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What's this fitted on this RN Phantom FG1?


David Womby

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The starboard wing seems to have a tank that has been modified or, at least, has an odd paintjob.

 

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I don't know who has copyright on this but I found it here: https://weaponsparade.com/f-4k-fg-1-f-4m-fgr-2-phantom-ii-gallery/

 

David

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I would say that it is an odd paint job. The tanks were made up of 3 parts which could have been painted in these colours and then added together to make the whole tank. I think that the initial colour applied to RN FG1s was all over white (the nose part) and then all over Extra Dark Sea Grey (the rest).

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3 hours ago, Jabba said:

I would say that it is an odd paint job. The tanks were made up of 3 parts which could have been painted in these colours and then added together to make the whole tank. I think that the initial colour applied to RN FG1s was all over white (the nose part) and then all over Extra Dark Sea Grey (the rest).

If I'D been the pilot, I'd have refused to fly that! 🤣

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I've read the exactly same explanation as Jabba has. The tanks were built of three sections and when they were overhauled and put together again, sections could be mixed. The same goes for RAF Phantoms as well.

 

Cheers,

Antti

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I've seen pics of USAF F-4's where there is a difference in the camo demarcation between the front section and the centre of the tank, which suggest different sections. Having said that, during my time on 17 squadron in the early 70's  I don't recall  any of our tanks having separate sections.

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Yes, I'd go with it being a nose cone from an all white tank. There was at least one Sargent Fletcher drop tank knocking around Leuchars in the mid '80's with a white nose on it too which I always thought would add some interest to a model. It wasn't uncommon the see slight differences in the colours of the cones and the centre sections and for them to be slightly out of alignment which can also add a bit of interest to a model. Although I did work in the Airframe bays in BSF for around 6 months I was lucky enough to avoid the tank bay (surely the most boring job ever other than toying with the regular unfortunate visitors sent to see "Sergeant" Fletcher). 

There was a huge amount of "war stock' drop tanks all around the Station in wooden crates that carried all sorts of colour schemes including what looked like the USAF green over grey.

 

Duncan B

 

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Another possibility - no one has mentioned is that it could be a prank to spoof the Soviet AGI's constantly monitoring Ark deployments during the cold war.

 

Have read that Ark's crew managed quite a few deceptions by repainting items or making mock ups or modifications to have the Soviet analysts scratching their heads ...

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I had a close look at the wing tank on XV474 at Duxford yesterday. The tank is clearly in 3 parts with the seams very close fitting. The metal line along the port side of the tank are actually 2 lengthwise brackets bolted together. So I'm surmising that the centre section of the tank has to be split before front and back are fixed internally. 

There were tanks which had strong lights fitted for recon purposes IIRC.

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Towards the end of 1978, 892 final year the squadron had quite a hotchpotch of sergeant fletcher drop tanks, white, half white, grey and combinations off, but most were all grey and they were not allocated to any one specific aircraft permanently. Centre line tanks were mostly white.

Hope that helps

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On 6/20/2021 at 8:40 AM, iainpeden said:

I had a close look at the wing tank on XV474 at Duxford yesterday. The tank is clearly in 3 parts with the seams very close fitting. The metal line along the port side of the tank are actually 2 lengthwise brackets bolted together. So I'm surmising that the centre section of the tank has to be split before front and back are fixed internally. 

There were tanks which had strong lights fitted for recon purposes IIRC.

It's been a long time since I did my Phantom Q course but that's the way I remember the assembly, the centre section was closed by bolting along that strip and captured the nose and tail cones in grooves as it tightened.

 

Duncan B

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A lot of times if something has to be fitted and it comes out of store then its fitted as is. A few years ago at RAF Marham a tornado needed a new nose, it came out of the packaging in the original Black not grey as the rest were by then

 

 ZA612%201.JPG

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On 6/17/2021 at 7:23 AM, David Womby said:

The starboard wing seems to have a tank that has been modified or, at least, has an odd paintjob.

 

spacer.png

 

I don't know who has copyright on this but I found it here: https://weaponsparade.com/f-4k-fg-1-f-4m-fgr-2-phantom-ii-gallery/

 

David

Its the paint job, when doing the research for my build two years ago I found multiple photo’s like this. I actually built 007 and used this very tank set up on my build. 
rkKeeZv.jpg

 

UHEllas.jpg

 

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On 6/17/2021 at 1:23 PM, David Womby said:

 

 

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The picture looks familiar.

 

I can't place it...

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