flanker27 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 Hi For the first F-4E, was it painted in any prototype colors? or any special paint scheme? google YF-4E shows a F-4 with canards, wondering if the first F-4E is painted in a prototype scheme. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nebbor Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 (edited) The first "F-4E" was actually a RF-4C: 62-12200. It was used as a test bed for various stuff, last job was testing fly-by-wire flight controls and canard configuration The 2nd F-4E was a converted F-4C: 63-7445. The 3rd was actually built as one on the production line: 65-0713. First 2 were wearing SEA colors, first real F-4E I only have seen pictures in white/international orange livery. Edit: and when searching for images I found one of 65-0713 in SEA too. Edited October 9, 2022 by Nebbor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nebbor Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 62-12200 63-7445 65-0713 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flanker27 Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
efd327 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 A friend of mine flew an early E (probably 65-0713) when he was a test pilot at Edwards AFB in the early 90's. I remember him telling me it had an E front cockpit and a D rear cockpit. Just in case you are wanting extreme accuracy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flanker27 Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 62-12200 started life as an F4H-1 and was converted on the assembly line to the prototype RF-110A. It would have had the F4H-1’s thin wing instead of the C’s thicker wing. Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 (edited) On 10/9/2022 at 6:40 PM, Ben Brown said: 62-12200 started life as an F4H-1 and was converted on the assembly line to the prototype RF-110A. It would have had the F4H-1’s thin wing instead of the C’s thicker wing. Ben A very historic airframe. It's I was always thinking about its history when I examined it at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson. It certainly had a lot of designations..F4H, RF-110, RF-4, F-4E... The only other airframe that comes close was the P-80 which was modified to be a prototype T-33 (or TP-80) which was modified to the prototype F-94. Edited October 16, 2022 by JohnEB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nebbor Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 Aircraft #266 started as a F-4B, subsequently F-110A, RF-4C prototype (YRF-110) , YF-4E , F-4 CCV and PACT programs and many mini programs in between like the berrylium rudder and Agile Eagle slat programs. This airframe is called "mother/father (take your desired gender pick) of all phantoms" for a reason. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kellyF15 Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 3 minutes ago, Nebbor said: Aircraft #266 started as a F-4B, subsequently F-110A, RF-4C prototype (YRF-110) , YF-4E , F-4 CCV and PACT programs and many mini programs in between like the berrylium rudder and Agile Eagle slat programs. This airframe is called "mother/father (take your desired gender pick) of all phantoms" for a reason. What's the actual tail number for 266? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nebbor Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 14 minutes ago, kellyF15 said: What's the actual tail number for 266? 149405 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DET1460 Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 I saw '12200' at the AF Museum in '92. Went back in '11 and it was gone. No one there seemed to know what I was talking about. It was the grandfather of ALL AF Phantoms. I was disappointed, but I managed to survive the trauma! 😉 DET1460 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 I took some photos of it years ago when it was outside at the museum. At the time, I didn't know the story behind it but it was unique with the canards. I just visited the museum just yesterday and, although I wasn't looking for it, I didn't see it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 "currently in storage" https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/197971/mcdonnell-douglas-yf-4e-phantom-ii/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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