I was a Plane Captain VMF, VMF(AW). VMFA-115 on the beloved Ford.
Then we picked up the Phantoms, F4B if memory serves.
I remember SSGT Miiliron (sp) and am still in conrtact with MGYSGT Art Larsen and MGYSGT David Grayce.
Made a Med, came back, went to Cuba.
Today, 2/23/13 is the 68th anniversary of the raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima. God Bless America and the United States Marine Corps.
Semper Fi,
Gman

I was a Plane Captain VMF, VMF(AW). VMFA-115 on the beloved Ford.
Then we picked up the Phantoms, F4B if memory serves.
I remember SSGT Miiliron (sp) and am still in conrtact with MGYSGT Art Larsen and MGYSGT David Grayce.
Made a Med, came back, went to Cuba.
Today, 2/23/13 is the 68th anniversary of the raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima. God Bless America and the United States Marine Corps.
Semper Fi,
Gman

I flew the F4D-1 in 1958 and 1959 while attached to VMF(AW)314 at MCAS El Toro, California, Atsugi, Japan and Ping Tung, Formosa. I have only great things to say about the "Ford". It was a "fun aircraft" to fly.

If you watch close there is at least one instance of a Ford launching off of a carrier during the Cuban Missile Crisis Blockade, in a documentary I have see a couple of times on Public Television.

I checked in to H&MS-11, MAG-11, Avionics in Aug. '61. The OIC there, a Field Commissioned 1st Lt (Korea) Asked where i came from. I said El Toro, Mag-15 Q-50 shop, Sir. He smiled and said something to the effect. Do we ever need you. Go see S/Sgt??? at the other end of the building... What I didn't tell him was at El Toro my NCOIC put me, the kid just out of A school in a little supply closet. Where I never got to work on the gear... It turned out there was a ton of black boxes/pallets off the Q-50 that were down. So many so all the reserves were used up and many aircraft on the flight line from those two squadrons who didn't have radar... I and a Sgt who just got there also who didn't know the Q-50 really. I knew basics but that was it, other than being class honorman a year and a half earlier. We divided up th separate sections of the radar, got out the Service Manual for the gear. Worked nights and weekends and started RFI'ing that gear. As soon as a piece was RFI-ed. The Front bench would call one of the squadrons and they would be right down with an exchange and we just kept going. Within a month we had every thing caught up and all the extra stock sections RFI and we just had the daily repairs. And field changes to do. I loved every minute of it!!! Got P2 Pay for it too :)

This looks very much like a Vulcan prototype I saw once.

From July 59 untill July 62 I was an E5 AM in VF-13 at Nas Cecil Field Fla. While deployed on both the Essex (CVA-9 and the Shangri-La (CVA-38 we had the F4Ds and lost two Pilots. LT David Ayers and LTJG James Hannon. I was sent to Flight Control school at the old NARF in Jacksonville. I recall having to rig flight controls on a very regular basis due to the hard landings. The ELEVON system had tandem cylinders in the wing butts that incorporated a .3000IN. dead spot for the neutral position. I found it a very interesting Aircraft to maintain due to it's flight controls for example,1 no elevator or ailerons these were incorporated into the ELEVONS. 2. no flaps but did have a surface called Pitch Trimmer. My first Co was CDR Norm Berree(now deceased) All the Pilots were very good at flying the aircraft which had to be more difficult than others due to it's unusual design.

I flew the F4D-1 in several USMC squadrons, VMF(AW)-314, 513 & 542 and did an overseas tour in WESTPAC in VMF(AW)-314. Loved it!! The "FORD" was not the fastest aircraft in the sky, the F-8 and the USAF F-101 were definitely faster, but they were not nearly as agile. We were transonic and they had speed advantage. However,we always ended up on their tails if they didn't runaway from us. But considering what was available at the time, it was a very enjoyable fighter to fly!

Looking back, the F4D was occasionally grounded for improvements\\maintenance issues, so we got flight time in the F3D, AD, F9F, or whatever was available. Interesting times.

My Father, Don Lawler Hall flew this aircraft and competed in the 1959 Naval Weapons Meet in Yuma and was the champion. I have an acrylic encased display commemorating it with a model of the F4D Skyray (that use to be his), patches of his squadron and the meet, a photo, and the plack that he received as champion.

Had the pleasure of doing flight test during the mid 50's at LAX on the F4D and the F5D proto model.Great aircraft.

That plane was so unstable.Only the best pilots could fly the thing.However it had a tremendous climb rate.

My other relationship to the F4D was teaching maintenance on the APQ-50 fire control radar at FAETUPAC. One of my students worked the F4D trainer at the other end of North Island and gave me a flight. I landed several feet below the runway damaging my ego and nothing else.

I was TDY with VA 126 at El Centro, and I had the mid line watch. Only three A/C to monitor so I was glad when some F4Ds started doing touch and goes. landing on dual runways meant three rows of lights on one side and only one on the other. Not symmetrical at all. I was wondering what it would look like to have two sets of lights on both sides of the landing A/C. Apparently, one pilot was reading my thoughts or having a similar day dream. He was dead center between the lights. I realized he was landing in the sand, and I started the jeep to at least get some light on the scene. We were synchronized. He hit the afterburner as I hit my ignition. Could that A/C climb. A few months later there was an Anon Y Mouse report of the incident in the NAVAIR magazine. Wonder if the pilot is still around.

Was with VMF(AW) 513 from 1961 to 1962 as the S-2 chief.We
had lost one pilot on a night sortie, flying the F4D's out of NAS Atsugi. Also we had one of our pilots 1stLt W.Olson assist a fellow pilot from MACS-6 flying a cougar jet who lost all radio/nav equip and had guided him to a safe landing. All in all the Sgn pilots felt the Skyray was the sports car they always wanted. Semper Fi

I was an ordnance man with 115 at cherry point. I love to work on this airplane. However I a was happy tp see the f4b phantoms.

Guys I shore don't know what aircraft You are talking about.
I served with Mars 37 at El Toro 55 to 57. We always had one of the sob's in our hanger. One of them put me in the hospital for five days with a leg injury. I was also disappointed to see one of them go down and kill it's squadrons CO.
The gages said that the fuel had been transfered to the main tank, it had NOT. The gages and the pump did not work.
The fuselage stayed intact except it parted just behind the cockpit and killed the pilot. The title Ford was widely used as a swear word and meant FIX OR REPAIR DAILY and did not mean stability.grumps

Used to dogfight the Reserve Fords out of NAS Olathe KS. We had F102s at Richards-Gebaur AFB MO. Deuce was faster and could outturn the Fords especially above 35,000, and fly higher, too; it had more wing area. Had a Deuce at 59,000 once on a test hop.

served with jg brickner vf-102 How cn I contack him? I was his plane captian at one time on a F-4D,

I flew the Ford In 1961 to1962. Had a cruise on the Independence the summer of 1962. A great performing aircraft! Nothing could out turn you, and nothing could out climb you! A truly great experience.

Remember working at Douglas/Long Beach 1950's and riveting front leading edge of the wings. Very compact work.