A few weeks ago, I was granted access by the Missouri ANG to photograph its F-4E gate guard (s/n 68-0465), on display at Jefferson Barracks ANG Base, St. Louis. I'm working up a story on this Phantom for the Missouri Aviation Historical Society's quarterly member newsletter.
According to the base commander, this F-4E on display (on loan from the National Museum of the USAF) last served with the South Dakota ANG until it was damaged in a landing accident and withdrawn from service. Does anyone here on this stie (or anyone they know) have any more info on this Phantom: Specifically, when it was built, what units operated it (including when and where), if it saw any combat or not, and anything to confirm its fate. Any assistance on this matter will be most appreciated, and will be credited in this article.
I'm looking to submit the article in late February, so I don't need this info this instant, but if you can find any information for me in the next couple of weeks, that will be great. I'm also working some other sources for info on this F-4E.
Thank you in advance for your assistance in this project.
Regards,
Bob Delaney
St. Louis, MO
I have a book , McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phanton II Production and operational Data. The aircraft in question belonged to 122 TFW, 163rd TFS Tail code FW= Ft.Wayne(Baer Field),IN. The aircraft crashed on landing do to hydraulic problem(pilot was killed) and the back seater survived according to the book.The aircraft was a production block 40 first flight was 24 Sep 1969 Fly-away date 05 Nov 1969. That is all the info I can locate at this time.
Reference the above requested info... Maybe somebody else in the group could confirm this, but I don't think that South Dakota ANG ever flew the Phantom. S-Dak was assigned A-7D's which were eventually replaced by F-16s. North Dakota ANG 'Happy Hooligans' did fly the Phantom, but I'm not positive that they ever flew the E Model. I think they only flew C/D model Phantoms and those too were replaced by F-16s. Like I mentioned, perhaps someone within the group could comment more on that and confirm that info. Good topic and an interesting bit of research. If you don't mind, please share and let us know what you find out. All the best, Kevin
10-2-1989
USAF F-4E Phantom 68-0465 from Indiana ANG/122nd TFW/163rdTFS at Fort Wayne attempted
an emergency landing at Baer Field City Airport after the pilot was incapacitated in his smoke filled
cockpit. The WSO tried to land the aircraft but shortly before touchdown he ejected and the pilot
and the aircraft crashed. Pilot was killed and WSO seriously injured
http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=57767
also found below picture on the internet :
http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/McDonnell-Douglas-F-4E/1215317/&sid=b05f0bd34ed271ac8b2a3a30ec4ba98d
in better days : http://s19.beta.photobucket.com/user/f111guru/media/F-4E%20Phantom/F-4E-FW-68-0465-RtSide.jpg.html?fromLegacy=true#/user/f111guru/media/F-4E%20Phantom/F-4E-FW-68-0465-RtSide.jpg.html?fromLegacy=true&_suid=1361267988662012061526341067136
Like Kevin states, the South Dakota ANG never flew the F-4.
The 68-0465 flew in Europe with a.o. the 50 TFW - Hahn AB (late 70s) and 86 TFW - Ramstein AFB (early 80s).
Don't know when she returned to the USA.
hope this helps.
rgds
Coert
some more info :
already early 70s she was in Europe (part of 36 TFW - Bitburg AB)
end of 1985 she was still in Europe (with the 86 TFW - Ramstein AFB)
A good friend of the F-4, Alan Howarth, looked up the timeline for me. Here it is:
F/F is first flight, d/d delivered t/f transfered dd/mm/yy
MODEL SERIAL CODE SDN WING CMND REFTYPE/DATE REFTYPE/DATE NOTES MODS
F-4E 68-0465 MAC. SYS F/F 24/09/69 D/D 05/11/69
F-4E 68-0465 APPLIED TECH. LOG D/D 05/11/69 T/F 09/12/69 APPLIED TECHNOLOGY IN, LINCOLN NE
F-4E 68-0465 525TFS. 36TFW. AFE D/D 09/12/69 CODED BU SPRING 1970
F-4E 68-0465 BT 36TFW. AFE T/F 03/03/75 AFM66-1 SLD 07/7
F-4E 68-0465 CASA GETAFE. LOG D/D 03/03/75 T/F 23/05/75 LEADING EDGE SLATS(LES)
F-4E (LES) 68-0465 BT 36TFW. AFE D/D 23/05/75 T/F 14/10/76
F-4E (LES) 68-0465 HR 50TFW. AFE D/D 14/10/76 L/N 00/11/81 SLD 11/81 PAVE SPIKE
F-4E (LES) 68-0465 CASA GETAFE. LOG F/N 00/04/82 T/F 28/04/82 RE-ASSIGNED DURING PDM PAVE SPIKE
F-4E (LES) 68-0465 RS 86TFW. AFE D/D 28/04/82 L/N 00/12/85 PAVE SPIKE
F-4E (LES) 68-0465 FW 163TFS 122TFW. ANG F/N 00/03/87 C/R 10/02/89 DAMAGED AT BAER FD, IN 10/02/89 PAVE SPIKE
F-4E (LES) 68-0465 DISPLAY. LOG LAMBERT ST LOUIS IAP, ST LOUIS, MO.
My apologies for not getting back to you sooner (much has happened to me since I started this thread), but I wanted to thank you all for your help. I have been working on this piece for the Missouri Aviation Historical Society's quarterly newsletter, which was relaunched earlier this year. I also received info on the crash of this Phantom from a friend, who supplied me with newspaper articles on the incident and subsequent investigation. This has allowed me to flesh out more on 465's story.
I can let you all know when this article runs in the society's newsletter.
Thank you once more for your help.
Bob
Bob, or anybody else, can you please share the names of the crew involved in the February 1989 crash ?
thx
Coert
I was at Fort Wayne the night of this mishap and knew the pilot. I believe I still have a news article about the mishap from a Fort Wayne newspaper published the morning (or days) after it occured. I will look for it. Please contact me if interested in a scan/copy of the article. charcj@wi.rr.com