Question about F-15 "Gulf Spirit" bird

[Phantome]

I have a question about the legendary "Gulf Spirit", mainly what color it was during the Gulf War. I have seen many modellers build it in the ghost gray and the Mod Eagle scheme but clearly it could have only been one during the Gulf War. I am nearly convinced that it is ghost gray but just wanted to confirm.

 

Evidence towards ghost gray

- The few pictures of the GW show it as ghost gray looking. However, I have to say that ghost gray and mod eagle look surprisingly similar in many photos, as lighting effects come into play.

- Osprey's F-15Cs in Combat has it ghost gray

- I have yet to see a GW bird convincingly appearing in mod eagle colors although a number of GW veterans apparently switched that very same summer (like the Bitburg birds)

 

Evindence towards Mod Eagle

- Lots of modellers seem to do it in this camo

- Hasegawa's boxing has the 1991 version in mod eagle as well as the 2003 commander's aircraft (which I assume is the one in the box photo which is clearly mod eagle). However, the latter is a different airframe. Also, Hasegawa's instructions have the 1991 version with very few stencils which makes me wonder whether it had been hastily painted before the war.

 

I figure someone in this forum has the answer

[scotthldr]

Ghost scheme without a doubt.  I've got a photograph taken in 1995 and it was in the Mod scheme by then.

Edited September 25, 2016 by scotthldr

[Dr Evil]

Agreed 100% ghost grey (or gray, I guess)

I think two or three carried the nose art at the time as it referred to back home and not the Middle East, but I guess the triple Mig Killer is the one of interest?

 

 

 

[Phantome]

Yup, that's one of the pics I've seen and it's ghost gray scheme. Looks like it's settled then