Some of my Dad's F-4s (ANG and USAF)

[F6FFan]

Hi guys,

I thought some of you might like to see some pictures of F-4s that my Dad has flown over the years. Photo credit goes to those who took them, as a disclaimer.

http://www.aero-web.org/database/aircra ... tm?id=1877

Here we have 63-7516, one of my Dad's favorite F-4s that he flew with the 163rd TFG/196th TFS at March AFB in the 80's.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6178/6243 ... 03b659.jpg

63-7742 was his assigned RF-4, the third RF-4C ever built coincidentally, it apparently lived at McDD for a while, being built into a C, D and I think an E before being rebuilt into an RF-4C configuration.

and here is the Collings F-4, back in the 70's, he had at least 5 flights in this bird:

65-0749

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Ai ... b7abc858be

I thought you guys just like like to see these.

F6FFan

[Mark Allen M]

Seeing outstanding stuff like this is why I still hang out around here
Great photos!!!! your dad was/is a special fellow for sure. thx for posting

[F6FFan]

Mark,

You are welcome. As I find more, I will post them. As a tidbit, as a 6 mo old, I "helped" him strap into his last F-4 flight in a RF-4C (65-0852.). My dad still flies us in our Piper Aztec today, so I am grateful for every chance I get to fly with him.

F6FFan

Edited:

Here is the RF-4 in question with I believe him at the controls...

http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/Images/ ... 163trg.jpg

Courtesy of the Peter Greengrass collection..

[JohnB]

63-7742 was his assigned RF-4, the third RF-4C ever built coincidentally, it apparently lived at McDD for a while, being built into a C, D and I think an E before being rebuilt into an RF-4C configuration.
F6FFan

It would have been the 5th RF-4C built (including prototypes) after 62-12200/201 and after the first two in its Block 17: 63-7740-41.
If true, it would be interesting to know 7742's history. Exactly what changes were made to make it an E (working gun? Slotted stabilizer etc?)...and when?
A ship three places down the line...63-7445, served as the YF-4E development aircraft.

Your theory is somewhat the reverse history of the well-known (and preserved) 62-12200 now at the AF museum...it began life as a F-4B, became YRF-110A then became the aerodynamic prototype for the F-4E.

I'm sure there is a Phantom expert out there that might know more. Does it survive?

[F6FFan]

63-7742 was his assigned RF-4, the third RF-4C ever built coincidentally, it apparently lived at McDD for a while, being built into a C, D and I think an E before being rebuilt into an RF-4C configuration.
F6FFan

It would have been the 5th RF-4C built (including prototypes) after 62-12200/201 and after the first two in its Block 17: 63-7740-41.
If true, it would be interesting to know 7742's history. Exactly what changes were made to make it an E (working gun? Slotted stabilizer etc?)...and when?
A ship three places down the line...63-7445, served as the YF-4E development aircraft.

Your theory is somewhat the reverse history of the well-known (and preserved) 62-12200 now at the AF museum...it began life as a F-4B, became YRF-110A then became the aerodynamic prototype for the F-4E.

I'm sure there is a Phantom expert out there that might know more. Does it survive?

I forgot about the prototypes, John. Thanks for reminding me. I do not quite remember, he may not have said E model, but I know it was changed between B/C/D variants at least. I guess somewhere, somebody had a paper trail of it's changes that he had seen at one point. It still survives at DMA, last I checked.

At one point it was a test aircraft at Eglin: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerrit_kok ... 299474801/ (courtesy of the flickr user gerrit_kok)

[F6FFan]

Oh, and here's another one: 68-0321 (http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l59 ... ardF-4.jpg) courtesy of swluce..

I have a picture in our living room of my Dad on landing in this aircraft with the drag chute deployed, an all clean F-4 at it's finest..

F6FFan

[RAMC181]

Sad to report that both 63-7742 and 65-0852 have apparently been scrapped at AMARC since the middle of February, along with a further 42 RF-4Cs.

[F6FFan]

Sad to report that both 63-7742 and 65-0852 have apparently been scrapped at AMARC since the middle of February, along with a further 42 RF-4Cs.

RAM,

I am sorry I did not respond sooner. I passed along this message to my Dad, who was sad when he heard the news, but I wanted to pass along his thanks. It is a shame that they were scrapped. If South Korea had operated their RF-4's longer, perhaps they could have been sent to them.

Thank you.

F6FFan

[RAMC181]

You're welcome, and please pass my best wishes on to your dad.

It's sad that the demil requirements meant there was no chance of us getting one brought back to the UK for display.
There's a lovely TAB-VEE sitting empty a hundred yards from my desk that would look great with an RF-4 back inside...