All of the documentation I read said that the USMC considered the F-14 but then shelved it in favor of the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II and the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.
Ken
Hi, Ken,
You’re absolutely right, my friend. However, a couple of Marine squadrons did fly the planes for about 6 months before the USMC opted out of the program. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531, VMFA-531 ‘Grey Ghosts’ flew them for sure. Here’s a link to their write up: www.globalsecurity.org/…/vmfa-531.htm.
Wonder if they ever had them painted in the squadron colors. That would be an interesting model. However, they never flew in combat in Vietnam so it wouldn’t qualify for this build.
Cheers,
Russ
I stand corrected Russ! [:$]
But in my defense they did not fly them operationally. It turned out to be more of a trial basis.
Ken
No defense needed, bud [:D]. As you say, they were never operational so technically they don’t count as an answer to Tim’s question.
Russ
I think we did a pretty good job answering Tim’s questions Russ! [t$t]
Ken
There is an amusing way to word this question that guarantees a “yes” answer.
First, the answer that is really being asked, the answer is most likely a Marine backseater was in a Phantom during that time period.
The other answer is “could have been in anything the Air Force, Marines, or Navy had” during that time period.
There were Marines as aircrew in USAF Phantom MiG kills, USAF in Navy or Marine aircraft doing CarQuals, etc.
one great photo is of a Marine and an a USAF pilot and backseater, landing a Navy Phanotm on Quals, on the deck of a carrier, just after taking the wire and popping the canopy open,both men were on exchange duty, and were cross training with VF-213
But, for the period of 1974-1980 or so, the Marines only had the Phantom, the Intruder, the Skyhawk and the Harrier for combat aircraft. Heck, unless you can find BuNo’s assigned for those Tomcats, they might have been just a Cadre squadron then, or flying VF-101’s equipment while learning the aircraft. Marines often worked up on an aircraft type new to the pilot while running a TDY with the RAGs, VF-101 in the east was the Tomcat Rag. VMFAT-101, the Marine F-4 RAG was all the way out on MCAS Yuma during those years, anyway.
just some old useless background trivia from an old Jarhead
Rex
Hi Rex,
Thank you for your inside knowledge on this topic! I always enjoy hearing from personal military experiences by veterans such as yourself!
Well Tim, I think you now have your total answer to your question.
Ken
But, having said all of the above,if someone comes up with a photo of a Marines marked Tomcat, pleassssssssse share it somehow,I, for one, would jump all over building one, and I think a few others would, as well
Rex
WOW! There is some knowledge on here, 
Awesome!
I’ll be sure to let you guys know when he tells me. The most likely answer will be an F-4 but it’s pretty awesome that there are all those other possibilities. Really interesting about the Marines F-14, that’s a cool idea for a future build for sure!
On another note - Ken, I received my SR-71 resin cockpit and I think it’s quite different to yours and doesn’t have the problem in the tub that yours does, or am I confusing it with your USAF Vietnam project? It looks like a fairly old model that I have judging by the condition of the packaging I’d say it’s been in a gentleman’s model stash for quite some time indeed.
I haven’t done much work on my F-102 in the last two weeks as I’ve been working on a Tamiya Mig-15 that caught my attention, a small and very interesting build. I’ll be back on track soon enough,
Hi Rex,
I have not found a picture of a USMC Tomcat, but I did find the patch that was to be used:
Note that the “Cat” has two tails, representing the two tails on the Tomcat.
Ken
Hi Rex,
Here is an artist’s “what if” drawing:
Ken
Hi Tim,
I have done some research on the cockpit of the SR-71. It turns out that the only picture of the box with a lid on it is the one posted on the Cyber Modelers website. All of the others show the box without a lid. So the True Details cockpit is pretty close the way it is. I will post links of what I found later.
I look forward to building our SR-71s together!
Ken
Cool, Rex!
After working my way through all those Navy and Marine acronyms, I really learned something! Always wondered what that “V” in VMF stood for [:D].
Thanks!
Russ
Hey, Rex,
I just thought of something… If the Marines had used the F-14, would they change their squadron designation to something besides “V” (fixed wing)? What would they use for a “variable wing” unit?
Cheers,
Russ
LOL
SMF(aw)-232?, with the “S” standing for “…anddddddd we were Swinging…” (sorry, old bad country song came to mind from the Eighties)
I always thought it sort of funny that the “H” didn’t get used decades before as the “heavier than air” designator, the system started way before there were Helicopter squadrons.
We need to thank Ken for allowing such an off topic side track, he has got to be tempted to shout out “no Navair for you !!”
If it ever warms back up enough, I will get back to Berny’s RF-4C, I have the coolest set of decals for it, from Wolfpak, the Ohio decal guy. Mark released the RF-4C 12 TRS at Ton Son Nhut in 1968, Sea camo with AC as the tailcode…Berny would have loved watching dis ole Navair Tactical puke building an Air Farce camo recce plane, I got the sheet just for this group build and to honor him at the same time. (# 72-061)
Rex
Indeed! Sorry Ken, I’m pretty good at taking us off topic eh!
But even so - do you have the Testors Sr-71? That’s what I got. This is my second ever Testos kit and I don’t think the quality is very good compared to the Hasegawa or Tamiya kits I’m working on, BUT, it’s still going to be awesome and looks like there is a lot of room for creative license to be taken. It really is such an ENORMOUS plane. I also found two SR-71 resin pilots on the interwebs, they are both holding their helmets and standing around looking cool so should make a good addition to the display. I might try and scratch build the APU cart too having taken a lot of photos of the one at the museum in Seattle.
Interesting about the box in the cockpit tub - I shall have to have another look at it now! I procured my paints for the project yesterday. The Tamiya ‘Titanium Gold’ is awesome. It needs to be flattened out a little bit but it would be cool for the A-12 conversion I’m tempted to do… I like the color scheme and the idea of adding a drone and shortening the trailing tail, but I LOVE the backseat cockpit. Maybe I’ll build the only A-12 in history that was a two seater, 
Wait, were the SR-71’s flown over Vietnam at all? It’s not appropriate for this group build is it? Clearly I need to brush up on my research… embarrassed
IT IS!! AND IT DID!!! I CAN talk about the SR-71!
In that case I will start mine as soon as you are ready Ken! I remember you already made a little bit of a start on yours right? Do I need to play catch up a little? How do you find the fit with the major cockpit sections? I was playing with some parts last night and fear I may need to do quite a bit of putty work with this one…?
Hey, Tim,
Yes indeed they were. They landed frequently at Takhli AB, Thailand when I was there in 69. There was a special hangar for them up at the north end of the base.
Cheers,
Russ
Russ,
That must have been quite a sight (and sound!) to see those ripping in and out! Did you get up close and personal with them? Were the special hangers to protect the skins? Did they need controlled humidity?
has anyone here built the corrugated “containers” used for revetments in vietnam?