pics of collings F-4 repaint

[RickH]

Chris was close. The cover is for the AOA probe, the indicators are in the cockpit.

[Django]

That looks fantastic!

[Jet Mech]

For those with little GI lingo the AOA is Angle of Attack....and I covered many of them in my time on the flight line, just not on the F-4s thank goodness.....

[RickH]

Thanks, Django

[usaf ssgt]

I painted Phantoms back in the 80s and these pictures really bring back alot of good memories.
I hope to see Phantoms grow on the civil registry, because they were such a huge part of the USAF through the 60s and 70s.

Thanks for the updated pictures, Robin would have been proud!

Leon

We can all but hope but as we seen it unlikely due to them been too much of a "risk" to the silly US govt.

[RickH]

First thing is that the bureaucrats and politicians are afraid of the people they work for, they hide behind words like liability and public safety. It's really the black guns, black helicopter syndrome.

As I've said before, a Cobra is a Huey with a skinny fuselage. You'd think they were nuclear weapons the way they and others of their ilk are treated by these people.

As long as this mindset is in place you will see very few American aircraft of this class retake the skies.

Finally, if it was easy everyone would do it !

[Larry Kraus]

Not being an Air Force type,I'm a little confused on the new serial number.The old one "AF 67-463" makes sense as a 1967 fiscal year purchase.Is the new one "AF 37-680" from 1973,or what? A 1963 fiscal year seems too early for a USAF bird.

[usaf ssgt]

Not being an Air Force type,I'm a little confused on the new serial number.The old one "AF 67-463" makes sense as a 1967 fiscal year purchase.Is the new one "AF 37-680" from 1973,or what? A 1963 fiscal year seems too early for a USAF bird.

It would mean its a 1963 bird, but I don't remember when the change over in the coding took place...help...anybody!

Leon

Its means in 1963 there were alot of aircraft assigned serials numbers

Note the number for modern planes hardly any are built so the tail code is easy for 2007 --- 07-099 etc where as in 1963 there was (6) 37-680

See large build numbers and brought in 1963

[RickH]

Larry the serial is 63-7680, the original aircraft was an F-4C model. The serial numbers are assigned by the fiscal year money is appropriated for the plane.

[retroaviation]

Nice job, Rick. Looks great!

Gary

[RickH]

Thanks, Gary. We've completed some additional markings since these pics were taken.

[gordonpagecolorado]

The new paint on the F4 looks great!

Thought the group might like to see Robin signing a bomb for our Spirit of Flight Center museum. He was quite a character!

I think the Collings Foundation needs a P-38 in Olds' colors next...