McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle – 493rd FS Grim Reapers, USAF, RAF Lakenheath, F-15 Europe 45th Annivesary 2022.

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA4533: McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle #86-0172 of 493rd FS Grim Reapers, 48th FW, USAF, RAF Lakenheath, England, F-15 Europe 45th Annivesary 2022. Production run of 700 models

Length 10.75 inches Wingspan 7.25 inches

The 493rd FS “Grim Reapers” USAF based at RAF Lakenheath, England wanted to mark the 45 years the Eagle has been in Europe operating from various bases. F-15C 86-0172 was given a special paint scheme to mark the occasion with a shield on the left vertical stabilizer marked “Eagle 1977 – 2022” and listing the many bases that have been home to the F-15 Eagle. Painted on the right stabilizer was the 493rd FS “Grim Reapers” logo. The speed brake wore serial numbers of other F-15s. Early February 2022 saw the departure of the last F-15 Eagle.

Designed to meet US Air Force requirements for an air superiority fighter to replace the F-4 Phantom, the F-15 Eagle first flew on July 27, 1972. Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas’s design in 1969 to meet the service’s need for a dedicated air superiority fighter. Since entering service in 1976, it is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by the Israeli Air Force.