The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat, twin-engined supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. 09. The plane may have been ugly, but it broke many records and is still in service in some countries today. Col. Robin Olds painting a victory star on the McDonnell F-4 "Phantom II" he was flying on May 4, 1967, when he shot down a MiG-21. And the preferred chase airplane was the McDonnell F-4 Phantom. F-102 and F-104 did not fare well over North Vietnam. The multipurpose fighter saw extensive combat duty during the Vietnam War, including serving as Major Gary L. Retterbush, the pilot of Finch 3, an F-4E Phantom II. Both aircraft were capable of speeds of at least Mach 2. The MiG-21, identified as the Fishbed in NATO nomenclature, was a continuation of the MiG fighter series that originated in the late 1940s. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. Early Phantoms deployed to Vietnam were armed only with missiles. The results of these alterations gave the XF4H-1 a distinctive look. FREE Shipping. While many have since retired the F-4, the aircraft has been modernized and is still use (as of 2008) by Japan, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Iran, and South Korea. Cybermodeler Online. These two latter types, the F-4G Wild Weasel V and RF-4C, deployed to the Middle East in 1990, as part of Operation Desert Shield/Storm. US Navy F-4s flew their first combat sortie as part of Operation Pierce Arrow on August 5, 1964. During the Vietnam War, the USAF lost a total of 528 F-4s (of all types) to enemy action with the majority being down by anti-aircraft fire or surface-to-air missiles. Flying primarily in the fighter/interceptor role, US Navy F-4s downed 40 enemy aircraft to a loss of five of their own. Developed during the 1950s, it entered service in 1960, and nearly 5,200 were produced during a 30-year run from 1958 to 1981. The earliest versions of the Phantom came without internal cannons, which was common among the interceptors of … After additional testing, the F-4 entered production and commenced carrier suitability trials in early 1960. The MiG-21 entered service in 1959, and more than 11,000 in various configurations were completed when production ended in 1985. During Vietnam, USAF F-4s fulfilled both air superiority and ground support roles. Nations that have flown the aircraft include Israel, Great Britain, Australia, and Spain. They went up again the Soviet Union's best. By 1986, all F-4s had been retired from frontline units. Lacking a cannon, these fighters were often at a disadvantage in dogfights with the MiG-21 and other Soviet- and Chinese-manufactured fighter aircraft. AeroMaster 48-339 Phantom Collection, Part 1 Price ... McDonnell F-4 Phantom, Air National Guard Price Canadian Dollars: $24.95 . Here is what happened. https://www.military.com/video/usmc-f-4-phantom-fighter-aces-vietnam-war When these supersonic fighters met in combat, the skills of the individual pilots and sometimes sheer luck were often the deciding factors, and more than 40 years after the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War debate continues as to the accuracy of kill ratios and claims made by both the sides. The F-105 held his own against the Migs but all things considered remained a bomber. For more about Rick's bio including his F-4 bio see his resume on his law website. The MiG-21 was designed as a short-range interceptor, and the Phantom was a long-range aircraft. The fighting over Vietnam soon showed that engagements quickly became subsonic, turning battles that often precluded the use of air-to-air missiles. During the protracted air war in the skies over Vietnam, two fighter interceptor and air superiority planes emerged as the most prominent aircraft of their type. Vietnam Veteran Patch USMC F-4 Phantom Commemorative Patch Sticker. On May 27, 1958, the type made its maiden flight with Robert C. Little at the controls. This article by Michael Haskew originally appeared on Warfare History Network. This first appeared earlier in October 2019. A typical configuration for an F-4 in 1967 consisted of four AIM-7E and four AIM-9B air-to-air missiles, and eight 750-pound Mk 117 bombs. Many pilots found ways to avoid producing the smoke by running one engine on afterburner and the other at reduced power. The Phantom Retires, but the MiG Still Soars the Skies. One of the most widely distributed export fighter aircraft in history, the MiG-21 remains active with many countries. Powered by two J79-GE-8 engines, the new aircraft saw the addition of a second crewman to serve as a radar operator. Meeting with the US Navy the following May, McDonnell was handed a new set of requirements calling for an all-weather fleet interceptor as the service had aircraft to fulfill the fighter and strike roles. The F-4 Phantom interceptor is a large jet, with a carrying capacity of 18,000 pounds of weapons such as air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, and other bombs, on nine external hardpoints. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Vietnam War: North American F-100 Super Sabre, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University, Up to 18,650 lbs. Vietnam History Vietnam War Photos Fighter Pilot Fighter Jets Phantom Pilots Robin Olds F4 Phantom North Vietnam Air Vietnam Spies Helped the USAF Shoot Down a Third of North Vietnam’s MiG-21s On Jan. 2, 1967, around 30 U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter jets flying from Ubon in Thailand shot down a full third of North Vietnam’s MiG-21s—for a loss of just one of their own. Instead, it relied entirely on newly-introduced air-to-air missiles — the radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow, the heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder and the older AIM-4 Falcon. In the years that followed the Vietnam War, the Phantom was upgraded several times. Adopted by the USAF in 1963, their initial variant was dubbed the F-4C. Adopted by the USAF in 1963, their initial variant was dubbed the F-4C. A Vietnam War veteran, Cisneros piloted F-4 Phantom jets off of the USS Saratoga on combat missions before joining the Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Following extensive wind tunnel testing, the outer sections of the wings were given 12° dihedral (upward angle) and the tailplane 23° anhedral (downward angle). In laying out the XF4H-1, McDonnell placed the engines low in the fuselage similar to its earlier F-101 Voodoo and employed variable geometry ramps in the intakes to regulate airflow at supersonic speeds. The MiG-21 with a much smaller profile and more nimble appearance stretched just under 48 feet in length, and its wingspan was just under 24 feet. But the Phantom’s record in air-to-air combat over Vietnam — especially when compared to its successor, the F-15 Eagle, which has never been shot down … Petry was one of the chosen. During operations, the F-4G played a key role in suppressing Iraqi air defenses, while the RF-4C collected valuable intelligence. Terence M. Murphy and his radar intercept officer, Ensign Ronald Fegan, downed a Chinese MiG-17. The MiG-21 was typically armed with air-to-air missiles such as the AA-2 Atoll and a 23mm internal cannon. It first entered service in 1961 with the Navy. US Navy F-4s flew their first combat sortie as part of Operation Pierce Arrow on August 5, 1964. Aircraft: F-4 Phantom II Group Description Games featuring the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in a prominent role.-- from Air Conflicts: Vietnam - Ultimate Edition (2014) Limitations. F-4 phantom colors SEA Posted by urich on Sunday, August 5, 2012 10:11 AM I may have asked this question before if so sorry I"m getting old and I'm having to write things down any more to remember The Phantom has been operated by the air forces of at least a dozen nations, and many remain in service. Not enough wing or thrust, recalls Jack Petry, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. Microscale 48-0270 - CVW-11 F-4 VF-213 & A-6 VA-196 Price An evolution of the F-8 Crusader, the Vought entry was defeated by the XF4H-1 as the US Navy preferred the latter's performance and that the workload was split between two crew members. Here is the McDonnell Douglas F-4C/D/E/G Phantom II Southeast Asia Color Profile and Paint Guide. As the US Navy transitioned to the aircraft in the early 1960s, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara pushed to create a single fighter for all branches of the military. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The Phantom was often armed with the AIM-7 Sparrow or AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Led by Preliminary Design Manager Dave Lewis, the team found that the US Navy would soon require a new attack aircraft to replace the F3H Demon. Setting several aviation records just prior to and in the years after introduction, the F-4 became operational on December 30, 1960, with VF-121. The Phantom Vietnam War: An F-4 Pilot's Combat over Laos - Ebook written by David R. Honodel. Setting to work, McDonnell developed the XF4H-1 design. Weapons and/or external tanks can be carried on nine external store stations. F-4Cs and F-4Ds did not have an internal gun, while some were equipped with an external gun pod. the Navy kept using the F-8 because its Essex class carriers couldn't take the F-4. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. Through the 1970s and 1980s, the USAF transitioned to the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. When NASA engineers were launching rockets at Floridas Cape Canaveral in the 1960s, they needed pilots to fly close enough to film the missiles as they accelerated through Mach 1 at 35,000 feet. Embroidered Patch - Patches for Women Man - Mcdonnell F-4 F-4G Phantom 1500 Flight Hours USAF Fighter Squadron Jacket. This issue was addressed with the addition of an integrated 20 mm M61 Vulcan gun to the F-4E model in the late 1960s. Source are several like Joe Baugher, 366th TFW base data, Ejection History, 8th TFW base data, etc, etc. The F-4 Phantom is the main fighter aircraft of the United States and South Vietnam and it's counterpart is the North Vietnamese MiG-21. Photo: Wikimedia. of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and most types of bombs. by Peter Davies, Osprey Publishing, 2013. The Phantom held the edge with multiple missiles, often up to eight, while the MiG-21 carried only two. The agile MiG-21 was deadly in a turn, and its silhouette was difficult to acquire visually at any great distance. Another problem that frequently arose with the aircraft was the production of black smoke when the engines were run at military power. The US Navy was intrigued by this concept and requested a full-scale mock-up of the design. $27.98 $ 27. More than 5,000 of these heavy supersonic fighters were built, and hundreds continue to serve and even see combat in several air forces today. Vietnam. Flying ground support missions, USMC F-4s claimed three kills while losing 75 aircraft, mostly to ground fire. Celebrating 21 years of hobby news and reviews. In 1967, USAF pilots began mounting external gun pods on their aircraft, however, the lack of a leading gunsight in the cockpit made them highly inaccurate. Though the latest adopter of the F-4, the USAF became its largest user. Aug 16, 2020 - Explore James Lee's board "F-4 Phantom", followed by 150 people on Pinterest. To support this change in mission, specially equipped and trained F-4 Wild Weasel squadrons were formed with the first deploying in late 1972. In 1952, McDonnell Aircraft began internal studies to determine which service branch was most in need of a new aircraft. The heavy F-4 was known for jet engines that produced a great deal of smoke, adding to the ease of identification at a distance due to its large size. Key point: Just like Korea, this war was a way to each global bloc to test each others technologies. In exchange, USAF F-4s downed 107.5 enemy aircraft. Interestingly, though they were common adversaries, the appearances of the Phantom and the MiG-21 could scarcely have been more different. Following Vietnam, the F-4 remained the principal aircraft for both the US Navy and USAF. Airmen load 20mm cannon rounds into an F-4C Phantom II gun pod at a base in South Vietnam in May 1967. The F4H-1 Phantom II was originally designed for the U.S. Navy, and when it first emerged from McDonnell’s St. Louis factory—a big, heavy two-seater with its wingtips bent upward and its elevators splayed downward—it seemed to fly in the face of every lesson learned about fighters.