Artwork By Don Ricci

Check out the pictures and history of this piece of aviation history saved from the smelter.

 

Check Out   Ratlin' Rita         F-4 Restorations    148423 Project High Jump Video

 

 

The artwork for "Ratlin' Rita" is complete. The nose art depicting Liv Tyler holding a rattlesnake on a VMFA-323 Death Rattler's F-4B Phantom. It is part of the restoration of the front section I have been working on for a while. The aircraft is dedicated to VMFA-323  Maj. John " Howie" Dunn and CWO John "Gunner" Frederick who were shot down in 1965 by an SA-2 SAM over N. Vietnam during a night TPQ bombing mission. Both were held in captivity at the Hanoi Hilton. Frederick passed away in captivity and Dunn was released after 7 years in captivity. I can't think of two men that that sacrificed so much that I would want to dedicate the aircraft to more.....

 

Check out the video above to see Ratlin Rita, BuNu 148423 on the video at 2:59 when she was with Project High Jump in 1962 setting Time to Climb Records off the coast of Pt Mugu.