The McDonnell F-4B Phantom II

“There is no limit to what a pilot will let you do for them”

Anonymous-- Naval Aviator

“The Vietnamese public revere their fighter pilots, much like the Knights of the Middle Ages were revered - as it

should be. In the U.S. the fighter pilots are revered by themselves – but

not so much by the public.”-From a Top Gun Instructor

Aircraft History

The F-4B Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range, Mach 2.2 interceptor, capable fighter, and high load capacity (18,6500 pounds on nine hard points) bomber. Originally developed for the US Navy, it was adopted by the Marine Corps and the US Air Force as well as 11 foreign nations. It held the record, in its day, for absolute speed and absolute altitude. It flew with both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds. Two pilots (one Air Force and one Navy) and three WSO/RIOs become Aces during Vietnam with the F-4.

Production ran from 1958 to 1981 with 5,195 built making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft. The aircraft is still in service with foreign nations and has participated in the war against ISIS. The last Marine Phantom, an F-4S in the Marine Reserves, was retired by VMFA-112 in 1986.

During the Vietnam War, the Marine Corps lost 94 Phantoms, 72 of which were combat losses, the rest were operational accidents of various causes.

Three Marine F-4 pilots shot down MiG-21s during the war. Two were on exchange duty with the Air Force at the time of their victory. The other one was flying off the Carrier America in 1972.

VMFA-115 flew the F-4B model aircraft with its older radar system and heat seeking missile targeting system. This model was later upgraded to the F-4N. The other model of Phantom flown by the Marines, was the F-4J which was later upgraded to the F-4S.

Everyone that flew the F-4 liked flying it.

The ramp at Da Nang

One of 22 USMC F-4 “non-combat” losses in Vietnam

Loaded and ready to go

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Recon Photo of target in Steel Tiger (Laos)

• This shows 4 separate occupied Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) positions within the circles

“Winchester”

The Front Office

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