And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Took my sons to the US Navy Aviation Museum in Pensacola a few years ago and there was an F-4 out in the annex building. My son who was about 11 at the time said "Why is there a Battlestar Galactica Viper in here?"
Did 2 tours as a crew chief at Crooked Creek, 82-86 & 89-93 when we shut it down. One of the old D model Rhinos from BW is a gate guard here at Eielson AFB, AK. I did the prep work on it to put it on the pad. Got a few “souveniers” out of it before I riveted the canopies closed. BTW, that D model image above is missing the droop snoot….
In the BoyScouts, our troop got invited to stand right on the edge of the runway, at Hanscom Field, watch Phantoms take off on full afterburner, point right before they lifted off, just earth shaking loud. Make your pants legs vibrate, feel it thru your boots loud. Its a lot larger jet than any picture portrays. Amazing something so big gets going so quickly. And those big honkin intakes, the tail is the coolest looking part though IMO. Looks Sci-Fi or alien like. Lot of smoke out the back.
I was a US Marine tank commander in Vietnam, so I saw a lot of CAS (Close Air Support) flights where they used Phantoms. We loved seeing Marine pilots sheer off tree limbs as they came in loud and proud. It is my understanding that these planes were not very good in any kind of aerial combat. They were not very agile. They sure were good at CAS!!!
Can not help but wonder how many gallons of fuel all the US Phantoms collectively used over their lifespan? Lot of money no doubt. Love the aircraft, exceptional design, so ugly its beautiful.
As big as a WW2 B-17, and about the same weapons load as I recall. A beast. Hulking and fearsome in appearance. I recall an intercepted transcript of a communication from Idi Amin Dada, talking to his counterpart in some other country (Egypt, maybe?) - it went something like this "I need 24 phantom aircraft" (Idi Amin). "Why?" (whoever was on the other end of the phone call). "I need them to bomb Tanzania!" . Turkey, Greece and Iran are apparently still flying some of these beasts. South Korea is retiring it's remaining F-4s as of the end of 2023.
I saw the USAF Thunderbirds perform with these beauties in 1972. Very impressive airplane and my second favorite aircraft after the F-86.
ReplyDeleteDon....aside from including a P-51, agree on favorites. F4 is so good, I suspect there's North American Aviation influence in it's lienage. /S
ReplyDeleteI was in VietNam and worked right next to the spot where the 'Deadly Jester' parked, and it was an F4...in Vietnam.......
ReplyDeleteTook my sons to the US Navy Aviation Museum in Pensacola a few years ago and there was an F-4 out in the annex building. My son who was about 11 at the time said "Why is there a Battlestar Galactica Viper in here?"
ReplyDeleteWhen I was stationed at Selfridge in the 80's the Michigan Air Guard still flew Phantoms. Loudest fighter ever built. Eod1sg Ret
ReplyDeleteNo it's not by a long shot
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DeleteAnonymous, the F'n A-18 gets my vote for noisiest.
My favorite early jet age,they were leaving RAF Bentwaters and we were getting A-10s
ReplyDeleteDid 2 tours as a crew chief at Crooked Creek, 82-86 & 89-93 when we shut it down. One of the old D model Rhinos from BW is a gate guard here at Eielson AFB, AK. I did the prep work on it to put it on the pad. Got a few “souveniers” out of it before I riveted the canopies closed. BTW, that D model image above is missing the droop snoot….
DeleteIn the BoyScouts, our troop got invited to stand right on the edge of the runway, at Hanscom Field, watch Phantoms take off on full afterburner, point right before they lifted off, just earth shaking loud. Make your pants legs vibrate, feel it thru your boots loud. Its a lot larger jet than any picture portrays. Amazing something so big gets going so quickly. And those big honkin intakes, the tail is the coolest looking part though IMO. Looks Sci-Fi or alien like. Lot of smoke out the back.
ReplyDeleteI was a US Marine tank commander in Vietnam, so I saw a lot of CAS (Close Air Support) flights where they used Phantoms. We loved seeing Marine pilots sheer off tree limbs as they came in loud and proud. It is my understanding that these planes were not very good in any kind of aerial combat. They were not very agile. They sure were good at CAS!!!
ReplyDeleteThe RAAF had them when they were waiting to get their F-111s. Nos 1 And 6 SQN in at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.
ReplyDeleteCan not help but wonder how many gallons of fuel all the US Phantoms collectively used over their lifespan?
ReplyDeleteLot of money no doubt. Love the aircraft, exceptional design, so ugly its beautiful.
I was a crew chief on the F4 E at Elmendorf . They were swapping them out for the F15 as I was leaving. Hydraulic leaks galore.
ReplyDeleteWorked on D model for 6 years, lotta love/hate for the brick.
ReplyDeleteIt did everything it was tasked with doing well. Not excellently, but well.
ReplyDeleteAs big as a WW2 B-17, and about the same weapons load as I recall. A beast. Hulking and fearsome in appearance. I recall an intercepted transcript of a communication from Idi Amin Dada, talking to his counterpart in some other country (Egypt, maybe?) - it went something like this "I need 24 phantom aircraft" (Idi Amin). "Why?" (whoever was on the other end of the phone call). "I need them to bomb Tanzania!" . Turkey, Greece and Iran are apparently still flying some of these beasts. South Korea is retiring it's remaining F-4s as of the end of 2023.
ReplyDeleteJapan just retired all their F-4 Phantoms.
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