McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II
The age and vulnerability of the RF-101C Voodoo was apparent by the Vietnam War. As losses rose among the Voodoo community, the USAF sought a faster and newer replacement. The solution turned out to be yet another variant of the eminently adaptable F-4C Phantom II. The basic airframe was retained with a new nose, with three cameras placed inside. As the RF-4C was meant to be unarmed, it was not necessary to retain the multimode interception radar of the F-4C, and the RF-4C used the smaller AN/APQ-99 navigation radar. Lighter and more aerodynamic than the F-4C, the RF-4C proved to be the perfect replacement for the RF-101 and remaining RF-84F Thunderstreaks in USAF service. It entered service in 1965.
The RF-4C would be the last dedicated manned tactical reconnaissance aircraft in USAF service. They were used extensively over Vietnam, and in active-duty USAF squadrons until the late 1980s, when they were relegated to Air National Guard units. The last two squadrons of ANG RF-4Cs saw service during the First Gulf War, after which they were retired completely. A number were supplied to foreign air forces afterwards, but the RF-4E (built off of the early F-4E variant) remains the primary foreign RF-4 version.
Yet another RF-4C (I think my dad just took pictures of any F-4s that crossed his path), 65-0924 definitely belonged to the 124th TRW of the Idaho ANG at Boise. Dad took this picture in 1977, so the 124th had just reequipped with the RF-4C from the F-102 Delta Dagger only a short time before. This Phantom stopped in for an overnight stay before heading back to Boise. Unlike some other ANG units, Idaho's F-4 color schemes were very understated.
This picture not only shows the then-standard Southeast Asia camouflage scheme used by USAF RF-4Cs into the 1980s, but also the high-visibility tail numbers and insignia of the time, before they started being subdued. Also seen is the USAF's printing safety and pertinent information on the fuselage in white. One of my dad's Navy buddies joked that this was because the USAF was too lazy to look it up in a tech manual. These disappeared as the USAF switched over to darker and more effective camouflage schemes. In the background is Malmstrom AFB's control tower, which was torn down around 1994.
65-0924 served most of its career with the Idaho ANG, was retired when the unit reequipped with F-4Gs in 1991, and was probably scrapped in Arizona around 2009.
McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II
The age and vulnerability of the RF-101C Voodoo was apparent by the Vietnam War. As losses rose among the Voodoo community, the USAF sought a faster and newer replacement. The solution turned out to be yet another variant of the eminently adaptable F-4C Phantom II. The basic airframe was retained with a new nose, with three cameras placed inside. As the RF-4C was meant to be unarmed, it was not necessary to retain the multimode interception radar of the F-4C, and the RF-4C used the smaller AN/APQ-99 navigation radar. Lighter and more aerodynamic than the F-4C, the RF-4C proved to be the perfect replacement for the RF-101 and remaining RF-84F Thunderstreaks in USAF service. It entered service in 1965.
The RF-4C would be the last dedicated manned tactical reconnaissance aircraft in USAF service. They were used extensively over Vietnam, and in active-duty USAF squadrons until the late 1980s, when they were relegated to Air National Guard units. The last two squadrons of ANG RF-4Cs saw service during the First Gulf War, after which they were retired completely. A number were supplied to foreign air forces afterwards, but the RF-4E (built off of the early F-4E variant) remains the primary foreign RF-4 version.
Yet another RF-4C (I think my dad just took pictures of any F-4s that crossed his path), 65-0924 definitely belonged to the 124th TRW of the Idaho ANG at Boise. Dad took this picture in 1977, so the 124th had just reequipped with the RF-4C from the F-102 Delta Dagger only a short time before. This Phantom stopped in for an overnight stay before heading back to Boise. Unlike some other ANG units, Idaho's F-4 color schemes were very understated.
This picture not only shows the then-standard Southeast Asia camouflage scheme used by USAF RF-4Cs into the 1980s, but also the high-visibility tail numbers and insignia of the time, before they started being subdued. Also seen is the USAF's printing safety and pertinent information on the fuselage in white. One of my dad's Navy buddies joked that this was because the USAF was too lazy to look it up in a tech manual. These disappeared as the USAF switched over to darker and more effective camouflage schemes. In the background is Malmstrom AFB's control tower, which was torn down around 1994.
65-0924 served most of its career with the Idaho ANG, was retired when the unit reequipped with F-4Gs in 1991, and was probably scrapped in Arizona around 2009.