(I said I would post this story a few months ago when it was completed. Well its been completed for a while now, so here it is.)
In November 2006, I posted the following review of a 1:100 scale Armour Phantom I had found at Walmart.
Review - F4E Phantom 1:100 scale (Walmart)
On Sunday August 12, 2007 I got the following PM:
“F-4
Hi,
I just read the thread about the model purchase you made (see below) Any chance you would like to sell it?
Thanks,
Richard Coe”
I told my wife about the original post and the PM. She was skeptical. I called a friend of mine who also collects and he was even more skeptical. Both thought it may be someone trying to scam me out of the plane. I did a couple google searches to see if I could find anything. I found a Richard E. Coe who was an attorney on the East coast and a Naval academy grad – seemed to be about the age of a son of a Vietnam veteran. Nothing really solid.
I PMed him back:
“Re: F-4
Wow, I'm a little taken back – a lot actually. "Richard Coe?" THE Richard Coe who actually flew this jet...Richard Coe? (Or his son? Or other relative???)
You can just contact me by email or send me your phone number (and Ill give you a call) and we can go from there.
Take care and "talk" to you soon,
DADoser”
Monday (the next day) I went to work. No reply from my PM. A little before 5pm – I’m waiting for my ride home, so I decide I’ll try to google Richard Coe again and see if I come up with anything. I’d googled his name; name with Vietnam; etc.; etc. on the previous day. I tried one more google search. I got a hit on a Dick Coe who was the new VP of a national organization. In his bio it said he was a retired Air force Col. and had also retired from a major airline. So…..I shot him this email:
“Mr. Coe -
This may be a bizarre question. Do you have a son - Richard (E.?)
Coe?
I posted on a diecast aircraft discussion board last Nov. that I
Picked up a 1:100 scale F4 flown by Dick Coe. Yesterday I was contacted by someone who signed his message "Richard Coe" (board name is "********" and just joined yesterday 8/12/07)
Long story, short - he asked if I wanted to sell that plane. To be
honest - I really didn't.......however, if he is truly your son (or
relative) and you the pilot - I'd just send him the model - no charge.
As much as I love that model/history - if this person is a member of
your family, it would mean much more to them than me.
(I'm just trying not to get "scammed" out of a plane I happen to
Really like as well as having collector value - by someone posing as either you or a relative. Additionally, if it is a relative and he is trying to get you this model as a surprise...sorry for ruining it.)
Thanks for reading this strange question/email as well as your quick
response.
My direct office line is (***) ***-****.
Take care and sorry to bother you,…”
I still had a couple minutes till my ride was ready – So I thought “why not? “ I had a phone number for him right in front of me on the screen. I called him and got his direct voice mail. I left him a message telling him I just sent him a strange email……etc.
The next morning, I’m just getting into my office and pulling up my email. I see a reply from Dick Coe. Almost the same instant – before I could open the email – my phone rings – “This is Doug.” “Hey Doug, Dick Coe.”………. (The email had an attached photo of Him and his back seater when they painted ithe Mig kill star on their plane.)
He wanted to get the model of his plane. I offered to send him mine. But he refused and said he would keep that in mind and he’ll just keep looking. (He had previously searched online/ebay for a couple hours.) I told him I’d see if I can find another one for him as well.
Back to the original post – I saw that
Parsig9 had also picked up one of these at Walmart.
Parsig9 and I have done a couple deals before – so I PM’ed him and we talked on the phone.
Parsig9 was willing to sell me his model at cost plus shipping. (
THANKS, man!)
Knowing I had Parsig9’s Phantom coming, I sent Col. Coe my model. I told him I had another one coming and asked him, if, once I got it – could I send it to him and have him autograph it. He said he would be happy to do that. He also said he had some other stuff he had been carrying around for years and he would also send me some other stuff. He also asked me if there was anything he could do for Parsig9. I sent him Parsig9’s contact info that resulted in him getting a “thank you” envelope as well from Col. Coe.
So,,,,,,,,
All because of a Model Hangar post/review as well as the help of Parsig9, I have an Armour 1:00 scale Vietnam Phantom autographed by the pilot (who shot down a Mig in Oct 1972) as well as the stuff in the pic below - the patches are from his 1972 uniform!.
[I asked him how he found my post on the model Hangar and he said he was doing a search on his back-seater - Jim Webb and my post was one thing that came up. He had no idea that anyone had even made a diecast model of his plane until he came across the original post here on the MHII. After reading the review, he started looking for the model.]
Anyway - just thought I'd share a great experience - all because of the Model Hangar
AND give a big public "THANK YOU" to Parsig9