In article .com, "Mike
Weeks" wrote:

Don McIntyre wrote:
Recently while reading an article on the F-4J it got me to thinking.
(Scary, I know).

Some of the F-4Js had white radomes and some had black. Any particlar
rhyme or reason as to why, or was it merely for cosmetic purposes? When
I was on active duty I saw F-4s all the time and the thought never
occurred to me, now 30 years later it does!?!?!?

I believe the early radomes for the F-4s were coated w/ a substance
which came only in black, then later there was a white coating.

After a number of years other "colors" were available -- I don't think
the radomes were actually painted, but were coated. This all had to do
with the workings of the radar of course.

Perhaps by the time of the F-4J a paint had been developed for use on
the radomes. Someone with F-4 maintenance experience might be able to
shed more on the subject.

IIRC this is an anti-static coating.
Static will build up on non-conductive surfaces such as e-glass radones.
The static field will interfere with radar and other instrument performance.

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur