Well, as I said in the original post, this is more likely to be a journal than a build thread...so thought I'd toss some of my recent musings in here...
As I mentioned, I was having some trouble deciding whether to go with a scale USAF combat color scheme (of a particular specific aircraft) or a higher vis scheme. perhaps a bit of explanation is in order.
My father helped design the F-15 during his days as an engineer with McDonnel Douglas. Specifically, his expertise was propulsion systems, and his work includes the propulsion system for the Harpoon Missle as well as the Variable Geometry Inlet technology originally developed during the F-4's reign, and later designed into the Eagle.
It was dad's good fortune, late in his life, to become friends with a particular F-15 pilot who, after some success flying the Eagle in 91, earned a position with one of the Eagle demo teams. It was during an airshow, shortly after the Eagle's performance, that the two men met. They formed a fast, and as it happened, lasting friendship that continued until my father's passing a few years later. It has been MY good fortune to maintain a friendship with that pilot, and he stands as one of the most special ties I have to my dad.
So, for obvious reasons, the desire to scheme this Eagle as closely as I could to one of his Eagles is quite strong.
HOWEVER...
Upon seeing Bob's video (included with the kit), and learning that this aircraft, properly configured, is capable of well over 100mph, discretion became the better part of valor, so to speak, and I have decided to go with a higher visibility color scheme. I hope Chris doesn't mind.
That having been said, the search was then on for a scale paint scheme that held the same sort of emotional weight for me that the scheme above would have. It wound up not being a very long search, since some of my earliest memories of the F-15 feature one aircraft in particular.
#71-0291
If you're familiar with that particular aircraft, forgive what is likely to be a boring history lesson.
but hey...it's my journal, and I feel like telling her story.
#71-0291 was, despite frequent assertions to the contrary, technically an F-15A, the 12th of such aircraft to be built. Its 2 seat configuration leads many to classify it as an F-15B and, in fact, it was later reclassified as such, becoming the 2nd F-15B. Its original designation, however, was a TF-15A Two Seat Category I aircraft. Category I aircraft were used to perform test flights with McDonnel Douglas test pilots. Though I did not know it at the time, as it happens, 71-0291 was probably the first F-15 I ever saw, and I was introduced to its pilot shortly after one of his flights.
The F-15B was, technically, nothing more than a 2 seat trainer version of the F-15A, and after successful test flights, 71-0291 was reclassified as an F-15B. interestingly, from that point forward, every 7th F-15A was built with 2 seats, and thus designated as an F-15B, explaining some of the apparent "gaps" in the identifier sequence.
The official production run of the F-15A/B was begun in 1973, and in 1974 the first F-15 was delivered to the 555th TFTS at Luke AFB. It was shortly after this that 71-0291 (which was NOT one of the aircraft sent to Luke) became one of the best known F-15's ever built.
In 1976, as part of a sales drive by McDD, 71-0291 was repainted in a Red, White, and Blue color scheme to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. She was flown all over the world, including the Farnsborough airshow that year. I rather fondly remember my father's humorous views on a bicentennial F15 appearing in England.
During that year's airshow in St Louis, the "flag plane: as many called it was a huge success, and clearly the most popular aircraft at the show. It was there that I would, for the second time (unaware though I was at the time), glimpse the inside of 71-0291's cockpit.
After 1976, 71-0291's career was far from over. She later went on to serve as the test bed for the Eagle's FAST fuel tanks.
After that, in 1980, an Eagle was equipped with a modified radar, given a WSO station in the back seat, given FAST packs and various other equipment designed to demonstrate its ability to fulfill the role of an Air to Ground strike fighter. the program was, of course, called Strike Eagle and was to lead to the development of the F-15E model. The plane that was so modified? You guessed it...71-0291.
Now, I must admit that, beyond her time as the Bicentennial Eagle, I hadn't known much of this aircraft's history. I decided on that color scheme simply because of my vivid memories of that aircraft at various airshows, and flying around St Louis that year. (She is, in fact, in the McDd display at Lambert Field now, I am told...might have to make a trip up there to find out.) I was intrigued, however, to learn that she made quite a few significant contributions to the Eagle program as a whole, and in fact holds a special place in the line's history, as well as in my heart.
So...a suitable choice, I think.