Our newest restoration project... F-4C Phantom II, AF 64-0763

[flight17]

Well, as the title says, the museum i belong to has received its newest project; a F-4 Phantom. It came in last night on truck from Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton. It is a Vietnam Veteran and IIRC, they said it has two kills.

Today, we unloaded it and were able to power wash it. Back in May, when they demilitarized it, the fire department had to actually come in and hose it down because of all the bird poop and nests that were on it and built in it. There are still tons of nests in it though as there were many service panels that were open for years. Hopefully we will have it done by next year.

The F-15 took us only a year but needed to have a lot done to it. This should be easier, as for the most part, it will be just cleaning, putting back together and repainting. There is only two things on it that is damaged. One being the one wingtip, which was ripped off the plane during a windstorm and a spot on the the back of the plane, just forward of the tail, where it appears the wingtip might have struck.

Here are pictures



Jim Ackley and I powered washed the entire plane and wing today after it was off the trailers.


Before and Afters:




looking forward

Up close

In this pic is three out of our four Vietnam era aircraft

[Devil 505]

Wicked cool. 
Is it going to be flyable when finished?

[Guppy35]

Glad to see she's found a good home.  Any idea on what markings you gents are going to put on her?  I imagine she's got more then her share of history being an F4C.  Going to put her in her Mig Killer markings?

[Tupac]

Was that yalls OV1 Mohawk at Oshkosh? It was parked right in front of us

[flight17]

Was that yalls OV1 Mohawk at Oshkosh? It was parked right in front of us

no, ours hasn't flown in like three years and we decided to permanately ground it as of this year as we don't have the money to rewire the entire aircraft.

[BaDkaRmA158Th]

Man i just saw the first picture and found myself blurting aloud "ooooh baby, what happend to you?" 

[B4Buster]

Even power washing it made a huge difference. Flight, is it OK to share these pictures? I have a few friends who would be interested in them.

[Babalonian]

Very nice!  Static only? (we can dream, though)

[flight17]

Even power washing it made a huge difference. Flight, is it OK to share these pictures? I have a few friends who would be interested in them.

Sure! We also have a Facebook if they want to follow the progress there. I will be adding photos as it comes along there in its album.

Very nice!  Static only? (we can dream, though)

it would have literally taken an act of congress to have gotten it and been allowed to fly it. Any fighter that has flown within 30 years in active service is not eligible, by law, to be actually sold to a private party. Right now, even though it's indefinately ours, it's still owned by the USAF, just like our F-15.

[flight17]

Wicked cool. 
Is it going to be flyable when finished?

Not possible, see post above.

Glad to see she's found a good home.  Any idea on what markings you gents are going to put on her?  I imagine she's got more then her share of history being an F4C.  Going to put her in her Mig Killer markings?

I ideally want to reprint her in the markings she is carrying right now as its a nice looking camo design. Some camo just doesn't look as good as others, but I think was one of the nicer ones. The nose cone, which is not pictured will more than likely have the sharks mouth, at least if I again get my way, as I believe it previously had it.

But either way, we will reprint it in a scheme that it actually wore in service.

[SEraider]

Oh I wish that could be restored. 

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Sure! We also have a Facebook if they want to follow the progress there. I will be adding photos as it comes along there in its album.
 it would have literally taken an act of congress to have gotten it and been allowed to fly it. Any fighter that has flown within 30 years in active service is not eligible, by law, to be actually sold to a private party. Right now, even though it's indefinately ours, it's still owned by the USAF, just like our F-15.

Not many people could stomach the fuel bill of that thing either even if they did let you fly it.

[Old Sport]

Not many people could stomach the fuel bill of that thing either even if they did let you fly it.

Very true, but first of all you'd have to deal with the maintenance bill to get the airframe, engines, electrical system, fuel tanks and control systems flightworthy. I used to work on the pointy end of F-4s, together with a bunch of other maintenance people in a bunch of specialties for the rest of the plane. To get a plane as complicated as the F-4 back to flight status after it's been sitting a zillion years is not simple and would be a major monetary sink hole. Then continuing maintenance testing and repair to keep it flightworthy would be a secondary fiscal drain.

Nice photos!

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Very true, but first of all you'd have to deal with the maintenance bill to get the airframe, engines, electrical system, fuel tanks and control systems flightworthy. I used to work on the pointy end of F-4s, together with a bunch of other maintenance people in a bunch of specialties for the rest of the plane. To get a plane as complicated as the F-4 back to flight status after it's been sitting a zillion years is not simple and would be a major monetary sink hole. Then continuing maintenance testing and repair to keep it flightworthy would be a secondary fiscal drain.

Imagine how much money the government sinks in these things (or newer things nowadays) 24/7 365 etc.

I see F4's in active duty every summer when vacationing in Greece btw. They fly real low over the beaches almost daily.

[Midway]

It'd be cool to find it's former pilots and have them tell some flight history/experience.