McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II
Under pressure from the Kennedy administration to reduce the military budget by having more commonality between the services, the USAF evaluated the US Navy's F4H-1 Phantom II against the F-105 Thunderchief (as a tactical fighter), the F-106 Delta Dart (as an interceptor), and the RF-101 Voodoo (as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft). To the USAF's surprise, the F4H-1 outperformed all three, and was capable of doing all three missions with the same general type of aircraft.
Impressed, the USAF asked for the loan of two F4H-1s for further evaluation preparatory to purchase. These were painted in overall ADC Gray and redesignated F-110A Spectre in 1961. Soon thereafter, it was announced that the USAF would purchase the F-110A as its standard tactical fighter, to replace the F-105 (the F-106 would remain the USAF's standard interceptor), while the RF-110A would replace the RF-101. However, to eliminate confusion over aircraft types, the Tri-Service Aircraft Designation System was adopted in 1962; both the F4H-1 and F-110 were renamed simply the F-4. The Spectre name was dropped (though it would be adopted later for the Lockheed AC-130) in favor of the Navy's Phantom II. The Navy and USAF variants were designated F-4B and F-4C respectively, though the F-4C would be modified slightly for USAF requirements. This included wider main landing gear tires (which resulted in a bulge in the upper wing), flight controls for the backseater, and boom/plug refueling rather than probe/drogue.
In combat, the F-4C was something of a mixed bag. It was still an interceptor rather than a dogfighter, and over Vietnam, where it was pitted against more agile MiG-17s and MiG-21s, the Phantom was at a disadvantage. Its raw speed allowed its crews to pick and choose a fight, but it could not turn with the smaller North Vietnamese fighters. Its biggest problem was the lack of an internal gun, especially since the AIM-7 Sparrows and AIM-9 Sidewinders that formed its normal warload were unreliable. Finally, a lack of dogfight training left USAF pilots at a disadvantage. Though tactics would change and missiles would improve, F-4C crews were barely reaching parity with an enemy the USAF outnumbered and outgunned. There was nothing wrong with the aircraft itself: it was simply being committed to a role it was not designed for.
The F-4C was gradually replaced in Vietnam by improved F-4D/E variants, though C models would be involved until the end of the war. Following the end of American involvement, the F-4C was relegated to Air National Guard interceptor units. These would remain in service until the early 1990s, when they were retired in favor of the F-15 Eagle.
F-4C 64-0823 was delivered to the USAF's 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Bentwaters, UK in 1965. It was only there a year before going to the 479th TFW at George AFB, California in 1966, and only there a year before heading to Southeast Asia. 64-0823 served in the famous "Wolfpack," the 8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, but also with the 366th TFW at Da Nang. It returned to the 479th in 1971 (after a year with the 405th TFW at Clark AFB, Philippines), back to the 81st TFW at Bentwaters in 1973, and to the 401st TFW at Torrejon, Spain in 1973 to 1979--the longest 64-0823 stayed with a single unit! It was then sent to the Air National Guard, serving with the "Coonass Militia"--the 159th TFG (Louisiana ANG) at New Orleans until 1985, and finished out its career with the 142nd Fighter-Interceptor Group (Oregon ANG) at Portland until retirement in 1988. 64-0823 got around.
For such a well-traveled F-4, 64-0823 almost had an ignominious ending. After retirement, it was handed over to the US Army and parked at the Sierra Army Depot in Nevada to be used as a fire trainer. However, 64-0823 was never torched, and in 1994, the Army put the aircraft up for donation. The Pacific Coast Air Museum got the F-4, dismantled it, and trucked it to Santa Rosa, California for restoration.
64-0823 was restored to its appearance with the 8th TFW, and initially carried four kill marks to honor the Wolfpack's famous commander, Colonel Robin Olds. However, this led visitors to think that the F-4 was an actual MiG killer, so when it came time to repaint 64-0823, the kill stars were dropped. All the same, PCAM did a fantastic job in restoring the aircraft, which looks like it just stopped in. It is configured with six Mk 81 Snakeye bombs; the fins on the back of the bomb open up after being dropped, slowing the bomb down so the aircraft can escape the blast.
McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II
Under pressure from the Kennedy administration to reduce the military budget by having more commonality between the services, the USAF evaluated the US Navy's F4H-1 Phantom II against the F-105 Thunderchief (as a tactical fighter), the F-106 Delta Dart (as an interceptor), and the RF-101 Voodoo (as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft). To the USAF's surprise, the F4H-1 outperformed all three, and was capable of doing all three missions with the same general type of aircraft.
Impressed, the USAF asked for the loan of two F4H-1s for further evaluation preparatory to purchase. These were painted in overall ADC Gray and redesignated F-110A Spectre in 1961. Soon thereafter, it was announced that the USAF would purchase the F-110A as its standard tactical fighter, to replace the F-105 (the F-106 would remain the USAF's standard interceptor), while the RF-110A would replace the RF-101. However, to eliminate confusion over aircraft types, the Tri-Service Aircraft Designation System was adopted in 1962; both the F4H-1 and F-110 were renamed simply the F-4. The Spectre name was dropped (though it would be adopted later for the Lockheed AC-130) in favor of the Navy's Phantom II. The Navy and USAF variants were designated F-4B and F-4C respectively, though the F-4C would be modified slightly for USAF requirements. This included wider main landing gear tires (which resulted in a bulge in the upper wing), flight controls for the backseater, and boom/plug refueling rather than probe/drogue.
In combat, the F-4C was something of a mixed bag. It was still an interceptor rather than a dogfighter, and over Vietnam, where it was pitted against more agile MiG-17s and MiG-21s, the Phantom was at a disadvantage. Its raw speed allowed its crews to pick and choose a fight, but it could not turn with the smaller North Vietnamese fighters. Its biggest problem was the lack of an internal gun, especially since the AIM-7 Sparrows and AIM-9 Sidewinders that formed its normal warload were unreliable. Finally, a lack of dogfight training left USAF pilots at a disadvantage. Though tactics would change and missiles would improve, F-4C crews were barely reaching parity with an enemy the USAF outnumbered and outgunned. There was nothing wrong with the aircraft itself: it was simply being committed to a role it was not designed for.
The F-4C was gradually replaced in Vietnam by improved F-4D/E variants, though C models would be involved until the end of the war. Following the end of American involvement, the F-4C was relegated to Air National Guard interceptor units. These would remain in service until the early 1990s, when they were retired in favor of the F-15 Eagle.
F-4C 64-0823 was delivered to the USAF's 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Bentwaters, UK in 1965. It was only there a year before going to the 479th TFW at George AFB, California in 1966, and only there a year before heading to Southeast Asia. 64-0823 served in the famous "Wolfpack," the 8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, but also with the 366th TFW at Da Nang. It returned to the 479th in 1971 (after a year with the 405th TFW at Clark AFB, Philippines), back to the 81st TFW at Bentwaters in 1973, and to the 401st TFW at Torrejon, Spain in 1973 to 1979--the longest 64-0823 stayed with a single unit! It was then sent to the Air National Guard, serving with the "Coonass Militia"--the 159th TFG (Louisiana ANG) at New Orleans until 1985, and finished out its career with the 142nd Fighter-Interceptor Group (Oregon ANG) at Portland until retirement in 1988. 64-0823 got around.
For such a well-traveled F-4, 64-0823 almost had an ignominious ending. After retirement, it was handed over to the US Army and parked at the Sierra Army Depot in Nevada to be used as a fire trainer. However, 64-0823 was never torched, and in 1994, the Army put the aircraft up for donation. The Pacific Coast Air Museum got the F-4, dismantled it, and trucked it to Santa Rosa, California for restoration.
64-0823 was restored to its appearance with the 8th TFW, and initially carried four kill marks to honor the Wolfpack's famous commander, Colonel Robin Olds. However, this led visitors to think that the F-4 was an actual MiG killer, so when it came time to repaint 64-0823, the kill stars were dropped. All the same, PCAM did a fantastic job in restoring the aircraft, which looks like it just stopped in. It is configured with six Mk 81 Snakeye bombs; the fins on the back of the bomb open up after being dropped, slowing the bomb down so the aircraft can escape the blast.