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NF4C Gate Guard info request


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Hey guys,

Saw this a/c yesterday while traveling in Gallatin, TN.

It's sitting at a small regional airport.

Found this listing but I kinda know this already!!

F-4C-20-MC NF-4C 63-7654 JUN97 Gallatin (TN) Regional Airport

I can't seem to find any information on the history of this airframe!

Anybody have info they'd like to share?

NF-4C%2063-7654lr.jpg

Much appreciated!!

Steve

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According to the F-4 Production & Operational Data (Peake):

F-4C-20-MC 63-7654 c/n 0762 first flight 5 Nov 1964, flyaway date 21 Dec 1964; redesignated NF-4C ?; wfu 22 May 1992 to AMARC; to Gallatin TN 22 May 1996

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I hauled some freight in there one night and took time to walk around it. No info for your question, but if you get time theres a gate in the fence surrounding it and you can go in and crawl all over it if you want and grab some good reference photos.

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Well, thanks for the info.

Was hoping for a more notable legacy.

Being an early model Phantom, I was kinda hoping it had seen action in SEA.

If only it could talk!

'preciate y'all's input.

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Well, now we know it became an NF-4C before 1988.

And Steve - it may well have seen action in VN! But - it survived without major incident (which is all what Peake lists).

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I know for sure she was an orange/white NF in 1984 when I photographed her at Edwards.

The last flight of the XB-70 was in 1969, and I don't think AFFTC had any F-4s as "staff airplanes" at that time. We were using them (and losing them) heavily in Vietnam at the time.

Edited by Jennings
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According to this, it was assigned to the 8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB in autumn of 1965:

http://www.8tfw.com/pages/8thhistory1965.htm

"Apparently the orders had already been issued for the 8 TFW to deploy to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand. On and about 2 September numerous 8 TFW F-4C, not from the 68 TFS, were listed at Ubon RTAFB: 63-7641, 63-7643, 63-7644 (Clark AB on 9/10), 63-7645, 63-7652, (6200 MW, Clark AB 2-26/9), 63-7656, 63-7654, 63-7665 (to Hill AFB depot on 22 October), 63-7673, 63-7680, 63-7683 (>Clark AB on 18/10), 63-7686, 63-7687, 63-7694, 63-7700, 63-7710, 63-7712, 64-0863 (6200 MW 1/9-), 64-0731 (> Clark AB on 9/10)."

I've found a bit of conflicting information for when it became a test aircraft, but it was in the 1972 to 1974 timeframe and it remained a test aircraft until retirement.

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Further reading of the 8 TFW page I linked to in my above post does not mention 63-7654 specifically in the many listings of wing aircraft movements, but does say that the wing's last F-4C, 64-0723, was transferred out in March of 1968.

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The last flight of the XB-70 was in 1969, and I don't think AFFTC had any F-4s as "staff airplanes" at that time. We were using them (and losing them) heavily in Vietnam at the time.

Who operated this F-4 then? I can't make out the printing on the tail. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/North_American_XB-70A_Valkyrie_in_formation_061122-F-1234P-036.jpg[/media]

Edited by riffraff
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