F-4C_1966 Da Nang & Phan Rang AB

F-4C 1966 – Da Nang & Phan Rang AB - By Crab_02 and Mike Druzolowski

**Notice - this package is for the die-hard rivet-counting historian. No colorful squadron markings or tailcodes onthese planes as they flew during 1966**

Please contact me for any problems or issues - we'll do our best to correct them and make this even more authentic for what's to come. PM me at Combatace or E-mail at mppd@att.net please.

I made this package for the post-October 08 patched version for Wings over Vietnam (which is what I'm flying). Textures are 1024 pixel resolution to help frame rates on modest systems (like mine) - so view the external views at arm's length, not extremely close-up please. Versions for SF2 with higher resolution textures are sure to follow.

My sincere thanks (in addition to Crab and TK) go to Sundowner - who originally shared his F-4 texture templates with me and what I started with originally, and also to drdoyo for his 1024 templates which helped, Ravenclaw_007 for the kind permission to include his super Martin Baker ejection seat in this package, and to Old Diego for kind permission to include his superb pilots, and to X Ray who did the superb pilot repaints (and whose name was forgotten in the original readme of the 1965 version).

Description: The airplane depicted is the Air Force F-4C as it appeared in 1966, after the first USAF three-tone camouflage scheme was field-applied - Navy LAU-17 pylons with adapters for A/G ordnance were still in evidence (as per the 1965 package), no radar homing and warning antennas nor all of the small antennas added later on. Four styles of 370 gal drop tanks are available - both old McAir and later Sgt Fletcher style, in either all-white or camouflage. The planes have the initial camo paint scheme applied to the early F-4Cs (still with the Navy-style LAU-17 pylons) and typicaly had the rear fuselage camouflaged all the way to the drag chute door. Aircraft often carried a minimum of stenciled markings.

New features include:

*New vertical stab and rudder shapes

*New nose radome and IR sensor housing shapes

*New detailed pylons and Sidewinder rails

*New 3D model cockpit (mostly invisible though...)

*New nose wheel doors

*Animated air refueling door (Shift + 8)

*Opening canopies of course (Shift + 3)

*New horizontal stab bases

*New early McAir and later Fletcher wing tanks (with pylons that correctly jettison along with the tank) plus new centerline 600 gal tank with retained pylon

*Numerous small detail changes

(Note that all textures for the stock Thirdwire F-4s can be made to fit with minor alterations - watch leading edge flap, vertical stab/rudder and intake splitter plate locations mostly.)

Issues: I used many parts that I already had built, so separate bmps are included for the pylons, nose and rails - these should have been combined into one I guess.

Historical bit: TAC's 366th TFW at Holloman AFB, NM transferred one Phantom II squadron to PACAF in 1965, the 390th TFS (officially transferred to PACAF's 6252nd TFW at Da Nang as of 29 October 1966), and arriving ca. 17 November (moving with grey/white F-4C aircraft, which were soon field-painted in the new three-tone T.O.1-1-4 camouflage scheme). Photos of these recently camo'ed aircraft show undersurfaces untouched and still retaining the large star and bar and USAF. The unit was joined at Da Nang by the 480th TFS as of 01 February 1966, which arrived already painted in the new camouflage scheme. As of 08 April 1966 the 390th TFS was assigned, and the 480th TFS was attached to the 35th TFW at Da Nang. Due to overcrowding at Da Nang, the other Holloman F-4C squadron - the 389th TFS, (which had been deployed TDY to Elmenfdorf AFB, Alaska in late 1965) moved with already-camouflaged F-4Cs to Phan Rang AB along with the transfer of the 366th TFW to PACAF as of 14 March 1966 (although with none of the same airplanes it flew in Alaska). As of 10 october 1966, all three squadrons were again re-united at Da Nang under the 366th TFW.

Color photos are somewhat rare for these airplanes during 1966, but it seems that the last two serial number digits may have been painted in red on the front nose gear door for all three squadrons. (It is possible that the squadron color was eventually used during 1966, but I have no evidence of this yet). There is some variation from plane to plane as to vertical spacing on the tail of the "AF" and the serial number, so I have tried to reproduce this. Several 480th TFS F-4Cs had the serial presentation as "USAF" instead of the more common "AF" as well. Stencilled markings varied from a lot to a little.

Notes about the flight model: Basically the default post Oct 08 patched data.ini, but I have modified the landing gear rolling coefficient to have a bit more drag (the plane will not move by itself and take off like a rocket when the brakes are released!), I have reduced the wheel braking effect so that a few taps will not make the thing stop on a dime (however they will not hold the plane in place when the power is brought up to over 78% - adjust as desired), I have increased the nose gear spring factor to give it a bit more of that “springy” feeling when the brakes are applied, and I have increased the speed brakes effect to a more realistic effect (to me). The original values have a triple slash in front of them, so modify as desired if you don't like my changes.

Cockpit notes: Uses the stock post Oct 08 patch WOV cockpit, but I have added a sight reticle which is a brighter orange - matches photos I have seen a bit better I think.