111th FIS Phantoms
 

F-4C
1982 - 1986
  

     63-7420 in 1982.  In these photos she is in  overall  "Aircraft Gray" (FS 16473).  This color is also incorrectly called "ADC Gray".    And finally, "420" in the "Project Hill Variable Gray Paint Scheme", most often just called "Hill 1".  The colors are: Light  Ghost Gray FS 36375,  Medium Gray FS 36270 and Gunship Gray FS 36118.

<>     63-7468 in 1982 in the SEA scheme: Tan FS 30219, Green FS 34102 and FS 34079.  Almost too small to see is the word TEXAS just below the yellow fin cap.  "468" in 1983 repainted in A/C Gray.
   63-7517 on the flight line at Ellington AFB in 1983.  63-7584 is behind her and still painted in SEA.  Many of the 111th's F-4s arrived in this scheme before being repainted in gray
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     63-7589 was one of three MiG killer F-4Cs flown by the 111th.  The kill marking  for a Mig-21 shot down on January 2, 1967 is barely visible on the left splitter plate. *   "589" in storage at AMARC in 1989, minus her rudder and starting to show signs of storage.  Up until 1991 the USAF remembered who paid for weapons and there were still public photo tours of the "Boneyard".  Sadly those days are long gone.
 
     One of the two remaining "MiG Killers"  was 63-7650, which destroyed a MiG-17 on September 16, 1966. 
    The final "MiG Killer was 64-0699 which achieved her victory over a MiG-17 on April 23, 1967.  "589" was the only one of the three to carry a kill marking, though "699" did sport a blue armadillo on the left splitter for some unknown reason.  "Miss Piggy" is in the background of last photo.
 
    This is the same full color tail markings that had been carried by the unit's F-101s. 
    When "420" was repainted in "Hill 1" this was the first set of markings.  The "TEXAS" and the outlined guard shield are dark gray while the serial number is black.
    The final tail markings of "420" which are now various shades of gray.

    64-0926, a beautiful lady in an attractive scheme..

 
 

F-4D
1986 - 1989

    When the F-4D arrived, she brought a new scheme, the "Hill 2" scheme.  There are only two colors in this Hill scheme: Medium Gray FS 26270 and Dark Gray FS 26118.  These colors are also semi gloss versus flat for the "Hill 1" scheme, though in this photo the finish has weathered to a flat finish.  The tail markings are similar to those on F-4C 63-7420.  This is 65-0666 circa 1988.  Many units refer to an aircraft with "666" as the last three digits of the serial number as "Damien".  (Gerald McMasters)
   66-7467 at Holloman AFB in 1988.  Compare the semi gloss finish on this aircraft to the matte finish on the previous one.
   66-7500 in the hated (at least by photographers) "Euro 1" scheme.  The colors are Gunship Gray (Dark) FS 36081, which is the matte version of Engine Gray and the two SEA greens FS 34102 and FS 34079.  The Air Force went absolutely crazy over this scheme in the mid to late '80s painting everything including C-5s.  At least on this F-4 the same colorful tail markings as the previous F-4Ds are present.  (Gerald McMasters)

 
 

    From 1982 until 1986 I lived in Houston, Texas.  The only thing that made it tolerable for me was that I struck up a friendship with several people in the Texas Air National Guard.  Because of this I made many photo trips to Ellington AFB and photographed many of the F-101s before they departed and every F-4C in the unit.  I came across the history of "589" by accident.  I was put in contact with Mr. Gary Niederhausen, who had crewed "589" in Southeast Asia.  He wanted a photograph of his aircraft and the 111th did not at that time have a unit photographer.  In one of his letters he asked the simple question of:  "Does she still carry her kill marking".  My response was a not too eloquent: "Huh?".  So with his help and some research I learned that 63-7589 flew left wing on Col. Robin Olds during Operation Bolo on January 2, 1967.  "589" was crewed by 1st Lt Ralph Wetterhahn and 1st Lt Jerry Sharp and used the call sign "Olds 2".  Col. Olds was naturally "Olds 1".  Operation Bolo was a successful  attempt to draw North Viet fighters into an ambush and down as many as possible.  On that day "589" got a MiG with an AIM-7 Sparrow, while six other aircraft also achieved kills.  She spent her last active days with the 111th before being placed in storage at AMARC.  From the looks of her the last time I saw her in 1990, I doubt she was used in the QF-4 drone program.  The MiG kill history of 63-7650 and 64-0699 were discovered by me during other research.  As far as I know neither ever carried their kills during service with the 111th FIS.
 

With the exception of Gerald's two photos all are mine.
 

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Page created 1-18-02

Modified 07-04-06