1:72 scale diecast model by Hobby Master 1:72 Air Power Series HA1913. McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II Spanish Air Force, Torrejon, Spain, 1970.

Length 11 inches
Wingspan 6 inches

The first of 583 F-4C ordered by the USAF began delivery in late 1963. They basically were F-4Bs that had been refit for ground operations. The F-4C arrived in Southeast Asia in early 1965 and by 1966 equipped 7 squadrons in Vietnam and 3 in Thailand. The early F-4Cs lacked guns and relied totally on missiles but it wasn�t long before the addition of SUU-16A gun pods with M-61AI-20-mm guns were put to use to compensate for the lack of internal guns. The addition of these gun pods gave the pilot gun fire but degraded the performance of the aircraft. The first F-4Cs suffered from many defects such as wing tanks that would spring leaks and require resealing after every flight. Many had cracked ribs on outer wing panels. It wasn�t too long before the F-4D made an appearance.

In 1971 and 1972 the Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire - EdA) acquired 36 ex-USAF F-4C Phantom IIs for front-line air defense fighter units to replace their aging F-104 and F-86F. The EdA F-4s were designated C.12 with the �C� being short for Caza (fighter) and the 12 indicating the F-4 was the 12th aircraft type they had used since their Civil War in the late 1930s. Ex-USAF 58th TTW (Tactical Training Wing) Phantom 64-0896 was sent to Spain in 1978 and assigned to Ala 12 (12th Wing) Escuadrones (Squadron) 122 based at Torrejon and given serial number C.12-40. It was one of 4 F-4Cs sent as attrition replacements. The last F-4C was withdrawn from EdA front-line service in April of 1989 when they were replaced by F-18 Hornets.