McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

Conceived by McDonnell Douglas, the F-4 Phantom II is one of the military aircrafts American most important of the 20th century and the fighter Occident Al having been produced more since the Second world war: the 5  195e and last specimen were delivered in 1981, after more than 20 years of uninterrupted production.

It is one of the very rare planes used simultaneously by the US Air Force, the US Navy and the US Marine Body, like by both lifting patrols of the Blue Angels (US Navy) and of the Thunderbirds (US Air Force).

Design

The company McDonnell had already certain experience of embarked aviation with reaction by building more 1  000 planes of these 3 models: FH-1 Phantom, F2H Banshee and F3H Demon. With the beginning of the year 1950, the company started to study the successor of F3H Demon on its equities. The sudden preliminary draft of many modifications, in particular because of the evolutions of the needs for the US Navy, which were really fixed only in 1955.

After conceivebeing conceived in the factory of Saint Louis (Missouri) of McDonnell Douglas (New name of the company after fusion of Mc Donnell and Douglas), prototype XF4H-1 Phantom stole for the first time the May 27th 1958. It was then about the first fighter without gun, having to use air-to-air missiles Sparrow or Sidewinder. The prototypes were quickly used to establish new records of performances (altitude and speed). The production aircraft were delivered to the US Navy as from 1960 and went on their first cruise on Porte-avions in 1962, before carrying out their first missions of combat to the Vietnam since 1964.

The US Air Force carried out an evaluation campaign of F-4 in 1962, and due to recognize that it was more powerful than its RF-101 Voodoo, F-105 Thunderchief and F-106A Delta Dart. It receipt its first F-4C (initially indicated F-110A Spectrum) in 1964, planes equipped with an electronics of edge very different from that from the F-4B from the US Navy and dual control allowing the two team members to control. They were quickly followed by the F-4D, with a still modified avionics (new radar, new system of aiming) and able to carry the Falcon missile.

The first versions of F-4 did not embark a gun intern, but missed this weapon cruelly the pilots because of the performances more than mitigated air-to-air missiles of the time and combat whirling against the Mig at the beginning of the Guerre of Vietnam. A first solution was the carrying of a ventral pod containing a gun many tubed Vulcan of 20 mm, but that posed other problems (increase in consumption while carburizing, lack of precision, etc). Lastly, in 1965, version F-4E equipped with a gun of 20mm appeared, which entered in service two years later and was the version of F-4 built in greater number. In 1972, the F-4E accepted new nozzles of leading edge improving maneuverability in combat.

Parallel to the development of these version terrestrial, the US Navy and the US Marine Body accepted as from 1966 an improved embarked version: the F-4J, equipped with new engines and an improved electronics, in addition to some aerodynamic improvements. In first half of the years 1970, the US Navy engaged a modernization program of its old F-4B, intended at the same time to make improvements of electronics and to prolong the lifespan of the cell: 228 planes were entirely dismounted, inspected and rebuilt by replacing certain parts by new parts. A few years later, a similar operation related to at least 250 F-4J, to which one added occasion consequently the improved nozzles resulting from the F-4E.

Exported towards ten country, F-4 was built under license with the Japan. Although built with the the United States, the two versions intended for the the United Kingdom include many elements (radar, brakes, etc) built by English industry. In particular, their engines Rolls-Royce Spey offer 14  % of power in more than the General Electric J79 which equip other F-4, which gives them better performances at low altitude and increases their operating range.

In 2005, F-4 Phantom II was always in service in 9 air forces and of many apparatuses were updated.

Engagements

  • War of Vietnam (drives out, bombardment, recognition, electronic war)

  • In the Middle East in the row Israeli, in particular at the time of the Guerre of Kippour
  • During the Guerre Iran-Iraq in aviation Iran ienne
  • During the 1st Guerre of the Gulf (recognition and electronic war only)

It is credited with 280 victories in aerial combat, for 51  % obtained to Vietnam and for 42  % in Israel.

Records

  • Altitude of 30  041 meters (December 6th, 1959, second prototype YF4H-1)
  • Speed of 2  584 km/h with more 13  000 meters of altitude (December 22nd, 1961, second prototype YF4H-1)
  • Speed of 1  452 km/h with 40 meters of average altitude (August 28th, 1961, F-4A)
  • Assembled to 9  000 meters in 61 seconds, 12  000 meters in 77 S, 15  000 meters in 114 S, 20  000 meters in 178 S, 25  000 meters in 230 S and 30  000 meters in 371 seconds (between February and April 1962, on several different F-4B).

Versions

  • F-4A : version of pre-production (45 specimens, US Navy)

  • F-4B : first version of production (new engine, modified avionics, 650 specimens, US Navy and US Marine Body)
  • QF-4B: 44 F-4B converted into drones for tests of missiles
  • RF-4B: version of recognition of the F-4B (45 specimens, US Marine Body)
  • F-4C : first version for the US Air Force (dual control, modified avionics, 583 specimens of which forty resold later with the Spain
  • EF-4C: 36 F-4C converted into planes of electronic war (US Air Force)
  • RF-4C : version of recognition of the F-4C (503 specimens, US Air Force)
  • F-4D : version improved of the F-4C (new avionics, 793 specimens, US Air Force, Iran, South Korea)
  • F-4E : addition of a gun of 20mm, new radar and new engines (1348 specimens, US Air Force, Turkey, South Korea, Israel, Greece, Iran, Egypt, Australia)
  • F-4EJ : version of the F-4E specialized for air defense (140 specimens built under license with the Japan)
  • RF-4E : version of recognition of the F-4E (approximately 140 specimens, Germany, Israel, Iran, Greece, Turkey)
  • F-4F : simplified version of the F-4E for the Germany (175 specimens)
  • F-4G Wild Weasel : 114 F-4E converted into electronic plane of War (US Air Force)
  • F-4J : final version for the US Navy and US Marine Body (new engines, improved avionics, 522 specimens)
  • F-4K: version of the F-4J for the Royal Navy (engines Rolls-Royce Spey, modified avionics, 48 specimens)
  • F-4M : version for the Royal Air Force (avionics different from the F-4K, 115 specimens)
  • F-4N: modernization/prolongation of the lifespan of 228 F-4B of the US Navy
  • F-4S: modernization/prolongation of the lifespan of approximately 250 F-4J of the US Navy and US Marine Body
  • Kurnass 2000: improved version designed in Israel

Other characteristics

  • an old counterpart of pilot: “The Phantom has living room proof that with enough power, even has brig edge fly” (Phantom is an alive proof that with sufficient power, even a brick can fly!)

See too

  • List of the military aircrafts

External bonds

  • Historical and characteristic of F-4 Phantom II on the FAQ of fr.rec.aviation
  • detailed History of F-4 Phantom II on the site of Joseph F. Baugher

Simple: F-4 Phantom II

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