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Camouflaged FJ-4 Fury in service?


Kushan_Farsight

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Afternoon All,


So a few months ago i picked up a FJ-4 Fury kit from the great guys at KingKit, and whilst the number of kits still on the waiting to complete list gradually increases, this is luring me to start work on.

I always like to see what range of color schemes are available for a vehicle before i begin working on any build, and doing a bit of a google about, i came across this interesting image dated 1976:


33306436782_56fa7c9e77_b.jpg
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=64640&start=45

SEA camo on a Fury, i hadnt seen this before!

Unfortunately, even searching for more info using the plane ID (143610)  doesn't seem to be of much use/success. The same plane appears now in standard navy scheme in pics ive found dated 2017.


If anyone provide any more info or pics i would really appreciate it.  I wouldn't expect Navy birds to wear a camo scheme, but these were also used by the Marine Corps, so hopefully its possible this actually was a scheme used at some point. Would be a lovely scheme to do it in and put next to my F-105 as a side by side of single seat jet aircraft

 

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I have to wonder if someone mistook the Fury for an F-86H and painted it in Viet Nam era colors. Some of the F-86Hs in Air Guard service did get the Viet Nam era paint scheme.

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I've never seen a picture of an in-service Fury carrying that camouflage, I believe it's just a camouflage applied by the museum for some reason.

Now there were a number of USN aircraft carrying SEA or similar camo schemes during the Vietnam war, all of these were short lived and in any case the Fury did not serve in Vietnam, having been withdrawin from front line service. Interestingly, the aircraft that carried these schemes were of USN units and not the Marines.

So I don't think this is a historical scheme and all FJ-4s served in the standard grey over white scheme. With one exception being those assigned to support squadrons that carried the dark grey/yellow/orange scheme. It is possible that some carried the white/orange training scheme while in reserve units but I'm not sure of this as the addition of orange areas on the standard scheme seems to have been the preferred choice on the Fury

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Went through four Fury books and not one pic of the SEA Camo scheme but man oh man, did that aircraft ever carry a lot of great looking markings and trainer/drone colours. Please major kit makers....make an awesome 1:48 Fury and let the decal makers go nuts!!!!!!

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I've read claims the Hobby Boss FJ-4 has shape issues, on the upper fuselage behind the canopy, as I recall. Having built two, I can say they're not bad kits, and for the not too critical, look nice when they're done. Kittyhawk hasn't, so far as I know, even made mention of doing an FJ-4, though it would be a logical fit in their product line. But then an F-86H in either 1/48 or 1/32 would seen a logical kit in their product line. Just my two cents worth.  😃

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5 hours ago, Kushan_Farsight said:

Afternoon All,


So a few months ago i picked up a FJ-4 Fury kit from the great guys at KingKit, and whilst the number of kits still on the waiting to complete list gradually increases, this is luring me to start work on.

I always like to see what range of color schemes are available for a vehicle before i begin working on any build, and doing a bit of a google about, i came across this interesting image dated 1976:


33306436782_56fa7c9e77_b.jpg
http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=64640&start=45

SEA camo on a Fury, i hadnt seen this before!

Unfortunately, even searching for more info using the plane ID (143610)  doesn't seem to be of much use/success. The same plane appears now in standard navy scheme in pics ive found dated 2017.


If anyone provide any more info or pics i would really appreciate it.  I wouldn't expect Navy birds to wear a camo scheme, but these were also used by the Marine Corps, so hopefully its possible this actually was a scheme used at some point. Would be a lovely scheme to do it in and put next to my F-105 as a side by side of single seat jet aircraft

 

Yes it's spurious; can't recall the location but an F-86L also received similar colours. Plus there was an F-86F marked as an FJ-4 at one point; and a CAC Sabre 32 marked as an FJ-3. Oh and an FJ-2 marked as an F-86F! In fact I think I may dig out some photos and post them.

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4 hours ago, SAT69 said:

I've read claims the Hobby Boss FJ-4 has shape issues, on the upper fuselage behind the canopy, as I recall. Having built two, I can say they're not bad kits, and for the not too critical, look nice when they're done. Kittyhawk hasn't, so far as I know, even made mention of doing an FJ-4, though it would be a logical fit in their product line. But then an F-86H in either 1/48 or 1/32 would seen a logical kit in their product line. Just my two cents worth.  😃

The problem with the Hobby Boss FJ-4/4B kits is they have an exaggerated hump just over and forward of the horizontal stabs. It should be more subtle and blend into the fuselage more like the Kitty Hawk FJ-2's kit in the same area. There is a mistaken view that the -4's fuselage was deeper and longer. That is not correct. The fuselage is essentially the same as the -3 save for the added spine and taller fin. Also, the Grand Phoenix kit reproduces the area more correctly but is a much more difficult build. The main gear struts are also molded in a compressed state. There should be more of the oleo showing. The rest of the HB Fury is generally ok. 

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10 hours ago, 72modeler said:

My eyes! My eyes! That is a travesty! Hopefully it's not labeled as an F-84F or and F-86H! See the link- maybe somebody on the museum staff was into flight simulations!

Mike

 

https://live.warthunder.com/post/767398/en/

Yes very bad, seen worse done by museums and air parks tho, at least they did a good job if it.

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19 hours ago, 72modeler said:

My eyes! My eyes! That is a travesty! Hopefully it's not labeled as an F-84F or and F-86H! See the link- maybe somebody on the museum staff was into flight simulations!

Mike

 

https://live.warthunder.com/post/767398/en/

I actually play this game and im working my way steadily to getting this plane - it was one of the reasons i bought the model in 1/48. I had not seen this scheme available in game before i started this hunt for SEA themes FJ-4's but it does look rather fetching in those screenshots i must admit!

Well thanks for all the research and answers guys! i guess i can equivocally say "No camo FJ-4s ever existed in service" -  did we ever sell any of these off to banana republics or southeast asian nations?  Just wondering if it may have got a unusual regional scheme (  for example , this Nigerian IL-28 features a scheme i dont think i ever saw on them in soviet service)

ilyushin-il-28-tactical-bomber-of-the-ni

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9 minutes ago, Kushan_Farsight said:

I actually play this game and im working my way steadily to getting this plane - it was one of the reasons i bought the model in 1/48. I had not seen this scheme available in game before i started this hunt for SEA themes FJ-4's but it does look rather fetching in those screenshots i must admit!

Well thanks for all the research and answers guys! i guess i can equivocally say "No camo FJ-4s ever existed in service" -  did we ever sell any of these off to banana republics or southeast asian nations?  Just wondering if it may have got a unusual regional scheme (  for example , this Nigerian IL-28 features a scheme i dont think i ever saw on them in soviet service)

ilyushin-il-28-tactical-bomber-of-the-ni

Nigerian IL-28 we’re ex Egyptian Airforce, but this one appears to be a home brew.

Wulfman

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I looked into the FJ-4 above and the photo was taken at Lockport AF Station, NY on 2 September 1976. Lockport was a radar station and part of the SAGE network when that was running. It closed in 1979.

 

OK so I promised some "aircraft pretending to be other aircraft" and here's a few:

 

So first of all an F-86D in SEA camouflage:

 

002

 

And an F-86F pretending to be an FJ-4B:

 

001

 

And FJ-4s pretending to be MiGs:

 

003

 

An FJ-2 pretending to be an FJ-3 (you might get away with that one):

 

004

 

And a CAC Sabre 32 pretending to be an FJ-3:

 

005

 

A Sabre 5 pretending to be an F-86A:

 

006

 

An FJ-2 painted as an F-86F:

 

007

 

F-86A being a MiG:

 

008

 

And finally, an F-86A disguised as an F-117 Stealth Fighter:

 

009

 

Happy cabin fever!

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Duncan,

 

Neat photos! I might have known you would have these in your library. I'm guessing the SEA Sabre Dog was going to be mounted on a pylon? Looks pretty, though. What's with that awful canopy on -884? Last but not least, I think they told the ground crew and armorers the wrong ramp location in that last photo! BTW, hoping you and yours are OK in the middle of all this madness!

Mike

 

...and, since you started it...

 

https://www.memecenter.com/fun/116471/New-Stealth-Fighter

 

https://imgflip.com/i/2gdwwe

 

 

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SEA F-86D was at a museum but ended up on a range in (South Carolina?). And I suspect the canopy on the FJ-2 was smashed or went missing at some point, so they did what they could. That one was at a trailer park in California and was rescued by an aircraft dismantler but has since disappeared. Maybe one day it will reappear. Flying.

 

Love the links: all good here! Hope you too are all good.

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I’m a big AFV fan and was at Bovington trying to find an example of British SCC2 so I spoke to one of the curators.  He told me not to trust any of the colour schemes.  Things are certainly improving but the job of painting museum exhibits in the 70s and 80s was often entrusted to cadets using whatever paint was available.

 

Suspect this plane might have suffered a similar fate.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

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3 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

SEA F-86D was at a museum but ended up on a range in (South Carolina?)

Most likely the Poinsett Gunnery Range west of Sumter, SC, where Shaw AFB is located. I got to watch gunnery practice by 354th FDW F-100''s there when I was ten- got to sit it one of the towers with one of our pilots and watch the Huns go by at eye level. Had never seen or heard real aircraft fire their guns except on TV or in a movie, When those four 20mm let loose, it scared the bejeezus out of me, and the smoke from the gunports was awesome! 1958-59 I think.

Mike

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1 hour ago, 72modeler said:

Most likely the Poinsett Gunnery Range west of Sumter, SC, where Shaw AFB is located. I got to watch gunnery practice by 354th FDW F-100''s there when I was ten- got to sit it one of the towers with one of our pilots and watch the Huns go by at eye level. Had never seen or heard real aircraft fire their guns except on TV or in a movie, When those four 20mm let loose, it scared the bejeezus out of me, and the smoke from the gunports was awesome! 1958-59 I think.

Mike

Wish I could have seen that, Closest I’ve seen is a 30mm gatling on an A-10 and a 20mm Vulcan in live fire. Though Ive heard and fired an M.2 browning .50, one hell of a fun for a young teen (15) to do. Been around Army and Marine Heavy Artillery but thats an entirely different story and sound. 

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10 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

 

 

F-86A being a MiG:

 

008

 

 

Happy cabin fever!

From the Film Sabre Jet, 1953, I wish I had that photo when I built mine, only had a small pic to go on, still turned out ok

spacer.png

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21 minutes ago, Gmat said:

I believe that the ROKAF had camouflaged F-86D in the 70s before they were retired.

ROKAF never had D models, that was ROCAF. ROKAF had SEA camo F models.

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