Alconbury RF-4C paint schemes

[bar side]

Got some decals for an Alconbury RF-4C a while back and then got an eBay italeri RF-4C and now I am trying to work out when the later paint schemes where in operation

 

 

The dcals cover the wrap around SEA camo scheme

 

 

And the Euro One scheme

 

 

it seems from photo dates that both schemes existed in the mid 80s.  Did the Euro One scheme gradually replace the SEA scheme?  And by the end of their time in 87 were they all Euro One?  The grey / green scheme always makes me think more of Spangdahlem than Alconbury.

 

 

[bar side]

Some nice pics here by the way

 

https://hiveminer.com/Tags/alconbury%2Cphantom

 

[Jabba]

The Euro One scheme did replace the SEA scheme, but I am not sure if all aircraft were painted in this scheme when they departed Alconbury but more than likely.

[Boman]

SEA was replaced by the SEA wrap-around scheme, which again gave way to the Euro1 scheme starting ~1982/83ish from what I can gather. The Hill scheme (Grey over gray) replaced the Euro1 starting ~1988ish, however atleast 1 F-4G fought in the Euro1 scheme during Dessert Storm, while atleast 2 more where still at Spangdahlem at the same time. 

As for the RF-4C, they followed suite wrt switching from Euro 1 to Hill scheme, but might have been a couple of years behind the Fighters. By Dessert Storm however all were in Hill scheme. 

[ReccePhreak]

Be sure which aircraft you want to make is represented by the Italeri kit. 557 has a refaired nose, while 583 is a non-refaired nose. They are also both ARN-101 equipped jets. When I last built an Italeri 1/48 RF-4C, I don't remember it giving you the refaired nose parts, nor does it have the ARN-101 antenna in it.

 

Of course, my kit wound up looking like this:

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal2/1001-1100/Gal1026-kitbash-Engesath/00.shtm

 

Larry

[bar side]

Going to have to look in to this nose refairing- looks like the profile changed on later aircraft.  I assume the ARN-101 is the spine ‘lump’ @ReccePhreak?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello @bar side ... I believe this is an ARN-101. 

Though @ReccePhreak can confirm this. 

 

Dennis

[ReccePhreak]

Yes, that is the new ARN-101 antenna.. I believe the part is in all of the Hasegawa 1/48 RF-4B/C/E kits, but haven't personally checked them recently. The old ARN-101 antenna was what we called the "towel bar" antenna.. Some of the planes I worked on in Thailand during the Vietnam War had them.

 

I tried to find good pics online that show the different noses, but came up short.

 

And contrary to what some SASMEs said on Hyperscale, just because you can change the lower camera doors & windows on the Hasegawa RF-4C kit, it DOES NOT mean that you can do the same on the real aircraft.

 

Larry Engesath

Phormer Photo Phantom Phixer

 

(SASME = Self-Appointed Subject Matter Expert)

[bar side]

Cheers @Corsairfoxfouruncle Think I have a spare towel rail version somewhere but good to see a close up of the later version.

 

Thanks for looking for nose photos @ReccePhreak - found this one on what looks like a Japanese site.  May try translate later

 

 

Looks generally more ‘smoothed’ over but hopefully no extra windows on other changes.  Do fancy building a later SEA wrap around version so would need to update the nose.  Although could be worth checking for any that didn’t have the update & were still flying with the old nose

[bar side]

Looks like 68-570 had wrap around camo but still had the un- smoothed nose

 

[Creepy Pete]

On by far most of the RF-4C's, the nose the were produced with, was the nose they kept till retirement. There were a few angled nose ones that did get the rounded nose, but I believe these all had the UPD-8 data link antenna in place of the No. 2 camera station which was later removed.

Edited July 14, 2018 by Creepy Pete
brontosaurus

[bar side]

Cheers @Creepy Pete just need to check serial numbers then.  The Xradecal set includes 68-564 in wrap around camo but smoothed nose, while the photo above is 68-570 with the angular nose.  So if I can sort the numbers from the stash of left over decals could be sorted

[bar side]

Right, got decals to do 68-578 and have a photo of her in SEA camo and the angular nose.  But not with AR tail code.  How could I check if she was an Alconbury bird?

 

Edited July 14, 2018 by bar side

[XV571]

I don't think 68-0578 served with the 10TRW, at least in wraparound SEA or Euro 1. I suspect it only flew with US based units. Also, it wasn't fitted with ARN-101 which would have been prioritised to equip USAFE designated F-4s since it was such a significant increase in capability. My 1986 Military Aircraft Markings list the Alconbury RF-4Cs as 68-0554, 68-0555, 68-0557, 68-0561, 68-0563, 68-0565, 68-0567, 68-0568, 68-0580, 68-0563, 68-0569, 69-0369, 69-0370, 69-0378, 69-0380, 69-0381, 69-0382, 69-0384, 71-0259 and 72-0146.

 

I believe the change over to Euro 1 started about 1983. It wouldn't have been a massive task since the grey simply replaced the tan. Being near the 'sharp end' I would think that they changed over fairly rapidly and were more or less all done by early 1985 although I have pictures of a Zweibrucken RF-4C and a Spangdahlem F-4E still painted in the SEA wraparound scheme in 1986!

 

Here's a photo I took at the Alconbury air show in August 1984. Apologies for the quality, camera kit was rather limited for my schoolboy budget at the time. The aircraft are, top to bottom: 68-0589, 68-0583, 68-0554 (Euro 1), 68-0568. All have the original 'chisel' nose and are ARN-101 equipped:

 

 

Here's two 10TRW RF-4Cs with the later nose:

 

69-0380 on approach in 1985: http://www.aviationphotocompany.com/p934046062/h80bd5a69#h80bd5a69

 

69-0382 at RAF Lossiemouth in 1986. http://www.aviationphotocompany.com/p934046062/h80bff555#h80bff555

 

Note that the Euro 1 jet on the Xtradecal sheet has the wrong serial number, it should be 69-381; there never was an F-4 of any version with the serial 65-381. Incidentally it also has the later type 'smooth' nose as does 68-0564 (https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/registration/68-0564) which is correctly shown on the instruction sheet.

 

HTH,

 

Jonathan.

 

P.S. For Larry, yes all Hasegawa's 1/48 RF-4s have the ARN-101 antenna, it's on Sprue N with other RF-4 specific parts.

 

[bar side]

Thanks @XV571 thats a really useful list of numbers.  I need to go through this and sort out what number to go for

[bar side]

Following the very kind donation of a sloppy nose part from another kit ( thanks @Robert) I have had a look at name & colour options again.  From @XV571s list of numbers I have had a check on what is a sloppy nose & what is a chisel nose.  However when I checked the new part it’s clear that the Italeri nose is narrower than Roberts kit nose.  So it’s not an easy cut and fit

 

 

That is my Italeri chisel nose on the left and the new part on the right

 

so back to the drawing board I think.  It looks like the 68-550s & 560s were mainly slopped nose version.  

 

But it I did find a nice shot of 68-571 with what looks like a chisel nose & AR tail code.  Not wrap around, but later black tail code that matches the decals.  So I think I am settled on 571, chisel nose, wrap around sea camo, mid 80s, Alconbury

 

 

maybe save the other nose for a conversion of a F-4C ERTL or Monogram kit another time

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

21 hours ago, bar side said:

wrap around sea camo,

Look at the nose,outer wing and undercarriage door.

I think she has grey undersides. 

The tanks look like the later European 1 colours.

An interesting combination.

Here's a couple of '568' (because who doesn't like the RF-4C!)

https://www.redbubble.com/people/oscar533/works/9983702-mcdonnell-rf-4c-phantom-ii-68-0568-ar