Did pilots like the F-4 Phantom?
According John Chesire, F-4 US Navy combat pilot during the Vietnam War, the mighty Phantom was nearly a perfect machine. Nothing was “bad” about the F-4 Phantom! Only three things as I recall were regrettable… Its excessive engine smoke, its wide turning radius, and its lack of a gun. The heavy F-4 was known for jet engines that produced a great deal of smoke, adding to the ease of identification at a distance due to its large size. The MiG-21 was generally considered more maneuverable, while the Phantom was well-armed with missiles and more lethal with the addition of the cannon.Despite those numbers, it was not the F-105 but the F-4 that suffered the highest Air Force losses. A gruesome 382 F-4s fell in combat, while total losses reached 445 when other operational losses were included. Adding Navy and Marine Corps Phantom losses put the number of F-4s lost at 671.The great majority of U. S. Southeast Asia were to AAA. Among fixedwing aircraft, more F-4 Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation. In total, the United States military lost in Vietnam almost 10,000 aircraft and helicopters.Most Feared Fighter Jet of the Vietnam War, F-4 Phantom. The F-4 Phantom is often regarded as the deadliest fighter in Vietnam. This tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber became one of the Vietnam War’s most recognizable and feared planes.
Was the F-4 Phantom a good fighter?
By the end of the Vietnam war, the F-4 was the USAF’s primary all-around combat jet aircraft, and Phantoms downed more enemy aircraft than any other fighter during the conflict. The early F-4 did not have an internal gun and was used only as a missile/bomb platform. The newer F-4E incorporated an internal 20 mm gun. Specially modified USAF Phantoms also flew reconnaissance (RF-4C) and “Wild Weasel” anti-aircraft missile suppression missions (F-4C WW).
What countries still fly F4 Phantoms?
Here are some examples of countries where F-4 Phantoms are still flying: Greece: The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) has 12 F-4E Phantom IIs in service, primarily used for training and reserve duties. Turkey: The Turkish Air Force (TAF) has 32 F-4E Phantom IIs in service, primarily used for training and reserve duties. The F-4 remains in active service with the Hellenic Air Force and the Turkish Air Force. Turkey’s most recently upgraded F-4E Terminator variant is to remain in service until at least 2030.