Tiger Tales 74 Sqn F-4M

[norri]

Killer Caldwell, Mick Mannock VC, ‘Sailor’ Milan. just a few of the names that made 74 Sqn famous

Disbanded for the third and final time in September 2000, ‘Tiger’ squadron however lost its frontline fighting status in October 1992, with the retirement of the F-4.
XV404 was painted in a special tiger livery to mark the occasion

but it languished in the dump at RAF Wattisham, before being scrapped. An ignominious end, to an average tribute.
XV 404 did inspire though and after some time spent looking at pictures of Bengal Tigers....

came up with my own livery for XT 914

74 Sqn Ldr Archie Liggatt’s F-4M, in a tribute I hope Tiger Squadron would have thought fitting.












trying to capture the random symmetry of tiger stripes was quite a challenge.

[grwebster]

Guy, what a shame to see that beautiful F-4 left to rot like that

your version does it great honor

The tiger theme is near and dear to me as my helicopter unit, the 68th AHC in Vietnam 1968-69 was called the Top Tigers and our nose art was this tiger head


One day the CO asked me if he could have a huge one on the nose of his aircraft so I painted this one on.

That is me at 22! BTW he didn't like it as he felt it was too big a target for the enemy to use as an aiming point and I had to redo it back to standard size.

BTW the first photo shows what one AK round can do to the thick windscreen of a Huey, it went right through, hit my rocket site and then parts of it went into me, my co-pilot and one of the gunners. I was quite lucky that I got away with minor head injurys, the face plate shattered but deflected most of it, saving my eye sight. A few inches either way would have done me in.

[MichaelB]

Great stories, GR!

[hovermd]

Let's her it for the Top Tigers!

Thanks for sharing, GR!!

[fliegerii]

Norri,

I love your restaured Dinkys! I wish, I would have the skill for such paintwork.

Nevertheless, my style is to re-work toys by tyring to keep the character of the toy itself. This is really an artwork of paint applied on a rather "poor" base!

[norri]

good stuff GR. you're an artist as well! thanks for the pics. doubt you can understand combat unless you've experienced it, but it must have been a blast cruising around in a gunship. just finished Old's book. riveting read and a real insite into Vietnam.

Norri,

I love your restaured Dinkys! I wish, I would have the skill for such paintwork.

Nevertheless, my style is to re-work toys by tyring to keep the character of the toy itself. This is really an artwork of paint applied on a rather "poor" base!

thanks Fliegerii. yes i suppose it is a rather poor base, but i loved dinky aircraft so much when i was a kid (although i'd outgrown them by the time the F-4 was released) they're one of the few diecast toys i have any attachment to. The clever designs never ceased to amaze me and their longevity will likely live on long after i'm gone.