McDonnell Douglas F4B Phantom "VF84 Jolly Rogers"

The McDonnell F-4B Phantom II was the first mass production variant of the legendary F-4 Phantom II, a twin-engine, tandem-seat, all-weather fighter-bomber introduced in the late 1950s. Developed for the U.S. Navy, the F-4B featured J79-GE-8 turbojet engines, a pulse-Doppler radar, and was armed with four AIM-7 Sparrow and four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, as well as ground-attack ordnance. Lacking an internal cannon, the F-4B relied on its missiles for aerial combat. It played a crucial role in the Vietnam War, excelling in both air superiority and strike missions before being replaced by the upgraded F-4J and later F-14 Tomcat.

The VF-84 “Jolly Rogers” was a famous U.S. Navy fighter squadron known for its iconic skull-and-crossbones insignia. The squadron operated the F-4B Phantom II during the 1960s and was deployed aboard aircraft carriers like the USS Independence and USS Roosevelt, seeing action in Vietnam. VF-84 pilots engaged in air combat, escort missions, and strike operations, helping solidify the Phantom’s reputation. The unit later transitioned to the F-14 Tomcat before being disbanded in 1995, but its legacy continues through VFA-103, which carries on the “Jolly Rogers” name and insignia today.

Update with new decals and new parts of the large Fine Molds McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II series, markings and new parts diagram is included in images below. The parts include a quite extensive change, as this is the first B variant released in the series, so the parts correct lot of parts including tail, engines and wings plus some small details. The new decal sheet include two markings, one for the VF-84 “Jolly Rogers” (1965 USS Independence) and one for the VF-21 Freelancers (1965 USS Midway).