One of the most famous and easily recognized fighter aircraft of the post-WWII era was the
McDonnell F-4 Phantom II. This aircraft was developed as a private venture by the aircraft
company but was soon ordered by the USN as a carrier-based attack aircraft. Its first flight took
place on May 27, 1958 and it entered active service in December 1960. It wasn’t long after the
F-4B appeared that a fly-off was set up with USAF front-line fighters. It was no contest, the F-4
performed so well that the USAF ordered their own variant, the F-4C. As time went on, the F-4
evolved into well over a dozen variants.


VF-84 “Jolly Rogers” received the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II in 1964. In 1970 concerns about
the F-4B’s condition eventually led to 228 being converted to F-4Ns. These aircraft were
completely stripped, refurbished and upgraded. The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972 with F-4B
150415 being the 95th aircraft to be converted. In 1975 VF-84’s last cruise with the F-4N was in
the Mediterranean on board the USS F. D. Roosevelt. F-4N 150415 was one of 78 F-4Ns
converted to QF-4N drones. VF-84 converted to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1976.