USAF F-4 Question - Folded Wings

[John1 4,245]

I’ll be building a Vietnam War Phantom (probably a C, small chance it might be a D) in the future.  Question - how common was it to have the wings folded while they were on the ground?    I recall seeing some pics recently but can’t find them.    
 

Was this a somewhat common practice?  I think it would add some visual interest and it would definitely help with minimizing the amount of shelf space needed. 
 

Thoughts?

[Dave Williams 3,937]

For USAF Phantoms, not very common.  Usually they were only folded if they needed to reduce the span for parking them close together, like in a hanger.

[Chek 2,246]

It certainly wasn't uncommon.

[Finn 2,458]

But they did fold them at times:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jari

[Out2gtcha 36,747]

Looks like you could go either way and be accurate! 

[Juggernut 2,756]

I would think it's a lot easier to load/unload stores to that outboard pylon with the wings folded than not.  Just an observation on what I see in the photos.

[phasephantomphixer 1,049]

Just need a reason, the maint. forms, a speedhandle, -6 manual, wingfold lock, and four ground crew

(one on top of wing, three to walk it up - or two gym rats).

Some reasons like parking space, inspection, or lube.

Been 30 yrs. since I did one so mighta forgot something... HTH

[Finn 2,458]

Also note the position of the insignia on top of the wing, at the wing fold:

 

 

Jari

[Mark P 931]

And it looks like a bit of repair on the left folded wing upper surface. 

 

Mark Proulx

[LSP_Ron 14,283]

Well if you really want to be outside the box you could do it flying with the wings folded.

 

 

[Out2gtcha 36,747]

Yikes!  Reminds me of the shot of the BUFF with no vertical fin or rudder................strange looking in mid air.

[John1 4,245]

1 hour ago, Mark P said:

And it looks like a bit of repair on the left folded wing upper surface. 

 

Mark Proulx

Check out the instructions from Fundekals Op Bolo set.   The amount of weird paintwork on early F-4’s in Vietnam is amazing.   

[Jennings Heilig 16,167]

That’s the first photo I’ve seen of an upper wing insignia centered on the location of the original larger one, but we’ve got several shots showing them on the lower wing like that.  We had really no photos of any of them clearly showing the upper surfaces.

Edited June 10 by Jennings Heilig

[Finn 2,458]

Here is another one:

 

 

and one with one white tank:

 

 

Jari

 

 

Edited June 10 by Finn

[John1 4,245]

9 hours ago, Finn said:

Here is another one:

 

 

 

 

Jari

 

 

Interesting camo pattern on the left wing!  I had no idea the paintwork on those jets was so diverse.