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F-4 Phantom II

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Air & Sea transport;
Military History and War

   F-4 Phantom II
   USAF F-4E from 347th Tactical Fighter Wing dropping 500-pound Mark 82
   bombs.
   Type Fighter-bomber
   Manufacturer McDonnell Douglas
   (née McDonnell Aircraft)
   Designed by David S. Lewis, Jr.
   Maiden flight 1958- 05-27
   Introduced 1960- 12-30
   Retired 1996 (USAF)
   Status 1,100 active as drones and in foreign service as of 2001
   Primary users United States Air Force
   Navy
   Marine Corps
   Produced 1958-1981
   Number built 5,195
   Unit cost US$2.4 million when new (F-4E)

   The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat supersonic
   long-range all-weather fighter-bomber developed for the U.S. Navy by
   McDonnell Douglas. The Phantom flew in U.S. service from 1960 to 1996;
   it also served with the armed forces of eleven other nations. As of
   2001, more than 1,000 F-4s remained in service around the world.

Overview

   Entering service in 1960, the F-4 was designed as the first modern
   fleet defense fighter for the U.S. Navy. By 1963, it had been adopted
   by the U.S. Air Force for the fighter-bomber role. When production
   ended in 1981, 5,195 Phantom IIs had been built, making it the most
   numerous American supersonic military aircraft. Until the advent of the
   F-15 Eagle, the F-4 also held a record for the longest continuous
   production with a run of 24 years. Innovations in the F-4 included an
   advanced pulse-doppler radar and extensive use of titanium in the
   airframe.

   Despite the imposing dimensions and a maximum takeoff weight of over
   60,000 pounds (27,000 kg), the F-4 was capable of reaching a top speed
   of Mach 2.23 and had an initial climb rate of over 41,000 feet per
   minute (210 m/s). Shortly after its introduction, the Phantom set 16
   world records, including an absolute speed record of 1,606.342 miles
   per hour (2,585.086 km/h), and an absolute altitude record of
   98,557 feet (30,040 m). Although set in 1959-1962, five of the speed
   records were not broken until 1975.

   The F-4 could carry up to 18,650 pounds (8,480 kg) of weapons on nine
   external hardpoints, including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles,
   and unguided, guided, and nuclear bombs. Created when air-to-air
   missiles were expected to eliminate the need for close air combat, the
   Phantom received an internal cannon only in the definitive F-4E
   variant.

   Due to its widespread service with United States military and its
   allies and distinctive appearance, the F-4 is one of the best-known
   icons of the Cold War. It served with distinction in Vietnam War and
   Arab-Israeli conflicts, with F-4 crews achieving 393 aerial victories
   and completing countless ground attack sorties. It was also a capable
   tactical reconnaissance and Wild Weasel ( suppression of enemy air
   defenses) platform, seeing action as late as the Gulf War.

   The F-4 Phantom II was also the only aircraft used by both of the USA's
   flight demonstration teams. The U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the
   U.S.N. Blue Angels (F-4J) both switched to the Phantom for the 1969
   season; the Thunderbirds flew it for five seasons, the Blue Angels for
   six.

Development

   The origins of McDonnell's F-4 can be traced to a 1953 request by the
   Navy for an upgrade of McDonnell F3H Demon carrier-borne fighter.
   Although the Vought F8U Crusader won the contract, the Super Demon (as
   McDonnell's entrant was dubbed) was developed as a ground attack
   aircraft under the designation AH, which by 1955 had evolved into an
   all-weather air superiority fighter designated F4H. The F4H first flew
   in 1958 and remained in production from 1959 until 1981. Dave Lewis was
   the chief of preliminary design, and ultimately, the Program Manager
   for the development and sales effort.

Super Demon

   In 1953, McDonnell Aircraft began work on modernizing its F3H Demon
   naval fighter. Seeking expanded capabilities and better performance,
   the company developed several projects including the F3H-E with a
   Wright J67 engine, the F3H-G with two Wright J65 engines, and the F3H-H
   with two General Electric J79 engines. The J79-powered version promised
   a top speed of Mach 1.97. On 19 September 1953, McDonnell approached
   the United States Navy with a proposal for the "Super Demon". Uniquely,
   the aircraft was to be modular—it could be fitted with one- or two-seat
   noses for different missions, with different nose cones to accommodate
   radar, photo cameras, four 20 millimeter cannon, or 56 FFAR unguided
   rockets in addition to the 9 hardpoints under the wings and the
   fuselage. The Navy was sufficiently interested to order a full-scale
   mockup of the F3H-G/H but felt that the upcoming Grumman XF9F-9 and
   Vought XF8U-1 already satisfied the need for the supersonic fighter.
   The McDonnell design was therefore reworked into an all-weather
   fighter-bomber with 11 external hardpoints for weapons and on 18
   October 1954 the company received a letter of intent for two YAH-1
   prototypes. On 26 May 1955, four Navy officers arrived at the McDonnell
   offices and within an hour presented the company with an entirely new
   set of requirements. Because the Navy already had the A-4 Skyhawk for
   ground attack and F-8 Crusader for dogfighting, the project now had to
   fulfill the need for an all-weather fleet defense interceptor. The
   addition of powerful radar capabilities necessitated a second crewman.
   In a fateful decision, the aircraft was to be armed only with missiles.

Phantom origins

   In 1952, McDonnell's Chief of Aerodynamics, Dave Lewis was appointed by
   CEO J.S. McDonnell to be the company's Preliminary Design Manager. The
   first of its kind in the aerospace industry, the group had no specific
   target other than to learn and understand all of the rapid technical
   advances being made in aeronautics, airframes, and engines.

   With no new aircraft competitions on the horizon, internal studies
   concluded that the Navy had the greatest need for a new and different
   aircraft type, an Attack Fighter. At the time, the Navy had separate
   Fighter and Attack branches, each with separate systems and operational
   requirements. After many iterations and various "enemy capability"
   assumptions, an "unwanted" Attack Fighter was presented to the Navy.
   The McDonnell design called for two engines. The primary air-to-air
   armament was provided by the new Sparrow III missiles semi-submerged in
   the fuselage. The air-to-ground armament was to be as many bombs as
   could be carried on stations that would be mounted under the wings and
   aft of the Sparrow stations on the fuselage. No guns were offered. It
   took two long years of hard work with the Bureau of Aeronautics and the
   Naval Air Warfare Division in the Pentagon, but the F-4 was sold with a
   similar configuration as was originally proposed.

XF4H-1 prototype

   The XF4H-1 was designed to carry four semi-recessed AAM-N-6 Sparrow III
   radar-guided missiles and be powered by two J79-GE-8 engines. As in the
   F-101 Voodoo, the engines sat low in the fuselage to maximize internal
   fuel capacity and ingested air through fixed geometry intakes. The
   thin-section wing had a leading edge sweep of 45 degrees and was
   equipped with a boundary layer control system for better low-speed
   handling. Wind tunnel testing revealed lateral instability requiring
   the addition of 5 degrees dihedral to the wings. To avoid redesigning
   the titanium central section of the aircraft, McDonnell engineers
   angled up only the outer portions of the wings by 12 degrees which
   averaged to the required 5 degrees over the entire wingspan. The wings
   also received the distinctive "dogtooth" for improved control at high
   angles of attack. The all-moving tailplane was given 23 degrees of
   anhedral to improve control at high angles of attack and clear the
   engine exhaust. In addition, air intakes were equipped with movable
   ramps to regulate airflow to the engines at supersonic speeds.
   All-weather intercept capability was achieved thanks to the AN/APQ-50
   radar. To accommodate carrier operations, landing gear was designed for
   landings with a sink rate of 23 feet per second (7 m/s). The nose strut
   could extend by some 20 inches (50 cm) to increase angle of attack at
   takeoff.

Naming the aircraft

   The F4H was initially going to be named " Satan" or " Mithras". Under
   pressure from the government, the aircraft was given the less
   controversial name "Phantom II", the first "Phantom" being another
   McDonnell jet fighter, the FH-1. Since the FH-1 was long out of
   service, the new aircraft was usually referred to simply as the
   "Phantom".

Flight testing

   On 25 July 1955, the Navy ordered two XF4H-1 test aircraft and five
   YF4H-1 pre-production fighters. The Phantom made its maiden flight on
   27 May 1958 with Robert C. Little at the controls. A hydraulic problem
   precluded retraction of landing gear but subsequent flights went more
   smoothly. Early testing resulted in redesign of the air intakes,
   including the addition of distinctive 12,500 bleed air holes on each
   ramp, and the aircraft soon squared off against the Vought XF8U-3
   Crusader III. The Navy wanted a two-seat aircraft and on 17 December
   1958 the F4H was declared a winner. Due to delays with the J79-GE-8
   engines, the first production aircraft had the J79-GE-2 and -2A engines
   with 16,100 pound-force (71.8 kN) of afterburner thrust. In 1959, the
   Phantom began carrier trials with the first complete launch-recovery
   cycle performed on 15 February 1960 from USS Independence (CV-62).

Into production

   Early in production, the radar was upgraded to a larger AN/APQ-72,
   necessitating the bulbous nose, and the canopy was reworked to make the
   rear cockpit less claustrophobic. The changes did little to improve the
   Phantom's appearance. Overall, the Phantom underwent a great many
   changes during its career, summarized in the "Variants" section below.

   The United States Air Force received Phantoms as the result of 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
   F-106 Delta Dart, the USAF borrowed two Naval F-4Bs, temporarily
   designating them F-110A Spectre, and developed requirements for their
   own version. Unlike the Navy focus on air superiority, the USAF
   emphasized a fighter-bomber role. With unification of designations in
   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), making it the second most produced and exported American
   military-jet; the F-86 Sabre still remains the most numerous
   jet-powered warplane produced and exported by the United States. Of
   these, 2,874 went to the USAF, 1,264 to the Navy and Marine Corps, and
   the rest to foreign customers. The last US-built F-4 went to Turkey,
   while the last F-4 ever built was completed in 1981 as an F-4EJ by
   Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan. As of 2001, about 1,100 Phantoms
   remained in service worldwide, including QF-4 drones operated by the US
   military.

World record breaker

   To show off their new fighter, the Navy led a series of record-breaking
   flights early in Phantom development.
     * Operation Top Flight: On 6 December 1959, the second XF4H-1
       performed a zoom climb to a world record 98,557 feet (30,040 m).
       The previous record of 94,658 feet (28,852 m) was set by a Soviet
       Sukhoi T-43-1 prototype. Commander Lawrence E. Flint Jr.
       accelerated his aircraft to Mach 2.5 at 47,000 feet (14,330 m) and
       climbed to 90,000 feet (27,430 m) at a 45 degree angle. He then
       shut down the engines and glided to the peak altitude. As the
       aircraft fell through 70,000 feet (21,300 m), Flint restarted the
       engines and resumed normal flight.
     * On 5 September 1960, an F4H-1 averaged 1,216.78 miles per hour
       (1,958.16 km/h) over a 500 kilometer (311 mi) closed-circuit
       course.
     * On 25 September 1960, an F4H-1 averaged 1,390.21 miles per hour
       (2,237.26 km/h) over a 100 kilometer (62 mi) closed-circuit course.
     * Operation LANA: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Naval aviation
       (L is the Roman numeral for 50 and ANA stood for Anniversary of
       Naval Aviation) on 24 May 1961, Phantoms flew across the
       continental United States in under three hours in spite of several
       tanker refuelings. The fastest of the aircraft averaged
       869.74 miles per hour (1,400.28 km/h) and completed the trip in 2
       hours 47 minutes, earning the pilot Lt. Richard Gordon and
       navigator Lt. Bobbie Long the 1961 Bendix trophy.
     * Operation Sageburner: On 28 August 1961, a Phantom averaged
       902.769 miles per hour (1,452.826 km/h) over a 3-mile (1.86 km)
       course flying below 125 feet (40 m) at all times. Navy Commander
       J.L. Felsman was killed during the first attempt at this record on
       18 May 1961 when his aircraft disintegrated in the air after pitch
       damper failure.
     * Operation Skyburner: On 22 December 1961, a modified Phantom with
       water-methanol injection set an absolute world record speed of
       1,606.342 miles per hour (2,585.086 km/h).
     * On 5 December 1961, another Phantom set a sustained altitude record
       of 66,443.8 feet (20,252.1 m).
     * Operation High Jump: A series of time-to-altitude records was set
       in early 1962; 34.523 seconds to 3,000 meters (9,840 ft),
       48.787 seconds to 6,000 meters (19,680 ft), 61.629 seconds to
       9,000 meters (29,530 ft), 77.156 seconds to 12,000 meters
       (39,370 ft), 114.548 seconds to 15,000 meters (49,210 ft),
       178.5 seconds to 20,000 meters (65,600 ft), 230.44 seconds to
       25,000 meters (82,000 ft), and 371.43 seconds to 30,000 meters
       (98,400 ft). Although not officially recognized, the Phantom
       zoom-climbed to over 100,000 feet (30,480 m) during the last
       attempt.

   All in all, the Phantom set 16 world records. With the exception of
   Skyburner, all records were achieved in unmodified production aircraft.
   Five of the speed records remained unbeaten until the F-15 Eagle
   appeared in 1975.

Operational history

United States Navy

   US Marine F-4S
   Enlarge
   US Marine F-4S

   On 30 December 1960, the VF-121 Pacemakers 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 USS Forrestal
   (CVA-59). 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 the USS Enterprise (CVAN-65). 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 (CVA-63).

   By the time of the Tonkin Gulf incident, 13 of 31 deployable Navy
   squadrons were armed with the type. F-4Bs from USS Constellation
   (CV-64) 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 Lt JG Terence M. Murphy
   shot down a Chinese Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. The Phantom was then shot
   down, apparently by an AIM-7 Sparrow from one of its wingmen. On 17
   June 1965, an F-4B from VF-21 Freelancers piloted by Cdr Thomas C. Page
   and Lt John C. Smith shot down the first North Vietnamese MiG of the
   war.

   On 10 May 1972, Randy "Duke" Cunningham and William P. Driscoll flying
   an F-4J called "Showtime 100" shot down three MiGs to become the first
   flying aces of the war. Their fifth victory is believed to be over the
   mysterious North Vietnamese ace Colonel Toon. On the return flight, the
   Phantom was damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile. To avoid being
   captured, Cunningham and Driscoll flew upside-down (the damage made the
   aircraft uncontrollable in a conventional attitude) and on fire until
   they could eject over water. During the war, Navy Phantom squadrons
   participated in 84 combat tours with F-4Bs, F-4Gs, and F-4Js. The Navy
   claimed 41 air-to-air victories at the cost of 71 aircraft lost to
   enemy fire (5 to aircraft, 13 to SAMs, and 53 to AAA). An additional 54
   aircraft were lost in accidents.

   By 1983, the F-4Ns had been completely replaced by F-14 Tomcats, and by
   1986 the last F-4Ss were exchanged for F/A-18 Hornets. On 25 March
   1986, an F-4S belonging to VF 151 Vigilantes became the last Navy
   Phantom to launch from an aircraft carrier ( USS Midway (CV-41)). On 18
   October 1986, an F-4S from VF-202 Superheats made the last-ever Phantom
   carrier landing aboard USS America (CV-66). In 1987, the last of the
   Naval Reserve-operated F-4Ss were replaced by F-14s. The only Phantoms
   still in service with the Navy are the QF-4 target drones operated by
   the Naval Air Warfare Centers.

United States Marine Corps

   The Marines received their first F-4Bs in June 1962, with the VMFA-314
   Black Knights becoming the first operational squadron. In addition to
   attack variants, the Marines also operated several tactical
   reconnaissance RF-4Bs. Marine Phantoms from VMFA-531 Gray Ghosts
   arrived in Vietnam on 10 April 1965, flying close air support missions
   from land bases as well as from USS America (CVA-66). The Marines
   claimed 3 enemy MiGs at the cost of 75 aircraft lost in combat, mostly
   to ground fire, and 4 in accidents. On 18 January 1992, the last Marine
   Phantom, an F-4S, was retired by VMFA-112 Cowboys. The squadron was
   re-equipped with F/A-18 Hornets.

United States Air Force

   At first reluctant to adopt a Navy fighter, the USAF quickly embraced
   the design and became the largest Phantom user. The first Air Force
   Phantoms in Vietnam were F-4Cs from 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron
   Triple Nickel which arrived in December 1964. Unlike the Navy, the Air
   Force initially flew its Phantoms with a pilot rather than a radar
   intercept officer (RIO), later called weapon systems officer (WSO), in
   the back seat and all aircraft retained dual flight controls. USAF
   F-4Cs scored their first victory against a Vietnamese MiG-17 on 10 July
   1965 using AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. On 24 July 1965, an
   Air Force F-4C from the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron became the first
   American plane to be downed by an enemy SAM, and 54 F-4Cs were lost in
   combat by 1966. Early aircraft suffered from leaks in wing fuel tanks
   that required re-sealing after each flight and 85 aircraft were found
   to have cracks in outer wing ribs and stringers. There were also
   problems with aileron control cylinders, electrical connectors, and
   engine compartment fires.

   Reconnaissance RF-4Cs made their debut in Vietnam on 30 October 1965,
   flying the hazardous post-strike reconnaissance missions. Although the
   F-4C, being essentially identical to the Navy F-4B, carried the
   Navy-designed Sidewinder missiles, the USAF-tailored F-4Ds initially
   arrived with AIM-4 Falcons. However, the Falcon was designed to shoot
   down slow bombers and proved virtually useless in combat against agile
   fighters, and F-4Ds quickly reverted to using Sidewinders under the
   Rivet Haste program. Like other Vietnam War Phantoms, the F-4Ds were
   urgently fitted with radar homing and warning (RHAW) antennae to detect
   the Soviet-built SA-2 Guideline SAMs. The attrition resulted in a
   shortage of F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers and USAF pressed the
   Phantoms into the hazardous ground attack role. As the result, by 1972
   the F-4 was second only to the F-105 in combat losses with 362 downed
   aircraft. On 28 August 1972, Steve Ritchie became the first USAF ace of
   the war. On 9 September 1972, WSO Charles B. DeBellevue became the
   highest-scoring American ace of the war with six victories. WSO Jeffrey
   Feinstein became the last USAF ace of the war on 13 October 1972.
   "Wild Weasel" F-4G with an AGM-88 HARM missile under the wing
   Enlarge
   "Wild Weasel" F-4G with an AGM-88 HARM missile under the wing

   On 31 January 1972, the 170th Tactical Fighter Squadron/183d Tactical
   Fighter Group of Illinois Air National Guard became the first Air
   National Guard unit to transition to Phantoms. The ANG service lasted
   until 31 March 1990, when the Phantom was replaced by the F-16 Fighting
   Falcon. Then, on 15 August 1990, 24 F-4G Wild Weasel Vs and 6 RF-4Cs
   were mobilized to the Middle East for Operation Desert Storm. The
   reason for this was that the F-4G was the only aircraft in the USAF
   inventory equipped for the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD)
   role since the EF-111 Raven lacked the offensive capability of AGM-88
   HARM missiles. The RF-4C was the only aircraft equipped with the
   ultra-long-range KS-127 LOROP (long-range oblique photography) camera.
   In spite of flying almost daily missions, only one RF-4C was lost in a
   fatal accident before the start of hostilities. One F-4G was lost when
   enemy fire damaged the fuel tanks and the aircraft ran out of fuel near
   a friendly airbase. The last USAF Phantoms, F-4G Wild Weasel Vs from
   561st Fighter Squadron, were retired on 26 March 1996. The last
   operational flight of the F-4G Wild Weasel was from the 190th Fighter
   Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, in April 1996. The last operational
   USAF/ANG F-4 to land was flown by Maj. Mike Webb and Maj. Gary Leeder,
   Idaho ANG. Like the Navy, the Air Force continues to operate QF-4
   target drones. In addition, the Collings Foundation operates a restored
   F-4D warbird which performs at airshows.

Flying the Phantom

   In air combat, the Phantom's greatest advantage was its thrust, which
   permitted a skilled pilot to engage and disengage from the fight at
   will.

   The massive aircraft, designed to fire radar-guided missiles from
   beyond visual range, lacked the agility of its Soviet opponents.
   Although the F-4 could enter spins during high-G and
   high-angle-of-attack maneuvers, pilots reported the aircraft to be very
   communicative and easy to fly on the edge of its performance envelope.
   In 1972, the F-4E model was upgraded with leading edge slats on the
   wing, greatly improving high-angle-of-attack maneuverability at the
   expense of top speed.

   The J79 engines produced copious amounts of black smoke at military
   power which made the Phantoms easy to spot from a distance. Pilots
   could eliminate the contrails by using afterburner, but at the cost of
   fuel efficiency.

   The F-4's biggest weakness was its lack of a cannon. Because
   contemporary doctrine held that turning combat would be impossible at
   supersonic speeds, no effort was made to teach pilots air combat
   maneuvering. In reality, engagements quickly became subsonic; moreover,
   early missiles were inaccurate and unreliable. To compound the problem,
   rules of engagement in Vietnam precluded long-range missile attacks.
   Many pilots found themselves on the tail of an enemy aircraft but too
   close to fire short-range Falcons or Sidewinders. It did not take long
   for USAF F-4Cs to begin carrying SUU-16 or SUU-23 external gunpods
   containing a 20-millimeter M61 Vulcan Gatling cannon. Some Marine
   aircraft carried two pods for strafing. Combat showed the externally
   mounted cannon to be inaccurate, yet far more cost-effective than
   missiles. The lack of cannon was definitively addressed with the F-4E.

Costs

   The costs are in 1965 United States dollars and have not been adjusted
   for inflation.
   F-4C RF-4C F-4D F-4E
   Unit R&D cost 61,200 by 1973 22,700 by 1973
   Airframe 1,388,725 1,679,000 1,018,682 1,662,000
   Engines 317,647 276,000 260,563 393,000
   Electronics 52,287 293,000 262,101 299,000
   Armament 139,706 73,000 133,430 111,000
   Ordnance 6,817 8,000
   Flyaway cost 1.9 million 2.3 million 1.7 million 2.4 million
   Modification costs 116,289 by 1973 55,217 by 1973 233,458 by 1973 7,995
   by 1973
   Cost per flying hour 924 867 896 896
   Maintenance cost per flying hour 545 545 545 545

Phantom in non-US service

                                      CAPTION: Phantoms in foreign service

                               Received              In service as of 2001
           Australia            24 F-4E                               None
               Egypt            46 F-4E                            30 F-4E
             Germany           88 RF-4E
                               175 F-4F                           145 F-4F
                                                     (110 upgraded to ICE)
              Greece 121 F-4E and RF-4E                  62 F-4E and RF-4E
                                        (39 upgraded to Peace Icarus 2000)
                Iran       32 F-4D
                               177 F-4E
                               16 RF-4E         Estimated 40 F-4D and F-4E
              Israel           274 F-4E
                               12 RF-4E                            40 F-4E
                                                           53 Kurnass 2000
               Japan          140 F-4EJ
                              14 RF-4EJ                          109 F-4EJ
         South Korea 27 RF-4C
                                  92 F-4D
                               103 F-4E                   60 F-4D
                                                                   70 F-4E
                                                                  18 RF-4E
               Spain            40 F-4C
                               18 RF-4C                           14 RF-4C
              Turkey 233 F-4E and RF-4E 163 F-4E
                                          (54 upgraded to Terminator 2020)
                                                                  44 RF-4E
      United Kingdom 15 F-4J(UK)
                                        50 F-4K
                               116 F-4M                               None

   The Phantom served with the air forces of many countries, including
   Great Britain, Australia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Iran, Israel, Japan,
   Spain, South Korea and Turkey.

   Australia

   In 1963, McDonnell offered the Royal Australian Air Force an F-4C
   re-engined with SNECMA Atar 9 turbojets used in the RAAF's Dassault
   Mirage IIIO fighters. Although the RAAF opted for the General Dynamics
   F-111C instead, production delays forced them to lease 24 USAF F-4Es
   from 1970 to 1973. The Phantoms were so well-liked that the RAAF
   actually considered adopting the F-4E. However, acquisition of the
   Phantom would have required disbanding at least one Dassault Mirage III
   squadron in order to provide the necessary aircrew ( No. 82 Wing's
   aircrew were to be converted to the F-111). One F-4E was lost in an
   accident during Australian service off Evans Head, New South Wales.

   Egypt

   Although the Egyptian Air Force was initially interested in the F-5
   Tiger, in 1979 they purchased 35 former USAF F-4Es along with a number
   of Sparrow, Sidewinder, and Maverick missiles for US$594 million as
   part of the Peace Pharaoh program. The Egyptians were used to the
   simpler Soviet MiG fighters and found the Phantom to be a maintenance
   nightmare, with only 9 aircraft remaining in flying condition during
   the early 1980s. A rigorous training program solved most of the
   difficulties by 1985. An additional 8 surplus USAF aircraft were
   purchased in 1988, along with three replacements for crashed aircraft.

   Germany

   The German Luftwaffe initially ordered the reconnaissance RF-4E in
   1969. One of these aircraft was fitted with ELINT equipment and flew
   under the Peace Trout program. In 1982, the initially unarmed RF-4Es
   were given a secondary ground attack capability through modifications
   by Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm. The Luftwaffe RF-4Es were retired in
   1994.

   To fill the gap between the F-104 Starfighter and the Panavia Tornado,
   in 1973 the Luftwaffe purchased the lightened and simplified F-4F with
   a smaller radar and no aerial refueling or AIM-7 Sparrow capabilities
   under the Peace Rhine program. In 1983, Germany initiated the ICE
   (Improved Combat Efficiency, German name KWS - Kampfwertsteigerung)
   program which outfitted the F-4Fs with the same AN/APG-65 radar as in
   the F/A-18 Hornet, and added the ability to fire AIM-120 AMRAAM
   missiles, digital avionics, and smokeless engines. The ICE-upgraded
   F-4Fs began entering service in 1992. It is worth noting that 24 F-4Fs
   were operated by the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing of the USAF at Holloman
   AFB to train Luftwaffe crews. The ICE F-4Fs are expected to remain in
   service until full implementation of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

   Greece

   In 1971, the Hellenic Air Force purchased F-4E and RF-4E Phantoms,
   which were supplemented by surplus RF-4Es and F-4Es from Luftwaffe and
   US ANG in the early 1990s. Several of the aircraft were modified to the
   F-4G Wild Weasel V standard and fitted with AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation
   missiles. Following the success of the German ICE program, on 11 August
   1997, DASA of Germany received a contract to upgrade 39 aircraft to the
   very similar Peace Icarus 2000 standard. The upgrade included an
   AN/APG-65GY radar, Honeywell H-764G navigation system which is a
   combination of laser inertial navigation system (LINS), Global
   Positioning System (GPS), and Elbit Systems Modular Multi-Role Computer
   (MMRC), the LITENING targeting pod, and the ability to launch the
   AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and the AGM-130 stand-off weapon.

   Iran

   In the 1960s and 1970s, then US-friendly Iran purchased 225 F-4D, F-4E
   and RF-4E Phantoms. Like the F-14 Tomcat, many of the Iranian F-4s have
   since fallen to attrition and lack of spare parts. The surviving
   aircraft are believed to have benefited from clandestine shipments of
   spares from Israel and the United States (during the Iran-Contra
   Affair), as well as from locally-designed and reverse-engineered
   components and weapons, and incorporation of ex-Soviet and Chinese
   technology. Iranian F-4s are operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran
   Air Force and are kept operational by overhaul and servicing from
   Iran's aerospace industry.

   Israel

   Kurnass 2000
   Enlarge
   Kurnass 2000

   The Israeli Air Force has been the largest foreign user of the Phantom,
   flying both newly built and ex-USAF aircraft, as well as several
   one-off special reconnaissance variants. The first F-4Es, nicknamed
   Kurnass (Heavy hammer), and RF-4Es, nicknamed Orev (Raven), were
   delivered in 1969 under the Peace Echo I program. Additional Phantoms
   arrived during the 1970s under Peace Echo II through Peace Echo V and
   Nickel Grass programs. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat during
   Arab-Israeli conflicts, first seeing action during the War of
   Attrition. The first Kurnass air-to-air victory came on 1969- 11-11
   against an Egyptian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. The first air combat loss,
   also to a MiG-21, happened on 1970- 04-02. Over the course of the
   conflicts, IDF claimed 116 air victories to 56 losses, mostly to ground
   fire.

   Israeli F-4s underwent an extensive modification program to adapt them
   for local weapons and avionics. In the 1980s, Israel began the Kurnass
   2000 modernization program which significantly updated avionics,
   including the APG-76 radar and cockpit with multi-function displays and
   HOTAS, and added the ability to launch the Popeye missiles. Kurnass
   2000 aircraft, which first flew on 11 August 1987 and began entering
   service on 5 February 1991, can be recognized by small strakes above
   the air intakes and a "probe-and-drogue" refueling probe plumbed
   directly into the boom receptacle on the spine of the aircraft. Israel
   also created a Pratt & Whitney PW1120-engined version which first flew
   on 30 July 1986. The aircraft was capable of supercruise, had
   17 percent better thrust-to-weight ratio, 15 percent better sustained
   turn rate, 36 percent greater climb rate, and 27 percent better
   acceleration, all with improved fuel efficiency. It was demonstrated at
   the 1987 Paris Air Show but the project was deemed too expensive for
   the aging airframes. The last Israeli F-4s were retired 12 May 2004.

   Japan

   JASDF RF-4E
   Enlarge
   JASDF RF-4E

   In 1968, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force purchased 140 F-4EJ Phantoms
   without the aerial refueling and ground attack capabilities (restored
   in subsequent upgrades). 138 were built under license in Japan by
   Mitsubishi. 14 unarmed reconnaissance RF-4Es were imported.

   Of these, 96 F-4EJs have since been modified to the F-4EJ Kai (改、
   "modified") standard with laser inertial navigation system, APG-66J
   radar, and other avionics upgrades. 17 F-4EJs converted reconnaissance
   aircraft. These aircraft received a similar F-4EJ Kai upgrade and
   called RF-4EJ.

   South Korea

   The Republic of Korea Air Force purchased its first batch of ex-USAF
   F-4D Phantoms in 1968 under the Peace Spectator program. The ex-USAF
   F-4Ds continued to be delivered until 1988. The Peace Pheasant II
   program also provided newly-built and ex-USAF F-4Es. In 1993, RoKAF
   evaluated an upgrade program for 38 F-4Es but settled on the less
   costly service life extension upgrades and the addition of Pave Tack
   electro-optical targeting pods and AGM-142 Have Nap missiles.

   Spain

   The Spanish Air Force acquired its first batch of ex-USAF F-4C Phantoms
   in 1971 under the Peace Alfa program. Designated C.12, the aircraft
   were retired in 1989. At the same time, the SAF received a number of
   ex-USAF RF-4Cs, designated RC.12. In 1995-1996, these aircraft received
   extensive avionics upgrades, including the APQ-172 radar and the ring
   laser gyroscope inertial navigation system.
   Turkish F-4E
   Enlarge
   Turkish F-4E

   Turkey

   The Turkish Air Force received its first Phantoms in 1974 under the
   Peace Diamond III program, followed by ex-USAF aircraft in Peace
   Diamond IV. In 1995, IAI of Israel implemented an upgrade similar to
   Kurnass 2000 on 54 Turkish F-4Es. Dubbed Terminator 2020, the aircraft
   are optimised for ground attack missions with AGM-142 Popeye/Have Nap
   integration, Litening-II targeting pods, and the capability to launch
   AGM-65D/G Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, GBU-8 HOBOS, LGBs, general purpose and
   cluster bombs for air-to-ground missions, while retaining the
   capability to launch AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air
   missiles. It is also possible to install Pave Spike targeting pods and
   rocket pods of all sizes. The capability to launch AIM-120 AMRAAM
   wasn't included in the Terminator 2020 upgrade program, as greater
   emphasis was given on the air-to-ground role. The upgrade includes an
   advanced ELTA EL/M-2032 radar with SAR capability, adopted from the
   abortive IAI Lavi technology demonstrator of the early 1990s. Even
   though the Terminator 2020 upgrade program was largely based on IAI's
   Kurnass 2000 project, it included numerous improvements in many areas
   such as the Kaiser/E1-OP HUD, HOTAS, INS/GPS, MFDs, secure UHF/VHF
   communication systems, DTC, new EW suites, new RWR, Chaff/Flare
   dispensers, Elisra SPS self protection jammer, Elisra upgraded ALQ-119
   pods for the latest double-digit SAMs, new wiring, improvements on the
   structure and updated General Electric J79 engines.

   United Kingdom

   The United Kingdom bought the F-4 for use with the Royal Air Force and
   Fleet Air Arm in the wake of the cancellation of home-grown projects
   such as the BAC TSR-2 and the Hawker Siddeley P.1154. British versions
   were based on the USN F-4J and were given the designation F-4K and F-4M
   respectively. They entered service as the FG.1 and FGR.2, replacing the
   Hawker Hunter and de Havilland Sea Vixen. British Phantoms were fitted
   with the larger and more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines
   with 20,515 pound-force (91.25 kN) of afterburning thrust each for
   improved take-off performance, and many of the subsystems were replaced
   with British-manufactured equivalents. The larger engines required more
   air which necessitated 20 percent larger air intakes and compromised
   top speed and high altitude performance. Range improved, however, due
   to the turbofans' better fuel efficiency. The Fleet Air Arm Phantoms
   were fitted with a double-telescoping front landing gear strut which
   could extend 40 inches (102 cm), the increased angle of attack being
   necessary for catapult launches from the smaller British carrier HMS
   Ark Royal (R09). The first British-spec YF-4K flew on 27 June 1966,
   with YF-4M joining it on 17 February 1967. After the Falklands War,
   British-spec Phantoms were joined by 15 former US Navy F-4J(UK)
   upgraded to the F-4K/M standard to compensate for one interceptor
   squadron that was moved to the islands.

   The Fleet Air Arm order was cut down with the cutting back of the Royal
   Navy carrier force. As the result, the majority of the 160 British
   Phantoms flew with the RAF in ground attack and long range interception
   roles. In the late 1970s, RAF Phantoms were replaced by the SEPECAT
   Jaguar for ground attack roles and the FAA Phantoms were given over to
   the RAF. The interceptor Phantoms were replaced by the Panavia Tornado
   F3. The last British Phantoms were retired in 1993 as a result of the
   Options for Change spending cuts.

Phantom culture

Phantom nicknames

   The Phantom gathered a number of nicknames during its career. It was
   the "Rhino" because of the long nose and tough titanium construction,
   the "Double Ugly" and "DUFF" (Double-Ugly Flying Fucker) in reference
   to its dihedral wings and anhedral tail as well as a joke on its two
   crew members, the "World's Leading Distributor of MiG Parts" in tribute
   to its claimed record of downing 277 Soviet-built MiGs in US service
   and additional 116 with Israel, the "Flying Anvil", the "Big Iron
   Sled", and the "Louisville Slugger." As a reflection of excellent
   performance in spite of bulk, it was dubbed "the triumph of thrust over
   aerodynamics." German Luftwaffe crews called their F-4s the "Eisensau"
   (Iron Sow), "Fliegender Ziegelstein" (Flying Brick), and
   "Luftverteidigungsdiesel" (Air Defense Diesel). Imitating the spelling
   of the aircraft's name, McDonnell issued a series of patches. Pilots
   became "Phantom Phlyers;" fans of the F-4 ("Phantom Phanatics"); and
   call it the "Phabulous Phantom." Ground crewmen who worked on the
   aircraft are known as "Phantom Phixers."

The Spook

   As famous as the aircraft itself is its emblem, a whimsical cartoon
   ghost called The Spook. It was created by a McDonnell Douglas technical
   artist Anthony "Tony" Wong for shoulder patches. The name Spook was
   coined by the crews of either the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing or the
   4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing at MacDill AFB. The figure is
   ubiquitous, appearing on every imaginable item associated with the F-4.
   The Spook has followed the Phantom around the world adopting local
   fashions. For example, the British Spook sometimes wears a bowler hat
   and smokes a pipe.

Variants

   The Blue Angels fly their F-4J Phantoms cross-country between show
   sites in a line abreast formation.
   Enlarge
   The Blue Angels fly their F-4J Phantoms cross-country between show
   sites in a line abreast formation.

   F-4A, B, J, N, and S
          Variants for the US Navy and the US Marines. F-4B were upgraded
          to F-4N, and F-4J were upgraded to F-4S.

   F-110 Spectre, F-4C, D, and E
          Variants for the US Air Force. F-4E introduced an internal M61
          Vulcan cannon. F-4D and E were widely exported.

   F-4G Wild Weasel V
          A dedicated SEAD variant with updated radar and avionics,
          converted from F-4E. The designation F-4G was earlier applied to
          an entirely different Navy Phantom.

   F-4K and M
          Variants for British military re-engined with Rolls-Royce Spey
          turbofans.

   F-4EJ
          Simplified F-4E exported to and license-built in Japan.

   F-4F
          Simplified F-4E exported to Germany.

   F-4X
          Proposed reconnaissance variant with water injection capable of
          exceeding Mach 3.

   QF-4B, E, G, and N
          Retired aircraft converted into remote-controlled target drones
          used for weapons and defensive systems research.

   RF-4B, C, and E
          Tactical reconnaissance variants.

Specifications (F-4E)

   Orthographically projected diagram of the F-4B Phantom II.

   Data from The Great Book of Fighters, Quest for Performance, and
   Encyclopedia of USAF Aircraft.

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)
     * Wing area: 530.0 ft² (49.2 m²)
     * Airfoil: NACA 0006.4-64 root, NACA 0003-64 tip
     * 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)
     * Powerplant: 2× General Electric J79-GE-17A axial compressor
       turbojets, 17,845 lbf (79.6 kN) each
     * Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0224
     * Drag area: 11.87 ft² (1.10 m²)
     * Aspect ratio: 2.77
     * Fuel capacity: 1,994 US gal (7,549 L) internal, 3,335 US gal
       (12,627 L) with three external tanks
     * 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 knots (585 mph, 940 km/h)
     * Combat radius: 367 nm (422 mi, 680 km)
     * Ferry range: 1,403 nm (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)
     * Wing loading: 78 lb/ft² (383 kg/m²)
     * Thrust/weight: 0.86
     * Lift-to-drag ratio: 8.58
     * 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

     * 1x 20 mm M61 Vulcan gatling cannon, 639 rounds
     * 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-runway weapons, anti-ship missiles, targeting pods, recce
       pods, and nuclear weapons. Baggage pods may also be carried .
       External fuel tanks of 370 US gal (1,420 l) capacity for the outer
       wing hardpoints and either a 600 or 610 US gal (2,310 or 2,345 l)
       fuel tank for the centerline station can be fitted to extend the
       range.
     * 4x AIM-7 Sparrow in fuselage recesses plus 4x AIM-9 Sidewinders on
       wing pylons; upgraded Hellenic F-4E and German F-4F ICE carry
       AIM-120 AMRAAM, Japanese F-4EJ Kai carry AAM-3, Hellenic F-4E will
       carry IRIS-T in future. Iranian F-4s could potentially carry
       Russian and Chinese missiles.

Related content

Related development

     * F3H Demon

Comparable aircraft

     * English Electric Lightning
     * F-8 Crusader
     * Sukhoi Su-15
     * Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
     * Shenyang J-8

Designation sequence

     * Pre-1962:
          + Navy A sequence: A4D - AF - A2F - AH - AJ - A2J - A3J
          + Navy F sequence: FH - F2H - F3H - F4H - FJ - FL - F2L
          + Air Force sequence: F-106 - YF-107 - XF-108 - F-110 - F-111 -
            F-117
     * Post-1962:
          + F-1 - F-2 - F-3 - F-4 - F-5 - F-6 - F-7

Related lists

     * List of fighter aircraft
     * List of military aircraft of the United States
     * List of units using the F-4 Phantom


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   deaths


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