Well, that shot looks good… VF-96 I see, but there is only one problem.
The large tail letters indicate which Air Wing an aircraft belongs to… and each air wing is only assigned to one carrier at any time.
There is no possibility of that photo being taken before 1966, because no F-4 carried the NG tail letters before Hermes started her refit on 24 Feb 1964… when she got the longer port catapult. Therefore, that photo had to be taken after May 1966!
History of 1960s F-4B Phantom deployments with tail letters NG:
CV-61 Ranger
August 5, 1964 – May 6, 1965
VF-92 (F-4B)
VF-96 (F-4B)
CVN-65 Enterprise
October 26, 1965 – June 21, 1966
VF-92 (F-4B)
VF-96 (F-4B)
November 19, 1966 – July 6, 1967
VF-92 (F-4B)
VF-96 (F-4B)
January 3, 1968 -July 18, 1968
VF-92 (F-4B)
VF-96 (F-4B)
In 1963 the Air Wing designated NG was indeed assigned to the Ranger, but here is the list of aircraft aboard Ranger in early 1963… and there are no F-4s aboard at all!
November 9, 1962 – June 14, 1963 (NG)
VF-91 (F8U)
VF-92 (F3H)
VA-93 (A4D)
VA-94 (A4D)
VA-95 (AD-7)
VAH-6 (A3D)
VAW-11 Det.M (E-1B)
VFP-63 Det.M (F8U-1P)
HU-1 Det.M (UH-2B)
[this list uses the pre-1962 unification designations… the AD-7 is the A-1J in the post-1962 scheme]
The first deployment of Ranger with Phantoms :
August 5, 1964 – May 6, 1965 (NG)
VF-92 (F-4B)
VF-96 (F-4B)
VA-93 (A-4C)
VA-95 (A-1J and A-1H)
VA-94 (A-4C)
RVAH-5 (RA-5C)
VFP-63 Det M (RF-8A)
VAW-11 Det M (E-1B)
VAH-2 Det M (A-3B)
HU-1 Unit M (UH-2A)
VAP-61 Det (RA-3B)*
VQ-1 Det (EA-3B)*
This data is from here: http://navysite.de/carriers.htm
1. click on a Carrier… Ranger for example: http://navysite.de/cvn/cv61.htm
2. scroll down until you see: “Click here to get a view of the deployments of USS RANGER” [here is the link: http://navysite.de/cvn/cv61deploy.htm ]
3. click and a list appears with this data: Date of Departure; Date of Return; CVW (Air Wing #); Squadrons (Aircraft); Tail code; Area of Operations; Battle Group; Operations/Exercises; Ports of Call
Sorry, but your story and photo are not correct… unless you believe the USN is participating in the RN’s grand coverup so deeply that they are altering the records of ship & aircraft deployments!
I accept that that photo is authentic… and shows an F-4B (or J) on Hermes… AFTER May 1966!
I know the above post is 11 years old and I think someone said that Bager1968 no longer frequents here, however I own a book entitled ‘HMS Hermes 1959-1964’ by Lt. Cdr Tony Dyson https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/H-M-S-Hermes-1959-84/0907771165/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486811472&sr=1-3&keywords=hms+hermes which is reminiscent of Neil McCart’s ship’s career books and alongside the photo of an F-4B Obi Wan Russell referred to is the caption: US Navy aircraft from the USS Ranger cross operate with Hermes off the Philippines in January 1963.
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