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F4E Da Nang based tail codes


neil5208

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Evening all,

 

I have the new Fine molds F4e early on the way and would lke to make a Da Nang based aircraft, would I be right the tail code should be DA and if so what size of decals would I need.

 

Thanks

 

Neil

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The two F-4E squadrons that were based at Da Nang (assigned to the 366th TFW) were the 4th TFS with the LA tail code, and the 421st TFS with LC as a tail code. I don't think DA was ever used by any unit.

 

The Finemolds kit already comes with a 4th TFS option. There's also an old Wolfpak sheet that has a 421st TFS option, but this one might be hard to find (72-011).

 

As for size, I'm sure someone else will chime in.

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11 hours ago, Creepy Pete said:

As for size, I'm sure someone else will chime in.

 

You rang, m'lord?  :) 

 

Tailcodes of the era were 24". You could try finding the USAFLine sheet: 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre 

 

 

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Print Scale also do a sheet, but be very careful using them. I built an F4E toting 5 gunpods including the internal. They actually used this set up when the airfield was under attack.

The problem was the recoil. They had to use full burner to prevent a stall. I got this from a Major who was there at the time.

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2 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

Print Scale also do a sheet, but be very careful using them. I built and F4E toting 5 gunpods. They actually used this set up when the airfield was under attack.

The problem was the recoil. They had to use full burner to prevent a stall. I got this from a Major who was there at the time.

I will be basing mine of the photos, so 2 x suu23's onthe outboard pylons, 2x mk20's on the inboard pylons, alq87 front left sparrow bay, aim7 in front right bay and large centre line tank. Used print scale decals so I know what you mean.

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Chico gunfighters were a product of the 366th TFW @ Da Nang from 68 - 72 and found this article from the 366th gunfighters website

https://www.366thgunfighters.org/chico-the-gunfighter.html

 

I have this very same configuration in 1/48th scale and just waiting for the time to start. I've gather some information and all munitions for the project. The F-4 I'm most familar with is F-4E-37-MC-339. It was configured with the following F-4E-37-MC (68-339) belonging to the 421st TFS Black Widows was fitted with SUU-23/A gun pods on the outboard pylons; a pair of Navy Mk 20 Rockeye II Cluster Bombs on each inboard station; one AN/ALQ-71 ECM pod carried in the right front missile bay; two AIM-7 Sparrow radar missiles in the aft wells; and one 600-gallon centerline drop tank.

chico_arm_dearm-486x351 chico_at_danang-506x331

These themselves can be found out on the internet. I sure others do exsist by the above images.

So if you dicide to build as a WIP I'll be in to watch. I just haven't decided to use a Hasegawa kit or the new Zoukei-Mura Inc Super Wing Series F-4E.

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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Thanks for the help, looks like I should be able to modify the alq87 to alq72 with no problems. I'm not planning to start work on this until I clear the B24, RA5C, SU25 and V22 from the wip draws.

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You've got some time by the looks of the list ahead of this build. Dug a few more up for your references.

img_82-1_7 page23-1059-full

This is for the centerline loadout. Never made it the Da Nang but was at Udorn RTAFB Thailand the last half of 1972. We then back to our home station at Clark AFB Philippines. The below photo our loadcrew just got done loading. It has 2XM-36 CBU dispensers on the shoulder station of the TER and a 6XMK-82 GP bombs on the centerline and 2X AIM-7E in the aft missile cavities. Loaded much of the load capable list the F-4 could deliver.

F-4D-M-36and MK-82

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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On 6/25/2021 at 9:29 AM, neil5208 said:

Some excellent references there, thanks. Were they operating f4d and f4e at the same time?

The 13th Air Force sent us back to Clark there were a number of E models show up. This being one of them

F-4E-ZF-67-0327

Instamatic cheap camera at the time. Also the 432nd TFW (host wing) had 2 squadrons of F-4D's and 2 RF-4C squadrons. The 405th was sent back just before December 1972 and at that time a few loadcrews came from the 48th TFW RAF Lakenheath. No aircraft thou.

F-4D-OC-Udorn F-4D-OY-66-0249-LoadTrainingPadUdorn72

OZ RF-4C from the 13th TRS I believe.

RF-4C-OZ-69-0350-Udorn72

The other RF squadron had a OO tail code.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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@neil5208Found this in my microsoft word file about Air Force tail codes from 1968 to 1975. This is an extraction of those codes

 

LA F-4E USAF 4 TFSq, 366 TFWg Da Nang 
LC F-4E USAF 421 TFSq, 366 TFWg Da Nang 
LF F-4D USAF 390 TFSq, 366 TFWg Da Nang 

LC F-4E USAF 421 TFSq, 432 TRWg Udorn RTAFB 

LA F-4E USAF 4 TFSq, 432 TRWg Udorn RTAFB
 

Where and whom they came from I don't remember. Back in the late 90's I belonged to a ton of F-4 groups. I was doing research for a commission project and this list was sent to me and that was 3 email addresses and 2 internet hosts ago. I'm not sure if the full USAF and Navy or Marine tail code has ever made it to print.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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8 hours ago, f111guru said:

@neil5208Found this in my microsoft word file about Air Force tail codes from 1968 to 1975. This is an extraction of those codes

 

LA F-4E USAF 4 TFSq, 366 TFWg Da Nang 
LC F-4E USAF 421 TFSq, 366 TFWg Da Nang 
LF F-4D USAF 390 TFSq, 366 TFWg Da Nang 

LC F-4E USAF 421 TFSq, 432 TRWg Udorn RTAFB 

LA F-4E USAF 4 TFSq, 432 TRWg Udorn RTAFB
 

Where and whom they came from I don't remember. Back in the late 90's I belonged to a ton of F-4 groups. I was doing research for a commission project and this list was sent to me and that was 3 email addresses and 2 internet hosts ago. I'm not sure if the full USAF and Navy or Marine tail code has ever made it to print.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

Ron, thanks again. I presume that you where Air Force ground crew and served for a long time?

 

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@neil5208I did, 22 years as a Aircraft Armament Technician. I worked on the F-4D, B-52D, FB-111A, F-111F, F-111D, F-111A, F-111G and EF-111A.These assignments:

405th TFW 523rd TFS 405th Munitions Maintenance Squadron Clark AFB Philippines (TDY Udorn RTAFB)

7th BW 7th MMS Carswell AFB Fort Worth Texas

509th BW 509th MMS Peases AFB Portsmouth New Hampshire

48th TFW 48th MMS RAF Lakenheath England

27th TFW then FW 522 TFS, 523TFS 524 TFS 428th TFSCannon AFB Clovis New Mexico

Had a grand time in those 22 years. Do it all over again. Only regret was the digital camera wasn't developed yet and could not afford one of those fancy 35mm cameras.

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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When I got home yesterday I had 2 parcels waiting for me (much to the wife's disappointment). First is the Fine Molds kit, looks very nice and 2nd is my new airbrush so I can get restarted on the current build backlog once the wife's latest DIY project is done.

9e5851be-2273-46ed-a922-a370632ea15b.JPG

b5d7f3f6-f79b-4ccc-81bf-cb394c52aad0.JPG

 

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I like the box art. If memory serves me correct. The art work was on one of the Micro scale decals sets I first bought and tried. The very first Phantom I built was the summer of 1973 at Clark AFB was the 1/48th scale Fujimi kit. It had the tail code LC and AF680339 tail number. Same as the reference photos from Da Nang. I will watch for your build on that kit.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

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Hello gentlemen,

talking about the Finemolds decals choice I'm curious if a photograph showing these "Spunky VI" markings actually exists at all.

Do you have some information about it?

TIA

Stefano

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