Those Phantom's keep on working........

edpop · by **edpop** » 11 Jul 2019, 06:55

https://airforcesmonthly.keypublishing. ... -for-riat/

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 11 Jul 2019, 15:50

Great article, thanks for sharing.

Amazing to see the old bird still flying with Turkey and Japan (there may be others). It's a real testament to McDonnell Douglas engineers of so many years ago. They were coming off a particularly weak offering (the Demon) and came up with a world record setting powerhouse. Great airshow jet. Loud. Fast. Powerful. You could really feel those twin J-79 in your bones during a takeoff or high speed pass.

Inspiring story..

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 11 Jul 2019, 16:18

mixelflick wrote:you could really feel those twin J-79 in your bones during a takeoff or high speed pass.

I always said they sound angry, like they are punishing the air for getting in the way, ripping holes in the atmosphere.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 11 Jul 2019, 18:10

sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:
mixelflick wrote:you could really feel those twin J-79 in your bones during a takeoff or high speed pass.

I always said they sound angry, like they are punishing the air for getting in the way, ripping holes in the atmosphere.

Imagine the sound the Northrop N-167 interceptor might have made with FOUR J79s.

johnwill · by **johnwill** » 11 Jul 2019, 20:15

J-79 loud? I was working night shift in the structures test lab at GD in the early '60s, took a dinner break by taking a walk outside near the Carswell runway. Just in time to see, hear, and feel about 5 or 6 B-58s perform a minimum interval takeoff drill right in front of me. That's at least 8 J-79s at max power continuously for 2 or 3 minutes.

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 11 Jul 2019, 20:50

I can only imagine the roar...

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 11 Jul 2019, 22:10

johnwill · by **johnwill** » 12 Jul 2019, 00:46

Many thanks, sferrin. Since those were 43rd Bomb Wing airplanes from Carswell, almost certainly they were the same ones I saw later. One of my work mates was at EAFB when that test was run, so I imagine he watched some of the tests there. He was there to support wet runway braking tests on B-58. Fifty six years later, he is still a good friend.

Another bit of trivia, John Denver's dad was a B-58 pilot at Carswell at that time, Maj. Henry Deutschendorf.

F-16ADF · by **F-16ADF** » 12 Jul 2019, 01:16

The full AB roar was one thing, but so was the mil power howl (in F-4B/C/D/N and RF-4B/C -- the F-4E,F,J,S didn't).

Here are a couple Spanish RF-4C's, hear the mil power howl. They used the near same engine (-15) as the USAF/ANG F-4C/D. How I miss that sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f_ZadruwIQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUe3MAJ5B6M (at 1:05)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sie9sRgr8ME (note, the F-4F doesn't; since it has the -17 motors)

NDANG F-4D's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC4elTPvsgY

basher54321 · by **basher54321** » 10 Mar 2020, 21:14

https://www.key.aero/article/japan-cond ... ing-flight

The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has flown its final official training sortie with its McDonnell Douglas RF-4EJ tactical reconnaissance aircraft.

The service took to social media to announce that the last training flight had been undertaken by 501 Hikotai (501 Squadron) from Hyakuri air base, Omitama, in Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture, on March 9.

With the air arm phasing out its Phantom II force, Hyakuri was home to the last of the JASDF’s RF-4s, being home to 501 Hikotai and 301 Hikotai – with the former operating the RF-4E and RF-4EJ and the latter employing the F-4EJ Kai, a fighter variant of the aircraft. The RF-4EJ is visually distinguishable from the RF-4E by its nose, which lacks camera equipment and retains the F-4E gun housing..........

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 11 Mar 2020, 14:16

Well, the Iranians will be flying F-4D's and E's.... through the 2020's!

"Iran is by far the largest operator of the F-4 with five squadrons and an additional reconnaissance squadron in service totalling over 70 aircraft. Phantoms in Iranian service have been modernised considerably, equipped with updated sensors and electronic warfare systems and with indigenous derivative of the AIM-7 Sparrow with improved electronic warfare countermeasures. Iran's Phantom fleet have seen more years of combat than any other, and formed the mainstay of the country's' fleet during the Iran-Iraq War..."

And, given they're tasked with maritime strike we might just see Iranian Phantoms engaged by USN F-18SH's at some point. Alternatively, Israeli F-15's could encounter them (but more likely F-14's).

One poor Iranian Phantom pilot has already encountered the F-22, we all know the story there.

Poor fella. Probably had to change his pants after that incident :mrgreen: