F-4 Phantom formation lights

[Sgt Shultz II]

Does anyone know when the slime green formation lights were added to the Phantoms?

[Sgt Shultz II]

Good book, lots of history but nothing on the "slime lights". They show Phantoms with and without supposedly during the same time period.

 

I personally don't remember them at Udorn RTAFB 69-70 but I do remember them at RAF Alconbury 73-76. (RF-4C's)

[Sgt Shultz II]

P.M. sent!!

[Ivan Ivanovich]

On 7/4/2018 at 6:21 PM, MARU5137 said:

And:quote a Phantom pilot;

 

I would think that Not all F-4s had these lights. Some were put on later and some models of the same aircraft never got them. At one base we had the F-4D and "E" The "E"s were given the lights while the "D"s were plain. Then again, some "E" models didn't have them. It all depends on when and where.

 

 

 

Good morning!

 

Mid-1970 onward, production F-4:

Engineering Change Proposal 852S1 (T.O. 1F-4-776) introduced the so-called slime lights as a production feature with Block 45 (and subsequent) F-4E models. First fielded between mid-1970 and 1971. First Phantom II with production slime lights: F-4E-45-MC, 69-7579.

 

1971-1974, F-4 formation lights retrofits:

Engineering Change Proposal 852S1 also provided for the retrofit of the strip formation lights of earlier USAF and foreign F-4C, RF-4C, F-4D and F-4E models. 1971-1974 time frame. Retrofits - usually carried out during depot maintenance - peaked during 1972 and 1973. By the end of 1974 the retrofits had been completed.

 

USN/USMC F-4 - different story:

If my memory serves, USN and USMC Phantoms, namely F-4J and F-4S models, were downright late-comers: retrofits between 1981 and 1982.

 

British F-4K, F-4M or German Air Force RF-4E models never received them.

 

Edited July 7, 2018 by Ivan Ivanovich
Cyrillic removed

[Gazzas]

[Ivan Ivanovich]

Thank you! 

[ghatherly]

 The Old F-4C's that were rebuilt and converted to Wild Weasels had them when they went to Kadena/Vietnam in late 1971/ 1972.   

[John1]

On 7/6/2018 at 4:26 AM, Ivan Ivanovich said:

 USN/USMC F-4 - different story:

If my memory serves, USN and USMC Phantoms, namely F-4J and F-4S models, were downright late-comers: retrofits between 1981 and 1982.

 

Did they ever add these to the upgraded N-models?  Pretty certain that N's were still flying with active duty squadrons in the early 80's...

 

 

[Ivan Ivanovich]

USN/USMC N-models never received them. But you're right, the F-4N continued to soldier on into the early 1980's. The Navy retired their F-4N in 1984 and the Marines relinquished theirs a year later.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Ivan Ivanovich