https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F-4_Phantom_II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine,
all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor aircraft/fighter-bomber
originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first
entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was
also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, and by the
mid-1960s had become a major part of their respective air wings.
The Phantom is a large fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry
more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints,
including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs. The
F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was designed without an internal
cannon. Later models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in
1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute
speed record, and an absolute altitude record.
During the Vietnam War, the F-4 was used extensively; it served as the principal
air superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, and became important in
the ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance roles late in the war. The Phantom
has the distinction of being the last U.S. fighter flown to attain ace status in
the 20th century. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force had one pilot and
two weapon systems officers (WSOs), and the US Navy had one pilot and one radar
intercept officer (RIO) become aces by achieving five aerial kills against enemy
fighter aircraft. The F-4 continued to form a major part of U.S. military air
power throughout the 1970s and 1980s, being gradually replaced by more modern
aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 in the U.S. Air Force, the Grumman F-14
Tomcat in the U.S. Navy, and the F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine
Corps.
The USAF received Phantoms as the result of Defense Secretary Robert McNamara's
push to create a unified fighter for all branches of the military. After an F-4B
won the "Operation Highspeed" fly-off against the Convair F-106 Delta Dart, the
USAF borrowed two Naval F-4Bs, temporarily designating them F-110A "Spectre" in
January 1962, and developed requirements for their own version. Unlike the
navy's focus on interception, the USAF emphasized a fighter-bomber role. With
McNamara's unification of designations on 18 September 1962, the Phantom became
the F-4 with the naval version designated F-4B and USAF F-4C. The first air
force Phantom flew on 27 May 1963, exceeding Mach 2 on its maiden flight.
Phantom II production ended in the United States in 1979 after 5,195 had been
built (5,057 by McDonnell Douglas and 138 in Japan by Mitsubishi). Of these,
2,874 went to the USAF, 1,264 to the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest to
foreign customers. The last U.S.-built F-4 went to South Korea, while the last
F-4 built was an F-4EJ built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan and
delivered on 20 May 1981. As of 2008, 631 Phantoms were in service worldwide,
while the Phantom also remains in use as a target drone operated by the U.S.
military.
Role
Interceptor fighter, fighter-bomber
National origin
United States
Manufacturer
McDonnell Aircraft /
McDonnell Douglas
First flight
27 May 1958
Introduction
30 December 1960
Retired
1992 (UK)
1996 (US combat use)
2013 (Germany)
Status
In service
Primary users
United States Air Force (target drone use)
United States Navy (former)
United States Marine Corps (former)
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced
Number built
5,195
Unit cost
US$2.4 million (FY1965, new build F-4E)
On 30 December 1960, the VF-121 "Pacemakers" at NAS Miramar became the first
Phantom operator with its F4H-1Fs (F-4As). The VF-74 "Be-devilers" at NAS Oceana
became the first deployable Phantom squadron when it received its F4H-1s (F-4Bs)
on 8 July 1961. The squadron completed carrier qualifications in October 1961
and Phantom's first full carrier deployment between August 1962 and March 1963
aboard Forrestal. The second deployable U.S. Atlantic Fleet squadron to receive
F-4Bs was the VF-102 "Diamondbacks", who promptly took their new aircraft on the
shakedown cruise of Enterprise. The first deployable U.S. Pacific Fleet squadron
to receive the F-4B was the VF-114 "Aardvarks", which participated in the
September 1962 cruise aboard USS Kitty Hawk.
By the time of the Tonkin Gulf incident, 13 of 31 deployable navy squadrons were
armed with the type. F-4Bs from Constellation made the first Phantom combat
sortie of the Vietnam War on 5 August 1964, flying bomber escort in Operation
Pierce Arrow. The first Phantom air-to-air victory of the war took place on 9
April 1965 when an F-4B from VF-96 "Fighting Falcons" piloted by Lieutenant
(junior grade) Terence M. Murphy and his RIO, Ensign Ronald Fegan, shot down a
Chinese MiG-17 "Fresco". The Phantom was then shot down, probably by an AIM-7
Sparrow from one of its wingmen. There continues to be controversy over whether
the Phantom was shot down by MiG guns or, as enemy reports later indicated, an
AIM-7 Sparrow III from one of Murphy's and Fegan's wingmen. On 17 June 1965, an
F-4B from VF-21 "Freelancers" piloted by Commander Louis Page and Lieutenant
John C. Smith shot down the first North Vietnamese MiG of the war.
In USAF service, the F-4 was initially designated the F-110 Spectre prior to the
introduction of the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system.
The USAF quickly embraced the design and became the largest Phantom user. The
first USAF Phantoms in Vietnam were F-4Cs from the 555th Tactical Fighter
Squadron "Triple Nickel", which arrived in December 1964.
Unlike the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, which flew the Phantom with a Naval
Aviator (pilot) in the front seat and a Naval Flight Officer as a radar
intercept officer (RIO) in the back seat, the USAF initially flew its Phantoms
with a rated Air Force Pilot in front and back seats. While the rear pilot (GIB,
or "guy in back") could fly and ostensibly land the aircraft, he had fewer
flight instruments and a very restricted forward view. The Air Force later
assigned a rated Air Force Navigator qualified as a weapon/targeting systems
officer (later designated as weapon systems officer or WSO) in the rear seat
instead of another pilot. However, all USAF Phantoms retained dual flight
controls throughout their service life.
Specifications (F-4E)
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.2 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 4.5 in (11.7 m)
Height: 16 ft 6 in (5.0 m)
Empty weight: 30,328 lb (13,757 kg)
Loaded weight: 41,500 lb (18,825 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 61,795 lb (28,030 kg)
lbf dry thrust (52.9 kN), 17,845 lbf in afterburner (79.4 kN) each
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0224
Aspect ratio: 2.77
Fuel capacity: 1,994 U.S. gal (7,549 L) internal, 3,335 U.S. gal (12,627 L) with
three external tanks (370 U.S. gal (1,420 L) tanks on the outer wing hardpoints
and either a 600 or 610 U.S. gal (2,310 or 2,345 L) tank for the centerline
station).
Maximum landing weight: 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.23 (1,472 mph, 2,370 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
Cruise speed: 506 kn (585 mph, 940 km/h)
Combat radius: 367 nmi (422 mi, 680 km)
Ferry range: 1,403 nmi (1,615 mi, 2,600 km) with 3 external fuel tanks
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,300 m)
Rate of climb: 41,300 ft/min (210 m/s)
lift-to-drag: 8.58
Thrust/weight: 0.86 at loaded weight, 0.58 at MTOW
Takeoff roll: 4,490 ft (1,370 m) at 53,814 lb (24,410 kg)
Landing roll: 3,680 ft (1,120 m) at 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)
Armament
E-model has a 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon mounted internally under the nose.
Up to 18,650 lb (8,480 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including
general purpose bombs, cluster bombs, TV- and laser-guided bombs, rocket pods,
air-to-ground missiles, anti-ship missiles, gun pods, and nuclear weapons.
Reconnaissance, targeting, electronic countermeasures and baggage pods, and
external fuel tanks may also be carried.
upgraded Hellenic F-4E and German F-4F ICE carry AIM-120 AMRAAM, Japanese F-4EJ
Kai carry AAM-3, UK Phantoms carried Skyflash missiles
Nuclear weapons, including the B28EX, B61, B43 and B57
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