Subject: New Fighter Series--McDonnell F-4 Phantom (2 of 49)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 27 Apr 94 18:49:44 GMT

>From [email-masked]

The F4H-1 was the initial production version of the Phantom for the 
United States Navy.  Since the J79-GE-8s originally intended for the 
Phantom were still not available, the first 45 F4H-1s which had been 
ordered were powered by a pair of 16,150 lb.s.t. afterburning 
J79-GE-2 or -2A engines.  In order to distinguish these planes from 
later models powered by -8 engines, on May 1, 1961 they were 
redesignated F4H-1F, the F indicating the use of a special powerplant.  

Among the external changes introduced on the F4H-1 was the 
introduction of a pair of plain pitot inlets for the air-conditioning 
system, which replaced the flush-mounted recessed ram intakes of the 
two prototypes.  These were mounted on the forward nose just behind 
the radome.  They stood away from the fuselage skin, producing more 
drag than the flush-mounted units of the two prototypes.  However, the 
increased pressure recovery was deemed to be worth the extra drag.  

Initial carrier trials were carried out by BuNo 143391, which was 
first launched and recovered aboard the USS *Independence* (CVA-62) on 
February 15, 1960.  Board of Inspection and Survey trials began at 
NATC Patuxent River in July of 1960.  

During test and evaluation, numerous changes were progressively 
incorporated in the F4H-1.  Blocks 2 and 3 were regarded as 
pre-production, with the remaining 24 being production machines.  The 
standard engine for both blocks was the J79-GE-2 or -2A.  

Among the most significant of the changes incorporated during the 
production run of the F4H-1 was a change in the geometry of the air 
intakes.  This new intake geometry was first fitted to F4H-1 BuNo.  
145307, the first Block 2 aircraft.  The upper air intake lip 
extension that had been employed by earlier Phantoms was eliminated.  
The outer lip of the inlet now appeared straight from the side view, 
but sloped forward from bottom to top.  The fixed splitter plates were 
replaced by a combination of a ten-degree variable ramp mounted aft of 
a fixed five-degree ramp.  The inner splitter plate was made much 
larger and now stood 3 inches away from the wall of the fuselage.  The 
inner splitter plate had 12,500 tiny bleed air holes on its surface 
through which boundary layer air ws sucked by aft-facing ejectors.  

Boundary-layer control was achieved via compressor air blown over the 
leading- and trailing-edge flaps.  This system was first tested on 
BuNo 143392 (the fifth and last pre-production F4H-1F) and was later 
adopted as standard for production F4H-1s.  From BuNo 145307 onward, 
the high-pressure blowing system along the wing leading edges and 
flaps was made fully operative, and was retrofitted to two earlier 
aircraft.  

The radar fitted to the early F4H-1F was the I/J-band APQ-72, but 
initially still with the 24-inch reflector.  This radar was sometimes 
referred to as the AN/APQ-50 (Mod).  Attachments for five (and later 
9) of the original 11 pylons were restored, with the inboard wing 
pylons each carrying either an extra Sparrow or a pair of Sidewinders 
(one on each side of the pylon).  

An AAA-4 infrared search and tracking sensor was added in a prominent 
bulge underneath the radome.  It was fitted (or retrofitted) from 
F4H-1F number 5 (143390) onward.  This sensor was only the second IR 
sensor to enter service outside the USSR.  It required radar data for 
range information.  

A retractable inflight refuelling probe was added to the right side of 
the cockpit.  When retracted it was almost invisible, but when 
extended it protruded out about four feet to the right of the 
windshield.  The mounting of this probe required the elimination of 
the right console in the rear cockpit and the redistribution of some 
instruments.  

360 degree steering capability for the nose landing gear was 
introduced.  The AJB-3 weapons delivery set incorporating a 
loft/toss-bombing computer was fitted, as well as the Collins ASQ-19 
communications/navigational/identification package.  However, these 
early aircraft were not capable of achieving full operational 
capability with these systems.  

Production block 3 introduced a new cockpit and a new and larger nose.  
In the interest of aerodynamic efficiency, the top line of the 
rear-seat canopy of the Phantom was initially flush with the top of 
the rear fuselage.  This arrangement was found to offer inadequate 
forward view for the pilot, a critical requirement for a carrier-based 
aircraft.  In response to crew complaints about poor visibility, 
McDonnell redesigned the cockpit and raised the seats 23 inches higher 
and fitted new and more capacious cockpits.  This raised the canopies 
over the top line of the fuselage and improved forward visibility for 
the pilot and increased headroom for the radar intercept operator 
sitting in the rear seat.  In addition, a revised and larger radome 
was fitted in order to provide space for the new 32-inch dish that was 
fitted to the Westinghouse AN/APQ-72 radar in place of the AN/APQ-50 
Mod and its 24-inch dish.  The AAA-4 infrared sensor and its 
characteristic undernose pod were retained.  This AN/APQ-72 radar 
incorporated an APA-157 CW illuminator to provide AIM-7 Sparrow 
compatibility.  Both the new radar and the revised cockpit were 
initially fitted to F4H-1F BuNo 146817, the first example of 
production block 3.  

BuNo 145310 (the ninth F4H-1F and the fourth production machine) was 
fitted with multiple bomb racks which enabled it to carry as many as 
22 500-pound bombs underneath the fuselage and inner wing sections.  
However, the Phantom was at that time viewed primarily as a shipboard 
interceptor with only a secondary attack capability, and this system 
was not adopted for production F-4As or Bs.  However, it led later to 
the F-4C tactical fighter for the USAF.  

In service, most late F-4As incorporating all of these changes were 
re-engined with J79-GE-8 engines rated at 10,900 lb.s.t. dry and 
17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburning.  This increased thrust more than 
made up for the increased drag produced by the higher canopy.  The 
Phantom had a thrust/weight ratio that had never before been achieved 
by any fighter, and a ratio exceeding unity was often achievable in 
practice, enabling the aircraft to continue to accelerate while 
traveling straight up.  

Initial carrier trials were carried out by BuNo 143391, which was 
first launched and recovered aboard the USS *Independence* (CVA-62) on 
February 15, 1960.  It even operated with dummy bombs on the 
centerline.  A second set of trials was conducted aboard the 
much-smaller USS *Intrepid* in April of 1960.  Trials were generally 
satisfactory, although there were some adjustments that had to be made 
to the carrier arrester hook.  Board of Inspection and Survey trials 
began at NATC Patuxent River in July of 1960.  

As early as 1960, the US Navy began to form the first Phantom-equipped 
Replacement Air Group (RAG), a squadron designed to train future 
pilots and backseat radar interception operators.  The first RAG was 
VF-101, based initially at Key West, Florida then transferred to NAS 
Oceana in Virginia.  Since the Navy had not operated a two-seat 
fighter since the Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight of Korean War vintage, 
several Skyknights were rescued from the boneyard at Litchfield Park 
in Arizona and converted to the training role under the designation 
F3D-2T-2 (later changed to TF-10B in 1962).  The other early Phantom 
RAG was VF-121 based at NAS Miramar in California.  When serving with 
the VF-101 and VF-121 replacement squadrons, the F-4As were sometimes 
designated TF-4A to reflect the fact that they were not considered as 
being up to combat standards.  

On September 5, 1960, Marine Lt.Col. Thomas H. Miller used F4H-1 
BuNo 145311 to set a new 500-km closed-circuit speed record of 1216.78 
mph.  On September 25, 1960, Commander John F. "Jeff" Davis averaged 
1390.21 mph over a 100-km closed course 45,000 feet over the Mojave 
Desert.  

The Navy also launched a project known as *Sageburner*, designed to 
set new speed records at low altitudes with their Phantoms.  Initial 
efforts ended in tragedy.  On May 18, 1961, Commander J. L. Felsman 
was killed when his F4H-1F BuNo 145316 crashed while attempting to set 
a new low-altitude speed record.  Pitch dampener failure led to 
pilot-induced oscillations, causing his Phantom to break up in flight 
and explode in a fiery crash.  The Navy was more successful in its 
next attempt to set a new low-altitude speed record on August 28, 
1961, when Lts Huntington Hardisty (pilot) and Earl De Esch (RIO) flew 
F4H-1F BuNo 145307 at an average speed of 902.760 mph over a 3 km 
low-altitude course at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.  
The maximum altitude reached during this flight was only 125 feet, 
fully living up to the name of the project--*Sageburner*.  145307 was 
later turned over to the National Air and Space Museum.  I don't know 
where it is currently displayed--presumably it is sitting in one of 
the hangars at the Paul Garber restoration facility at Suitland, 
Maryland.  

On May 24, 1961, the US Navy launched Project *LANA*, where the 
initials stood for "50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation", the L 
standing for the Roman numeral 50.  This was a transcontinental Bendix 
Trophy Race speed dash from California to New York.  Five F4H-1Fs took 
off at timed intervals from Ontario, California and set out for NAS 
Brooklyn (formerly Floyd Bennett Field).  They made four supersonic 
dashes, separated by three subsonic mid-air refuellings by 
tanker-configured Douglas A3D-2 Skywarriors.  Three of the Phantoms 
finished the journey, shattering the record set back in November of 
1957 by a USAF McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo.  The top speed, set in 
aircraft 148270 piloted by Lt. R. F. Gordon and Lt(jg) B. R.  
Young, was an average of 869.73 mph.  

On September 18, 1962, the J79-GE-2/2A powered F4H-1F was redesignated 
F-4A in accordance with the new Tri-Service designation system.  The 
J79-GE-8 powered F4H-1 was redesignated F-4B.  

Only 45 F-4As were built before production switched over to the F-4B.  
Most of the 45 F-4As built served in research and training roles, and 
very few ever reached squadron service as they were not considered 
fully operational.  Aircraft from Block 3 onward served in the East 
Coat and West Coast RAGs to train crews and to perfect operational 
techniques.  

Only a handful of F-4As remain in existence.  143388 is in the US 
Marine Corps Museum and 148275 (the last F-4A built) is at the US 
Naval Academy.  145307 is presumably kept at the Paul Garber facility, 
awaiting a suitable display location.  

Serials of F-4A: 

143388/143392 	McDonnell F4H-1F (F-4A-1-MC) Phantom II 
145307/145317 	McDonnell F4H-1F (F-4A-2-MC) Phantom II 
146817/146821 	McDonnell F4H-1F (F-4A-3-MC) Phantom II 
148252/148261 	McDonnell F4H-1F (F-4A-4-MC) Phantom II 
148262/148275 	McDonnell F4H-1F (F-4A-5-MC) Phantom II 

Sources:

  The World's Fighting Planes, William Green, Doubleday, 1964.

  McDonnell F-4 Phantom: Spirit in the Skies.  Airtime Publishing, 1992.

  Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston and Mike Spick, Crescent, 1983.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers,
  Orion, 1987.

  The World Guide to Combat Planes, William Green, Macdonald, 1966. 

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
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