This rendition depicts what could very well be the first MIG-killer of the Vietnam war. Pilot Lt(jg) Terry Murphy and RIO Ens. Ronald Fegan, were on mission on Apr. 9th, 1965 and there is a strong possibility that they shot down a MIG-17. However, the pair never got to tell their story, as their aircraft (the one depicted here), was shot down on the very same mission. Often depicted as Modex number 602, pictures from the deployment clearly shows BuNo 151403 as being modex number 611 as depicted here. Below is a detail shot of the nose section of the aircraft can be found below. Click it to be taken to the VF-96 section
VF-21 got the 1st to MiG Kills of the Vietnam War!
This kill took place before VF-21 got their MIGs. However, this kill is still a probable kill, likely of a Chinese MIG, which is why the caption says (probably) 😉