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General F-4 and specific F-4EJ question


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Anyone have a clear phone of the underside of the F-4 wing with the outboard pylon or tanks NOT installed?  Are there mount covers, or just a hole that the spigot on top of the tank/pylon plugs into?  One mounting point, or two?

 

Did the F-4EJ carry the 600 gallon Royal Jet centerline tanks, and if so, when did the switchover to the F-15-style hi-speed tank happen?  I’ve seen the hi-speed tank mostly on -EJ Kai aircraft, while the pre-Kai aircraft from the mid-80s and earlier seem to normally use the two wing tanks (or no tanks), and rarely seem to use a centerline tank.  I’m looking to do a mid-80’s 303 Sq aircraft with a centerline tank and no wing tanks, if possible.  TIA.

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Looking through shots of the Phantoms I've photographed, I hope these might help (understand these are just what I happen to have pointed a camera at so it would be a fluke to have exactly what you are looking for). Also, it is amazing how few of the Phantoms I've seen don't have tanks or pylons on those stations. The one at Duxford is clean but I only got high vantage point pics, Again, hope these help.

 

F-4S 153851
Palm Springs Air Museum

Two holes outbard of gear bay

F-4-Phantom-Palm-Springs-2018-04-12-8263

 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

F-4S 157307
Udvar-Hazy

plates covering holes?

F-4-Phantom-II-Udvar-Hazy-2015-10-23-288

 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

F-4J 153077
Patriots Point

I think I see a cover at left edge of pic

F-4J-Phantom-Patriots-Point-2013-10-03-0

 

 

 

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On 10/14/2022 at 5:39 AM, Dave Williams said:

Did the F-4EJ carry the 600 gallon Royal Jet centerline tanks, and if so, when did the switchover to the F-15-style hi-speed tank happen?  I’ve seen the hi-speed tank mostly on -EJ Kai aircraft, while the pre-Kai aircraft from the mid-80s and earlier seem to normally use the two wing tanks (or no tanks), and rarely seem to use a centerline tank.  I’m looking to do a mid-80’s 303 Sq aircraft with a centerline tank and no wing tanks, if possible.  TIA.

 

According to the Defenders of Nippon; F-4 Phantom II book, the JASDF Phantoms were equipped with the F-15 style fuel tank from 1991 onwards, the book contains at least one profile of every JASDF Phantom, and there is only one featuring the early 600 gallon tank, this of the second aircraft delivered when with the Phantom evaluation Hikotai, it doesn't carry the wing tanks either. I can't recall ever seeing a photo of a JADSF Phantom with the early drop tank, however the F-15 style drop tank was carried on standard, non-Kai, Phantoms also.

 

303 Hikotai began replacing their Phantoms for F-15's in 1986.

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31 minutes ago, Kagemusha said:

 

According to the Defenders of Nippon; F-4 Phantom II book, the JASDF Phantoms were equipped with the F-15 style fuel tank from 1991 onwards, the book contains at least one profile of every JASDF Phantom, and there is only one featuring the early 600 gallon tank, this of the second aircraft delivered when with the Phantom evaluation Hikotai, it doesn't carry the wing tanks either. I can't recall ever seeing a photo of a JADSF Phantom with the early drop tank, however the F-15 style drop tank was carried on standard, non-Kai, Phantoms also.

 

303 Hikotai began replacing their Phantoms for F-15's in 1986.


Thanks for the date for them swapping to The F-15 tanks.  I’ve got the JWings Military Aircraft of the JASDF on the F-4 and it here are photos of F-4s of the ADTW with the Royal Jet tank even into the early 2000s, and also photos of RF-4Es using the tank, but nothing showing operational squadrons using the tank.  I’ve only seen them carry F-15 tanks.  
 

I’ve got an Academy (Revell) kit on the way and the kit only has 303 Sq aircraft from the mid 80s as an option. This page has pictures of the two -EJs in the kit, 313 and 335, but the aircraft are clean, except for the inboard pylons.

 

http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/aF41j.html

 

I guess I’ll just go without tanks.

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Hi Dave,

 

I have the same question about F-4s generally, and the same difficulty finding clear images of their undersides without pylons.  There are some nice marking options for pylon-less F-4s.

 

What I've learned so far is that unused pylon mounting points were filled with an "aerodynamic" plug, and the pictures earlier in this thread are the first I've seen that show what such plugs look like.

 

Glad I came over to this part of LSP!

 

Chris

 

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On 10/16/2022 at 3:09 AM, Dave Williams said:


Thanks for the date for them swapping to The F-15 tanks.  I’ve got the JWings Military Aircraft of the JASDF on the F-4 and it here are photos of F-4s of the ADTW with the Royal Jet tank even into the early 2000s, and also photos of RF-4Es using the tank, but nothing showing operational squadrons using the tank.  I’ve only seen them carry F-15 tanks.  
 

I’ve got an Academy (Revell) kit on the way and the kit only has 303 Sq aircraft from the mid 80s as an option. This page has pictures of the two -EJs in the kit, 313 and 335, but the aircraft are clean, except for the inboard pylons.

 

http://nabe3saviation.web.fc2.com/aF41j.html

 

I guess I’ll just go without tanks.

 

Nice references. How we have waited for AIM-4 Falcon launch rails for the 1/32 Phantom, which were used by JASDF F-4EJs well into the 1980s. Astonishing omission by Tamiya on its kit. 

 

Did not the c/l tank interfere with the AIM-7 launch sequence? And before the F-15 tank and its smoother separation, jettisoning the Royal Jet tank was also potentially hazardous?  JASDF F-4EJs performed only air defence back in the day.

 

Tony

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