history

The AIM-54 Phoenix is a radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, its only launch platform. The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range air-to-air missile. The combination of Phoenix missile and the AN/AWG-9 guidance radar was the first aerial weapons system that could simultaneously engage multiple targets. Both the missile and the aircraft were used by the United States Navy and are now retired, the AIM-54 Phoenix in 2004 and the F-14 in 2006. They were replaced by the shorter-range AIM-120 AMRAAM, employed on the F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Following the retirement of the F-14 by the U.S. Navy, the weapon's only current operator is the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. Brevity code "Fox Three" was used when firing the AIM-54.
Info from Wikipedia

in the box

North Star Models have released the AIM-54 Phoenix air to air missiles in 2 boxings each in 1/48th and 1/72nd scales.
The difference in the boxings is the number of missiles supplied.
Item no - NS 48041a - 4 missiles in 1/48th.- $12.75
Item no - NS 48041b - 2 missiles in 1/48th..- $8.50
Item no - NS 72032a - 4 missiles in 1/72nd..- $12.75
Item no - NS 72032b - 2 missiles in 1/72nd. .- $7.00

The 1/48th missiles
Both boxings are packed in a stout cardboard box with a flip top opening lid. The resin parts are then packed in a resealable bag. A small set of instructions and a decal sheet make up the rest of the box.
Each missile is cast in a light grey resin, and is made up of nine parts each.
The main body is cast as one piece with raised and recessed detail. A large pour plug will have to be removed from the rocket motor end, which could prove quite troublesome as the pour plug does go into the recessed end, so care will have to be taken removing it.
The fins for the missiles are supplied as separate parts. The wings and fins are thin and crisp. Each missile will need 4 forward wings and 4 rear fins.

The 1/72nd missiles
Both sets of missiles are packed in a resealable bag, along with a set of instructions and a decal sheet.
The warheads on the 1/72nd sets are a separate part, so the parts breakdown is 10 piecies.
As with the larger missiles the detail is in the form of raised areas and recessed panel lines.
The rocket motor end and the warhead have a pour plug attached to the part that needs to be glued, and as with the as1/48th set the pour plug does look to be a bit of a pain to remove and clean up.
The fins are particuly thin so care will be needed removing and attaching them, and as with its larger scale version the missilie will need 4 wings and 4 fins attached.

instructions, and decals

A small instruction sheet is supplied with all the sets for the build sequence, such as it is, with the reverse side showing the decal placement. No paint guide is given for the missiles.
A decal sheet is supplied for two missiles, so the 4 missile sets have two decal sheets.
The decals look thin, in register and the various stencils are readable even in the 1/72nd sets.
Several coloured bands are supplied to denote wether the rocket and warheads are live, inert, or a training round. The instructions dont tell you though what colour each band signifys, so checking references is a must.

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