Hobby Master 1/72 HA4598 F-15E 75th D-Day Anniversary scheme 91-0603, 494th FS, RAF Lakenheath, June 2019

In 1967 the U.S. became aware of the Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat. This made it necessary to develop a new aircraft to counter the MiG-25. The USAF rejected the USN F-14 Tomcat and issued its own requirements. The solution came in the form of the McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle. The F-15A made its inaugural flight in July 1972 and in January 1976 the first Eagle entered service. The "E" entered service in 1989. The F-15 was the first dedicated USAF air superiority fighter since the F-86 Sabre.

2019 was the 75th Anniversary of D-Day so the 3 squadrons of the 48th FW stationed at RAF Lakenheath each painted one F-15 depicting the markings of their earlier P-47s. The 492nd aircraft had its vertical stabilizer rudders and Vulcan cannon opening painted red while the 493rd was blue and the 494th “Black Panthers” F-15E 91-0603/LN was yellow. All 3 aircraft had D-Day invasion stripes on the wings and around the fuselage as well as a red checker board around the nose.