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QF-4 Phantom question


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They did. It was called Phantoms over Anatolia or something similar. I mention that currently, Hi-Decals provides the only options. They are very nice. Kursad has had another Turkish F-4 sheet planned for quite some time but we continue to bombard him other requests haha.

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Sure I am on the drone.

The cockpit photo is of a Turkish Phantom. I have shown the Jaws Phantom only as an example of still flying F-4's. Apart from the drone antennas and bulges of the QF-4E all the rest will have to come from real F-4's including this Turkish one. That was the only reason for posting it and of course because I like Phantoms, just wanted to share the image. 

 

I am looking through my photo archive. It will take some time but for example I am sure that I think it was 1983 that IAT (the one before RIAT) had many Phantoms (30 or so) from all around the world and I did take a lot of photos mainly of details. Have to find it.

 

At the same time also found some more photos of QF's including when BAE Systems conversion was underway to QF and one can see some very interesting things in the background apart from the main subject of the given photo.  : )   : )

 

Been looking at the Hasegawa F-4, well I am less and less certain of it. A lot of work and I mean really lot of work to make something of it and not speaking of the actual conversion but the kit itself.

Back when it was released it really was a fine or even the best kit of an F-4. But today. . .  I think one of the problems is that too much information is now available so you will notice the problems which back then were not apparent. 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Hi  Habu2,

 

Yeap I have seen it. Dont know about the RIO office but now I have most of the things for the pilots instrument panel. Was compering it last night to the Hasegawa item. Will have to do it.

 

Best regards

Gabor

 

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2 minutes ago, Whiskey said:

I never looked into it or asked but did the drones still have to be manually started up and the operator hops out before taxiing?


That's my recollection - but it was 5 years ago and I've slept since then...

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Hi Habu 2,

 

I see that the cockpit photos are from a fighter and not a recon version. But is it a QF-4E? or an earlier version?

The reason is simple it differs considerably from other on-line photos of active (back then) late QF-4E's with TISEO.

On the above photos it looks like a lot of things have already been removed from this ship as if it was just about to be scraped. (and I am not speaking about the bang seat in the aft cockpit).  : )  : ) 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Could there be a difference between QF-4E which were actual targets and the chase versions? Just thinking out loud. TOn the outside for example there are many differences in antennas, positions, size and place. So there could be something similar in the cockpit also. I guess we will never know now!

 

Could it be that the ones used on those last flights, Phantom Pharewell in December 2016 were different?  I guess we will never know now! : (  : (

 

Best regards

Gabor

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On 3/27/2020 at 7:24 AM, Michael A. said:

Where is the 'Expanding Rod' self destruct device located on QF-4?  As I recall that is just about the point that the air craft is broken-up when unmanned  positive control is lost or the unmanned airframe is damaged during a test.

It was put in the LOX bottle compartment. For NOLO flights they took the LOX bottle out and put the warhead in. 

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This is an interesting addition to this story! Thanks avnav!

 

Is it possible to know if those birds on that final Pharewell flight occasion on Christmas 2016 were also sent on a “last” mission to be a target? Or some of them were scraped?

 

Logic would dictate that once all the electronics are inside the airframes and they can still take off why not use them as a target. After all this is what they are for.

Or did the official retirement mean that they were out of service for good and as such could not be used anymore (so into the scrap jard) and the “new” QF-16 took over the role.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Where is the 'Expanding Rod' self destruct device located on QF-4? 

 

It was put in the LOX bottle compartment. For NOLO flights they took the LOX bottle out and put the warhead in. 

 

Thanks Avnav! 

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8 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

This is an interesting addition to this story! Thanks avnav!

 

Is it possible to know if those birds on that final Pharewell flight occasion on Christmas 2016 were also sent on a “last” mission to be a target? Or some of them were scraped?

 

Logic would dictate that once all the electronics are inside the airframes and they can still take off why not use them as a target. After all this is what they are for.

Or did the official retirement mean that they were out of service for good and as such could not be used anymore (so into the scrap jard) and the “new” QF-16 took over the role.

 

Best regards

Gabor


To answer your question Gabor, all the remaining except for two where transported to the White Sands Range to be used as ground targets.

 

The airframes were indeed partially stripped before being loaded on flatbed trailers and taken off base.  The two remaining airframes were allocated for memorials, one in New Mexico itself down the road from the base.  The other was taken out of state.  The QF-16 is now filling the role as aerial targets.

 

HTH

 

P.S.  I have a good friend who flew the QF-4E on the last flight on December 2016.  He also shared video of the remaining airframes being loaded.  Not a pretty sight. 😥

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Hi Rocketdrvr,

 

This is very interesting! On that December 24th flight video many QF-4E's are visible on the ground apart from the 4 in the air. Some of them were in an "interesting" state already. : (   : (

But I dont understand why not use the airworthy examples for the purpose they were converted for once they are there. Send them up into the sky and train pilots to shoot them down!

A bit silly decission (understatement), but who am I to understand and question  . . . : )   : ) 

 

Still the story of the QF-4E is interesting. Now I only need a decent photo of that bump on the underside. But searching on the net I found some additional excellent Air Force official photos in very high res of the particular example, this AF-338 that I am after. So the picture now is fairly clear on the way it looked like in those last years. So I expect that sooner or later will find some good pictures of the "bump" also. One of the antennas on the back of that QF-4 plane is a common version and "purely by accident" I have an original so I can scale all the others to that. : )  : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

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22 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

Still the story of the QF-4E is interesting. Now I only need a decent photo of that bump on the underside.

 

I've got a set of 200+ QF-4 photos by Mark Nankivil, that he shot in 2003. This was his best shot of the 'bump'. I will shoot him an e-mail whether I can forward his photos to you.

 

marknankivil.jpg

 

Rob

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Hi Rob,

 

Thanks very much both for showing this photo and for asking your friend about the others. Very kind! Thanks!!!

 

Looks great! Also found a photo from head on where the curvature of the "bump" is visible. Pieces are starting to fall in place. : )  : )  : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

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24 minutes ago, ya-gabor said:

Hi Rob,

 

Thanks very much both for showing this photo and for asking your friend about the others. Very kind! Thanks!!!

 

Looks great! Also found a photo from head on where the curvature of the "bump" is visible. Pieces are starting to fall in place. : )  : )  : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

 

One of his photos shows a near-perfect side view, maybe that helps too. I'll wait for Mark's reply before I show more. He also shot quite a few good cockpit photos.

 

Your contributions on this forum about East-European aviation are very much appreciated, so I enjoy helping you here 🙂

 

Rob

 

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Thanks Rob!

 

That is very kind of you!

Take your time. As I have said before this is a long term project.

 

I think the bigest problem is the choice of kit. Would prefer the Academy kit and add a new nose to it rather than play around with the old Hasegawa and try to make it an up to date 2020 version in detailing. That is a lot of work and lots of extras apart from the QF-4 mods. 

Had a look at the fuel tank in the Hase kit and well I think it would be far easier to borrow a big tank from an F-15 kit. Oh well just one of those small big things.  Anyway just looking for the moment. : )  : )

 

Keep safe!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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