From the outside this JG 71 Richthofen F-4F looks like a factory fresh airplane.

"40 Jahre F4F / 1973-2013 / First in - last out / Ich melde mich ab" c/s

The Fuerza Aérea Dominicana once operated with eight Cessna OA-37Bs Dragonflies. Through the years, three were written off (3704, 05 and 06). All Dragonflies were retired in the early zeros after serving Escuadron de Combate only from Aug 97 onwards. After retirement, two were earmarked for sale to Colombia but were probably never transferred. In Nov 11, five OA-37Bs were seen in storage (3701, 02, 03, 07 and 08) while the sixth one (3705) was seen preserved at the main gate. Number seven (3704) was seen at the dump at San Isidro, while the eighth Dragonfly was totally destroyed in a crash.

Although I'm not a Phan of special color schemes and subsequently do not point my camera and lens into the direction of such an aircraft, I make sometimes exceptions. During the Dutch air Phorce days in 2013 I made such an exception as there was a Phantom involved (and I am a bit of a Phantom Phreak). The Luftwaffe managed to paint this F-4F in these "Phantom Pharewell" / "40 Jahre F-4F" colours, to commemorate Phorty years of Phantom operations within the Luftwaffe. The aircraft only Phlew like this during the Phinal days of the Phantom in Germany.

Celebrating 40 years of Phantom II's with the German Air Force.

Despite the superbly arranged variety of special scheme F-4s, the best efforts of the Phantom Pharewell photoday organisers could not overcome the weather. View of JG.71's blue & gold bird taken from the top of a HAS after a very slippery climb. This machine made its last flight at the show next day, marking the end of 40 years of the F-4 with the Luftwaffe, and will be preserved on the Wittmund gate