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Help with F-4 phantom unit I.D. ?


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Anyone know which unit this Phantom belonged to ? I know it was an early Gull grey over white phantom that was repainted in theater. That explains the bad paint erosion on the sides. 

 

EtxkaBO.png

 

The codes were either painted over or zapped out of the photo by censors ? Help is graciously accepted.  

 

Dennis

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14 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Thats a good link i forgot about. It is the same plane, many thanks. 👍🏻

 

Dennis

 

Sorry to smash your thoughts, Dennis, but it isn't the same. Te one you posted is the th "64-08xx" serial range. The BM link shows a "63-7XXX" machine. There were also no codes.

 

Martin

 

Edited by RidgeRunner
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28 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said:

 

Sorry to smash your thoughts, Dennis, but it isn't the same. Te one you posted is the th "64-08xx" serial range. The BM link shows a "63-7XXX" machine. There were also no codes.

 

Martin

 

Dang ...? I will have to try and figure the plane out, that or maybe just make a generic Phantom and weather it accordingly. I don't suppose you have any clue as to what it might be ? 

 

Dennis

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26 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said:

 

Sorry Dennis but F-4s are not my thing...... Not the thing to say on this forum! 

BURN THE HERETIC! 😀

 

The pic is smallish, but she looks like 63-7489, a 480th TFS / 35th TFW F-4C.

 

HTH

 

Andre

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1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hmm i wonder if it either 64-0679 or 64-0699 ? Either way if i opt to build one from this era and unit i know what it should look like it ?  

Alright - I have managed to rummage through some more of my references. 

 

Lou Drendels "..And Kill MiGs" (ISBN-13: 978-0897470568) has a photo and kill description (p.11) and color profile (p.48) of the Flaky Phantom, but just the date July 14th 1966 and crew William Swender and Duane Buttell, and no serial. 

 

Donald J. McCarthy, Jr's "MiG Killers: A Chronology of US Air Victories in Vietnam 1965 - 1973" (ISBN-13: 978-1580071369), however, confirms the serial of 63-7489. 

 

So, 63-7489 it is!

 

"See, honey? That's why I never get rid of a book..."  :) 

 

HTH,

 

Andre

 

EDIT: should you wish to make a model of her in Gentlemen's Scale:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/print-scale-72-192-f-4-phantom--986151

 

Should you prefer 1/48th:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/aeromaster-48-764-early-phantoms-in-combat-ptii--174450 

Edited by Hook
links to sheets added
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2 hours ago, Hook said:

BURN THE HERETIC! 😀

 

The pic is smallish, but she looks like 63-7489, a 480th TFS / 35th TFW F-4C.

 

HTH

 

Andre

The picture in Dennis' first post? Definetly a 64-08......

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According to Peter E. Davies in USAF F-4 Phantom MiG Killer 1965-68 the aircraft in question is 64-0660, a triple MiG killer.The same aircraft in the previous link I posted and this one as well.

 

64-0660 is an odd one however as I have one source that states "F-4C 64-0660(15th TFW, 47th TFS)hit by SA-2 over the Ninh Binh bridge, North Vietnam. Capt Chambless M.Chesnutt KIA. 1th Lt Michael D.Chwan KIA. Sept 30, 1965."

 

A few F-4's out there made it a long time in their lives with various units, liveries, and schemes. Fortunately there are a few decal manufacturers that have covered some of those aircraft in their different colors as well, this one of them. I've had plans to do this one, and others, throughout their careers.

 

Edited by whiskey
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I posted the photo on the 72ndscaleUSmilair Yahoo group and received a couple of replies.

 

From Norm Filer: "That is clearly one of the first delivered F-4Cs. They were painted with the Gray over White scheme with full sized markings. When the Two Greens and Tan over very light Gray scheme came around they were not stripped and properly prepared for repaint. What you see is the results. I can't tell from the photo if it has the flat wing of the F-4B, but it could be one of the few straight Navy F-4Bs loaned to the Air Force prior to delivery of the real F-4Cs."

 

From Will Alcott: "It's identified in Squadron's "And Kill MiGs" as F-4C Flown by Bill Swendner and Duane Buttell on their MiG killing mission of 14 July 1966, though the profile does not show a serial on the tail. Osprey's "USAF F-4 Phantom II MiG Killers 1965–68" further identifies it as F-4C-18-MC 63-7489 of Captain W J Swender and 1Lt D A Buttell Jr, 480th TFS/35th TFW, Da Nang, July 1966.  The Osprey profile shows curved leading edge USAF-style inner pylons, whereas the photo and Squadron profile show the straight edged Navy style used by the earliest USAF F-4s.  The F-4C-18-MC was the 4th block produced.  Assuming the blocks were produced sequentially, this would have been among the first 121 USAF Phantoms built as C models."

 

Hope this helps.

Edited by Space Ranger
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10 hours ago, RidgeRunner said:

The picture in Dennis' first post? Definetly a 64-08......

There’s a „6“ visible on the fuselage side, at least it looks like one to me, and from its position I‘d say it’s the first of the last three - which would make it a 64-06xx

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40 minutes ago, tempestfan said:

There’s a „6“ visible on the fuselage side, at least it looks like one to me, and from its position I‘d say it’s the first of the last three - which would make it a 64-06xx

Agreed, it could be.

Edited by RidgeRunner
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12 hours ago, whiskey said:

 

According to Peter E. Davies in USAF F-4 Phantom MiG Killer 1965-68 the aircraft in question is 64-0660, a triple MiG killer.The same aircraft in the previous link I posted and this one as well.

 

64-0660 is an odd one however as I have one source that states "F-4C 64-0660(15th TFW, 47th TFS)hit by SA-2 over the Ninh Binh bridge, North Vietnam. Capt Chambless M.Chesnutt KIA. 1th Lt Michael D.Chwan KIA. Sept 30, 1965."

 

A few F-4's out there made it a long time in their lives with various units, liveries, and schemes. Fortunately there are a few decal manufacturers that have covered some of those aircraft in their different colors as well, this one of them. I've had plans to do this one, and others, throughout their careers.

 

 

For some reason 64-0660 is quoted as lost over Vietnam in several sources, however she sure survived the war to serve with several units, last of which was 107 FIG of the NY ANG and is today preserved as a gate guardian. I have several pictures of this aircraft in various post Vietnam markings. Guess that she was confused with another aircraft and the information got copied and pasted over the years.

On 6/24/2019 at 1:37 AM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Anyone know which unit this Phantom belonged to ? I know it was an early Gull grey over white phantom that was repainted in theater. That explains the bad paint erosion on the sides. 

 

 

 

The codes were either painted over or zapped out of the photo by censors ? Help is graciously accepted.  

 

Dennis

 

The codes were not painted over or removed, the aircraft carries the standard USAF markings of the day, before the introduction of tail codes indicating the unit or the base: USAF on top and serial number below this. Problem is that they are very hard to discern in the picture

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Also, most likely just the SEA upper colors were field applied on those early birds, with the lower surfaces remaining Gloss White. Some pics of these aircraft show the large USN style national marking under the wing.

 

Cheers, 

 

Andre

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5 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

For some reason 64-0660 is quoted as lost over Vietnam in several sources, however she sure survived the war to serve with several units, last of which was 107 FIG of the NY ANG and is today preserved as a gate guardian. I have several pictures of this aircraft in various post Vietnam markings. Guess that she was confused with another aircraft and the information got copied and pasted over the years.

McDonnell F-4C-21-MC Phantom II/64-0660

1966: USAF 390th TFS (35th TFW).

5/12/1966: Credited with shooting down a MiG-17 over North Vietnam.

1967: USAF 480th TFS (366th TFW).

5/14/1967: Credited with shooting down a MiG-17 over North Vietnam.

6/5/1967: Credited with shooting down a MiG-17 over North Vietnam.

1968: USAF 35th TFS (347th TFW).

1975-79: USAF 310th TFTS (58th TFTW).

1983-87: New York ANG 136th FIS.

12/7/1987: Struck off charge.

Currently preserved at Niagara Falls APT, NY.

 

 

Edited by RidgeRunner
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6 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

 

For some reason 64-0660 is quoted as lost over Vietnam in several sources, however she sure survived the war to serve with several units, last of which was 107 FIG of the NY ANG and is today preserved as a gate guardian. I have several pictures of this aircraft in various post Vietnam markings. Guess that she was confused with another aircraft and the information got copied and pasted over the years.

 

That would be why I said it has had several markings throughout her career and are produced by several manufacturers.

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The aircraft's Individual Record Card (IARC) would confirm its history. For those who are not aware, copies of these cards are available from the U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

Edited by Space Ranger
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  • 2 weeks later...

Many tanks to everyone that has helped so far. I have opted to use this info for a future build in 1/48 scale. Im currently working on an F-4D and trying to determine antenna fit using a different thread, this one in fact. 

 

m hoping some of the knowledgable people will again chime in ? 

 

Dennis

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