Happy Hooligans F-111 and F-14

[tigercat2]

Several years ago I worked with a gentleman who had been with the Happy Hooligans, the 119th Fighter Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard. 

This unit has flown F-102s, 101s, F-4s and F-16 in the Air Defense role.  We were talking about why they converted to the F-4, and he said that the ANG looked at two possibilities for new aircraft for this role around 1980; acquiring the F-14s that Iran could have sold back to the US in 1979 (the window closed on that pretty fast) and taking F-111Ds, re-doing the avionics and equipping them with Phoenix missiles.  Both were considered too expensive, IIRC.

I have a few new models that have been completed, among them an F-111 and F-14 in ADC Grey with the Hooligan's markings as well as an F-15.



Wes W.

[pyro-manic]

I like those! Did you add a boom-refuelling socket to the Tomcat, or just leave the probe?

[tigercat2]

A real USAF F-14 would most likely have the boom socket; I will slap on a decal behind the canopy, like on the F-111.

Thanks for pointing out that oversight!!

I probably should have put Phoenix missiles on pylons, but this could be a clean bird that is not yet armed.



Wes W.

[philp]

Nice.

Their Phantoms used to visit during Big Sky Days.