USN F-4B 153051 1967-68

tehag · Post by **tehag** » 28 Feb 2015, 13:03

According to gonavy.jp/CVW-2NE1967.html F-4B 153051 was flying as VF-154/NE-411 with CVW-2 aboard USS Ranger from Nov. 1967 to May 1968. It was also, according to gonavy.jp/CVW11-NH1967.html, flying as VF-114/NH-214 with CVW-11 aboard USS Kitty Hawk from Nov. 1967 to Jun. 1968. Can somebody help me to clarify what the correct information is on this matter?

Phorever · Post by **Phorever** » 01 Mar 2015, 21:03

153051 (c/n 1654) with VF-114 w/o after hard landing on USS Kitty Hawk Dec 7, 1968

according to http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/ ... ies19.html

Doublechecked that on F-4 Phantom II Production and Operational Data, confirms that. CVW-11.

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tehag · Post by **tehag** » 01 Mar 2015, 22:20

Thanks for your reply, Phorever!

I have seen the same data on Joe Baughers website.

I see two alternatives to solve this riddle:

1. It can be a "simple" mistake when the data was written on gonavy.jp, and the author wrote 153051 in two different places by accident.

2. It can also be the case that 153051 started the cruise with CVW-2, and was transferred to CVW-11 as replacement. CVW-2 departed for its home port about a month earlier than CVW-11 and VF-114 had, at that time, lost six aircraft during their cruise.

Does alternative 2 sound like a plausible explanation?

tehag

Phorever · Post by **Phorever** » 02 Mar 2015, 00:12

Here's it's history..
11Aug66 First Flight
27Aug66 BuWeps Representative, Fleet Readiness at St.Louis
1Sep66 VF-11
25Nov66 VF-101
21Jan67 VF-11
28Aug67 NAS Miramar COSA (Combat Operational Surport Activity)
29Sep67 VF-154
14May68 VF-114
7Dec68 Stricken Cat 1 Damage (1048 total flight hours)

I asked my contact what source he had. His reponse:
Official US Navy microfilmed aircraft history cards. Some further info about 153051 was that it was on board USS Forestal for its June-August 67 Vietnam cruise as AA-103, it escaped damage in the fire and was off loaded at Cubi Point between 1-12Aug67 and flown back to NAS Miramar 18Aug67.

And as surplus he added:
Erik, looking at Kitty Hawks Nov67-Jun68 cruise, i can see they occurred quite a few operational losses, so very likely 153051 was transferred as a attrition replacement from USS Ranger, when it departed back to CONUS in May.

I hope that helps.
Greetz from a Phantom Phan

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