g0_command0 Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 This was the all white QF-4J at PT. Mugu used for ejection seat trial. What ever happend to it? was it scrapped? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phantomologist Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 (edited) This was the all white QF-4J at PT. Mugu used for ejection seat trial. What ever happend to it? was it scrapped? She was taken apart and moved back to China Lake. Member Aim9xray most likely has some pics. We provided what technical support we had from scooby Edited February 23, 2008 by Phantomologist Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DPD1 Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Do you recall the approx. time it was moved? Also, did that one ever have any kind of side number on the books? I recall seeing it at Holloman for a period of time... Anyone know when it stopped being flyable? Dave www.TheNorthSpin.com Dedicated to Aircraft Flight Test for the Aviation Enthusiast Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aim9xray Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 (edited) OK, I might have a photo... '473 was one of two F-4B's modified on the production line by MacAir to the YF-4J configuration. (In fact, the MacAir data plate has "YF-4J" stamped on it). The two aicraft were used as system testbeds for the AWG-10 radar/weapon system, and it appears, was bailed to Raytheon presumably for Sparrow testing. '473 was later modified as an ejection seat testbed. It flkew its last test program in the late 1990's for the modified M-B seat in the NASA F-18s. When active, it did fly out to Holloman for at least one PhanCon. It last flew around 2000. Last engine run was in 2003-4ish in order to use up the last fuel onboard. The white bird was the last of the three F-4's to be disassembled at Mugu for transport and display at museums; with work starting in October 2005. Actual transport to the Lake was in September 2006 - there were no bridge-induced modifications. As far as I know, '473 has not been reassembled for display. Some other notes - - 473 was not a drone - ie 'QF'. - 473 was a very low time aircraft; it had no cats or traps. - it was the last Navy F-4 to fly with the original wing configuration with full span leading edge BLC. - I believe that it was flow with '473' as the modex for a while. HTH Craig Edit: Corrected dates Edited February 23, 2008 by aim9xray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Just saw 1473 two weeks ago at China Lake's Aircraft Survivability Lab. It's assembled but not refurbashed... Don't know the timeline for repainting. Thanks Craig for correcting it's designation of YF-4J! It was great watching it spit a seat out! Cool stuff. Cheers, Larry. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Beautiful Phantom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Does that have the thin B wing ? Beauty of a shot BTW ... Thanks ! Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aim9xray Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Does that have the thin B wing ? Beauty of a shot BTW ... Thanks !GreggThanks!Yes, it has the thin wing. In fact, it is really much more a F-4B than a J. This bird is quite unusual in that it is externally very nearly identical to a factory standard F-4B circa 1964 (except for the J radome). Most of the surviving Bs were converted to Ns and gained lumps, bumps, stiffeners, doublers etc. 473 never received the "drooped aileron" mod which means that the BLC inboard leading edge flaps worked to the end. Also, it never received a slatted stabilator. Other things - no chaff bucket aft of the RAT, no RWR fairing on the fin cap, no spar straps or any other beef-up of the inner wing structure. It even has the original short bridle hooks. It was modded with the Increased Gross Weight (IGW) main landing gear - but only because there were no more parts for the original struts in the system (this is the reason for the small fairing on the top of the wing above the strut). The Targets pilots were very much impressed with the high end performance - better than the higher-powered, but draggier and heavier QF-4S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Great information. Thanks for passing that along. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Ah, thanks Craig ! One more tiny question, did this Phantom have the uprated J/S J-79s or did it still have the earlier engines ? Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aim9xray Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Ah, thanks Craig ! One more tiny question, did this Phantom have the uprated J/S J-79s or did it still have the earlier engines ? GreggIt had the earlier J79-GE-8 engines (with the short turkey feathers), also in common with the F-4Bs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Much Thanks Craig ! Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DPD1 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks for the info Craig and Larry, I'll try to add much of it to the roster on the site. If you ever want to donate photos for the site Craig, let me know. Dave www.TheNorthSpin.com Dedicated to Aircraft Flight Test for the Aviation Enthusiast Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Incaroad Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hot Damn, found a couple old shots of 151473! First one from 1979 Airshow... Man those were the days, live ordinance and and Ejection seat firing! Second shot 1984 and it does have a nose number... Sorry for the rotten scans but I couldn't find the negatives to use, so I just scanned the small photo's! Cheers, Larry. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DPD1 Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hot Damn, found a couple old shots of 151473! First one from 1979 Airshow... Man those were the days, live ordinance and and Ejection seat firing! Boy, I'll say... Back when the units participated and actually did something unique to their mission... Instead of the same old 'demo' routines no matter which show you go to. Good stuff. Dave www.TheNorthSpin.com Dedicated to Aircraft Flight Test for the Aviation Enthusiast Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hot Damn, found a couple old shots of 151473! First one from 1979 Airshow... Man those were the days, live ordinance and and Ejection seat firing! Sorry for the rotten scans but I couldn't find the negatives to use, so I just scanned the small photo's! Cheers, Larry. Larry, I remember those days at Pt. Mugu as well, great shots ! Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brian P: Fightertown Decals Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Here's a shot at the very end of Mugu. -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dingo Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I got two additional shots of an Ejection seat firing from the 473 cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aim9xray Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 (edited) Interesting - the first shot was at the China Lake Airshow 83 and the second shot at the Pt. Mugu airshow in 1982. Was there for both events; note the markings change on the vertical stabilizer. Edit: Fat fingers! Edited February 25, 2008 by aim9xray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hi Guys, sorry to dig this old thread up again. I've just received a set of 1/72 Phantom decals by a manufacturer I have not heard of before: "Esoterical" One of the schemes is the all gloss white 151473. Hence my interest in this thread. I did a little researchin' by googlin' :) and mainly found the pics similar to what Brian had posted; the white one with the eagle emblem on the tail. Airliners.net also has these pics. However, the one in my sheet has some sort of yellow 'triangle' on the tail. I found only one small, grainy picture of it on the China Lake website. Does anyone have any other pics of it in this scheme? Another thing: the very simple painting instructions on the sheet mention that the "fin tip was yellow with black cheat line and yellow rudder hinge with black outline". Also, Larry, I can't see your pictures. I can only see the 'Photobucket' logo. Would you mind posting them again please? Many thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Oh, before I forget, reading the posts in this thread, I gather that to make this bird, I can 1) Use a normal F-4B but without the chin pod? 2) Use a normal F-4N but remove the chin pod & the bumps & lumps on the vertical tail? 3) Can I use this scheme for the on going "Flight Test and Evaluation Group Build"? 4) 2 seats or 1? Since it was also used for ejection seat trials. TIA :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madmanrick Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Am I mistaken or does that Smoker have the smaller rear canopy that was peculiar to the earliest versions? Either way, she looks good in that "wedding dress"! :) Rick Here's a shot at the very end of Mugu. -brian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spruemeister Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 This is from a slide I recently aquired. If it is your photo, or you know who's it is let me know and whether you want it pulled. No name on slide or location, but date stamp is April 2000. Rick L. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Bump. Anyone? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stephan richardson Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 (edited) I worked on it while assigned to the QF-4S while working for Kay and Associates Inc. 1990-1996. Its not a Q designated just a YF-4J ejection seat testing platform phantom. I built a 1/48 model diorama of a seat ejecting but the picture is too large to add to this. Its a one of a kind model. I am on FB if you would like to see it. Thanks. Also 473 is now sitting at the museum or is part of the other aircraft at China Lake static aircraft. Edited October 27, 2019 by stephan richardson Added more info and tried to add a picture Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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