[STARMAN 352ND]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

I'm with you on that Starman. Got mine last Friday and am very pleased with it;so much so that I've boxed up 'Annette' and sent her to the attic! Let's have the E soon

I went a step further i sold my Annette...
JP

[PappyB]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

I went a step further i sold my Annette...
JP

Me too... Never thought I would...

[Sebring Rob]

I just got my hands on this model today and I can't stop looking at it!

I do have one question though, I was under the impression that Steve Ritchie got 5 kills but there are 6 stars on the model. Can someone fill me in as to why this was done? I'm sure I missed (or forgot) why there are 6 so somebody just straighten me out on this issue please.

[STARMAN 352ND]

He has 6 kills on there because his WSO Capt. Charles DeBellevue had another kill.
DeBellevue became the first Air Force Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) to become a flying "Ace".He was credited with a total of six (6) MiG kills, the most earned by any U.S. aviator during the Vietnam War and is a recipient of the Air Force Cross.
Date..................................Pilot....... ...........Weapon Systems Officer.......Aircraft.................Tail Code.............Wpn....................Kill
May 10 .................Capt. Richard S. Ritchie.......Capt. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-7463.................OY................AIM-7..................MiG-21
July 8....................Capt. R.S. Ritchie.................C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4E 67-0362..................ED................AIM-7..................MiG-21
July 8....................Capt. R.S. Ritchie.................C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4E 67-0362..................ED................AIM-7..................MiG-21
August 28..............Capt. R.S. Ritchie..................C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-7463..................OY................AIM-7..................MiG-21
September 9 .........Capt. John A. Madden, Jr........C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-0267..................OY................AIM-9..................MiG-19
September 9 .........Capt. J.A. Madden, Jr.............C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-0267...................OY...............AIM-9..................MiG-19


JP

[Sebring Rob]

Thanks Starman!

I knew I heard something about that in the past. Just plain forgot about it though.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Your welcome Rob....I know what you mean you just can't get your eyes off it...
I have it sitting on top my computer shelf for the time being and she is prettyyy.
JP

[kb466]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

He has 6 kills on there because his WSO Capt. Charles DeBellevue had another kill.
DeBellevue became the first Air Force Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) to become a flying "Ace".He was credited with a total of six (6) MiG kills, the most earned by any U.S. aviator during the Vietnam War and is a recipient of the Air Force Cross.
Date..................................Pilot....... ...........Weapon Systems Officer.......Aircraft.................Tail Code.............Wpn....................Kill
May 10 .................Capt. Richard S. Ritchie.......Capt. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-7463.................OY................AIM-7..................MiG-21
July 8....................Capt. R.S. Ritchie.................C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4E 67-0362..................ED................AIM-7..................MiG-21
July 8....................Capt. R.S. Ritchie.................C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4E 67-0362..................ED................AIM-7..................MiG-21
August 28..............Capt. R.S. Ritchie..................C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-7463..................OY................AIM-7..................MiG-21
September 9 .........Capt. John A. Madden, Jr........C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-0267..................OY................AIM-9..................MiG-19
September 9 .........Capt. J.A. Madden, Jr.............C.B. DeBellevue...........F-4D 66-0267...................OY...............AIM-9..................MiG-19


JP

Actually, while you are right about Captain DeBellevue, I think that this aircraft (66-7463) displayed six kills because this particular Phantom was responsible for six Mig kills, the most scored by any one aircraft in the Vietnam war. The kill markings represented six migs that were shot down by 66-7463 while being flown by Steve Ritchie and others. I am away from my reference books right now, but I am certain of this and will confirm tonight.

[zed550]

this is what ritchie's F-4 should look like with 5 and 6 kills.
note the ejector seat triangles and the 555tfs sqn green applied to the nose wheel door,tips of tanks,fincap and canopy rails.
also the area below rear cockpit was repainted in darker green camo.these photo's show the actual jet over a 2 month period, by october 1972 the names had been removed from below the cockpit.

[kb466]

Originally Posted by zed550

this is what ritchie's F-4 should look like with 5 and 6 kills.
note the ejector seat triangles and the 555tfs sqn green applied to the nose wheel door,tips of tanks,fincap and canopy rails.
also the area below rear cockpit was repainted in darker green camo.these photo's show the actual jet over a 2 month period, by october 1972 the names had been removed from below the cockpit.

Zed,
Thanks for the photos of 66-7463. If my memory serves me correctly (again, I am away from my references), the markings on 66-7463 were repeatedly changed as to number and location of Mig kills during this period. As to the names on the side of the aircraft below the canopy, I believe these were added when Ritchie and Debellevue flew to Saigon to "meet the press" after Ritchie's fifth kill, which is why it was painted with five kills at this time. While 66-7463 will always be associated with Steve Ritchie, other pilots flew it and achieved Mig kills resulting in a total of six kills for 66-7463, which I believe is a record for a post-Korea US aircraft.

[zed550]

many variations on the mig kills applied to this jet!
the trouble is finding and matching up photo's to the exact date's.
this is something the decal manufacturers dont seem to bother with hence if a certain sheet is being used and its neither accurate or inaccurate schemes get confused.