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Hobby Master produce models that are just superb and most are made in quite limited quantities. Once sold that is it!
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Hobby Master 1/72 JASDF F-2a Fighter Aircraft Model (HA2702)
Mitsubishi F-2B JASDF 21st Sqn., 4th Air Wing (Matsushima A.B.)
During the 1980s General Dynamics, the developer of the F-16, proposed another version of the F-16 called the F-16 Agile Falcon. The US military opted not to get involved because they were busy upgrading their present fleet as well as developing the new F-22/JSF. Japan had decided to purchase the F-16 to replace its aging F-1 aircraft but then decided to develop the F-16 Agile Falcon concept. The new aircraft for the JASDF (Japan Air Self Defense Force) would be the F-2 and manufactured with a 60/40 split between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin bought General Dynamics in 1993. Production started in 1996 with the first aircraft being delivered in 2000. 94 of the F-2 aircraft are scheduled to be manufactured. It might look like an F-16 but the Mitsubishi F-2 is a completely new fighter. The general shape may say F-16 and a few things that the F-2 and the F-16 have common are the engine, landing gear, air intake door and the 20 mm gun. But the F-2 has a longer and wider nose to accommodate phased-array radar with 25% larger wing. It is made from a composite material to reduce weight and radar signature, a larger tail plane and larger air intake. The pilot canopy is a stronger three-piece construction. The F-2 is equipped with a drogue chute just like the NATO version of the F-16. The single seat fighter is the F-2A while the two seat version (F-2B) is a trainer that is fully combat capable. The 21st Squadron of the 4th Wing (21 Hikotai, 4 Kokudan) is based at Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture. It is a Flying Training Command unit that is part of the JASDF system. The Flying Training Command is responsible for basic flying and technical training. Originally there had been 47 F-2Bs ordered but that has been reduced along with a reduction in the original 83 F-2As. High cost overruns and the poor world economy was cited as the main factors for the cuts.
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Stock: Sorry, Sold Out (Website:0) (explain)
(Prod Ref #79565)
MRP: £39.99
Web Only Price: £36.00
We regret that this product is no-longer
available. Our current product range can
be found at www.anticsonline.co.uk
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