LF: Photo of F-4D Phantom II 65-0731 as 31st TTW Wing Commander's Jet

[Dutch]

Looking for a photo of F-4D Phantom II 65-0731 as 31st TTW Wing Commander's jet circa 1983/84 in Euro I wrap around scheme.  I have a set of Microscale 72-371 decals and was looking for photos to verify.  The only photo I can find on the interweb is at Angelfire showing the jet in AMARC with the HS tail codes and no longer in WgCdr marks.  I sold my set of Detail & Scale 1/48 decals before making a copy of the instruction sheet, but those markings are not as elaborate as the Microscale set.

Kind regards,

Dutch

Edited January 17, 2023 by Dutch
Correct unit designation

[Dutch]

Okay, I'm not too smart. I found one on Flikr that shows most of what I need.  Still need to verify that the wing tanks had the rainbow stripes as well.

[SCOUT712]

Hello Paul,

the version from the 72 scale Microscale sheet is actually wraparound SEA. There is a picture of that jet in the Squadron Signal USAF Phantoms in Action booklet. I'll take a picture of it later and send you a PM.

B/r

Michael

[Niels]

I have a photo of her from Feb-86, still in Euro1 scheme however without the stripes on the intake, only on fintip. No stripes on the tanks. I know you asked for 1983-84 timeframe, but then you have a fall-back solution 😉

[Geoff M]

I found this pic.  Static display in 1983.  No stripes on the tanks tho.  

[Dutch]

@Geoff M, thx, found that one today as well. Unfortunately, it is dated 1983 and only has three color intake sash. Here's a close-up of the port sash dated May 1982. If you notice, you can see the SEA wraparound camo. Also note the white travel pod on the stbd inner pylon, which is totally different from the markings provided on the MS sheet. 

 

@SCOUT712, Thank you for the Squadron Photo. I will go look that one up as I have the book. Please see our PM for further notes.

 

Which leads me to my next observation.  Are there any 1/72 aftermarket decals for Euro I F-4C/Ds? I know that a few kits (Fujimi?) may include Euro I decals, but a quick search on SCM reveals only the Hi-Decal sheet 72-055. I have that one! Only TX & KS ANG in Euro I. FM (Homestead AFRes) in Hill Gray.

 

K/r,

Dutch

Edited January 19, 2023 by Dutch

[Dutch]

I am going to post a close-up of the Microscale decal sheet that started this whole discussion.  I see now that the aircraft in questions was in SEA wrap-around in 1982 as depicted on MS sheet 72-371.  Later, in 1983, the jet was repainted in Euro I colors, but received different color sash and tail markings as noted by several of you above.

 

I think the badge outlines on the MS sheet are correct. In the photo posted above of the port side sash on 65-0731 circa May 1982, notice that the color orientation from front to rear is yellow, red, green, blue.  The top and bottom badge only have a scroll on the lower portion.  The two middle badges have scrolls on top and bottom. 

 

 

If you look at Microscale sheet 72-371, the banners are pointing with their tops inward and bottoms outward, (i.e. the starboard sash in on the upper left and the port sash is on the upper right of the decal sheet. Red arrows point to bottom of the sash.)  Also, I have zoomed in on a web screen grab, and the badge orientation on the port sash appears to be correct as well.  I am unsure of which of the small round squadron badges apply to this jet, but will make doubly sure when my decal arrives later this week.  I figure that the fin cap decals are the ones below the sharkmouths (mid-level red ovals).  I don't like these, as the colors do not appear distinct enough with too much white showing, but I am at a loss whether to create my own from Scale-Master colored stripe decal or leave them "as is."  The lower five red ovals depict the tail markings, comprising "ZF" code, "AF657" FY code, and "31 TFW" serial code.  The US insignia should be the color variety, not the solid black star & bar as depicted on the sheet.  That is the easiest fix to perform.  Lastly, the "travel pod" four color stripes are much too large & long for a travel pod and appear to be scaled to fit a 370 Gal outer wing tank. I will check the color orientation for the tail band and may trim a couple of these decals for the top of the tailfin.

 

I will have to use other decals for a Euro I jet.  Thanks to all who chimed in with comments.  I always learn somehting from these exchanges.

 

K/r,

Dutch

Edited January 20, 2023 by Dutch
add links.

[SCOUT712]

As I said before, I have that sheet and built the 3rd TFW CC jet with black tailcodes.

Thare are quite a few mistakes on it but most are easily to be corrected. The D model fin stripes are the ones which you circled. All national insignia is colored. They just appear to be solid black. The problem I see is the order of the colored stripes of the intakes. It seems on the pic I sent you that they should start with the yellow one most forward. Another problem is that the Squadron badges are, at least on my sheet, partly way out of register. The markings for the travel pod spear to be 1/48 scale. Well overall, at least that sheet still exists. There jusr isn't a lot of love for gentlemen's scale.

B/r

Michael

[habu2]

Colors & Markings (C&M) vol 4 on the F-4D covers this jet with color photos dated 8/31/83, but the markings match the flickr link you posted earlier with the tri-color sash and 31TTW (vs TFW) on the tail.  There is also a smaller B&W photo of the jet "earlier in its career" that appears to match the D&S decal sheet with the quad-color sash on the spine and TFW on the tail.

 

Concerning the timing of the TTW/TFW markings I found this on the history of the 31st:

 

Quote

(designated) 31 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Jul 1958; 31 Tactical Training Wing on 30 Mar 1981; 31 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1985; 31 Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991

 

The 3/30/81 date corresponds with the wing's conversion from E models to D models.  Immediately prior to this date the 31st had four squadrons - 306 TFTS (yellow), 307 TFS (red), 308 TFS (green) & 309 TFS (blue).  Upon conversion to the D model the 308th was deactivated, leaving three squadrons. At this time the squadron color allocations must have changed as the three remaining squadrons used the colors red, green and blue as shown in your flickr link.  This would have been the makeup through late 1985 when the wing started conversion to the F-16A/B.

 

I mention all this because the Microscale decal sheet with the four color chevron must have been during a time when the 31st had four squadrons, and your flickr link at a time when the 31st had three squadrons.

[habu2]

(double post)

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by habu2

[Dutch]

@habu2, 

Thank you for that unit history information.  Very useful.  I agree that the D&S 1/48 decal with only four color spine chevron appears to be circa prior to 1980.  If you check my post of Wednesday at 08:11 PM (above), you will see that the four color sash photo link is dated May 1982.  And as you point out, by May of 1983, the aircraft was painted in Euro I with only a three color sash (Red/Green/Blue.) So that narrows it down to 1980-82.

 

@SCOUT712, 

Michael, my sincere apologies for not being more clear.  I have purchased the decal, but have not received it yet. Hence I can only post a screen grab.  I will post a much more detailed scan of the sheet when I receive it.  The 1/48 MS sheet 48-148 is very clear on the colors and squadron badges.  I would hope that MS would have scaled this artwork down for the 1/72 sheet. 

 

Kind regards,

Dutch

Edited January 21, 2023 by Dutch
added link.

[habu2]

I have the 1/48 sheet, the plan is to try to use it on an F-16A kit since I've never found ZF markings for the Viper, probably because they changed their tail code to HS shortly after the conversion. 

[SCOUT712]

The caption below the pic in the Squadron Signal publication says the jet was photographed during a wing commanders meeting at Langley in December 1980.

B/r

Michael

[Dutch]

15 hours ago, SCOUT712 said:

The caption below the pic in the Squadron Signal publication says the jet was photographed during a wing commanders meeting at Langley in December 1980.

B/r

Michael

@SCOUT712 Michael, You are right.  So that means that the SEA wrap around camo was in force from at least 1980-1983, when the switch to Euro i went into effect. 

 

@habu2 what is the source for your quote four or five posts above?  I have checked four different sources on the 31st TFW/TTW history, 2 online and 2 in print.  The two online agree, which may mean that they referenced each other. The two in print do not agree with respect to dates when the TFW to TTW change occurred, nor do they agree as to squadron assignment datess nor the transition from F-4D to E to D to F-16A.  So I will endeavor to construct a small chart to see if I can suss this out.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the decals just arrived. I have opened and scanned the decals and instruction sheets.  See below. The decals are indeed slightly out of register, in that the white background is shifted up 1mm on the sashes, badges and canopy names.  Elsewhere, it appears to be spot on, as on the sharkmouth and US insignia.  I circled the Sqn badges in their appropriate color and show with arrows where they go on the sash.  AFAIK, the badges are correct, though not as distinct as in the 1/48 sheet, and the white cut outs on the sash are correct to receive the appropriate badge.  The purple boxes show the white canopy rail names for Col Rex Fischer & Capt Marty Simm. Ignore the top name in each box as I erroneously included them.  They are for the 3rd TFW jet.  Though the instructions do not mention it, the canopy rails should be painted black as in the photo above.  The instruction sheet says May 1980, so they must be using the Squadron Signal F-4 Phantom II in Action (2nd Edition #1065) as their guide, a common practice with Microscale during the 1970s & 80s.  I find it interesting that MS calls the center-line tank a "travel pod."  Could the center-line tank indeed have had the striped decals?  Other F-4 TFWs adorned their center-line tanks with elaborate markings as is the case with the 35th TFW at George AFB.  IN the photo above, the travel pod appears to have completely different markings than those on the sheet.  I think I will place the decals on the center-line tank.  Also not mentioned are the 12 black semi-oval black decals, six larger and six smaller, which appear to be for the fin tip RHAW bulge.

 

  

 

 

My thoughts for the moment.  Again, thanks for all of your help.

 

Kind regards,

Dutch

[habu2]

42 minutes ago, Dutch said:

@SCOUT712

 

 I find it interesting that MS calls the center-line tank a "travel pod."  Could the center-line tank indeed have had the striped decals? 

 

(editing your quote on my phone is HARD.....). ☹️

 

My quoted dates are from:

 

https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433511/31-fighter-wing-usafe/

 

Note these are the dates USAF designated the name change. I would assume the physical conversion took some time and the designation date was when the conversion was fully complete?  I don't know how the USAF does such things...

 

In your photo the centerline "tank" looks like a travel pod to me, back when they were using converted napalm tanks.

 

.

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by habu2

[SCOUT712]

The Luftwaffe indeed converted some of the original Sargent Fletcher centerline tanks into travel pods. Each wing kept about three of the right until the retirement of the Phantom. I remember two occasions we used them.  Both during my time with FW-72 "Westphalia". The first time was when four of my squadron mates went onto a weekend cross country to Italy for skiing. They put their skis into the large travel pod. The second time we for the disbandment ceremony of my squadron. We sent a jet to France they bought multiple cases of Champaign put them into the centerline pod and returned low level so the bottles would not pop.

B/r

Michael