I have come across some nice photos of US Air Force, US Navy, US Marine and foreign Phantoms on the web. Hopefully it would inspire some modellers to join the group and serve as reference photos. I have also included two interesting photos: The first photo depicts a US Navy Phantom receiving red and black invasion stripes in preparation for Operation Eagle Claw to free the US hostages in Teheran, the second photos shows a derelict RAF Phantom.

28 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Nice selection, most I've never seen before. The RAF derelict gives me ideas. As does the bent nose Marine RF-4B.

Morne, thanks for the wonderful miscellancy of Phantoms. Image 1 shows painting on temporary markings for the aborted Iran Hostage Rescue attempt, the one where the helis collided on the ground and they had to pull the plug. Agree the "out to pasture" aircraft would be a test of skills, though giving one something to do with a redundant or trashed beyond recovery model. Also, the pranged RF with the bent nose, which I've never seen before, by the way. Great photo! Just all kinda of food for thought, thanks for posting them. Whatta plane! When it first came out, I wasn't so impressed, but she grows on ya!

Absolutely! Gull grey uppers, white unders, and some of the prettiest markings since the 30s Golden Wings era. Particularly the CAG ships. Or special occaisions. I saw "Showtime 100", Randy Cunninghams aircraft, in the collection, from the Shrikes(?).
I was at Patuxent for their air show in 1967. An F4 did a zoom climb, and I just stood there watching it disappear, dumbfounded. Oh, yeah! Why couldn't I have been born with 20/20 vision and math skills? Rats!
That's a fighter!

I did the airfix F-4 back in high school, it had two US Navy squadron choices VF-31 and VF-74 , I ended up in both squadrons while I was in the USN. Talk about coincidence.

I notice in picture 3 that the VF 84 Phantom preparing for catapult launch has no landing gear doors attached to the landing gear ! Very strange.

Has anyone seen the photo, which I only saw once, of the Marine F4N from the Deathrattlers

that had a mechanical problem, and landed on Arc Royal? She was about to do a port call at Malta, and (I think) USN either couldn't or wouldn't go there. The plane was disguised by the RN folks by putting their F4 "Omega" marking on a white background on the red tail. Looked odd, being overall gull gray, as opposed to RN EDSG over white undersides.

I don't know if they overpainted the tail, or just put up something that attached to it to complete the illusion.

Interesting story, though.

That was VMFA-531 Gray Ghosts side number 207 on a Med. cruise with USS Forrestal I think around 1975,And I believe it was an F-4B. I don't know why it was cross decked to the Ark but I've heard the same story about it being broke. What I read is they did paint the tail in 892 RN squadron markings. You have to dig deep but you can find pretty good photos of it on the net. Hasegawa had a special issue of that bird a couple of years ago. That's after I kit bashed an old revell in the same markings.

The Navy originally designed the F-4 for fleet defense against Russian Bears and such , They occasionally buzzed carriers anyhow, Basically an interceptor', come Vietnam the mission changed to dogfighter, which it did pretty good after all.