The two-seat, all-weather, long-range supersonic interceptor and fighter-bomber aircraft, the F-4 Phantom II. Truly one for the history books in military aviation, this aircraft flew for the first time in May of 1958, was naval-launched and served from 1961, evaluated and approved by the United States Air Force in a slightly revised version barely a year later in 1962, which all went to introduce the Phantom II on a long and successful career.
F-4 Phantom II With twin turbojet engines and afterburners that could create a flamethrowing effect out its rear end, the F-4 Phantom II was driven to function efficiently in the performance of tactical air missions falling into categories of air superiority, interdiction, and close air support. It is configured to normally operate under a gross of more than 18,000 pounds, carrying bombs and missiles—conventionally guided, laser-guided, or nuclear—and rockets, air-to-air and ground-guided missiles, and pods of 20mm cannon. But it was the F-4 that was the first writing-user service to enter service sans internal gun and thus to be a pure missile/bomb carrier. The addition of an internal 20-mm gun made variants still more of a multi-mission fighter-e.g., the F-4E.
The dedicated reconnaissance (RF-4C) and “Wild Weasel” anti-aircraft missile suppression (F-4C WW) USAF Phantom configurations were also done. It participated extensively in the Vietnam War and went on to serve with the Air Force in its inventory into the late 1990s. While no longer in the USAF or Navy inventory, a few F-4s remain on strength with foreign nations. The Phantom was the first multi-service airplane, flying with the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps all at the same time. It is also the only one ever to be flown in the fleets of both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds.
The military forces of t 11 other world countries also were based on the F-4 Phantom II. Australia, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Iran, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey. Over 5,000 aircraft built by McDonnell Douglas came in the form of nearly reaching 5,000 F-4s, therefore earning its name a place in the books for being the highest-produced run of supersonic fighter out of the United States.
Over 800 F-4 Phantom II aircraft are now on the front lines for flying defense forces of eight nations: Egypt, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey. Another 100 became the drones QF-4, and the missile targets for the weapon training with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force. The Navy and Marine Corps replaced their aircraft with the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet, and the US Air Force replaced its aircraft with the F-15 Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
People are likely to be more familiar with one of the most famous of all F-4Cs – that of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base during the Vietnam War, which claimed a particularly notable victory on January 2, 1967. Flown by Major Philip Combies and 1st Lieutenant Lee Dutton, it brought down one North Vietnamese MiG-21 of Operation BOLO that day. The aircraft was restored in 2019 to its configuration during the Vietnam War and is now retired on loan to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
The whole contraption was designed by the legendary Col. Robin Olds as gossamer bait: a blatant military dare to the North Vietnamese MiG-21s to come out and try their luck against a set number of Phantoms in one-on-one combat. THUD. about halfway down the rail. As soon as those MiGs scrambled, all that array of Phantoms armed with air-to-air missiles was an aerial ambush it would be impossible to call off. So by flying their F-4C Phantom at the same speed and altitude as the F-105 Thunderchief, on the Vietnamese radar, their whole formation appeared to be just another “standard” Thunderchief formation.
On 2 January 1967 seven flights of four F-4Cs launched from Ubon airbase that morning, each using the names of car companies as callsigns. Arriving over Phuc Yen at about 15:00 hours local the first and second flights had both experienced delays getting to Phuc Yen, and the Elements had lost mutual support. Initial delays, though, quickly gave way to a fracas: By the 15-minute mark, seven of the MiG-21s had succumbed to the inferred and radar-guided Fox products. This mission led to the temporary stand-down of the North Vietnamese Air Force and spurred them to change their tactics.
Not to be left behind, Col. Robin Olds, World War II ace and leader of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, consistently took his place in follow-up dogfights. It is on May 20 of the year 1967 that two MiG-17 fighters were developed by Colonel Olds: one of the most engaging air battles of all time. A dogfight that was so insane and crazy it was called, respectively, “quite a remarkable air battle” by Olds.
One interesting way of gauging the legacy left by the lethal interceptor is that pilots had the skill to let it fly. With its influence on aerial warfare so pronounced, fans of military aviation worldwide continue to reminisce and celebrate the F-4 Phantom II.