mungo1974 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) Standard early Idaho ANG 190thFS markings at Gowen Field was just the Idaho script on the fin top. When George AFB closed its doors the 35th FW deactivated too,it then reactivated in name (as the 35th Wing) moving to Keflavik,Iceland. Taking control of the 57th Fighter Sqn and its F-15C/D's...the Black Knights kept their 'IS' tailcodes so the folks at Boise grabbed the 'WW' for their F-4G's. When the final December 1995 Incirlik Provide Comfort F-4G deployment ended the jets all got various sharkmouths aswell as the 'WW' codes. When the top brass decided to do away with the permanent F-15 Sqn at Keflavik relying on TDY Dets the 35th Wing deactivated again but with some shuffling of paperwork Misawa's 432nd FW became the 35th FW in Oct 1994 still flying its existing F-16's using the 'MJ' tail. In early 1996 the Idaho ANG gave up its last F-4G,trading in Weasels for Warthog's using the 'ID' tailcode....with the old 'WW' then soon being snapped up by the 35th FW @ Misawa....thats how it remains today. Edited May 5, 2015 by mungo1974 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brownstone322 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) Standard early Idaho ANG 190thFS markings at Gowen Field was just the Idaho script on the fin top. When George AFB closed its doors the 35th FW deactivated too,it then reactivated in name (as the 35th Wing) moving to Keflavik,Iceland. Taking control of the 57th Fighter Sqn and its F-15C/D's...the Black Knights kept their 'IS' tailcodes so the folks at Boise grabbed the 'WW' for their F-4G's. When the final December 1995 Incirlik Provide Comfort F-4G deployment happened they ended the jets all got various sharkmouths aswell as the 'WW' codes. When the top brass decided to do away with the permanent F-15 Sqn at Keflavik relying on TDY Dets the 35th Wing deactivated again but with some shuffling of paperwork Misawa's 432nd FW became the 35th FW in Oct 1994 still flying its existing F-16's using the 'MJ' tail. In early 1996 the Idaho ANG gave up its last F-4G,trading in Weasels for Warthog's using the 'ID' tailcode....with the old 'WW' then soon being snapped up by the 35th FW @ Misawa....thats how it remains today. Your explanation makes sense; I never knew that the 35th served at Keflavik as an F-15 interceptor unit for a while. I was aware, however, that the 432nd and the 35th FWs are really the same unit renumbered. S'posedly as the USAF and USN downsized, they chose to retain the most historically significant unit designations, hence 432nd -> 35th, 363rd -> 20th, 401st -> 31st, 21st -> 3rd ... and there are no doubt others. (On the other hand, one might argue that the 432nd TRW made a significant impression in Vietnam, particularly in 1972; just sayin') OK, so one last question: When did the 432nd/35th transition to the Block 50? I would think (but I'm making it up) that they wouldn't use the "WW" code until they had airplanes optimized for SEAD. EDIT: I just looked it up, and the 35th FW's two squadrons converted to the Block 50 in 1994; so I reckon the Block 50s came first, and the "WW" code followed. Thanks! Edited May 5, 2015 by brownstone322 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Are you asking if they were painted in any camouflage besides the Hill Gray scheme? Yes, they were initially painted in the Southeast Asia (Vietnam camouflage) scheme: Then they went to a wraparound scheme where they painted the belly with the tan and two greens from the topside: Then they went to the Europe I scheme: And finally the two-tone gray Hill Gray: Speed Hunter Graphics has a sheet with some Europe I schemes: http://www.reidairpublishing.com/product-p/shg32005.htm HTH. Ben Ben I really appreciate you having taken the time to give such a complete response, especially the link to the decals! I have been occasionally hunting for Spangdahlem decals with the shark's mouth; Reid Air Pubs just got a decal order from me within minutes of reading your post. ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SCOUT712 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Awesome pic. Do you Happen to have a Shot from the left side same time frame? I wonder about the intake badges. It looks that there was none existent on the right intake, since there is no fresh paint applied. On the left intake this jet featured later at least several squadron badges compiled together. BTW this jet was the one with most HARM shots in DS as well as the first Geasel going over the fence into Iraq. Crew was LtCol Walton 561st CO with Capt Redmond in the pit. v/r Scout Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mungo1974 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I never knew that the 35th served at Keflavik as an F-15 interceptor unit for a while. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mungo1974 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Awesome pic. Do you Happen to have a Shot from the left side same time frame? I wonder about the intake badges. It looks that there was none existent on the right intake, since there is no fresh paint applied. On the left intake this jet featured later at least several squadron badges compiled together. BTW this jet was the one with most HARM shots in DS as well as the first Geasel going over the fence into Iraq. Crew was LtCol Walton 561st CO with Capt Redmond in the pit. v/r Scout Hi Scout, All the George jets were sanitized of their unit markings prior to the start of shooting. Although i don't have a image immediately to hand i know i've seen others in Saudi Arabia with the Sqn gaggle patch removed. I believe it was just a large sticker anyway..quickly peeled off Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DarkKnight Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I didn't realize how many F-4s got the frameless windshield. I wonder how expensive that mod was and why it wasn't more widely adopted. The F-4E/G looks oddly modern with a frameless windshield. New question: Are we to infer from the second pic that when the 35th FW transferred its F-4Gs to the Idaho ANG that the aircraft retained the "WW" tail code, at least for a while? That's strange. Wasn't the 35th getting Block 50 F-16s at the same time? I would've thought they'd have changed the tail code when they added the "Idaho" tail stripe. I thought I saw a Phantom at the USAF Museum, I thought the canopy was yellowing showing signs of age, anyone else been there lately? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Considering it's approaching 50 years old (assuming you mean SCAT XXVII)... Of course with the black hole effect and lighting to match at the AFM, it's hard to tell. I'd love to find the genius who decided to paint the inside of a museum flat black and rearrange some of his dental anatomy for him. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DarkKnight Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Considering it's approaching 50 years old (assuming you mean SCAT XXVII)... Of course with the black hole effect and lighting to match at the AFM, it's hard to tell. I'd love to find the genius who decided to paint the inside of a museum flat black and rearrange some of his dental anatomy for him. Im pretty sure it was a G model, Im gonna go there again in a few mos Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmel Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 F-4G 69-7263 is here at the museum complete with its one-piece windscreen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Ben I really appreciate you having taken the time to give such a complete response, especially the link to the decals! I have been occasionally hunting for Spangdahlem decals with the shark's mouth; Reid Air Pubs just got a decal order from me within minutes of reading your post. ALF Glad to help! I have Jake's F-4D decals, which look great, but I don't have anything to put them on, yet. :D Cheers! Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DarkKnight Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 F-4G 69-7263 is here at the museum complete with its one-piece windscreen. is the windscreen yellowing or was that just my imagination, if its yellowing,I think they need to do some conservation or take a one piece windscreen from a F4 drone Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 F-4G 69-7263. That F-4G was nicknamed "#1 Sam Slammer" during Desert Storm. Cool stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rambler Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 is the windscreen yellowing or was that just my imagination, if its yellowing,I think they need to do some conservation or take a one piece windscreen from a F4 drone I haven't been there in a few years but I do remember the windscreen looking a bit yellow. I just looked at some pics of it on airliners.net and you can even see it in those pics. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I haven't been there in a few years but I do remember the windscreen looking a bit yellow. I just looked at some pics of it on airliners.net and you can even see it in those pics. Strange, it almost looks tinted like the funky Prowler canopies. But to my knowledge no F-4 had yellow tinted canopies. It doesn't look sun faded/rotten to me...just tinted. Interesting fellas. Good eyes . Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Check Six Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Just to prove atleast one F-4G with the single piece screen saw combat.. In theater with sanitized markings I believe this picture is backwards. It appears a small national insignia marking is on what would be the starboard wing of said picture. Also; Look at the little antenna behind the rear canopy that looks to be off-centered to the port side, when it should be off-centered on the starboard side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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