tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470545423650754178.post4135085516308393842..comments2024-03-05T07:49:47.345-08:00Comments on Vintage Air: Coral Sea PhantomAlan Radeckihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05363748649625404498noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470545423650754178.post-21222199950664148862013-09-09T23:01:39.931-07:002013-09-09T23:01:39.931-07:00This is an F4-N. VF-154 flew these on two deployme...This is an F4-N. VF-154 flew these on two deployments that I made. These were the 81-82 WesPac and the 83 around the worls cruise.<br />David Hickey, ATCS, retired Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470545423650754178.post-39007724560246175512012-03-20T09:34:43.609-07:002012-03-20T09:34:43.609-07:00Wow, Ran, fantastic information! Thanks so much fo...Wow, Ran, fantastic information! Thanks so much for the research help! -AlanAlan Radeckihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05363748649625404498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470545423650754178.post-79233632094212636682012-03-20T07:30:47.882-07:002012-03-20T07:30:47.882-07:00Tail code NK identifies this an an aircraft of CVW...Tail code NK identifies this an an aircraft of CVW-14, I believe.<br /><br />CVW-14 was embarked on the Coral Sea from 79 to 85, but it only had F-4 aircraft until 83.<br /><br />The 111 on the nose corresponds with either the VMFA-323 Death Rattlers in the 79-80 cruise, or the VF-154 Black Knights in the three deployments between 81 and 83.<br /><br />The VMFA-323 tail markings seem to be red bands with white diamonds, whereas this plane bears the red and black flash of VF-154.<br /><br />This narrows it down to 81-83.<br /><br />The BuNo on the tail is 150438, which was purchased as one of the 649 F4H-1 procured, but is also one of the 228 converted to F-4N, under Project Bee Line. Curuously, this bird was retired to MASDC on 8/19/82, so I think one can narrow this image down to the span on 5/4/81 to 3/23/82. Alas, she was scrapped 9/17/04.<br /><br />This aircraft served as the CAG bird, bearing AE/200 on the USS Roosevelt in 1974. Here she is in that guise (http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TWgO1dF2IaQ/TD48pvzZloI/AAAAAAAACCg/XznlAm179Qk/150438-f-4n-vf-84-ae200-sep75-pmc.jpg).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com