Here’s another F-4EJ skin from a weapons meet, though a bit different. what to do if you feel like you gotta go fast? Paint a bright orange arrow on it! Enjoy outrunning your enemies in style in uncompressed 8K 8.8.8.8 ARGB based on my personal template. This time I made the pylons files a bit smaller than with the previous Amigo skin and will probably keep it like that in the future.
enjoy!
For those who prefer a 4K version, feel free to download one from my website.
The aircraft.
47-8328/M028 had a rather colorful life, serving with various JASDF squadrons over the years. Produced in 1974 it was part of the first batch of F-4EJ’s ordered in 1969, and (though unconfirmed) was most likely delivered to the 301st or 302nd squadron at the time. By 1981 the aircraft was serving with the 303rd.
Sources claim various reasons why the aircraft received the colorful paint scheme seen here. The most common is that the paint scheme was for ACM training and called a フェイカー (faker), supposedly representating a Russian MiG. Even the inner portions of the horizontal stabilizers, which are usually left unpainted, received a splash of orange. Meanwhile the drop tanks were also painted completely in the same orange paint.
Another common story is that the aircraft was used for towing ‘dirty targets’, which often receive similar flashy paint jobs in various other countries. Whatever the truth might be, four years later the aircraft had lost it’s bright paint scheme and was photographed wearing 306th Squadron markings.
The aircraft was later updated to Kai standard and by the early 2010’s it was part of the Air Development and Test Wing. By June 2012 the aircraft had switched squadrons again and was seen operating with the 302nd at Hyakuri Air Base. SInce the 302nd is no longer active the current whereabouts of the aircraft are unknown, though it has most likely been used for spares and/or scrapped.
The F-4 with the 303th hikotai.
Formed on the 26th of October 1979 at Komatsu air base, the 303rd was the third JASDF interceptor squadron to be outfitted with the newly delivered F-4EJ. Most of the staff came from the recently disbanded F-86F outfitted 4th squadron, which 303th squadron was supposed to replace. The numbering change is due to the fact that back then the JASDF squadrons numbering system was dependent on the aircraft the squadrons were outfitted with (this is also why the JASDF F-4 squadrons are numbered 301-306th). Initially the squadron’s tail marking consisted of a blue/orange/white marking, originating from the fact that the 303rd was part of the 6th Air Wing, of which this tail marking originated and was also used on the F-104J’s of the 205th.
However by June 1981 the 303rd began using their own tail mark, consisting of a black/green dragon in a stylized 6 shape. The dragon originated from a ‘sacred’ dormant volcano called Mt. Haku(san) near the 303rd home base at Komatsu, which is said to house a guardian-god dragon. Meanwhile the 6 shape is a nod to the squadron being part of the 6th Air Wing.
By December 1st, 1987 the squadron was officially re-equipped with the F-15J and F-15DJ which it is still used to its day. While it was the first F-4 squadron to make the transition to a new aircraft, it is one of the few JASDF squadrons which has remained at the same base for its entire existence.
More of my skins can be found on the Ninetalis War Thunder Live page or by using #ninetalis on War Thunder Live
Ninetalis scale models 