Subject: New Fighter Series--McDonnell F-4 Phantom (25 of 50)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 13 Jun 94 16:58:48 GMT

>From [email-masked]

By 1970, the Navy was beginning to be concerned about the condition of 
its fleet of F-4Bs, many of which were over ten years old and showing 
signs of old age and fatigue.  In that year, a program named *Bee 
Line* was initiated in which F-4Bs were refurbished and modernized.  
Ultimately, 228 Navy F-4Bs went through the *Bee Line* program.  These 
refurbished planes were redesignated F-4N.  

Aircraft selected for conversion were sent to NAS North Island, 
California, where they were stripped and inspected.  They were then 
completely rebuilt using new parts.  The changes included a structural 
strengthening to extend the fatigue life, plus a complete rewiring.  
The electrical generating system was upgraded with 30-kVA constant 
speed alternators.  The F-4N retained the thin wings and tires, the 
main radar, and the undernose infrared search and track detector of 
the F-4B.  

The F-4N was fitted with an F-4J-style slotted stabilator which helped 
solve "Mach tuck" problems when decelerating from supersonic speeds 
and which reduced approach speeds during landings.  All F-4Ns had 
their inboard leading-edge flaps locked shut.  

The F-4N was fitted with Sanders AN/ALQ-126 or -126B deceptive 
electronic countermeasures equipment.  This included long antenna 
fairings mounted on the sides of the upper air intakes.  These long 
fairings were the distinctive features which enabled F-4Ns to be 
externally distinguished from F-4Bs.  The DECM antennae were in longer 
fairings than those used by the same equipment on the F-4J because of 
the difficulty in routing the cables.  

Radar homing and warning antennae for the ALQ-126 DECM were fittted to 
the undersides of the intakes and wings (just aft of the undercarriage 
bays).  These were tied into the antennae on the trailing edge (and 
sometimes on the leading edge as well) of the vertical fin.  

Other changes included a helmet sight Visual Target Acquisition System 
(VTAS) and a Sidewinder Exanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM).  A new 
dogfight mission computer was provided, together with auto-altitude 
reporting equipment.  APX-76 or APX-80 air-to-air IFF equipment was 
fitted, plus AN/ASW-25 one-way datalink.  The J79-GE-8 engines of the 
F-4B were retained, although smoke abatment equipment was fitted.  

The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972.  The first renovated F-4Ns joined 
the fleet in February of 1973.  The following Navy squadrons flew the 
F-4N: 

Atlantic Fleet: 

	VF-41, VF-84, VF-171 

Pacific Fleet: 

	VF-21, VF-51, VF-51, VF-111, VF-151, VF-154, VF-161 

Navy Reserve: 

	VF-201, VF-202, VF-301, VF-302 

The F-4N also served with several Marine Corps squadrons: 

	VFMA-112, VFMA-134, VFMA-314, VFMA-321, VFMA-323, VFMA-351, 
	VFMA-531, VFMAT-101.  

The F-4N had a relative short life as an active-duty fighter with Navy 
carrier-based units, being replaced by the Grumman F-14A Tomcat during 
the mid- to late 1970s.  However, VF-154 flew F-14Ns off the USS 
*Coral Sea* until the end of 1983, when they finally traded in their 
Phantoms for Tomcats.  The F-4N soldiered on for a few years longer 
with Naval and Marine Corps reserve units until being replaced by 
either the F-4S (a conversion of the F-4J) or by the F/A-18 Hornet 
during the early 1980s.  The last Navy F-4N was retired from VF-201 
based at NAS Dallas, Texas in February of 1984.  The last Marine Corps 
unit to fly the F-4N was VFMA-134, which relinquished the type in 
1985.  

As they left service, many F-4Ns were modified as remotely-controlled 
drones under the designation QF-4N.  The first QF-4N conversion was 
performed in 1983.  As compared to the original Phantom drone, the 
QF-4B, the QF-4N was much more maneuverable and was intended to 
simulate the most agile targets.  This increased agility was obtained 
by removing everything from the aircraft that was not absolutely 
essential to the target mission.  The rear cockpit was stripped to 
make space for the AN/ASA-32 analog autopilot and flight control 
system.  However, the front cockpit remained, so the QF-4N can be 
flown in the manned mode if needed.  I have serial numbers of 78 F-4Ns 
which were converted into QF-4N drones, but undoubtedly more have been 
converted since this list was published.  

The following F-4Bs were converted to F-4N configuration.  They are 
listed in order of conversion: 

153034, 150430, 150652, 150491, 150452, 150635, 150444, 151398, 
150460, 151424, 150407, 150634, 150441, 151016, 151451, 150422, 
151491, 150996, 151015, 150445, 150472, 151433, 151442, 151434, 
151006, 151400, 150425, 150479, 150640, 150627, 150450, 150485, 
150625, 152235, 152267, 150466, 151439, 152241, 151480, 150412, 
151004, 152291, 151431, 150630, 152280, 150411, 152230, 150651, 
150468, 151513, 151468, 151435, 150648, 150429, 151417, 151476, 
151463, 150492, 152278, 151519, 150482, 150475, 151484, 150476, 
152277, 150465, 151430, 151469, 150642, 151456, 151436, 152306, 
151000, 151444, 151448, 150436, 152259, 152258, 152272, 152253, 
151489, 152229, 150419, 152288, 150643, 150438, 151413, 150456, 
150448, 150632, 150423, 151406, 152254, 152236, 150415, 150489, 
151003, 152294, 152302, 151471, 152991, 152223, 152275, 150442, 
151487, 150426, 150638, 152969, 153024, 152967, 152227, 151502, 
151498, 151422, 150478, 152237, 512210, 152059, 153047, 151464, 
150432, 150481, 153026, 151401, 153045, 153065, 150464, 152977, 
151475, 152318, 152281, 153053, 152295, 153039, 153050, 153023, 
152975, 153914, 152981, 153017, 152252, 152313, 152323, 151514, 
151452, 151477, 150480, 150440, 153001, 152982, 151446, 153016, 
152293, 150639, 151008, 152243, 153915, 152226, 151510, 152221, 
151440, 152222, 152326, 153058, 153012, 152968, 152965, 151504, 
153067, 152225, 152310, 152214, 152317, 152970, 153010, 152212, 
152250, 150435, 152208, 153056, 152269, 152996, 152282, 151415, 
150993, 151465, 152307, 152300, 152283, 152983, 153036, 153057, 
152270, 152990, 152298, 152244, 153019, 153027, 152986, 153062, 
153030, 153011, 151503, 151461, 152321, 151002, 152290, 152246, 
151449, 151455, 152971, 153064, 150490, 152992, 152303, 152279, 
150628, 151007, 152217, 151011, 150484, 153006, 151482, 152327, 
151511, 152284, 153034.  

The following F-4Ns are known to have been converted to QF-4N drone 
configuration: 

150412, 150415, 150419, 150423, 150432, 150456, 150464, 150475, 
150489, 150630, 150993, 150475, 150489, 150630, 150993, 151000, 
151002, 151004, 151007, 151406, 151415, 151430, 151435, 151440, 
151449, 151455, 151461, 151463, 151465, 151469, 151471, 151475, 
151476, 151484, 151503, 151504, 152214, 152217, 152221, 152222, 
152223, 152226, 152229, 152230, 152235, 152243, 152253, 152258, 
152269, 152272, 152277, 152279, 152281, 152282, 152303, 152310, 
152321, 152323, 152326, 152968, 152972, 153011, 153024, 153030, 
153034, 153034, 153053, 153056, 153058, 153059, 153064, 153065, 
153067, 153074, 153076, 153084(?), 153812(?), 153914.  

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.

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

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