Phantom Jet at St. Louis Regional Airport Getting New Paint Job During Restoration Project

By Carmelo Turdo

The Phantom jet on display at St. Louis Regional Airport received most of its new paint job during a fair weather spell over the weekend. Following the application of the primer coat on Friday, the three-color Southeast Asia camouflage paint scheme was clearly in evidence by Sunday afternoon. The aircraft, F-4C Phantom II serial number 63-7491, has been on display near the airport tower and restaurant since 1993. It is shown here receiving its second paint treatment since then by Joe Steimann, a USAF veteran airframe specialist who has restored this and other display aircraft in the region. Further work on the nose radome, trim and pedestal will continue for several more weeks.