A total of 14 McDonnell-Douglas-built RF-4Es were imported from the USA and delivered to JASDF in 1974-75,
and the 501st Squadron received all of them to replace their aging RF-86F Sabres. The first color scheme of
light grey and white was superseded in late 1977 by a dark green, green and tan scheme with light grey under
sides, and this camouflage scheme became the standard paint scheme for the RF-4E. Serial numbers for the RF-4E
are 47-6901 to 6905 and 57-6906 to 6914.
In the early 1990's, JASDF began converting their surplus F-4EJs to RF-4EJ reconnaissance aircraft. The first
RF-4EJ (87-6406, ex-F-4EJ 87-8406) was delivered to JASDF (501st Sqdn) in June 1992. After that, a total of
15 F-4EJs had been converted to RF-4EJ to reinforce tactical reconnaissance capability and the 501st Squadron
received all of the RF-4EJs. The RF-4EJ externally looks almost the same as the F-4EJ, and they used some
different types of reconnaissance pods under the fuselage.
日本のマニアの皆様にとっては良くご存知のRF-4E/EJですので、日本語での解説文は割愛させていただきます。
小生は1990年以降あまり日本でコダクロームを使い飛行機を写す機会が無かったため、RF-4EJの写真（カラー
スライド）は下段に掲載する１枚しか有りません。悪しからず。
501st Squadron 第501飛行隊
501st Squadron was originally a RF-86F unit and they were based at
Iruma in the early 1970's. The 501st received the first two RF-4Es
at Hyakuri on 03DEC74. A runway at Iruma was too short to operate the
RF-4E, so the HQ of the 501st Sqdn. moved from Iruma to Hyakuri on
01OCT75. In 1992 they began receiving the RF-4EJs. The 501st Sqdn
is still in active service with RF-4Es and RF-4EJs at Hyakuri.
Regarding the tail marking, the RF-4E inherited the blue/yellow
markings from the RF-86F at the beginning. In 1978, they changed
their tail marking and they adopted a woodpecker marking as shown
at left. The woodpecker came from squadron badge of the 501st.
.
RF-4E
47-6901
@ Hyakuri
JUL75
(above photo) They did not carry any tail markings at the beginning during 1975.
(上写真）RF-4Eの運用当初は部隊マークを付けていませんでした。75年7月に百里で撮影。
.
RF-4E
57-6906
@ Hyakuri
10AUG77
RF-4E
47-6903
@ Hyakuri
28AUG76
RF-4E
57-6913
@ Hyakuri
28AUG76
RF-4E
47-6902
@ Hyakuri
02OCT77
(above four photos)
The above photos show RF-4Es with their old tail marking. This blue/yellow marking was carried over from
the tail marking of the RF-86F Sabre. The 501st used this blue/yellow marking for a short period between
1976 and 1978. The above four photos were taken at Hyakuri, a home of the 501st Sqdn.
(上4枚）いずれも百里で写しました。RF-86Fの時代から引き継がれたこの青と黄色の尾翼マークは、RF-86F
の尾翼には良く似合っていたように思いますが、横長のRF-4の尾翼に付けると、ちょっと崩れたイチョウの
葉っぱみたいで、あまりカッコは良くなかったです。でもとにかく目立つ派手で大きな尾翼マークでした。
.
RF-4E
47-6902
@ Hyakuri
24MAY78
RF-4E
47-6904
@ Hyakuri
21MAY79
(above two photos)
In 1978, they changed their tail marking to an woodpecker as shown above. A top photo shows a RF-4E
(#902) taxing back to the ramp soon after landing, and a photo immediate above was taken at the same
location just outside of the fences at Hyakuri. The bottom photo shows a RF-4E (#904) taxing to the
end of the runway 03 for another mission.
(上2枚）いずれも百里のランウェー03エンド近くの誘導路上をタキシングするRF-4Eです。1978年に同隊の
尾翼マークは現在も使われているウッドペッカーに変更されました。
.
RF-4E
57-6910
@ Komatsu
02AUG79
RF-4E
57-6909
@ Hyakuri
28FEB83
RF-4E
57-6912
@ Hyakuri
07MAR86
RF-4E
47-6902
@ Misawa
04JUN89
(above four photos)
The camouflage scheme shown above was officially adopted in November 1977, and the first camouflaged RF-4E
(it was a #908) was delivered to the 501st Sqdn in December 1977. It had taken a few years to paint all 14
RF-4Es in camouflage scheme, so the 501st operated both grey and camouflaged RF-4Es during 1977-1979.
The camouflage pattern is basically the same as the USAF's Vietnam (SEA) scheme, but the colors (two tones
of green and tan) are slightly different from the USAF's. Green and tan on upper surfaces are "matt" colors,
but the light grey on undersurfaces is "gloss" paint. The bottom photo shows RF-4E #902 which was displayed
at Misawa airshow in 1989. Please note that this #902 carried a travel pod under the left inboard wing pylon.
This travel pod was made from the wing-tip tanks of the F-104J Starfighter.
(上4枚）IRAN入りしていた908号機が迷彩初号機となり、1977年12月に501飛行隊に再配備されました。RF-4Eの
計14機全機に迷彩塗装が施されるのに2〜3年かかったようで、1978〜79年当時はグレーの機体と迷彩機が混在
していました。最上段写真の910号機は小松へ移動訓練中に撮影しました。２機でのフライトからエプロンに
戻って来たところです。中段の２枚は百里の『くノ一』で写しました。最下段の902号機は1989年の三沢航空祭
に地上展示された機体ですが、左翼内側パイロンにトラベルポッドが吊るしてあります。これはF-104の翼端
タンクを再利用して作られたようです。
.
RF-4E
57-6910
@ Hyakuri
19MAY80
RF-4E
47-6905
@ Hyakuri
23JUL87
(above two photos)
Please compare above two photos of #910 and #905. As you can see from the photo immediate above, Radar
Warning Receiver (J/APR-6 RWR) was retro-fitted with RF-4Es from the mid-1980's. Both photos were taken
at Hyakuri taxing back to the ramp after landing.
(上2枚）レーダー警戒装置（RWR）がRF-4Eにも順次装備されるようになりました。下段写真の機体には矢印
で示す部位に同装置が追加装備されています。未装備の910号機（上写真）と比較するとその差は明確です。
.
RF-4E
57-6912
@ Hyakuri
23JUL87
RF-4E
57-6914
@ Hyakuri
01SEP87
(above two photos)
501 Sqdn performed some evaluation testing for the low visibility markings for their RF-4Es. The above
photos show examples of them. The top photo shows a RF-4E #912 with "smaller" national roundels on the
intake side. Its nose number (#912) was sprayed over by green paint and instead the #912 was shown on
the inlet ramp in light grey. Its serial number and the original woodpecker on the fin was also sprayed
over by green paint and a smaller-size woodpecker (outlined in light grey) was shown on the green surface.
A photo immediate above depicts a RF-4E #914 which was camouflaged in three tones of green on its upper
surfaces. Tan area of the standard camouflage was sprayed over by light(field) green paint. The light
green area was expanded over on other darker green area too. A nose number (#914) and its serial number
on the fin were sprayed over by the light green paint, and its woodpecker was changed to low-visibility
woodpecker outlined in black with white eyes.
(上2枚）1987年当時、501飛行隊ではロービジ迷彩（マーキング）の研究が行われたようです。上２枚の写真
はその事例です。上段の写真は912号機ですが、機首の912は迷彩色で塗り潰されて、その代わりインテーク
ランプに小さくグレーで書き込まれています。インテーク側面の日の丸はすごく小さくなっています。垂直
尾翼のシリアルとウッドペッカーは緑の迷彩色で塗り潰されて、小さくなったウッドペッカーがグレーの線描き
で付いています。下段の914号機は迷彩のタン（黄土色）部分が見慣れない黄緑色に塗り替えられて、更にこの
黄緑は他の緑部分にも塗られています。尾翼のウッドペッカーは大きさは変わりませんが、黒の線描きと白目
になっています。
.
RF-4EJ
57-6376
@ Hyakuri
JUL94
The same
as above
(above two photos)
This RF-4EJ #376 was in special paint scheme celebrating the 40th anniversary of the JASDF. I took the
above photos at Hyakuri airshow held in July 1994.
(上2枚）自衛隊発足４０周年の記念マーキングで飾られたRF-4EJの376号機です。1994年7月の百里公開日
に写しました。これは小生が写した唯一のRF-4EJのカラースライドです。
.