McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

Development

Origins

In 1952, McDonnell's chief of aerodynamics, Dave Lewis, was appointed by CEO Jim McDonnell to be the company's preliminary design manager. With no new aircraft competitions on the horizon, internal studies concluded the Navy had the greatest need for a new and different aircraft type, an attack fighter.

In 1953, McDonnell Aircraft began work on revising its F3H Demon naval fighter, seeking expanded capabilities and better performance. The company developed several projects, including a variant powered by a Wright J67 engine, and variants powered by two Wright J65 engines, or two General Electric J79 engines. The J79-powered version promised a top speed of Mach 1.97. On 19 September 1953, McDonnell approached the USN with a proposal for the "Super Demon". Uniquely, the aircraft was to be modular, as it could be fitted with one- or two-seat noses for different missions, with different nose cones to accommodate radar, photo cameras, four 20 mm (.79 in) cannons, or 56 FFAR unguided rockets in addition to the nine hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage. The Navy was sufficiently interested to order a full-scale mock-up of the F3H-G/H, but felt that the upcoming Grumman XF9F-9 and Vought XF8U-1 already satisfied the need for a 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. Then on 26 May 1955, four USN 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 Douglas 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. A second crewman was added to operate the powerful radar; designers believed that air combat in the next war would overload solo pilots with information.

XF4H-1 prototype

The XF4H-1 was designed to carry four semirecessed AAM-N-6 Sparrow III radar-guided missiles and to be powered by two J79-GE-8 engines. As in the McDonnell 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° and was equipped with blown flaps for better low-speed handling.

Wind tunnel testing had revealed lateral instability, requiring the addition of 5° 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°, which averaged to the required 5° 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° of anhedral to improve control at high angles of attack, while still keeping the tailplane clear of the engine exhaust. In addition, air intakes were equipped with one fixed ramp and one variable-geometry ramp with angle scheduled to give maximum pressure recovery between Mach 1.4 and Mach 2.2. Airflow matching between the inlet and engine was achieved by bypassing the engine as secondary air into the exhaust nozzle. All-weather intercept capability was achieved with the AN/APQ-50 radar. To meet requirements for carrier operations, the landing gear was designed to withstand landings with a maximum sink rate of 23 ft/s (7 m/s), while the nose strut could extend by 20 in (51 cm) to increase angle of attack on the catapult portion of a takeoff.

On 25 July 1955, the USN ordered two XF4H-1 test aircraft and five YF4H-1 preproduction examples. The Phantom made its maiden flight on 27 May 1958 with Robert C. Little at the controls. A hydraulic problem precluded the retraction of the landing gear, but subsequent flights went more smoothly. Early testing resulted in redesign of the air intakes, including the distinctive addition of 12,500 holes to "bleed off" the slow-moving boundary layer air from the surface of each intake ramp. Series production aircraft also featured splitter plates to divert the boundary layer away from the engine intakes. The aircraft was soon in competition with the XF8U-3 Crusader III. Due to cockpit workload, the USN wanted a two-seat aircraft, and on 17 December 1958, the F4H was declared the winner. Delays with the J79-GE-8 engines meant that the first-production aircraft were fitted with J79-GE-2 and −2A engines, each having 16,100 lbf (71.8 kN) of afterburning thrust. In 1959, the Phantom began carrier suitability trials with the first complete launch-recovery cycle performed on 15 February 1960 from Independence.

Production

Early in production, the radar was upgraded to the Westinghouse AN/APQ-72, an AN/APQ-50 with a larger radar antenna, necessitating the bulbous nose, and the canopy was reworked to improve visibility and make the rear cockpit less cramped. During its career, the Phantom underwent many changes in the form of numerous variants developed.

The USN operated the F4H-1 (redesignated F-4A in 1962) with J79-GE-2 and -2A engines of 16,100 lbf (71.62 kN) thrust and later builds receiving -8 engines. In total, 45 F-4As were built; none saw combat, and most ended up as test or training aircraft. The USN and USMC received the first definitive Phantom, the F-4B, which was equipped with the Westinghouse APQ-72 radar (pulse only), a Texas Instruments AN/AAA-4 infrared search and track pod under the nose, and an AN/AJB-3 bombing system, and powered by J79-GE-8,-8A, and -8B engines of 10,900 lbf (48.5 kN) dry and 16,950 lbf (75.4 kN) afterburner (reheat) with the first flight on 25 March 1961; 649 F-4Bs were built with deliveries beginning in 1961 and VF-121 Pacemakers receiving the first examples at NAS Miramar.

The USAF received Phantoms as the result of Defense Secretary Robert McNamara's push to create a unified fighter for all branches of the US military. After an F-4B won the "Operation Highspeed" fly-off against the Convair F-106 Delta Dart, the USAF borrowed two USN F-4Bs, temporarily designating them F-110A in January 1962, and developed requirements for their own version. Unlike the USN's focus on air-to-air interception in the Fleet Air Defense mission, the USAF emphasized both an air-to-air and an air-to-ground 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 USAF Phantom flew on 27 May 1963, exceeding Mach 2 on its maiden flight.

The F-4J improved both air-to-air and ground-attack capability; deliveries began in 1966 and ended in 1972 with 522 built. It was equipped with J79-GE-10 engines with 17,844 lbf (79.374 kN) thrust, the Westinghouse AN/AWG-10 fire-control system (making the F-4J the first fighter in the world with operational look-down/shoot-down capability), a new integrated missile control system and the AN/AJB-7 bombing system for expanded ground attack capability.

The F-4N (updated F-4Bs) with smokeless engines and F-4J aerodynamic improvements started in 1972 under a USN-initiated refurbishment program called Project Bee Line, with 228 converted by 1978. The F-4S model resulted from the refurbishment of 265 F-4Js with J79-GE-17 smokeless engines of 17,900 lbf (79.379 kN), AWG-10B radar with digitized circuitry for improved performance and reliability, Honeywell AN/AVG-8 visual target acquisition set (world's first operational helmet sighting system), classified avionics improvements, airframe reinforcement, and leading-edge slats for enhanced maneuvering. The USMC also operated the RF-4B with reconnaissance cameras, with 46 built; the RF-4B flew alone and unarmed, with a requirement to fly straight and level at 5,000 feet while taking photographs. They relied on the shortcomings of the antiaircraft defenses to survive, as they were unable to make evasive maneuvers.

World records

To show off their new fighter, the USN led a series of record-breaking flights early in Phantom development: All in all, the Phantom set 16 world records. Five of the speed records remained unbeaten until the F-15 Eagle appeared in 1975.

Operation Top Flight: On 6 December 1959, the second XF4H-1 performed a zoom climb to a world-record 98,557 ft (30,040 m). Commander Lawrence E. Flint Jr., USN accelerated his aircraft to Mach 2.5 (2,660 km/h; 1,650 mph) at 47,000 ft (14,330 m) and climbed to 90,000 ft (27,430 m) at a 45° angle. He then shut down the engines and glided to the peak altitude. As the aircraft fell through 70,000 ft (21,300 m), Flint restarted the engines and resumed normal flight.

On 5 September 1960, an F4H-1 averaged 1,216.78 mph (1,958.16 km/h) over a 500 km (311 mi), closed-circuit course.

On 25 September 1960, an F4H-1F averaged 1,390.24 mph (2,237.37 km/h) over a 100 km (62.1 mi), closed-circuit course. FAIRecord File Number 8898.

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 and included several tanker refuelings. The fastest of the aircraft averaged 869.74 mph (1,400.28 km/h) and completed the trip in 2 hours 47 minutes, earning the pilot (and future NASA astronaut), Lieutenant Richard Gordon, USN and RIO, Lieutenant Bobbie Young, USN, the 1961 Bendix Trophy.

Operation Sageburner: On 28 August 1961, a F4H-1F Phantom II averaged 1,452.777 km/h (902.714 mph) over a 3 mi (4.82 km) course flying below 125 feet (38.1 m) at all times. Commander J.L. Felsman, USN, was killed during the first attempt at this record on 18 May 1961 when his aircraft disintegrated in the air after a pitch damper failure.

Operation Skyburner: On 22 November 1961, a modified Phantom with water injection, piloted by Lt. Col. Robert B. Robinson, set an absolute world record average speed over a 20-mile-long (32.2 km) two-way straight course of 1,606.342 mph (2,585.086 km/h).

Design

Overview

The F-4 Phantom is a tandem-seat fighter-bomber designed as a carrier-based interceptor to fill the USN's fleet defense fighter role. Innovations in the F-4 included use of pulse-doppler radar (only on late variants such as the F-4F) and extensive use of titanium in its airframe.

Despite imposing dimensions and a maximum takeoff weight over 60,000 lb (27,000 kg), the F-4 has a top speed of Mach 2.23 and an initial climb rate over 41,000 ft/min (210 m/s). The F-4's nine external hardpoints can hold up to 18,650 lb (8,480 kg) of weapons, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and unguided, guided, and thermonuclear weapons. Like other interceptors of its day, the F-4 was designed without an internal cannon.

The baseline performance of a Mach 2-class fighter with long range and a bomber-sized payload would be the template for the next generation of large and light/middle-weight fighters optimized for daylight air combat.

Flight characteristics

"Speed is life" was F-4 pilots' slogan, as the Phantom's greatest advantage in air combat was acceleration and thrust, which permitted a skilled pilot to engage and disengage from the fight at will. MiGs usually could outturn the F-4 because of the high drag on the Phantom's airframe; as a massive fighter aircraft designed to fire radar-guided missiles from beyond visual range, the F-4 lacked the agility of its Soviet opponents and was subject to adverse yaw during hard maneuvering. Although the F-4 was subject to irrecoverable spins during aileron rolls, pilots reported the aircraft to be very responsive 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 had a reduced time lag between the pilot advancing the throttle, from idle to maximum thrust, and the engine producing maximum thrust compared to earlier engines. While landing on USS Midway (CV-41) John Chesire's tailhook missed the arresting gear as he (mistakenly) reduced thrust to idle. He then slammed the throttle to full afterburner, the engine's response time being enough to return to full thrust quickly, and he was able get the Phantom airborne again successfully (bolter). The J79 produced noticeable amounts of black smoke (at mid-throttle/cruise settings), a severe disadvantage in that it made it easier for the enemy to spot the aircraft. Two decades after the aircraft entered service this was solved on the F-4S, which was fitted with the −10A engine variant with a smokeless combustor.

The lack of an internal gun "was the biggest mistake on the F-4", Chesire said. "Bullets are cheap and tend to go where you aim them. I needed a gun, and I really wished I had one." Marine Corps General John R. Dailey recalled that "everyone in RF-4s wished they had a gun on the aircraft." For a brief period, doctrine held that turning combat would be impossible at supersonic speeds and little effort was made to teach pilots air combat maneuvering. In reality, engagements quickly became subsonic, as pilots would slow down in an effort to get behind their adversaries. Furthermore, the relatively new heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles at the time were frequently reported as unreliable and pilots had to fire multiple missiles just to hit one enemy fighter. To compound the problem, rules of engagement in Vietnam precluded long-range missile attacks in most instances, as visual identification was normally required. Many pilots found themselves on the tail of an enemy aircraft, but too close to fire short-range Falcons or Sidewinders. Although by 1965 USAF F-4Cs began carrying SUU-16 external gunpods containing a 20 mm (.79 in) M61A1 Vulcan Gatling cannon, USAF cockpits were not equipped with lead-computing gunsights until the introduction of the SUU-23, virtually assuring a miss in a maneuvering fight. Some Marine Corps aircraft carried two pods for strafing. In addition to the loss of performance due to drag, combat showed the externally mounted cannon to be inaccurate unless frequently boresighted, yet far more cost-effective than missiles. The lack of a cannon was finally addressed by adding an internally mounted 20 mm (.79 in) M61A1 Vulcan on the F-4E.

Costs

Note: Original amounts were in 1965 U.S. dollars. The figures in these tables have been adjusted for inflation to the current year.

Operational history

United States Navy

On 30 December 1960, 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. Navy fighter pilots were unused to flying with a non-pilot RIO, but learned from air combat in Vietnam the benefits of the GiB "guy in back" or "voice in the luggage compartment" helping with the workload. 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. 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.

On 10 May 1972, Lieutenant Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Lieutenant (junior grade) William P. Driscoll flying an F-4J, call sign Showtime 100, shot down three MiG-17s to become the first American flying aces of the war. Their fifth victory was believed at the time to be over a mysterious North Vietnamese ace, Colonel Nguyen Toon, now considered mythical. On the return flight, the Phantom was damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile. To avoid being captured, Cunningham and Driscoll flew their burning aircraft using only the rudder and afterburner (the damage to the aircraft rendered conventional control nearly impossible), until they could eject over water.

During the war, U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom squadrons participated in 84 combat tours with F-4Bs, F-4Js, and F-4Ns. The Navy claimed 40 air-to-air victories at a cost of 73 Phantoms lost in combat (seven to enemy aircraft, 13 to SAMs and 53 to AAA). An additional 54 Phantoms were lost in mishaps.

United States Marine Corps

The Marine Corps received its first F-4Bs in June 1962, with the Black Knights of VMFA-314 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California becoming the first operational squadron. Marine Phantoms of VMFA-323 Death Rattlers, flying from Puerto Rico, provided air cover during Operation Power Pack for the evacuation of US citizens from the Dominican Republic and assisted the 508th Infantry Regiment in taking and securing a position east of the Duarte bridge. Marine Phantoms from VMFA-531 Grey Ghosts were assigned to Da Nang Air Base on South Vietnam's northeast coast on 10 May 1965 and were initially assigned to provide air defense for the USMC. They soon began close air support missions (CAS) and VMFA-314, VMFA-232 Red Devils, VMFA-323 Death Rattlers and VMFA-542 Tigers joined them.

Marine Phantoms from VMFA-323 and VMFA-531 operating from the USS Coral Sea participated in Operation Eagle Claw, the attempted rescue of American hostages from Iran, with orders to shoot down any Iranian aircraft. The Phantoms were painted with an orange stripe enclosed by two black stripes in order to distinguish the American F-4s from the Iranian F-4s. The operation was called off in the early stages of execution.

The VMCJ-1 Golden Hawks (later VMAQ-1 and VMAQ-4 which had the old RM tailcode) flew the first photo recon mission with an RF-4B variant on 3 November 1966 from Da Nang and remained there until 1970 with no RF-4B losses and only one aircraft damaged by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire. VMCJ-2 and VMCJ-3 (now VMAQ-3) provided aircraft for VMCJ-1 in Da Nang and VMFP-3 was formed in 1975 at MCAS El Toro, CA consolidating all USMC RF-4Bs in one unit that became known as "The Eyes of the Corps." VMFP-3 disestablished in August 1990 after the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System was introduced for the F/A-18D Hornet.

The F-4 continued to equip fighter-attack squadrons in both active and reserve Marine Corps units throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and into the early 1990s. In the early 1980s, these squadrons began to transition to the F/A-18 Hornet, starting with the same squadron that introduced the F-4 to the Marine Corps, VMFA-314 at MCAS El Toro, California. On 18 January 1992, the last Marine Corps Phantom, an F-4S in the Marine Corps Reserve, was retired by the Cowboys of VMFA-112 at NAS Dallas, Texas, after which the squadron was re-equipped with F/A-18 Hornets.

United States Air Force

In USAF service, the F-4 was initially designated the F-110A 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 Phantoms that the USAF operated were F-4Bs loaned from the Navy, with 27 jets delivered to the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in November 1963. The first operational unit was the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, who received the USAF's first F-4Cs in January 1964, achieving initial operational capability (IOC) in October 1964. The first USAF Phantoms to participate in the Vietnam War were F-4Cs from the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron, who deployed to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in April 1965.

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. Pilots usually did not like flying in the back seat; while the GIB, or "guy in back", could fly and ostensibly land the aircraft, they 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.

On 10 July 1965, F-4Cs of the 45th TFS, 15th TFW, scored the USAF's first victories against North Vietnamese MiG-17s using AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. On 26 April 1966, an F-4C from the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron scored the first aerial victory by a U.S. aircrew over a North Vietnamese MiG-21 "Fishbed". On 24 July 1965, another Phantom from the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron became the first American aircraft to be downed by an enemy SAM, and on 5 October 1966 an 8th Tactical Fighter Wing F-4C became the first U.S. jet lost to an air-to-air missile, fired by a MiG-21.

On 2 January 1967, F-4Cs of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, under the command of Robin Olds, executed Operation Bolo, a response to heavy losses sustained during Operation Rolling Thunder. Olds' and his flight flew out of Ubon in Thailand and simulated an F-105 strike force. In response, the VPAF sent up MiG-21s to shoot down the Phantoms. The ensuing battle resulted in the VPAF losing half of their MiG-21 fleet with no losses from the American side.

Aerial combat in the Vietnam War

The USAF and the US Navy had high expectations of the F-4 Phantom, assuming that the massive firepower, the best available on-board radar, the highest speed and acceleration properties, coupled with new tactics, would provide Phantoms with an advantage over the MiGs. However, in confrontations with the lighter MiG-21, F-4s did not always succeed and began to suffer losses. Over the course of the air war in Vietnam, between 3 April 1965 and 8 January 1973, each side would ultimately claim favorable kill ratios.

During the war, U.S. Navy F-4 Phantoms claimed 40 air-to-air victories at a loss of seven Phantoms to enemy aircraft. USMC F-4 pilots claimed three enemy MiGs at the cost of one aircraft in air-combat. USAF F-4 Phantom crews scored 107+1⁄2 MiG kills (including 33+1⁄2 MiG-17s, eight MiG-19s and 66 MiG-21s) at a cost of 33 Phantoms in air-combat. F-4 pilots were credited with a total of 150+1⁄2 MiG kills at a cost of 42 Phantoms in air-combat.

According to the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF), 103 F-4 Phantoms were shot down by MiG-21s at a cost of 54 MiG-21s downed by F-4s. During the war, the VPAF lost 131 MiGs in air combat (63 MiG-17s, eight MiG-19s and 60 MiG-21s) of which one half were by F-4s.

From 1966 to November 1968, in 46 air battles conducted over North Vietnam between F-4s and MiG-21s, VPAF claimed 27 F-4s were shot down by MiG-21s at a cost of 20 MiG-21s In 1970, one F-4 Phantom was shot down by a MiG-21. The struggle culminated on 10 May 1972, with VPAF aircraft completing 64 sorties, resulting in 15 air battles. The VPAF claimed seven F-4s were shot down, while U.S. confirmed five F-4s were lost. The Phantoms, in turn, managed to destroy two MiG-21s, three MiG-17s, and one MiG-19. On 11 May, two MiG-21s, which played the role of "bait", brought the four F-4s to two MiG-21s circling at low altitude. The MiGs quickly engaged and shot down two F-4s. On 18 May, Vietnamese aircraft made 26 sorties in eight air engagements, which cost 4 F-4 Phantoms; Vietnamese fighters on that day did not suffer losses.

On 5 August 1967, the USS Forrestal was stationed off the Indochina coast to carry out strikes against North Vietnam. An electrical fault caused a Zuni rocket to be fired from an F-4. The rocket struck the fuel tank of an A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft, starting a fire which quickly spread to other airplanes, setting off several bombs. The fire and explosions killed 134 men and seriously wounded 161 more in what became known as the 1967 USS Forrestal fire.

Non-U.S. users

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

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) leased 24 USAF F-4Es from 1970 to 1973 while waiting for their order for the General Dynamics F-111C to be delivered. They were so well-liked that the RAAF considered retaining the aircraft after the F-111Cs were delivered. They were operated from RAAF Amberley by No. 1 Squadron and No. 6 Squadron.

In 1979, the Egyptian Air Force purchased 35 former USAF F-4Es along with a number of Sparrow, Sidewinder and Maverick missiles from the U.S. for $594 million as part of the "Peace Pharaoh" program. An additional seven surplus USAF aircraft were purchased in 1988. Three attrition replacements had been received by the end of the 1990s.

Egyptian F-4Es were retired in 2020, with their former base at Cairo West Air Base being reconfigured for the operation of F-16C/D Fighting Falcons.

The West German Air Force (Luftwaffe) found itself in need of numerous new aircraft following the December 1967 publication of NATO's new flexible response doctrine. With the move back towards fighting a conventional war in Europe, there was a need for both far more capable photoreconnaissance and fighter aircraft, with the RF-104G and F-104G fleets respectively being considered obsolescent due to their inability to operate in bad weather, at night, and in the latter's case, its performance being deemed insufficient for the air defense and air superiority missions against the MiG-21 that was fielded en masse by Warsaw Pact air forces. These new aircraft would need to enter service relatively quickly as well, with age and fatigue rates putting Luftwaffe strength below the required numbers by 1976. However, with the ongoing development of the Panavia Tornado there was insufficient capital to design new aircraft for these roles, and thus foreign models would have to be procured.

The photoreconnaissance aircraft selection pool was relatively small to start with, consisting of the Canadair CF-5A(R), Mirage IIIR, Saab S 35E, Lockheed RTF-104G, and McDonnell Douglas RF-4E. The competition came down to the RTF-104G and RF-4E, the former being a heavily modified phtoreconnaissance variant of the TF-104G and the latter an F-4E based equivalent to the USAF's own RF-4C intended for export customers. As the RTF-104G could still reuse most existing infrastructure at bases operating RF-104Gs while RF-4Es could not, the latter had a substantially higher unit price - 23 million Deutsche Marks for an RF-4E compared to 8 million DM for an RTF-104G. The latter was also considered slightly more modern, and could be built under license on the existing F-104G production line at Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB), meaning most of the money would be kept in West Germany. However, the safety and power advantages of the Phantom were viewed very favorably - the USAF had experienced loss rates of 9 F-4 versus 25 F-104 for every 100,000 flight hours, and West German experience with the F-104 platform was marred with crashes. Another factor in the Phantom's favor was industrial offsets, as West Germany had set aside 3 billion DM to purchase defense equipment from the U.S. which could be used outside of the normal defense budget to fund this acquisition. In 1969, the German Defense Ministry decided to procure 88 RF-4Es, with the contract costing 2.052 billion DM. While not manufactured in West Germany, their construction was not wholly American. Companies like MBB produced stabilizers, landing gear doors, outer wings, and ailerons which were then shipped to McDonnell Douglas's St. Louis factory for final assembly.

Civilian use

In 1988, Sandia National Laboratories mounted an F-4 on a "rocket sled", then crashed it into reinforced concrete to learn about the collision of aircraft with structures such as a nuclear power plant.

An F-4D (civilian registration NX749CF) is operated by the Massachusetts-based non-profit organization Collings Foundation as a "living history" exhibit. Funds to maintain and operate the aircraft, which is based in Houston, Texas, are raised through donations and sponsorships from public and commercial parties.

In the 1960s, NASA used the F-4 to photograph and film Titan II missiles after their launch from Cape Canaveral after finding the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter inadequate. Jack Petry, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, said he put his F-4 into a Mach 1.2 dive synchronized to the launch countdown, then "walked the [rocket's] contrail". Petry's Phantom stayed with the Titan for 90 seconds, reaching 68,000 feet, then broke away as the missile continued into space.

NASA's Flight Research Center acquired an F-4A on 3 December 1965. It made 55 flights flying chase on X-15 missions and lifting body flights. The F-4 also supported a biomedical monitoring program involving 1,000 flights by NASA Flight Research Center aerospace research pilots and students of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School flying high-performance aircraft. The pilots were instrumented to record accurate and reliable data of electrocardiogram, respiration rate, and normal acceleration. In 1967, the Phantom supported a brief military-inspired program to determine whether an airplane's sonic boom could be directed and whether it could be used as a weapon of sorts, or at least an annoyance. NASA also flew an F-4C in a spanwise blowing study from 1983 to 1985, after which it was returned.

Culture

Legacy

The F-4 Phantom II is widely regarded as an iconic aircraft of post-WWII military aviation, celebrated for its versatility, performance, and distinctive design. With its bold lines and commanding presence, the Phantom earned deep respect for its performance, adaptability, and symbolic weight across generations of pilots and enthusiasts. Its long service life and widespread use in multiple roles have cemented its status as a symbol of military aviation. With 5,195 Phantom II aircraft produced over more than 20 years in multiple variants, the F-4 achieved huge commercial success as the best-selling supersonic fighter in U.S. history. It currently remains the latest, and final aircraft model to produce "ace-status" for a member of any branch of the United States armed forces.

Nicknames

The Phantom gathered a number of nicknames during its career. Some of these names included "Snoopy", "Rhino", "Double Ugly", "Old Smokey", the "Flying Anvil", "Flying Footlocker", "Flying Brick", "Lead Sled", the "Big Iron Sled", and the "St. Louis Slugger" (owing to it being produced in St. Louis). In recognition of its record of downing large numbers of Soviet-built MiGs, it was called the "World's Leading Distributor of MiG Parts". As a reflection of excellent performance in spite of its bulk, the F-4 was dubbed "the triumph of thrust over aerodynamics." German Luftwaffe crews called their F-4s the Eisenschwein ("Iron Pig"), Fliegender Ziegelstein ("Flying Brick") and Luftverteidigungsdiesel ("Air Defense Diesel"). In the RAF it was most commonly referred to as "The Toom" (not tomb). Whilst the Turkish Air Force crewmen nicknamed it as Baba ("Father").

Reputation

Imitating the spelling of the aircraft's name, McDonnell issued a series of patches. Pilots became "Phantom Phlyers", backseaters became "Phantom Pherrets", 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".

Several active websites are devoted to sharing information on the F-4, and the aircraft is grudgingly admired as brutally effective by those who have flown it. Colonel (Ret.) Chuck DeBellevue reminisced, "The F-4 Phantom was the last plane that looked like it was made to kill somebody. It was a beast. It could go through a flock of birds and kick out barbeque from the back." It had "a reputation of being a clumsy bruiser reliant on brute engine power and obsolete weapons technology."

The Spook

The aircraft's emblem is a whimsical cartoon ghost called "The Spook", which was created by 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 many items associated with the F-4. The Spook has followed the Phantom around the world adopting local fashions; for example, the British adaptation of the U.S. "Phantom Man" is a Spook that sometimes wears a bowler hat and smokes a pipe.

Variants

F-4A, B, J, N and S

Variants for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. F-4B was upgraded to F-4N, and F-4J was upgraded to F-4S.

F-110 (original USAF designation for F-4C), F-4C, D and E

Variants for the U.S. Air Force. F-4E introduced an internal M61 Vulcan cannon. The F-4D and E were the most numerously produced, widely exported, and also extensively used under the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) U.S. air defense system.

F-4G Wild Weasel V

A dedicated Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) variant for the U.S. Air Force with updated radar and avionics, converted from F-4E. The designation F-4G was applied earlier to an entirely different U.S. Navy Phantom.

F-4K and M

Variants for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, respectively, built with Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines.

F-4EJ and RF-4EJ

Simplified F-4E exported to and license-built in Japan. Some modified for reconnaissance role, carrying photographic or electronic reconnaissance pods and designated RF-4EJ.

F-4F

Simplified F-4E exported to Germany.

QRF-4C, QF-4B, E, G, N and S

Retired aircraft converted into remote-controlled target drones used for weapons and defensive systems research by USAF and USN / USMC.

RF-4B, C, and E

Operators

Current

Greece

Hellenic Air Force – 16 F-4E AUPs (Peace Icarus 2000 variant) in service as of 2024

Andravida Air Base, Elis

338th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force – 60 F-4D, F-4E, and RF-4Es in service as of 2021

Bandar Abbas Air Base, Hormozgan Province

91st Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4E)

Bushehr Air Base, Bushehr Province

61st Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4E)

Chabahar Konarak Air Base, Sistan and Baluchestan Province

101st Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4D)

Hamadan Air Base, Hamadan Province

31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (RF-4E)

31st Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4E)

Turkey

Turkish Air Force – 30 F-4E 2020 Terminators in service as of 2024

Eskişehir Air Base, Eskişehir Province

111 Filo

Former operators

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force (24 leased F-4E aircraft in service between 1970 and 1973 as a stop-gap capability in the transition from Canberra bombers to the F-111C)

Egypt

Egyptian Air Force (F-4E 1977 to 2020)

Germany

German Air Force (RF-4E 1971 to 1994; F-4F 1973 to 2013; F-4E 1978 to 1992)

Greece

Hellenic Air Force (RF-4E 1978 to 2017)

Israel

Israeli Air Force (F-4E 1969 to 2004; RF-4C 1970 to 1971; RF-4E 1971 to 2004)

Iran

All passed to IRIAF

Japan

Japan Air Self-Defense Force (F-4EJ 1971 to 2021; RF-4E 1974 to 2020; RF-4EJ 1992 to 2020)

South Korea

Republic of Korea Air Force (F-4D 1969 to 2010; RF-4C 1989 to 2014; F-4E 1977 to 2024)

Spain

Spanish Air Force (F-4C 1971 to 1990; RF-4C 1978 to 2002)

Turkey

Turkish Air Force (RF-4E 1980 to 2015)

United Kingdom

Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (F-4K 1970 to 1994)

Privately owned

Platinum Fighters Sale – 1 F4H-1F

Notable accidents

On 6 June 1971, Hughes Airwest Flight 706, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 collided in mid-air with a United States Marine Corps F-4B Phantom above the San Gabriel Mountains, while en route from Los Angeles International Airport to Salt Lake City. All 49 on board the DC-9 were killed, while the pilot of the F-4B was unable to eject and died when the aircraft crashed shortly afterwards. The F-4B's Radar Intercept Officer successfully ejected from the plane and parachuted to safety, being the sole survivor of the incident.

On 9 August 1974, a Royal Air Force Phantom FGR2 was involved in a fatal collision with a civilian PA-25-235 Pawnee crop-sprayer over Norfolk, England.

On 1 October 1976, an RF-4C Phantom II impacted terrain on Holston Mountain near the Holston Mountain VORTAC, just north of Elizabethton, TN. Both crew members were killed.

On 17 August 1978, during a training exercise over the Mediterranean Sea, a US Navy F-4 shot down another US Navy F-4 with an AIM-9H. The pilots of the downed aircraft ejected and were recovered.

On 21 March 1987, Captain Dean Paul Martin, a pilot in the 163d Tactical Fighter Group of the California Air National Guard and son of entertainer Dean Martin, crashed his F-4C into San Gorgonio Mountain, California, shortly after departure from March Air Force Base. Both Martin and his weapon systems officer (WSO) were killed.

On 22 September 1987, a US Air Force RF-4C Phantom II was shot down by a US Navy F-14 Tomcat during training NATO Exercise Display Determination 87 over the Mediterranean. The RF-4C was conducting a simulated attack on USS Saratoga when the F-14 pilot became confused and launched a live AIM-9 Sidewinder. The RF-4C crew ejected and were recovered.

On 30 January 2023, a Greek Air Force F-4E Phantom II crashed into the Ionian Sea. The aircraft was conducting a training exercise when it crashed 46 km south of the Andravida Air Base. The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash.

Aircraft on display

As a result of its extensive number of operators and large number of aircraft produced, a significant number of F-4 Phantom IIs of a variety of variants have been preserved in museums and other locations around the world.

Gallery

Specifications (F-4E)

Data from The Great Book of Fighters, Quest for Performance, Encyclopedia of USAF Aircraft, and McDonnell F-4 Phantom: Spirit in the SkiesGeneral characteristics

Crew: 2

Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.2 m)

Wingspan: 38 ft 5 in (11.7 m)

Width: 27 ft 7 in (8.4 m) wing folded

Height: 16 ft 5 in (5 m)

Wing area: 530 sq ft (49.2 m2)

Aspect ratio: 2.77

Airfoil: NACA 0006.4–64 root, NACA 0003-64 tip

Empty weight: 30,328 lb (13,757 kg)

Gross weight: 41,500 lb (18,824 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 61,795 lb (28,030 kg)

Maximum landing weight: 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)

Fuel capacity: 1,994 US gal (1,660 imp gal; 7,550 L) or 12,961 lb (5,879 kg) internal, 3,335 US gal (2,777 imp gal; 12,620 L) or 21,678 lb (9,833 kg) with 2x 370 US gal (310 imp gal; 1,400 L) external tanks on the outer wing hardpoints and either a 600 or 610 US gal (500 or 510 imp gal; 2,300 or 2,300 L) tank for the center-line station.

Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J79-GE-17A after-burning turbojet engines, 11,905 lbf (52.96 kN) thrust each dry, 17,845 lbf (79.38 kN) with afterburner

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,280 kn (1,470 mph, 2,370 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m)