Spangdahlem Weasel Colour Schemes

[bar side]

I have been googling images of SP F-4Gs but can’t quite track down when schemes changed. There look to have been SEA camo (not sure if it was wrap around), Euro One and then 2 tone grey.  I have decals from the kit and from Xtradecal for 3 two tone grey examples claiming to be around 87/88, which is fine (they are 69-244, 69-250 and 69-295) but not sure when the schemes changed and finding it hard to track down good images apart from 69-250 for reference

 

I doubt the decals will work for Euro One as the SP looks to have had a white shadow, but any help on scheme dates or photos would be appreciated

 

[tony.t]

Hill Gray II first appeared on F-4s at Ogden ALC in 1985, possibly 1986 at CASA Getafe, and remained in use till the end.

 

Remember, however, that F-4Gs usually only underwent Programmed Depot Maintenance and complete respray every 54 months (customarily just receiving touch-up resprays inbetween), so that earlier schemes like the 1983-1985 European One endured into the late eighties on some machines.

 

The change-over lasted about four years. 

 

Tony 

[Jabba]

There was at least one Euro 1 aircraft from Spangdahlem that operated in the Gulf conflict of 1991.

[bar side]

1 hour ago, Jabba said:

There was at least one Euro 1 aircraft from Spangdahlem that operated in the Gulf conflict of 1991.

 

Cheers @tony.t that makes sense & does mean for any given date I do need to get a reference photo to be sure what scheme the airframe had

 

You illustrate that point perfectly @Jabba - thanks gents

[Creepy Pete]

When looking for pics of 69-295, try searching for 69-7295 (it's full serial number). This might get you more results.

 

Usually the markings and stencils on Hill Grey are a shade of grey as well, and on the other schemes they were black, except sometimes the serials, which could be a dark grey. Speedhunter decals did a couple very nice sheets in 1/48 with quite a few F-4G's in Euro One and Hill Grey, if you're into that scale.

[bar side]

Cheers @Creepy Pete I figured I was missing something on USAF numbering.  I think I am limited to the Hill Grey scheme as I don’t have the white shaddow black decals.  May have to save a Euro One scheme for another day or maybe an F-4F.  These are what I have for now so may as well use them

 

[bar side]

Incidentally @Creepy Pete How do you find a full serial number?  69-250 is 69-0250 and as you said 69-295 is 697295, but it doesn’t say that on the decals.  Is there anyway of looking them up?

[Creepy Pete]

Joe Baugher's website is a good start: Clickety Click. Also some books and a few years of looking up serials helps to remember how to read them. Jakub Cikhart's gulf war website has a few photo's of 69-0244, btw: More Clickery

 

I built 69-0250 a couple years ago, using the Hasegawa kit, with those Xtradecals and a couple Airdoc ones. Looks pretty cool with the all grey radome, I think

 

 

[bar side]

That’s a very nice F-4G there @Creepy Pete.  Thanks for the links, think they will be very useful

[Andre B]

Is there any 1/72 decals out there for an Sprangdahlem F-4G with Euro One scheme? 

 

Cheers / André

Edited May 29, 2019 by Andre B

[Creepy Pete]

Yes, there's the pretty hard to find Airdoc sheet. Also this MilSpec sheet. And Wolfpak did one too.

Edited May 29, 2019 by Creepy Pete

[UKPonchoMan]

...and if you need black or white tailcodes and series, USAFline provide these in 1/72 :)

[Mark V]

Been off the site for several months and was checking it out. I was at Spang from April 1984-March 87.  When I first arrived we (23rd TFS) had 3 different camo schemes: SE Asia with light camo gray bottom, SEA Wraparound, and Euro1. All had subdued markings, with black outlined stars and bars. All tail codes were black, with most of the Euro1 jets sporting the white “shadowing” on the “SP”.  If I remember correctly, only the Euro1 jets had the shark mouth, but I’d have to check my photo files to be certain. 

After I left, later in 1987, all of the E model jets were flown out, to be replaced by F-16s. I think the G models that came back from depot starting in 1987 were in the Hill Gray camo. But I wasn’t there then. 

Your decal sheets are really only applicable to the Hill Gray jets. Generally aftermarket decals for the green jets are harder, or near impossible, to find. I’ve been looking for the 1/48th Airdoc sets for over 10 years. So, if anyone has them available please let me know. 

[Dazza]

On 5/27/2019 at 5:14 PM, bar side said:

I have decals from the kit and from Xtradecal for 3 two tone grey examples claiming to be around 87/88, which is fine (they are 69-244, 69-250 and 69-295) but not sure when the schemes changed and finding it hard to track down good images apart from 69-250 for reference

 

Not sure if this helps but, 69-0250 was in HG2 from or about June 1989, 69-7295 was in HG2 from or about December 1988, I don't have a date for 69-0244 appearing in HG2 but, it was a late attrition replacement and wasn't converted to a G until 1988, I strongly suspect by that time it would have emerged from Ogden ALC in HG2, but don't quote me on it! 😉

 

-Daz

Edited July 3, 2019 by Dazza

[CT7567]

12 hours ago, Mark V said:

Generally aftermarket decals for the green jets are harder, or near impossible, to find. I’ve been looking for the 1/48th Airdoc sets for over 10 years. So, if anyone has them available please let me know. 

Thanks for the firsthand info!

 

Speedhunter/Reid Air Graphics did a 1/48 set in 2015 that included several Euro I Weasels. Out of print now, but it may be easier to locate than the AirDoc sheet, just by virtue of being more recent.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/speed-hunter-graphics-48009-sead-specialists--940412#

[DaveJL]

I have a copy of the 1/48 Speedhunter sheet.

 

Is there a particular timeframe that you're looking for? I can have a look at the info on the sheet and see what's what. PM me if you need anything from the sheet.

[Hook]

On 5/30/2019 at 12:55 AM, Andre B said:

Is there any 1/72 decals out there for an Sprangdahlem F-4G with Euro One scheme? 

Hasegawa's initial 1/72nd F-4G had a Euro 1 option.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Mark V]

I’m not sure if the early 1/72nd Hasegawa F-4G had Spang decals.  In 1987 I built one for the squadron display case and had to hand paint the shark mouth and use generic tail codes from a Detail in Scale USAF black tail code set. 

For sure the 1/72  F-4E had Spang decals for Euro1. It was on the box art. Just saw one in a shop last year. I went back a month later to get it and it was gone. 

[CT7567]

11 hours ago, Mark V said:

I’m not sure if the early 1/72nd Hasegawa F-4G had Spang decals.  In 1987 I built one for the squadron display case and had to hand paint the shark mouth and use generic tail codes from a Detail in Scale USAF black tail code set. 

For sure the 1/72  F-4E had Spang decals for Euro1. It was on the box art. Just saw one in a shop last year. I went back a month later to get it and it was gone. 

Seems to be some minor confusion on what constitutes an "early" or "initial" Hasegawa 1/72 F-4G. To the best of my knowledge the first was kit number KA-8, issued circa 1990 (One of mine has a Desert Storm sticker that was added to various "used in the Gulf War" kits circa 1991).  The kit decals are for the 35th TFW (WW) in Hill Gray II and sharkmouthed 52nd TFW (SP) in Euro I. There was only one reissue of the Weasel to date, which only included Hill II subjects.

 

Prior to kit KA-8 and the multitude of other Phantom variants released based on this tooling, Hasegawa had a simpler F-4E kit that was originally issued circa 1972.  There have been multiple releases of the earlier tooling even after the "Uber Phantom" hit the market, and several have included a sharkmouthed Euro I Spangdahlem E ( @Mark V I have one of these wirh the iner bags still sealed, message me if you'd be interested).

 

KA-8 (First F-4G release)

 

00954 "Egyptian I" Weasel

 

F-4E 1972 tooling with 52nd TFW decals

 

Edited July 6, 2019 by CT7567
Duplicate text

[bar side]

On 7/3/2019 at 6:46 PM, DaveJL said:

I have a copy of the 1/48 Speedhunter sheet.

 

Is there a particular timeframe that you're looking for? I can have a look at the info on the sheet and see what's what. PM me if you need anything from the sheet.

That looks a very cool sheet!  Shame is not about anymore

[TEZ]

This is one one I did depicting the transitional phase from high vis to low vis regarding markings (circa 1983). The aircraft later sported the wraparound South East Asia scheme. 

 

Andrew

 

 

Edited July 8, 2019 by TEZ

[theplasticsurgeon]

On 7/6/2019 at 2:08 AM, CT7567 said:

F-4E 1972 tooling with 52nd TFW decals

 

That's this build from 2016. Decals were rubbish.

 

[bar side]

Have a wraparound SEA camo RF-4C so really wanted a contemporary SP Weasel