Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA19052
F-4F Phantom II "JG-71 50th Anniversary" 37+03, Luftwaffe, 2009
 
General Background
The 501st TRS was the JASDF’s only Recon Squadron. It was formed in December 1961 and uses the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker as it emblem. In 1972 the JASDF decided to replace their RF86F with 14 RF-4Es and formed a detachment at Hyakuri AB to handle the new aircraft. The first F-4Es were numbered 6901- 6914 and began arriving throughout 1974 and 1975. For operation over the water 6901, 6905 and 6913 were given a special Ocean Blue scheme while converted F-4EJ and F-4EL Kai were painted in green/gray Forest scheme.
 
The Aircraft
Jagdgeschwader 71 “Richthofen”, based at Wittmund, Germany, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009. For the occasion F-4F 37+03 was given a special paint scheme. On the starboard side of the tail a red Fokker Dr.1 Dreidecker and on the port side a portrait of Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, “Red Baron”. On the top and bottom of the aircraft wings is a black 5 on the left and a black 0 on the right. The F-4 37+03 c/n 4342 was the third of 175 delivered to what was then West Germany.