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Additional
Information from Internet Encyclopedia
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. It first
entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was
also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, and by the
mid-1960s had become a major part of their air wings.
The
Phantom is a large fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry more
than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including
air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs. The F-4, like
other interceptors of its time, was designed without an internal cannon. Later
models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15
world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record,
and an absolute altitude record.
The
F-4 was used extensively during the Vietnam War. It served as the principal air
superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, and became important in
the ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance roles late in the war. The Phantom
has the distinction of being the last U.S. fighter flown by pilots who attained
ace status in the 20th century. During the Vietnam War, one U.S. Air Force
pilot and two weapon systems officers (WSOs), and one U.S. Navy pilot and one
radar intercept officer (RIO) became aces by achieving five aerial kills
against enemy fighter aircraft. The F-4 continued to form a major part of U.S.
military air power throughout the 1970s and 1980s, being gradually replaced by
more modern aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 in the U.S. Air Force, the
Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy, and the F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S. Navy
and U.S. Marine Corps.
The
F-4 Phantom II remained in use by the U.S. in the reconnaissance and Wild
Weasel (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) roles in the 1991 Gulf War, finally
leaving service in 1996. It was also the only aircraft used by both U.S. flight
demonstration teams: the USAF Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the US Navy Blue Angels
(F-4J). The F-4 was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations.
Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several ArabIsraeli conflicts, while
Iran used its large fleet of Phantoms in the IranIraq War. Phantoms remain in
front line service with five countries. Phantom production ran from 1958 to
1981, with a total of 5,195 built, making it the most numerous American
supersonic military aircraft.
The
F-4 remains in service with Iran, Japan, South Korea, and Turkey. It has been
used in combat against the Islamic State.
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 United States Navy with a proposal for
the "Super Demon". Uniquely, the aircraft was to be modularit 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) cannon, 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. 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
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.
The
XF4H-1 was designed to carry four semi-recessed 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 variable geometry
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, the landing gear was designed to withstand landings with a
sink rate of 23 ft/s (7 m/s), while the nose strut could extend by some 20 in
(51 cm) to increase angle of attack at takeoff.
Early
in production, the radar was upgraded to the Westinghouse AN/APQ-72, and
AN-APG-50 with a larger radar antenna, necessitating the bulbous nose, and the
canopy was reworked to improve visibility and make the rear cockpit less
claustrophobic. During its career the Phantom underwent many changes in the
form of numerous variants developed.
The
USAF received Phantoms as the result of Defense Secretary 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 Convair F-106
Delta Dart, the USAF borrowed two Naval F-4Bs, temporarily designating them
F-110A "Spectre" in January 1962, and developed requirements for
their own version. Unlike the navy's focus on interception, the USAF emphasized
a 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 air force Phantom flew on 27 May 1963, exceeding
Mach 2 on its maiden flight.
The
USN operated the F4H-1 (re-designated 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.
A total of 45 F-4As were built and 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 AAA-4 Infra-red search and track pod under the nose, 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
F-4J had improved air-to-air and ground-attack capability; deliveries begun 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 U.S. Navy-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
or VTAS (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.[29]
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). Of these, 2,874
went to the USAF, 1,264 to the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest to foreign
customers. The last U.S.-built F-4 went to South Korea, while the last F-4
built was an F-4EJ built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan and delivered
on 20 May 1981. As of 2008, 631 Phantoms were in service worldwide, while the
Phantoms were in use as a target drone (specifically QF-4Cs) operated by the U.S.
military until December 21, 2016, when the Air Force officially ended use of
the type.
The
F-4 Phantom is a tandem-seat fighter-bomber designed as a carrier-based
interceptor to fill the U.S. Navy's fleet defense fighter role. Innovations in
the F-4 included an advanced pulse-Doppler radar and extensive use of titanium
in its airframe.
Despite
imposing dimensions and a maximum takeoff weight of over 60,000 lb (27,000 kg),
the F-4 has a top speed of Mach 2.23 and an initial climb rate of over 41,000
ft/min (210 m/s). The F-4's nine external hardpoints have a capability of up to
18,650 pounds (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.
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. As a massive
fighter aircraft designed to fire radar-guided missiles from beyond visual
range, it lacked the agility of its Soviet opponents and was subject to adverse
yaw during hard maneuvering. Although thus subject to irrecoverable spins
during aileron rolls, 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 noticeable amounts of black smoke (at mid-throttle/cruise
settings), a severe disadvantage in that the enemy could spot the aircraft.
This was solved on the F-4S fitted with the −10A engine variant which used a
smokeless combustor.
The
F-4's biggest weakness, as it was initially designed, was its lack of an
internal cannon. 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 use multiple shots (also
known as ripple-firing), 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.
On
30 December 1960, the 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. 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 "Fresco". 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.
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 from VMFA-531 'Gray
Ghosts' were assigned to Da Nang airbase 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 'Black Knights',
VMFA-232 'Red Devils, VMFA-323 'Death Rattlers', and VMFA-542 'Bengals' soon
arrived at the primitive airfield. Marine F-4 pilots claimed three enemy MiGs
(two while on exchange duty with the USAF) at the cost of 75 aircraft lost in
combat, mostly to ground fire, and four in accidents. VMCJ-1 Golden Hawks (now
VMAQ-1 and VMAQ-4 which has the old RM tailcode) flew the first RF-4B photo
recon mission on 3 November 1966 from Da Nang and remained there until 1970
with no RF-4B losses and one damaged by AAA. 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-4-Bs 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-18 Hornet. The F-4 continued to equip fighter-attack squadrons in both
Marine Corps active and reserve 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, after which the squadron was
re-equipped with F/A-18 Hornets.
In
USAF service, the F-4 was initially designated the F-110 Spectre 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 USAF Phantoms in Vietnam were F-4Cs from the 555th Tactical Fighter
Squadron "Triple Nickel", which arrived in December 1964.
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. While the rear pilot
(GIB, or "guy in back") could fly and ostensibly land the aircraft,
he 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. However, all USAF Phantoms
retained dual flight controls throughout their service life.
On
10 July 1965, F-4Cs of the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 15th TFW, on
temporary assignment in Ubon, Thailand, 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.
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. The USAF Thunderbirds used the F-4E from the 1969
season until 1974.
Although
the F-4C was essentially identical to the Navy/Marine Corps F-4B in flight
performance and carried the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, USAF-tailored F-4Ds
initially arrived in June 1967 equipped with AIM-4 Falcons. However, the
Falcon, like its predecessors, was designed to shoot down heavy bombers flying
straight and level. Its reliability proved no better than others and its
complex firing sequence and limited seeker-head cooling time made it virtually
useless in combat against agile fighters. The F-4Ds reverted to using
Sidewinders under the "Rivet Haste" program in early 1968, and by
1972 the AIM-7E-2 "Dogfight Sparrow" had become the preferred missile
for USAF pilots. Like other Vietnam War Phantoms, the F-4Ds were urgently
fitted with radar homing and warning (RHAW) antennas to detect the Soviet-built
S-75 Dvina SAMs.
From
the initial deployment of the F-4C to Southeast Asia, USAF Phantoms performed
both air superiority and ground attack roles, supporting not only ground troops
in South Vietnam but also conducting bombing sorties in Laos and North Vietnam.
As the F-105 force underwent severe attrition between 1965 and 1968, the
bombing role of the F-4 proportionately increased until after November 1970
(when the last F-105D was withdrawn from combat) it became the primary USAF
tactical ordnance delivery system. In October 1972 the first squadron of EF-4C
Wild Weasel aircraft deployed to Thailand on temporary duty. The "E"
prefix was later dropped and the aircraft was simply known as the F-4C Wild
Weasel.