White/red IAF TA-4 Skyhawk

[nichenson]

9 hours ago, TBC said:

Of note on 703 as this is closest and easiest to see. The red on the leading edge slats does not extend all the way to the lead edge of the slats and the red has been removed from the fixed surface of the upper port wing where the insignia is. I would assume the red was similarly removed from the starboard wing underside for the same reason.

 

 Nice photos. Any idea which squadron they came from?

 

I am not sure which BuNo 703 is but it would be one of these. 

 

158492, 158493, 158497, 158502, 158503, 159101, 159102, 159103, 159104, 159546, 159547, 159548, 159549, 159550, 159551, 159552, 159553, 159554, 159555 and 159556

[Dave Williams]

If the Armycast date of 1974 is correct, these are likely from a batch of 4 transferred to Israel in March/April 1974, BuNos 159101 - 159104.  I’m not sure they were assigned to a USN Squadron previously.  The paint looks fresh, and there are no signs of previous markings having been removed.  I wonder if they came right off the production line, were painted in the then current USN trainer scheme, and put right on a boat to Israeli?  My searches don’t show any previous history for those BuNos.
 

http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/ta4j-159099-159104.html

 

Also thinking the block of sequential numbers suggest they came from the factory instead of those particular aircraft being rounded up from whatever squadrons they happened to be with.

Edited August 6, 2020 by Dave Williams

[nichenson]

4 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

From what I can find, these are from a batch of 4 transferred to Israel in March/April 1974, BuNos 159101 - 159104.  I’m not sure they were assigned to a USN Squadron previously.  The paint looks fresh, and there are no signs of previous markings having been removed.  I wonder if they came right off the production line, were painted in the then current USN trainer scheme, and put right on a boat to Israeli?  My searches don’t show any previous history for those BuNos.
 

http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/ta4j-159099-159104.html

 

Those three pics I just posted today are from those four during that delivery.  I am not sure when 703 was sent.  It more than likely was before those but there is no definite proof in anything I have seen.  There are bits and pieces of stories scattered about including of some airframe sections sent that made for more unusual painted birds but I have yet to see pics of those. 

[Dave Williams]

4 minutes ago, nichenson said:

 

Those three pics I just posted today are from those four during that delivery.  I am not sure when 703 was sent.  It more than likely was before those but there is no definite proof in anything I have seen.  There are bits and pieces of stories scattered about including of some airframe sections sent that made for more unusual painted birds but I have yet to see pics of those. 

The 7xx code and the extended exhaust means that it’s likely they arrived after October 1973.

 

If this listing is correct, the previous batches of TA-4Js were delivered in late 1972 or early 1973.  Not sure they would have stayed in the original white scheme that long.

 

http://skyhawk.org/article-unit/israeli-skyhawks

[nichenson]

12 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

The 7xx code and the extended exhaust means that it’s likely they arrived after October 1973.

 

If this listing is correct, the previous batches of TA-4Js were delivered in late 1972 or early 1973.  Not sure they would have stayed in the original white scheme that long.

 

http://skyhawk.org/article-unit/israeli-skyhawks

 

One thing I have learned from some of the early iaf and idf history is that anything is possible.  For the longest time it was said that no Israeli F-4E had a belly strap but I have at least a dozen pics saying otherwise so who knows.  I do have a few more pics I am trying to find. 

[Dave Williams]

Got the Armycast sheet today and the BuNo decal for 703 is for 159102.