F-4C USAF s/n 64-0727

[Old Viper Tester]

This was one of my favorite Phantoms at Edwards AFB. '727 was one of the most reliable Phantoms in the 6510th Test Wing Fleet. Operated by the 6512th Test Squadron as a test support bird, she rarely cancelled a mission for maintenance (CNX MX - I don't think she ever cancelled when I was scheduled to crew her), and usually came back Code 1. Not bad for a 15 to 25 year old jet.

 

This is a USAF photo showing her chasing the YC-15 in 1976. She wears light gull grey top sides and white undersides. Unlike the US Navy scheme, her control surface uppers are grey. Note the US Bicentennial 'pretzel' logo on the vertical tail and the external tanks in SEA camo.

 

The McDonnell-Douglas YC-15 was an Advanced Manned Short Take-Off Technology (AMST) prototype being evaluated at Edwards along with the Boeing YC-14. The YC-15 is fitted with a flight test nose boom and is trailing a static cone from the top of the vertical tail. The static cone is a way to more accurately measure the static pressure in the area of the aircraft - the theory being that large aircraft create such a large pressure disturbance around the aircraft such that it is impractical to make a nose boom long enough to get out in front of the aircraft pressure envelope. The cone is normally deployed about 150 to 200 ft behind the aircraft. Quite a family resemblance with its younger cousin, the C-17. Enough about the YC-15...

 

This is '727 when I first met her in 1981. The pretzel is gone and the radome is now Air Defense Command Gray, as is the rest of the airframe. National insignia are smaller and the serial presentation on the tail has gone tactical.

 

1984, and I got to chase her on a training mission. Wrap-around camo, some paint touch up on the underside, and the ejection seat warning triangles sun-bleached to a distinctly pink color. One wing pylon in original SEA camo, the other in wrap-around.

 

Aircraft serial number on the canopy frames.

 

One of my favourite shots. Had a large framed version displayed in every one of my offices until 2016

 

In the shadow of our F-4 over the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range.

 

 

1989. Painted in the test support scheme that was phased in between 1986 and 1988. What we referred to as the "Albino Rhinos" and part of the "Bozo Fleet". That's the Air Force Flight Test Center shield on the intake, the Air Force Systems Command shield on the vertical tail, and the full serial number on the front nose gear door below the landing/taxi lights. Thats the serial on the forward frames of the canopies as well.

 

In 1990, she was retired to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center, AMARC (now AMARG), more familiarly known as "The Boneyard" (they hate it when you call it that). She was eventually sold for scrap and broken up (big sigh).

 

Thanks for looking

Sven

 

Edited February 16, 2018 by Old Viper Tester
typos, added data

[giemme]

Thanks Sven, she looks wonderful This is undoubtably my favourite of your pics thread, so far

 

Ciao

[modelling minion]

Another great set of pictures Sven, and with the usual informative text.

Please keep them coming!

[whiskey]

Amazing!

[72modeler]

She deserved a better fate- thanks so much for sharing these excellent photos, Sven!

Mike