Cape Town Lens: McDonnell F-4E Phantom II ‘5’ [66-0289]

A Cape Town Castle Military Museum tagged image from photographer – Hawkeye UK as published on Flickr.

McDonnell F-4E Phantom II ‘5’ [66-0289]

Image by Hawkeye UK

c/n 2310.
Full US military serial 66-0289.
On display at the Castle Air Museum, Atwater, CA.
4th March 2016

The following info is from the Castle Air Museum website:-

“The aircraft on display at Castle Air Museum is an F-4E built in 1966. It started its career in the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida in 1967. In March of 1969 it began its transformation into an Air Force Thunderbird to be assigned to the Air Demonstration Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
It served as an Air Force Thunderbird for five outstanding years where it earned the nick name "Super-fine 289", finally moving back into Tactical Fighter Wing duty in 1974. After several stateside duty assignments, this aircraft was eventually processed into storage in March of 1991 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
In January of 1995, the Castle Air Museum received permission from the Air Force to bring this F-4 to our museum for restoration. After hundreds of volunteer man-hours of re-assembly, and a whole new coat of paint, our newest addition to the museum was ready for a formal dedication on February 10, 1996.
We are very proud of this aircraft. Restored to its former glory representing U.S. Air Force Thunderbird number 5, 66-0289 joins only four other F-4 Thunderbirds that have been restored.”