Subject: New Fighter Series--McDonnell F-4 Phantom (21 of 49)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Jun 94 16:37:48 GMT

>From [email-masked]

The F-4J was the final version of the Phantom to be placed in 
production for the US Navy and US Marine Corps.  It was designed as 
the follow-on to the original Navy F-4B, correcting some of the 
deficiencies which had become apparent in service.  

There were three YF-4Js, all of them converted from existing F-4B 
airframes (BuNos 151473, 151496, and 151497).  The first YF-4J flew 
on June 4, 1965.  The first production F-4J flew on May 27, 1966.  

A total of 522 F-4Js were built for the Navy and Marine Corps between 
December of 1966 and January of 1972.  The F-4J was powered by a pair 
of J79-GE-10 engines, rated at an afterburning thrust of 17,900 pounds 
each.  These engines were externally distinguishable by their longer 
afterburner "turkey feathers".  Because of the increased weight and 
the more demanding sink rate requirements, the F-4J was fitted with a 
beefed-up landing gear with larger mainwheels.  In order to 
accommodate these larger mainwheels, the upper and lower surfaces of 
the inner wing had to be bulged outward like those on the USAF F-4C.  
An additional fuel cell was fitted in the rear fuselage to bring 
internal fuel capacity to 1998 gallons.  However, the number 1 fuel 
cell was slightly reduced in size to accommodate the computer and 
other electronics.  

Even though the Navy wanted better takeoff and landing performance for 
the Phantom, it nevertheless felt that speed, climb, and range 
requirements ruled out the use of the high-drag slatted wing that was 
used by the Air Force on the F-4E.  In the pursuit of better takeoff 
and landing performance, McDonnell decided instead to add a slot to 
the stabilator leading edge, effectively turning it into a miniature 
inverted slatted wing.  This slotted stabilator provided a tremendous 
downward force at low speeds, which allowed a large leading edge down 
deflection without stalling.  The effectiveness of the slotted 
stabilator was markedly improved by locking the inboard leading flap 
in the up position.  

The F-4J introduced 16.5-degree drooped ailerons, which is a fancy way 
of saying that with gear and flaps down, a downward deflection of 16.5 
degrees became the "neutral" aileron deflection.  

As a result of all these aerodynamic innovations, the approach speed 
was reduced from 157 mph to 144mph.  

The F-4J was equipped with the AN/AJB-7 bombing system which provided 
substantially better ground attack capability over that of the F-4B.  
It had the capability for all-altitude release of nuclear weapons at 
various angles on a timed basis from the target or offset.  In 
addition, it had the capability of working with the Bullpup 
air-to-surface missile.  The F-4J was also equipped with the AN/AWG-10 
fire control system housed in an enlarged radome.  This set used an 
AN/APG-59 pulse-Doppler radar in place of the earlier APQ-72.  This 
new radar was designed to detect and track low-lying aircraft and to 
distinguish them from sea/ground returns.  The F-4J was fitted with 
the AN/ASW-25 one-way datalink which made automatic carrier landings 
possible.  The infrared search and tracking pod underneath the nose of 
the F-4B was finally removed.  

Other improvements were added during the course of production.  From 
1969, Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM) was provided.  This 
involved new wiring and the fitting of other items designed to make 
full use of upgraded Sidewinder missiles.  The Visual Target 
Acquisition System (VTAS) helmet sight was fitted to Blocks 45 and 46 
F-4Js, and was later retrofitted to most earlier aircraft.  Also 
retrofitted was the Sanders AN/ALQ-126 electronics countermeasures set 
with prominent slender fore and aft canoe-shaped fairing antennae 
mounted on the upper intakes.  A hemispheric dielectric antenna was 
mounted at the leading edge of the canoe.  Two more antennae were 
added below the engine intakes.  AN AN/AYK-14 dogfight computer was 
added, and AN/APX-76 or -89 IFF equipment was also provided.  An 
AN/APR-32 radar warning set was fitted, with antennae mounted in the 
fin-cap trailing edge and in a box underneath the nose.  Reduced smoke 
J79-GE-10B engines were also retrofitted.  

The first F-4J deliveries began on October 1, 1966.  VF-101 began 
re-equipping with the type in December of that year.  They rapidly 
began to replace the earlier F-4B in most operational Navy squadrons.  

The F-4J served with the following Navy squadrons: 

Atlantic Fleet: 

VF-11, VF-31, VF-32, VF-33, VF-41, VF-74, VF-84, VF-101, VF-102, 
VF-103.  

Pacific Fleet: 

VF-21, VF-92, VF-96, VF-114, VF-121, VF-142, VF-143, VF-151, VF-154, 
VF-161, VF-191, VF-194, VF-213.  

The first Marine Corps unit to receive the F-4J was VMFA-334, which 
began to receive the type in June of 1967.  The following Marine Corps 
units operated the F-4J: 

VMFA-112, VMFA-115, VMFA-122, VMFA-212, VMFA-232, VMFA-235, VMFA-312, 
VMFA-333, VMFA-334, VMFA-451, and VMFAT-101.  

F-4Js were used extensively in Vietnam during the later stages of 
*Operation Rolling Thunder*, which lasted from March 2, 1965 until 
October 31, 1968.  They returned to Vietnam to participate in 
*Operation Linebacker* in 1972.  On September 11, 1972, Major Thomas 
Lasseter and Captain John D. Commings flying F-4J BuNo 155526 of 
VFMA-333 from the USS *America* (CV-66) shot down a MiG-21 over North 
Vietnam, scoring the only Marine air-to-air kill in the Southeast Asia 
conflict.  The F-4J was the last US aircraft in operation in Southeast 
Asia, with Marine F-4Js of VMFA-232 finally leaving the base at Nam 
Phong in Thailand in August of 1973.  

Seven modified F-4Js were assigned to the *Blue Angels* flight 
demonstration team in January 1969.  This famous team operated the 
Phantom until the end of the 1973 season, when the energy crisis 
caused by the Arab oil embargo forced a switch to Douglas A-4 
Skyhawks.  

A few F-4Js were modified for use by VAQ-33 in the "electronic 
aggressor" role with electronic countermeasures pods and jammers 
carried underneath their wings.  When so modified, they were 
redesignated EF-4J.  

In order to bring British home-based defense back to strength after 
the transfer of the Phantom FGR Mk.2s (F-4Ms) of No.  23 Squadron to 
RAF Stanley to provide air defense for the Falklands, the RAF obtained 
15 low-time F-4Js which had been in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB.  The 
serials of these planes were BuNos 153768, 152773, 153783, 153785, 
153795, 153803, 153850, 153809, 155510, 155529, 155574, 155734, 
155755, 155868, and 155894.  These planes were overhauled and modified 
before delivery to the RAF.  A number of US Navy systems, such as the 
AN/ASN-54 Approach Power Compensator System, the AN/ASW-25 datalink 
system, and the AN/ALQ-126 countermeasures set, were removed and 
replaced by British systems.  When delivered to the RAF, these ex-USN 
F-4Js were designated F-4J(UK) and were assigned the RAF serials 
ZE350/ZE364.  The first three were delivered to the United Kingdom in 
August of 1984.  

The F-4Js began to leave Navy service in the mid-1970s, when the 
Grumman F-14 Tomcat became available.  Many F-4Js were replaced by 
F-4Ns, which were upgraded F-4Bs.  Most surviving F-4Js were placed in 
storage at Davis-Monthan AFB as they were retired from service.  
However, approximately 250 surviving F-4Js were upgraded into F-4S 
configuration and then returned to service.  The F-4S will be 
described in a later post.  By the early 1980s, most Navy F-4Js had 
either been upgraded to F-4S status or else had been placed in 
storage.  The last unit to operate the un-upgraded F-4J, VF-74, 
finally exchanged its F-4Js for F-4Ss in 1982.  

The F-4J began to leave Marine Corps service in the late 1970s and 
early 1980s.  Many of the surviving Marine Corps F-4Js were upgraded 
to F-4S status and were returned to service, where they soldiered on 
into the late 1980s and even the early 1990s.  

Serials of the F-4J:

153071/153075		McDonnell F-4J-26-MC Phantom
153076/153088		McDonnell F-4J-27-MC Phantom
153768/153779		McDonnell F-4J-28-MC Phantom
153780/153799		McDonnell F-4J-29-MC Phantom
153800/153839		McDonnell F-4J-30-MC Phantom
153840/153876		McDonnell F-4J-31-MC Phantom
153877/153911		McDonnell F-4J-32-MC Phantom
154781/154785		McDonnell F-4J-32-MC Phantom
154786/154788		McDonnell F-4J-33-MC Phantom
155504/155569		McDonnell F-4J-33-MC Phantom
155570/155580		McDonnell F-4J-34-MC Phantom
155731/155784		McDonnell F-4J-34-MC Phantom
155785/155843		McDonnell F-4J-35-MC Phantom
155844/155866		McDonnell F-4J-36-MC Phantom
155867/155874		McDonnell F-4J-37-MC Phantom
155875/155889		McDonnell F-4J-38-MC Phantom
155890/155902		McDonnell F-4J-39-MC Phantom
155903			McDonnell F-4J-42-MC Phantom
157242/157260		McDonnell F-4J-40-MC Phantom
157261/157273		McDonnell F-4J-41-MC Phantom
157274/157285		McDonnell F-4J-42-MC Phantom
157286/157297		McDonnell F-4J-43-MC Phantom
157298/157309		McDonnell F-4J-44-MC Phantom
158346/158354		McDonnell F-4J-45-MC Phantom
158355/158365		McDonnell F-4J-46-MC Phantom
158366/158379		McDonnell F-4J-47-MC Phantom

Specification of the F-4J: 

Two General Electric J79-GE-8B/8C/10 turbojets, 11,870 lb.s.t dry, 
17,900 lb.s.t. with afterburner.  Maximum speed 1584 mph at 48,000 
feet (Mach 2.4), 875 mph at sea level (Mach 1.15).  Inital climb rate 
41,250 feet per minute.  Service ceiling 70,000 feet.  Combat ceiling 
54,700 feet.  Combat range 596 miles, maximum range 1956 miles with 
maximum external fuel.  30,770 pounds empty, 46,833 pounds gross, 
41,399 pounds combat weight, pounds maximum takeoff weight.  Wingspan 
38 feet 5 inches, wing area 530 square feet, length 58 feet 3 3/4 
inches, height 16 feet 3 inches.  Maximum internal fuel in the 
fuselage tanks was 1347 US gallons.  An additional 630 gallons of fuel 
could be carried in internal tanks inside the wings.  Maximum external 
fuel load was 600 US gallons in a centerline tank that could be 
carried underneath the fuselage plus 370 US gallons in each of two 
tanks that could be carried underneath the outer underwing pylons, 
bringing total fuel load to 3317 US gallons.  Armament consisted of 
four AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles in 
semi-recessed slots in the fuselage belly and two to four AIM-9 
Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles carried under the 
wings on the inboard pylons.  A total offensive load of up to 16,000 
pounds could be carried on the centerline and four underwing 
hardpoints.  

Sources:

  McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume II, Rene J.
  Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1990.

  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.

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
263 Shuman Boulevard 		Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050