Steve Ritchie Flew a F-4C/D when he bagged his 5 migs. I don’t know if he flew another tour in Vietnam or if he flew a F-4E or not. But it is a know fact that during the war he had 5 mig kills not 2 as shown on that particular phantom.
It is a F-4E. The unit is the 33 TFW, 58 TFS. We deployed to SEA for Linebacker. All names were removed from the canopy as well as the TAC patch on the tail. Right side intake carried the 33 TFW patch with the 58 TFS (Mo Gilla Go Rilla) on the left intake. That aircraft also had the Midas II gun fairing installed. It did have the shark mouth painted on it, as all the 33 TFW aircraft.
After Ritchie flew it on his MIG killing mission it was down for over a week going through a major over G inspection. He flew my aircraft only three weeks earlier, firing three AIM-7 missiles and missing. He turned and ran for home at the speed of heat leaving his wing man behind with two angry MIG-17’s. His wing man was able to excape and landed over 20 minutes after Ritchie.
Ritchie wrote up everything but the paint job on my jet. The only thing we found wrong was the left aft AIM-7 was bad. The next day my jet got a MIG-21 kill.
Ritchie got three kills in the F-4D and two in the F-4E.
Edit: Aircraft F-4D, 66-7463, kill # 1 & 5. F-4D Ser # unknown, kil # 2. F-4E, 67-463, kill # 3 & 4.
though wasn’t the tail code OY (not sure of bases name) instead of ED which was Edwards AFB
The ED tail code was Eglin AFB, Fl in 1972. I know, I was there. Ritchie flew F-4E aircraft from Eglin and Homestead (ZF) during linebacker. Ritchie was one of many crews that was set up to get as many MIG kills as possible to become the first ace of the Vietnam war. The Navy beat the USAF to it. They were placed in a special area and other aircraft would Herd Sheep toward them so they could take the first shot. Our outfit, the 58 TFS, passed up a lot of MIG kills so Ritchie or other select crews could take the first shot. All of our MIG kills, 58 TFS, came from BUFF escort or strike escort. Any kill made by that group was credited to their squadron and not ours.
The OY tail code was the squadron where Ritchie was assigned, 555 TFS, 432 TRW, Udorn RTAB.
Awesome info. bernie…so I DID get the markings right?
I think it is very interesting: the race between the Navy and the AF to get the first ace of the war…some are of the opinion that Col. Olds actually DID get 5 kills in Vietnam (in 1967?) but was only credited with 4…it is also a sidenote that the Navy Ace: Cunnigham, went on the become a Congressman, only to be convicted of taking defense contractor bribes and is currently in jail…there was actualy a backseater than has more than 5 kills—6 , I believe…
You talking about Bill “Irish” Driscol Eric?
Capt Charles “Chuck” DeBellevue, A WSO got six. Another WSO, Jeff Feinstein, also got five.
yeah but the Ace title doesn’t count for GIB’s.
In this case it did. DeBellevue is listed in official Air Force records as the leading ace in Vietnam with six confirmed kills. Ritchie and Feinstein are listed as tied with five each. Col Olds is listed as next with four kills.
Olds got robbed…[sigh]
How do you fill the seems like that?
These days, I primarily use superglue to fill seams…and lots and lots of sanding and patience…
what grit of sandpaper?
220-320 for finishing work, then I rub it down with steel-wool to “polish” the plastic…
Hey Eric,
You did a Phine job on yer Phantom…What PSI did you use when it came to air brushing?? Steel-wool you say!!! Is there any particular type of steel-wool you use… Thin or course?
To me wouldn’t it hurt the plastic?? At any rate, I love the over all job and especially the office!! Did you use any AM stuff on the pit?
Great job!!
Flaps up,
Mike
Rangers Lead The Way
Around 15PSI on the AB…the steel wool is just normal steel wool you can buy in packs…It is considered fine and is not coarse kind you get when you buy Brillo-pads (also w/o soap)…it actually does not hurt the plastic at all…in fact if you do it right it polishes the plastic to a glass-like finish…just be careful to check often so you don’t remove more of the plastic than you want!
The best property of it is that I find that it contours VERY WELL into crevices and around curves that regular sandpaper cannot…