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.
66-0469 joined the USAF's 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut, South Vietnam, where it flew photo missions around all of Southeast Asia. It survived the war and was next assigned to the 26th TRW at Zweibrucken, West Germany, supporting USAFE. It would end up with other reconnaissance units both in Europe and stateside before going to the 67th TRW at Bergstrom AFB, Texas; 66-0469 may have seen action in Operation Desert Storm as well, though its service record is not clear on this. As the 67th wound down flight operations after the First Gulf War in anticipation of closing Bergstrom, 66-0469 would end its career assigned to the Ogden Air Logistics Center as a test aircraft. When 66-0469 was retired in 1994, it was among the last RF-4s in USAF service, and was given a special commemorative scheme. As one of the last, it was donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum after retirement.
In the previous times I had visited the Hill museum, I had never been able to get a picture of 66-0469...and I still haven't gotten a satisfactory one. The commemorative scheme is very interesting: a white cheatline proclaiming "25 Years of Programmed Depot Maintenance," a large American flag on the tail, and all the crests of various USAF commands that flew RF-4Cs over the years. This was painted in a high-gloss scheme over the "Egypt One" two shades of gray camouflage worn by USAF RF-4Cs in the last few years of operations.
Unfortunately, because of the very crowded nature of Hill's collection, this is really the closest I could get to photograph even this much of the aircraft. The cameras in the foreground are the type carried by the RF-4C.
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.
66-0469 joined the USAF's 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut, South Vietnam, where it flew photo missions around all of Southeast Asia. It survived the war and was next assigned to the 26th TRW at Zweibrucken, West Germany, supporting USAFE. It would end up with other reconnaissance units both in Europe and stateside before going to the 67th TRW at Bergstrom AFB, Texas; 66-0469 may have seen action in Operation Desert Storm as well, though its service record is not clear on this. As the 67th wound down flight operations after the First Gulf War in anticipation of closing Bergstrom, 66-0469 would end its career assigned to the Ogden Air Logistics Center as a test aircraft. When 66-0469 was retired in 1994, it was among the last RF-4s in USAF service, and was given a special commemorative scheme. As one of the last, it was donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum after retirement.
In the previous times I had visited the Hill museum, I had never been able to get a picture of 66-0469...and I still haven't gotten a satisfactory one. The commemorative scheme is very interesting: a white cheatline proclaiming "25 Years of Programmed Depot Maintenance," a large American flag on the tail, and all the crests of various USAF commands that flew RF-4Cs over the years. This was painted in a high-gloss scheme over the "Egypt One" two shades of gray camouflage worn by USAF RF-4Cs in the last few years of operations.
Unfortunately, because of the very crowded nature of Hill's collection, this is really the closest I could get to photograph even this much of the aircraft. The cameras in the foreground are the type carried by the RF-4C.