Former Thunderbird F-4E airframes

[Ken]

I was rooting around the Pima web site (I see their P-51 is now on display) and I saw where their F-4E is now complete and on display. Wondering if it had actually been a T-bird, I googled the tail number. That led me to this web site and book by a former Thunderbird (Admin Officer) who took a motorcycle trip to see all the surviving T-bird Phantoms. Pretty cool stuff.

http://www.gdyounglove.net/html/travels ... x-tbod.htm

[Clifford Bossie]

66-0329 at Pima has been repainted in T-Birds markings and is just waiting for the newest hangar to be finished before going on display.



Another exT-Bird F-4E (66-0294) resides not too far away at the American Legion post in Corona, AZ.



Many of the Thunderbird airplanes later went to Edwards were they finished out their careeers. Her is 66-0315 on display at a Holloman open house in the 80s. (Camo with white wings! Pretty cool huh?)

[Speedy]

Drooooool.............

Wish that they could find one of the slot planes and have the "black" tail. I always thought that was the bomb when I was a kid.

[Blake]

The Thunderbirds performed using Phantoms at the first air show that I ever attended. That was in Tulsa, OK in 1973 at Riverside (now Jones) Airport. I was ten years old at the time. I remember them flying past for a maneuver, then having to go waaaayyyy out to turn around for the next maneuver. Other performers at that show (that I remember) were The Red Devils (which later became The Eagles Aerobatic Team) and Bob Hoover in his Shrike Commander.

Not long after that, a great article appeared in Boy's Life magazine titled "I flew with the Thunderbirds" that really stoked the aviation fire in me. It featured the Phantoms, but foretold the coming of the T-38s. I still have the hard copy. I did a little digging and discovered it online at: http://books.google.com/books?id=XqcvsXchlqkC&lpg=PA58&ots=PT9I0YgHYD&dq=boys%20life%20thunderbirds&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=boys%20life%20thunderbirds&f=false.

I thought you Phantom/Thunderbird fans might enjoy it.

Blake

P.S. I also had a Revell Thunderbirds (F-4 Phantoms) model kit set. I may actually still have part of it somewhere. It included the blackened tail on #4, Speedy.

[12XU2A3X3]

one is on display at the hamilon, nj memorial park