Subject: New Fighter Series--McDonnell F-4 Phantom (38 of 50)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 5 Jul 94 16:27:55 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 two 16,150 lb.s.t.  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.  

Initial carrier trials were carried out by F4H-1F BuNo 143391, which 
was first launched and recovered aboard the USS *Independence* 
(CVA-62) on February 15, 1960.  These carrier 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.  The other early Phantom RAG was VF-121 based at 
NAS Miramar in California.  

The F4H-1 was the first definitive production version of the Phantom, 
the earlier F4H-1F being considered developmental.  To distinguish 
these aircraft from the earlier 47 aircraft, on May 1, 1961 the latter 
were redesignated F4H-1F, with the 48th and subsequent aircraft 
retaining the F4H-1 designation.  In September 1962, the F4H-1F was 
redesignated F-4A, with the F4H-1 becoming 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 Cost 
RAGs to train crews and to perfect operational techniques.  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.  

The first production F4H-1s for the Navy went to operational training 
units.  VF-121, a training group based at Miramar, received its first 
F4H-1s (F-4B) in early 1961.  VF-101, a training group based at NAS 
Oceana in Virginia, began to supplement its F4H-1Fs with F4H-1s later 
in 1961.  

The first fully-operational Phantom squadrons were VF-74 (NAS Oceana, 
Atlantic Fleet) and VF-114 (NAS Miramar, Pacific Fleet), which were 
equipped with F4H-1s in mid-1961.  In October of 1961, VF-74 became 
the first F4H-1 squadron to complete carrier qualifications.  

The first operational cruise was made in August-October of 1962 by 
VF-102 aboard the USS *Enterprise* (CVAN-65) during its first 
shakedown cruise.  The first full-scale deployment of Phantoms was 
made by VF-74 when this squadron went to the Mediterranean aboard the 
USS *Forrestal* (CVA-59) from August 1962 until March of 1963.  

In October of 1962, Soviet missiles were discovered in Cuba, and in 
that month the F-4Bs of VF-41 were transferred from NAS Oceana to NAS 
Key West in Florida.  At the same time, Phantoms operating from the 
USS *Enterprise* and the USS *Independence* (CVA-62) participated in 
the imposition of the quarantine of Cuba.  

By the time of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in August of 1964, 13 Navy 
fighter squadrons were equipped with F-4Bs.  The first Phantom combat 
sorties were flown during Operation *Pierce Arrow* on August 5, 1964 
from the USS *Constellation* (CVA-64).  These were flown by F-4Bs from 
VF-142 and VF-143, which flew top cover to warplanes striking North 
Vietnamese torpedo boat bases in retaliation for the Gulf of Tonkin 
incident.  

The first air-to-air kill of the war did not actually involve the 
North Vietnamese at all.  It was in a battle on April 9, 1965, when 
F-4Bs from USS *Ranger* (CVA-61) encountered some Chinese MiG-17s near 
Hainan Island.  F-4B BuNo 151403 piloted by Lt(jg) Terence M. Murphy 
of VF-96 shot down a MiG-17, but was then lost in action almost 
immediately thereafter.  He may have been shot down by one of his own 
wingmen, or by another Chinese MiG-17.  This incident was not reported 
in the news media at the time, lest the People's Republic of China be 
antagonized.  

The first American crew to shoot down a North Vietnamese fighter were 
Commander Thomas C.  Page and Lieutenant Jon C. Smith Jr of VF-21 
flying F-4B BuNo 151488 from USS *Midway* (CVA-41).  For air-to-air 
combat, the F-4B relied on Sparrow semi-active radar homing or 
Sidewinder infrared-homing missiles, there being no internal cannon 
fitted.  The AIM-7D/E Sparrow was carried in the ventral trays.  In 
principle, the Sparrow gave the Phantom a beyond visual range 
capability at distances of up to 28 miles.  However, such launches 
were very rarely permitted under the terms of the rather restrictive 
rules of engagement in Vietnam.  When used at closer ranges, the 
Sparrow turned out to be virtually useless against fighter-sized 
targets, especially at low altitudes.  The AIM-9B/D Sidewinder was 
usually the weapon of choice.  The AIM-9D had a range of up to 12 
miles, but it was generally effective only in close stern engagements 
in good weather and at high altitudes.  In bad weather or at low 
altitudes, the results were less impressive, the Sidewinder often 
losing its lock on its target due to interference from rain or from 
clouds or having a tendency to lock onto the Sun or onto reflections 
in lakes or ponds.  Ultimately, the Sidewinder scored more aerial 
victories in the Vietnam War than any other weapon.  

As a result of combat experience in Vietnam, chaff dispensers were 
added above the rear fuselage sides.  ECM capabilities were steadily 
improved, with the addition of Radar Homing and Warning Systems and 
Deception Systems such as the ALQ-51 and AN/ALQ-100.  

Navy F-4Bs were operated until the late 1960s, when they began to be 
replaced in service by later versions of the Phantom such as the F-4J 
or F-4N.  The last two active duty Navy squadron to operate the F-4B, 
VF-51 and VF-111, finally exchanged their planes for later-model F-4Ns 
in 1974.  They continued to be flown by reserve units for a couple of 
years thereafter, after which they were consigned to storage.  
However, a few electronic warfare adaptations of the F-4B remained 
flying in service with VAQ-33 for several years thereafter in various 
training roles.  The last such aircraft was finally retired in 1981.  

Twelve F-4Bs were modified as F-4Gs (a Navy designation, not to be 
confused with the USAF F-4G, which was a *Wild Weasel* aircraft).  The 
Navy F-4G was a version modified for the evaluation of the feasibility 
of automatic carrier landing operations.  They were fitted with the 
AN/ASW-21 two-way data link communication system and approach power 
compensator.  The first F-4G flew on March 20, 1953, and these twelve 
aircraft were flown by VF-213 from the USS *Kitty Hawk* (CVA-63).  
They operated in the Gulf of Tonkin from November 1965 until June of 
1966.  One was lost to North Vietnamese AAA, but the others were later 
brought back to F-4B standards.  

Most F-4Bs were operated by the Navy and Marine Corps until they were 
struck off the rolls or transferred to storage at the Davis-Monthan 
AFB in Arizona.  F-4B Phantoms first reached the Naval Air Reserve in 
1969 when F-4Bs were assigned to VF-22L1 at NAS Los Alamitos, 
California.  They remained with Reserve units until 1975.  By 1975, 
the last F-4Bs were out of Navy service.  Most of them were replaced 
by later-model Phantoms (primarily F-4J and F-4S) and were consigned 
to storage.  However, conversions to F-4N managed to extend the 
effective life of some F-4B airframes well into the 1980s.  

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.  

A total of 522 F-4Js were built for the Navy and Marine Corps between 
December 1966 and January 1972.  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.  

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.  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.  

In an attempt to obtain a peaceful settlement to the Southeast Asia 
war, on October 1, 1968, the bombing of North Vietnam was halted and 
the *Rolling Thunder* campaign came to an end.  Except for a few 
temporary exceptions (the so-called "limited-duration, 
protective-reaction strikes"), the aerial campaign against the North 
was put on hold.  

On the night of March 29/30, 1972, twelve North Vietnamese divisions 
supported by armor invaded South Vietnam.  On April 2, President Nixon 
ordered that limited bombing of North Vietnam be resumed under 
*Operation Freedom Train*.  Six more F-4E squadrons were deployed from 
Elgin and Homestead AFB in Florida to air bases in Vietnam and 
Thailand in 1972 in response to the North Vietnamese invasion.  In 
addition, F-4Ds from Holloman AFB in New Mexico were deployed to 
Takhli, Thailand.  

On May 8, 1972, President Nixon announced that Haiphong Harbor was 
being mined and that most bombing restrictions against North Vietnam 
would be removed.  The *Freedom Train* limited bombing campaign was 
replaced by *Operation Linebacker*, an all-out campaign to halt the 
invasion and bring North Vietnam to the conference table.  Far fewer 
restrictions were in place than those imposed during *Rolling Thunder* 

The *Linebacker* raids culminated in the "Christmas" B-52 raids on 
Hanoi during late December of 1972.  A truce agreement was finally 
signed in Paris on January 27, 1973, ending American involvement in 
the Southeast Asia conflict.  The 197th and last MiG kill of the 
Vietnam conflict took place on January 12, 1973, when a Phantom flying 
off the USS *Midway* (CV-41) shot down a MiG-17.  

By the time fighting ended in 1973, Navy F-4 crews had shot down 40 
enemy aircraft.  There were two Navy aces, the team of Lt. Randall H.  
Cunningham (pilot) and Lt (jg) William P. Driscoll (weapon system 
operator) of VF-96.  A total of 71 Navy F-4s were lost in combat, 5 to 
enemy aircraft, 13 to surface to air missiles, and 53 to AAA and 
small-arms fire.  An additional 54 were lost in various operational 
accidents.  

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.  

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.  

The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972.  The first F-4Ns joined the fleet 
in February of 1973, the aircraft being too late to participate in the 
Vietnam conflict.  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 the Dallas-based VF-201 reserve unit in February of 1984.  

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.  

F-4S was the designation applied to 265 (some sources say 248) F-4Js 
which were upgraded in the mid 1970s.  This program was analogous to 
the *Bee Line* project which had upgraded Navy F-4Bs to F-4N 
standards.  The major goal of the upgrade was to prolong the life of 
the F-4J so that it could remain in service until replaced by the F-14 
Tomcat in Navy service.  The first Navy squadron to receive the F-4S 
was VF-21, based at NAS Miramar in California, which began to receive 
its planes in December 1979.  

By the end of American involvement in the Southeast Asia War, the 
Phantom was already beginning to be supplemented by the Grumman F-14 
Tomcat in deployable squadrons aboard the larger carriers.  All 
throughout the remainder of the 1970s and into the early 1980s, the 
Navy progressively replaced its F-4Ss with later equipment in most 
deployable squadrons.  The exceptions were six squadrons which were 
assigned to the older and smaller USS *Midway* (CVA-41), *Franklin D.  
Roosevelt* (CVA-42), and *Coral Sea* (CVA-43), which were re-equipped 
with F-4Ns and F-4Ss and soldiered on with these planes for a few more 
years.  However, by 1986, all of the Phantoms serving with the 
Atlantic and Pacific Fleets were gone, the last carrier launch of an 
F-4S having taken place on March 24, 1986 when F-4Ss from VF-151 and 
VF-161 were launched from the USS *Midway* for the last time.  No 
Phantoms served aboard Navy aircraft carriers after that time.  

After 1986, F-4Ss served exclusively with shore-based Naval reserve 
units.  However, this service was rather brief.  The last Naval 
reserve F-4S was retired by VF-202 at NAS Dallas on May 14, 1987 
(BuNol 155560), becoming the Navy's last tactical Phantom II.  After 
that date, the only Phantoms remaining in Navy service were those QF-4 
drones assigned to the Naval Air Weapons Center at NAS China Lake and 
to the Pacific Missile Test Center at NAS Point Mugu in California.  

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.

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

  The World's Great Attack Aircraft, Gallery, 1988.

Joe Baugher				AT&T Bell Laboratories
1000 E. Warrenville Road		Naperville, Illinois 60566-7013