The F-4 Phantom was originally designed by McDonnell Douglas for the U.S. Navy as a fleet defence fighter but proved such an excellent aircraft it was operated by other navies and numerous air-forces worldwide, probably the best known Phantom is U.S. Air Force's first version, the Phantom F-4C, a total of 583 were made and it is the second most numerous phantom variant produced' The F-4 Phantom was went in to production in 1958 and at the end of production, twenty thee years later, a total of 5,195 had been produced. Phantom's served with US armed forces as a fighter bomber from 1960 until 1996 when it's role was taken over by the newer F-14, F-15, F-16 and the F/A-18 but remains in service with other air-forces. In it's many years of of US service the McDonnell Douglas Phantom was in action in many theatres notably including the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War. It is of note that the last Phantom produced was a F-4EJ built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1981, this was the last of 118 licence built aircraft made by Mitsubishi for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force. McDonnell Douglas Phantom F-4C Specifications: Span: 38 ft. 5 in. (27 ft. 6 in. folded) Length: 58 ft. 2 in. Height: 16 ft. 6 in. Weight: 58,000 lbs. loaded Engines: Twin 17,000 lbs. thrust General Electric J-79-GE-15s afterburning turbojets Maximum speed: 1,400 mph Range: 1,750 miles Service ceiling: 59,600 ft
Armament - 16,000 lbs of externally carried munitions which may include: |
