What is the F-4 Phantom II?

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a legendary aircraft — an icon of the Vietnam War and the archetype of the third-generation jet fighter designs that entered service in the 1960s. More than 5,000 of these heavy supersonic fighters were built, and hundreds continue to serve and even see combat in several air forces today.

Can F-4 Phantoms shoot down low-flying planes?

The Phantoms flown by the Turkish and Greek air forces both have modern pulse-doppler radars, which give the F-4 “look down-shoot down” capabilities. In the past, high-flying radars had trouble detecting low-flying aircraft because the radar waves bouncing off the ground created a cluttering effect.

What happened to the F-4 Phantom in 1965?

But when the F-4 confronted the lighter-weight MiG-17 and MiG-21 fighters of the North Vietnamese air force in 1965, the Phantom suffered. In the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force had shot down between six and 10 enemy fighters for every one of its aircraft lost in air-to-air combat.

Can Phantoms do what the F-15 can do?

These modernized Phantoms flown by the Turkish and Greek air forces can do pretty much what an F-15 can do … at a much lower price. When the F-4 came out it in 1958 it was a revolutionary design — one that went on to set several aviation records.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is such an aircraft. Preliminary design of what was to become the Phantom II began in 1953 as a single-place, long-range, attack aircraft designated by McDonnell as the F3H-G (company-financed mock-up).

What US Navy units have F-4s?

VFMA-112, VFMA-115, VFMA-111, VFMA-134, VFMA-212, VFMA-232, VFMA-235, VFMA-251, VFMA-312, VFMA-321, VFMA-333, VFMA-451, and VFMAT-101. The first Navy squadron to receive the F-4S was VF-21, based at NAS Miramar in California, which began to receive its planes in December 1979. The following Navy units eventually received F-4Ss:

When did the Marines stop using the F-4 Phantom?

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.

What was the first F-4s modification?

The first F-4S modification (F-4J BuNo 158360) took off on its maiden flight on July 22, 1977. The first F-4S delivered with leading edge slats from the start was 155899, which first appeared in November of 1979. First to get the F-4S was VMFA-451, which began to receive unslatted planes in June of 1978.