switch language

The Ronald Wong Story

Ronald Wong painting the nose of a F-111

----- Original Message -----
From: <Ronald.Wong@F-111.....>
To: <tiger-ecki@......>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 5:37 AM
Subject: Re: F-111 Tiger nose

Tiger---

Nice to know you got the picture. That was back in 1993 at RAF Upper Heyford, when the F-111 units of the 20th TFW were being disbanded and returned to the US. As you may know, one of the three squadrons...the 79TFS... was a Tiger Squadron. Just before flying back to the US the commander asked me to paint a tiger image on the nose of his plane.

Now, I had no idea what kind of paint I should use for the surface of that F-111...I thought surely not my usual canvas paint! But that was what I used...artist's acrylic colours... standing in that cold wet hangar with my brushes and palette. I was sure the tiger would disappear over the Atlantic before it arrived at the other side...anyway I told the crew to wait till the paint was dry and then to varnish it, hoping that would help stick it to the aircraft. Anyway, I was told the tiger arrived in the US very nicely , and everyone at the base was most impressed!! And you know what happened to that tiger? The panel with the image was taken off the Tiger Commander's F-111 and sent back to England. If you visit the famous American Air Museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire, look for the F-111E they've got ....and look on the nose. Hope this story amused you...maybe you should put it on your website!

Cheers
Ronald