The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom F-4F of the German Air Force
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber originally developed for the Navy by McDonnell Douglas. The Phantom was used by the military from 1960 to 1996, and was the primary air superiority fighter and a workhorse fighter-bomber for the US Air Force, Navy and Marines during the Vietnam war. As of 2001 over 1,000 F-4s were in service with 11 nations worldwide The F-4 Phantom was designed as a fleet defense fighter for the Navy, and first entered service in 1960. By 1963, it had been adopted by the Air Force for the fighter-bomber role. When production ended in 1981, 5,195 Phantom IIs had been built, making it the most numerous American supersonic military aircraft. Until the advent of the F-15 Eagle, the F-4 also held a record for the longest continuous production with a run of 24 years. Innovations in the F-4 included an advanced pulse-doppler radar and extensive use of titanium in the airframe. QF-4 Phantom 74-626 at McGuire Air Force Base, 12 May 2007. A-10 Thunderbolt II in the imposing dimensions and a Maximum Takeoff Weight of over 60,000 pounds (27,000 kg), the F-4 was capable of reaching a top speed of Mach and had an initial climb rate of over 41,000 feet per minute (210 m/s). Shortly after its introduction, the Phantom set 16 world records, including an absolute speed record of 1, miles per hour (2, km/h), and an absolute altitude record of 98,557 feet (30,040 m). Although set in 1959-1962, five of the speed records were not broken until 1975.
Size: 5692px × 3501px
Location: RAF Lossiemouth Moray Grampian Region Scotland
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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