F-4D markings for LORAN F-4Ds in SE Asia

[mppd]

I'm about a third of the way thru this with markings and decals for every F-4D which flew in Thailand with the AN/ARN-92 LORAN-D Chelton towelrack antenna (at least one unit each, many flew with several different squadrons). The antenna itself is the work of FastCargo, and a very nice piece or work it is!

 

Anyone wishing to share any photo scans of any of these birds that they might have, please post or PM me and we'll include them in the project along with credit for the help.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike Druzolowski

[Wrench]

Ok, when did a LORAN equipped F-4D come out???

 

And more importantly, where can we get it??? Damn, I thought I was up to speed on the all the Rhinos!!

 

btw, nice skins Mike!!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[mppd]

The antenna was an idea that came from YAP originally. That version has actual working tape lights at night and is well worth obtaining, but this version will not. We could not get permission to use that antenna as a freeware item, so I asked FastCargo if he could make one up for me. He tweaked it for me according to a few drawings and photos I had, and I think it looks great. I'm doing decals for the individual airplanes and will use the textures I made up before.

 

I either have serial number listings or actual photos of all the birds in the theater, so I just had to interrupt the Marine A-6A decals to do this.

 

Thanks for the compliment by the way. Hope this generates a little interest so everyone will rush to their stash of photos and contribute something towards the project. The D model is still my favorite version. It is in need of a makeover by the Mirage Factory however, like they have started to do with the F-4G and RF-4E.

 

Mike D.

[topcat II]

Very nice many thanks.. :yes:

[FastCargo]

Mppd,

 

I'm assuming the tape lights you're talking about are on the aircraft itself...not the antenna?

 

FastCargo

[mppd]

Uh, roger that - no lights on the antenna......you're kidding right? Kinda would make like a nice christmas tree effect at night though, wouldn't it....

 

Seriously, as far as I can tell, the tape lights were not in exactly the same location on every airplane. I have photos where it is really angled on the nose, and in slightly different positions on the vertical stab.

 

A revised F-4D version would be nice for public release with the correct under-radome RHAW antenna housing. Or instead of that, how about creating a lump that we can position over the existing later-model housing? I have lots of ideas for little add-ons for F-4s which have not yet been modeled - and I have no 3-D capability.

 

Mike

Edited April 26, 2008 by mppd

[FastCargo]

Well..if the undernose fairing is a separate mesh, we could make it 'disappear' with a data.ini edit, then make a new model to put in it's place.

 

FastCargo

[mppd]

I'm thinking that the bulged housing would fit right over the smaller square housing that comes with the stock WOV F-4D. Dimensions would be tough to obtain - but there are a number of photos that I could send you. Another mod would be the AN/ARN-101 housing on the aft fuselage spine of late model F-4Es and RF-4Cs - but this is a post Vietnam era modification of course. Lots of little do-dads that would be slick. I may have to get a copy of this 3D program and then try to figure out how to use it!

 

Mike

[Talos]

I don't know if this will help, but I scanned these two pictures out of my copy of the S-S F-4C/F-4D/RF-4C in Detail and Scale book. It shows the AN/ALR-69(V)2 antennas mounted on the housing under the F-4D's radome and should help figure the dimensions and proportions better.

 

 

 

I absolutely love mods like this for these aircraft, keep up the awesome work!