One of the finest flying weapon systems in the entire world,
the F4 Phantom has long be hailed as a key part of America gaining and maintain
air superiority since the early 1960s. First entering service with the US Navy,
the F4 Phantom was quickly adapted and modified for service in the US Marine
Corps and the US Air Force just a few years later. Designed, developed, and
constructed by McDonnell Douglas (one of the industries finest aeronautic
companies) this aircraft proved itself not only in training exercises but also
in the harsh and difficult Vietnam War.
Capable of speeds exceeding Mach 2.2, the F4 Phantom is
still classified as a large and long range fighter aircraft. Packing a maximum
payload north of 18,000 lbs installed on nine external areas, this machine was
built for one thing and one thing only – to dominate aerial and surface combat
and achieve complete and total air superiority over a given area. One of the
biggest bonuses of the F4 Phantom is its ability to readily adapt and
reconfigure to suit an mission objective – the weapon platforms can be
air-to-air, air-to-surface, air-to-ship or any configuration of those options.
But it’s not just the weapon payload or options that make
the F4 Phantom one of the most feared aircraft in the sky today – like many
other interceptors she was designed for incredible speed. Unlike many other
interceptors, the engineering team at McDonnell Douglas was able to pull it
off. Setting 15 world records for performance while flying plus holding the
title of world’s fastest aircraft for several years, the US military could rest
confidently knowing that they had a machine that was able to get in and out of
conflicts faster than anyone else – giving them an incredible edge in the air.
The F4 Phantom was able to not only prove itself during
training and testing but in actual combat, and was a big part of the offensive
and defensive planning for the Vietnam War. This machine was the go to aircraft
for pilots in the Navy and Air Force as was key in providing close air support
to millions of men on the ground. Also a capable recon aircraft because of its
in flight capabilities, the F4 Phantom was able to deliver important
intelligence that otherwise would never have been able to be collected. The
last aircraft platform to record an “Ace” status (pilots and crews become an
ace after shooting down 5 or more enemy craft in aerial combat), the F4 Phantom
was feared and respected by both sides throughout the conflict.
Use of the F4 Phantom platform would continue in peace time
throughout the 1970s and 1980s but would be phased out for more modern and
technologically advanced platforms like the F-15 and F-16. A handful of craft
were still used for recon roles in the first Gulf War, but by 1996 the machines
were officially removed from service to the US. Now used by the Blue Angels and
the Thunderbirds in their aerial displays, the F4 Phantom is also the main
aerial weapons platform for 11 US allied countries and nations around the
world.
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