F-4D Phantom II serial number and tail code question

[F4DPhantomII]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/McDonnell_F-4D-28-MC_Phantom_65-0747.jpg Can you make out the serial number on the aircraft? And where was HE code stationed. My old F-4D Phantom II was 66-8747 at Clark AB in 1968 and I was wondering if this is the same aircraft with a different squadron. Thanks for any help.

[F4DPhantomII]

or maybe not I see the source says 65-0747

[jmel]

It's clearly a fy66 Phantom, so it's not 65-0747.

It could be your old jet.

Edited April 17, 2014 by jmel

[scotthldr]

If you follow the link through it states that the jet belongs to the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Holloman circa 1970.

According to sources 66-8747(this a/c?) was the last F-4 to be lost over Vietnam on the 29th June 1973, while it was assigned to the 432TRW.

The a/c could also be 66-7747.

Edited April 17, 2014 by scotthldr

[Koen L]

If you follow the link through it states that the jet belongs to the 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Holloman circa 1970.

Which is interesting, as according to the Airdoc USAFE Phantoms book, the 9th TFS used 'HD' codes while the 417th used 'HE' codes. The intake marking is also that of the 417th TFS so the info provided with the picture doesn't seem very accurate. There were two FY66 F-4Ds: 66-7747 and 66-8747.

Edited April 17, 2014 by Koen L

[scotthldr]

According to some sites the 417th were based at Mountain Home with the 67th TRW during the above timescale, but as you say it's clearly the 417th badge on the intake and a Holloman tail code.

Here's another a/c said to be from the 417th based at Holloman in 1971

http://www.aviationspectator.com/files/images/McDonnell-Douglas-F-4-Phantom-II-110.preview.jpg

Some more info on the tail codes assigned to Holloman can be found here

http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/49thFW/49th_Fighter_Wing.html

"In June 1972 the 49th TFW adopted the tail code HO. Prior to that standardization codes were allocated to the individual squadrons within the wing, the 49th had used HB for the 7th TFS, HC for the 8th TFS, HD for the 9th TFS and HE for the 417th TFS."

As with most information on the web, most of it contradicts.

Edited April 17, 2014 by scotthldr

[NavyPhantoms]

Holloman AFB is where I was born in 1972. My old man was in the 49th TFW.

[Mark S.]

Here are decals for #470 of that unit in 1/72.

http://www.millcreekconsultants.com/WP72-10.html

Mark S.

Wolfpak Decals

[F4DPhantomII]

It's clearly a fy66 Phantom, so it's not 65-0747.

It could be your old jet.

I don't think so, mine was 66-8747. I think 65-0747 later served with the Minnesota Air Guard. Mine was destroyed in June 1973.

Edited April 18, 2014 by F4DPhantomII

[Wild Weasel V]

Typically when there were two aircraft with the same 'last three' of the serial number, the last digit of the FY block was used for the first digit of the S/N. In this case 66-7747 would be '66-747' while 66-8747 would have been marked as '68-747'. I agree that the photo looks to be of 66-7747 which eventually went to Korea in 1987 as part of a Peace Pheasant transfer.

I did find this site: http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/F-4USAF.html which seems to have some unit history of just about every USAF F-4. Both 66-7747 and 66-8747 are listed, including this photo: http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/f4pics/66-8747.jpg taken while with the 3TFW. It also indicates that, unlike 66-7747, 65-0747 and 66-8747 weren't assigned to the 9TFS (although the records may not be complete). However this wasn't until 1977, long after the individual squadron code system was discontinued so it looks as if the Wikimedia caption is wrong.