second largest customer for the RF-4E. The first of these aircraft was produced in late 1970 arriving in Iran in early 1971. Fifteen more RF-4Es arrived in Iran but in February 1979 the final eleven aircraft were cancelled due to political unrest and the fall of the Shah. Around the year 2000 at least one Iranian RF-4E was painted in a low-viz scheme like that of RF-4E 20267 with an MSN of 4207, registration of 2-6502 and s/n 72-0267.