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The Thunderbirds F-4E and Blue Angels F-4J Thread


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Looks like the Total Air Temp probe started out on the port side and was moved to the starboard side during F-4E production. It was on the port side on earlier versions of the F-4.

 

Ben

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This is a good one too. There’s another I’m hunting down. Stay tuned. You could ONLY be a T-Bird with a name like Mack Angel or Rip Blaisdell!

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On the previous vid Ya Gabor can get a good look at the front cockpit main panel and the opened radome with the custom luggage rack. At this time 1971, Roger Parrish had replaced General Swalm as commander/leader. He went on to become an astronaut as well.

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Thanks BillS,

 

I had the "Once a T" video already this is where many print screens were taken from. Yes, there was a good image there of the front cockpit.

 

The nose (place for radar) is not for lugage but for air pressure bottles for the smoke generator system.  

 

Thanks!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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10 hours ago, Ben Brown said:

Looks like the Total Air Temp probe started out on the port side and was moved to the starboard side during F-4E production. It was on the port side on earlier versions of the F-4.

 

Ben

 

Hi Ben,

 

The interesting thing is that on this particular airframe 66 0289 there are temp probes on both sides of the fuselage!!!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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3 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

 

Hi Ben,

 

The interesting thing is that on this particular airframe 66 0289 there are temp probes on both sides of the fuselage!!!

 

Best regards

Gabor

Huh. I totally missed that! Now looking at the jet in Mike’s photos, it also has two TAT probes. I love this nerd stuff!😄
 

Ben

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Interesting: One of the pilots in the schoolroom setting is handling a model of an F-15 Eagle in Thunderbird markings. Looked like it was the in the F-4 scheme, not the F-15B painted in the Bicentennial T-38 scheme. Scroll to 8:30.

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Whatever was the reason for it but based on available photos certainly not all Thunderbirds had two temperature probes under the nose on left and on right. At least 3 had it on both sides while even earlier production aircraft exists which has it in standard right side position only! Had a look at period photos of those “early” airframes and they had the temperature probe on the standard right hand side as a production norm.

 

One has to look at the particular airframe he is intending to build if it has it on both side or only in standard position on the right. But of course question is do people really care about such a minor point in building their kit?

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Gabor. No, there was a luggage rack up front. There was also a gaseous 02 system vs LOX because of availability at civilian airports. Removal of the gun system afforded all kinds of room.

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Hi BillS,

 

I cannot argue.

I can only refer to the T.O. for changes to Thunderbirds stating that the air bottles were placed in the vacated radar unit compartment.

 

It is visible on the videos that the empty Vulcan gun compartment was used for all the “extras” to be carried for the team.

 

Best regards

Gabor

thunderbirds smoke.jpg

thunderbird smoke compartment.jpg

thunderbird  smoke luggage.jpg

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Thanks to all the contributors here, I’ve learned more about show Phantoms in the past two weeks, than ever before. 
 

Great stuff!

 

Rich

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7 minutes ago, RichB63 said:

Thanks to all the contributors here, I’ve learned more about show Phantoms in the past two weeks, than ever before. 
 

Great stuff!

 

Rich

 

Hi Rich,

 

So do we!!!!!!!!

It is fascinating to see what people / contributors have, or what is located not far from them, or they have visited in the past or even they themselves have been doing/been part of! It is an enourmous help!!! I dont think one person on his own would be able to see, read, have as books and get to all of this places!

 

I can join in. Thanks to everyone!!!!  

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Yes, thanks to everyone who is contributing to the thread!

 

Re baggage in the nose, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the radome open and a pilot pulling a bag out of the nose compartment there in one of the videos posted here. Of course my memory has never been all that reliable!

 

Ben

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12 hours ago, aircommando130 said:

Not to take anything away from this but on May 17th the is a IMAX documentary about the Blue Angels coming to the IMAX theater near you! 

 

Cheers...Ron

 

I would expect it will be all about the F-18's of course. : (  : (  The Hornet is a nice airplane but it is not a Phantom!!!!!!!  : )   Still I am sure there are some stunning images in this IMAX documentary. 

 

Dont remember if they had any IMAX cameras back in late 1960's early 1970's when the Phantoms were around.  : )  : )

 

Best regards

Gabor

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/30/2024 at 6:01 PM, mhvink said:

Castle Air Museum, in Atwater, CA, has a true T-bird F-4E.  It has #5's markings, but I THINK it was actually #4.  Saturday, May 18 is their annual "Open Cockpit Day", where you can get up close and personal with the jets.

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

 

Did you go yesterday to the open cockpit day at Castle Air Museum? Any fresh picks into the cockpit???

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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On 5/6/2024 at 5:20 AM, ya-gabor said:

 

Dont remember if they had any IMAX cameras back in late 1960's early 1970's when the Phantoms were around.  : )  : )

 


The first IMAX theater opened in 1971.  Wikipedia has a list of IMAX movies but it only goes back to year 2000. 

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1 hour ago, habu2 said:


The first IMAX theater opened in 1971.  Wikipedia has a list of IMAX movies but it only goes back to year 2000. 

Hi habu2,

 

It just shows how different worlds we have lived in! But:   : )  : )  : )

 

 

 . . . Back in '71 we were lucky to have a simple simple cinema . . .

Luxxxury! We used to dream of a cinema.

 

Yah, but you try an tell the young people of today that and they wont believe you . . .

 

: )  : )  : )  : )

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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26 minutes ago, ya-gabor said:


It just shows how different worlds we have lived in!

 


I still have a typewriter, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and a darkroom enlarger. Yesterday I drove my 1967 Pontiac. 

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1 hour ago, habu2 said:


I still have a typewriter, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and a darkroom enlarger. Yesterday I drove my 1967 Pontiac. 

 

Apart from the Pontiac I have the same things also as well as a perfectly working VHS player, my good old analogue F-90 camera, a nice collection of LP's with still perfect sound, many cassette tapes of radio programs from late 70's like Radio Capital 194 with Kenny Everett and "Your mother wouldn't like it"  . . .(dont think anyone remembers them) . .  .    and lots of other things which I have been told to get rid off a long time ago.  : )  : )

 

Have a lot of VHS recordings from different news programs with lots of fantastic videos of past airshows, events, base visits . . .  Excellent material for research of period paint schemes, markings, colours . . .

 

Best regards

Gabor

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I grew up in LA and got to go to a pre screening of “Grand Prix” at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood in like 1967! Our neighbor worked for MGM as a sound man so he got us in. In those days the cinerama thing was the cat’s pajamas! I think the place is still there. It showed up in an episode of “Sugar” on Apple TV. Formula One in those days was a far cry from today.

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22 hours ago, ya-gabor said:

 

Hi Mike,

 

Did you go yesterday to the open cockpit day at Castle Air Museum? Any fresh picks into the cockpit???

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

Unfortunately, no.  The wife trumped the open house.  So, instead of going north to Castle, we went south to Los Angeles to see the grandkids.  Sorry.

 

Mike

Edited by mhvink
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1 hour ago, mhvink said:

Unfortunately, no.  The wife trumped the open house.  So, instead of going north to Castle, we went south to Los Angeles to see the grandkids.  Sorry.

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

 

Absolutely no problem. There are more important things in life then our hobby! It is the way it should be.

 

The only reason for me asking was that one never knows what is possible to see, what new things previously not available/reachable open up. In the pages above there were already some views of both the cockpit or other parts of the airframe but things / chances could open up for more. : )   : )   : )

 

Thanks anyway!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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