Dates

Event

Constructed as a F-4J-27-MC by McDonnell at Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
Flight test airframe with long nose boom

Circa 1967

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 153088.

From Circa 1967 to 1973

Transferred to Naval Air Test Center, NAS Patuxent River, MD.

Circa 1974

Converted to a YF-4S.

Circa 1974

Transferred to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 4 (VX-4), NAS Point Mugu, CA.

November 1975

Markings Applied: VX-4, BICENTENNIAL, US NAVY, 76
Red, white and blue Bicentennial paint scheme, Nose painted as bald eagle, large 76 on tail circled by stars. Top of wing leading edges and fuselage aft of cockpit painted blue field with stars, wing and top of fuselage with red and whit stripes.

Circa 1977

Transferred to Strike Aircraft Test Directorate (SATD), Naval Air Test Center, NAS Patuxent River, MD.

Circa 1977

Markings Applied: 121, 3088, 7T
Standard NATC paint scheme with orange fin and outer wing panels NAVAL AIR TEST CENTER on fuselage side.

By 1985

Transferred to Naval Air Technical Training Center, Memphis, TN.
For use as Ground Instruction Aircraft.

27 August 1985

Struck off Strength/Charge from the United States Navy.

Markings Applied: 00
Overall grey.

By September 2003

In the inventory of National Naval Aviation Museum-Loan Program, NAS Pensacola, Pensacola, FL.
View the Location Dossier

11 September 2003

Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Photographed at the Naval Aviation Museum while riding a bus. Shot was taken over my shoulder and ended blurred, but it is evidence of the markings at this time.

From By February 2007 to After September 2017

Loaned to American Legion Post 38, Baton Rouge, LA.
Markings changed to: 00, VMFA-321, 1420
View the Location Dossier

3 December 2016

Photographer: Paul Trahan

By May 2019

Loaned to USS Lexington, Corpus Christi, TX.
Marked in Bicentennial paint scheme.
View the Location Dossier