Does anyone know the story with these different type of rudder posts (red circle) on some of these F4B-4's?



Thanks!

Doug

Hi Doug. It just looks like a radio antenna post. I have the same pic in the Squadron book. Not sure though.

ME

It looks like a support for an HF antenna that runs to the post on the right wingtip. Is that the picture on page 43 of the In Action book? Look at the picture to the upper left and you can see the antenna insulators.

I would surmise that only certain aircraft were fitted with an HF radio, thus the other ones don't have the support posts.

You might be on to something there Jessie. It's interesting that at the time this photo was taken, this squadron has every possible aerial/antenna combination possible. I noted that some have this taller rudder post, while others have the short, and some of them have either rudder post with the big antenna mast on the fuselage

The photo is indeed from the In Action book, although one would think they would have covered it, there seems to be nothing in there.

The reason for my inquiry is that the airframe I am planning to model seems to have the odd HF rudder aerial wire mounting in this photo, but I am not sure if I want to bother with making it. So, it sounds like I could get by with leaving the standard rudder aerial post mount, as it would have had that before the upgrade to the HF mount

Any other info welcome!

Doug