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Posted: 1/4/2023 11:39:54 AM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 1/4/2023 1:17:27 PM EDT
[#2]
I used to see them all the time as a kid.
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Posted: 1/4/2023 1:22:10 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I used to see them all the time as a kid. I lived in Central Mass as a kid, and Westover AFB was the closest. I would run outside all the time when I heard an unusual engine as I thought it might be military. I remember one last time around 1981-1982, seeing one fly over at no more than a couple thousand feet, and seeing the orange flame in the exhausts as it flew away. The F-15 and F-16 were already becoming more prominent and it was so rare that it always stayed in my memory. |
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Posted: 1/4/2023 1:36:58 PM EDT
[#4]
I didn't work on them but did spend time on a flight deck with them. My jet is the EA-6B on cat 4. 1972 on USS Enterprise.
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Posted: 1/4/2023 1:54:38 PM EDT
[#5]
When I graduated tech school in 1987 from Chanute AFB, Rantoul IL they put me in front of one to get a picture. Consequently I consider myself something of a SME on the Phantom.
CSB: We got our orders at tech school. Female in my class got Okinawa, and I got Seymour Johnson...spitting distance from home, the last thing I wanted. I would have worked F-4s during the transition to the F-15 Strike Eagle. She was freaked about Okinawa, so we asked for and got permission to trade. I got the 961st AWACS instead, and never looked back. Often wondered how she fared in the fighter mafia...  |
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Posted: 1/4/2023 3:32:07 PM EDT
[#6]
The pilot of this airplane was a partner in a Decathlon in the 1990's and 2000's. He was chief test pilot at the time, and flying with him is great fun, he has never lost the thrill -
https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675045368_F-4J-crash_F-4J-lifts-off-from-runway_F-4J-explodes_black-smoke  US Navy F-4J Phantom II aircraft takeoff and crash in St. Louis, Missouri; Fireme...HD Stock Footage |
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Posted: 1/4/2023 3:33:31 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Spent a lot of time on phantoms Me when I was young finishing up a load of 500 pounders. with fuze extenders on one wing, and cluster bombs on the. other. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/212055/20210624_190024_jpg-2659979.JPG My father was an ordinance guy on them as well for his tour in Vietnam. He has soooo many cool old photos like this and I think seeing them growing up fueled my love and appreciation for aviation. Especially the F4. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:25:00 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The pilot of this airplane was a partner in a Decathlon in the 1990's and 2000's. He was chief test pilot at the time, and flying with him is great fun, he has never lost the thrill - https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675045368_F-4J-crash_F-4J-lifts-off-from-runway_F-4J-explodes_black-smoke  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhajoju_7Qc |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 12:10:34 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I couldn't find any details on that crash - what caused it? I *assume* it was on its maiden test flight? Yep, fresh off the assembly line. A socket left behind by a mechanic jammed the stick in the full aft position. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 12:13:38 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yep, fresh off the assembly line. A socket left behind by a mechanic jammed the stick in the full aft position. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I couldn't find any details on that crash - what caused it? I *assume* it was on its maiden test flight? Yep, fresh off the assembly line. A socket left behind by a mechanic jammed the stick in the full aft position. Doesn't look like they slowed down the film after the pilot and RIO punch out. Amazing the amount of thrust those engines must've been putting out to basically balance the aircraft on its ass end for a few seconds. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 12:14:21 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yep, fresh off the assembly line. A socket left behind by a mechanic jammed the stick in the full aft position. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I couldn't find any details on that crash - what caused it? I *assume* it was on its maiden test flight? Yep, fresh off the assembly line. A socket left behind by a mechanic jammed the stick in the full aft position. 
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Posted: 1/5/2023 12:28:37 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I couldn't find any details on that crash - what caused it? I *assume* it was on it's maiden test flight? That’s a lot of foam! Holy crap! |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 12:57:28 PM EDT
[#13]
There are few things in this ol' world sexier than an F4E in SEA Air War paint.
To hear those guys talk about the F4N "Wild Weasel" variant in use from the 70's to the early-mid-90's, "damn" is all i can come up with. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 1:38:14 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/77/b6/e9/77b6e95d198f7be4a9ee1c7246664901.jpg FIL was CO over these guys for a while My dad was a WSO at Zweibr cken in the late 70s/early 80s. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 1:51:01 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: There are few things in this ol' world sexier than an F4E in SEA Air War paint. To hear those guys talk about the F4N "Wild Weasel" variant in use from the 70's to the early-mid-90's, "damn" is all i can come up with. ETA: F-4G  Attached FileF-4N  Attached File |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 2:08:37 PM EDT
[#16]
I was at the tail end of VF-202 transitioning from the F-4S to the F-14A at Dallas NAS. There were still a few phantoms left awaiting disposal but there was a USMC squadron called the COWBOYS going full on a few more years with the Phantom.
Loud monsters. I think the Phantom was a great plane. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 10:44:22 PM EDT
[#17]
RIP dad, you did good work
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Posted: 1/5/2023 10:50:54 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Spent a lot of time on phantoms Me when I was young finishing up a load of 500 pounders. with fuze extenders on one wing, and cluster bombs on the. other. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/212055/20210624_190024_jpg-2659979.JPG 
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Posted: 1/5/2023 10:59:49 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: F-4G was the Weasel. F-4N was the Navy F-4B updated with newer avionics late 60s-early 70s. ETA: F-4G https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/26154/5B4F6DFC-36F8-48D2-B321-421AA090B31A_jpe-2661332.JPG F-4N https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/26154/D1B3593C-84BE-4F08-BAE4-FCD5FBEA86D7_jpe-2661333.JPG That was the second F-4G. This was the first:  Attached FileRobot Phantom |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:01:54 PM EDT
[#20]
Six stars on the splitter vane.
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:12:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: There are stories to be told, but not until I no longer need my pilot license.  @Rodent I would like to subscribe to your newsletter when it happens ;) |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:27:57 PM EDT
[#22]
I worked on USAF F--4's in Thailand in the 70's. After I got out I went to work for the navy reworking F-4B 's making F-4N's. I worked on the avionics at NASNI. Will always love that aircraft.
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:37:22 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The F4 was and still is my favorite fighter jet that we have produced. |
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:38:10 PM EDT
[#24]
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Posted: 1/5/2023 11:50:02 PM EDT
[#25]
Used to work on them in Vietnam. Intercom and UHF radio. Had to have the rear seat pulled out to r&r the radio. You could wait for ever for the egress shop to arrive so you could get to work. I hated to work on them. Saw a few with lots of damage return from missions. Pilots wanted a jack installed so they could tape there missions on small tape recorders so they could send them home.
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Posted: 1/6/2023 12:14:49 AM EDT
[#26]
I flew a few of the ones we were converting to drones and flew a wild weasel with my dads name on it.
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Posted: 1/6/2023 7:14:50 AM EDT
[#27]
One of my old bosses ran that engine program. I remember him saying USAF ran the numbers on performance on either the reengined F4 or the Lavi and torpedoed the program based upon resultant a/c performance relative to the F15. It was an FMS program...
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Posted: 1/6/2023 7:53:48 AM EDT
[#28]
Slick nose f-4j is best looking phantom. Change my mind
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Posted: 1/6/2023 10:47:34 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryRobin Olds? |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 11:32:33 AM EDT
[#30]
 Cal Worthington F4s Still one of the best Phantom videos...
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Posted: 1/6/2023 4:08:31 PM EDT
[#31]
As I sit here typing listening to the reeeeeeeeeeEEEEeeeee in my head I know what gave me the tinnitus. Even with earmuffs and plugs those J79's at full burner takeoffs would make my ears, whole body vibrate. Was very interesting having a Phantom or Eagle 300 feet overhead on takeoff while working on the runways or flightline taxiing at Lambert. Back in the 1970's and 80's there was allot of Mac traffic all day long. From our new aircraft leaving and the old stuff coming back for refit, from U.S. and countries abroad kept the lines beyond capacity. Was an amazing time at McDonnell Douglas. AV8B, F-4 and the F-15 with the F-18 coming in the 90's was the golden age for Mac. Working at the plant was some off my best years of work. Everyday made me smile and proud to be American. The sound of Freedom all day long. If I knew that this extreme reeeeeing was going to effect me this bad I would of wore protection all day long. U.S. Pilots and Aviators are the Best in the world. And to be able to fly the best there is to offer must be an extreme Honor. But always wondered how there hearing is. |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 4:41:59 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: As I sit here typing listening to the reeeeeeeeeeEEEEeeeee in my head I know what gave me the tinnitus. Even with earmuffs and plugs those J79's at full burner takeoffs would make my ears, whole body vibrate. Was very interesting having a Phantom or Eagle 300 feet overhead on takeoff while working on the runways or flightline taxiing at Lambert. Back in the 1970's and 80's there was allot of Mac traffic all day long. From our new aircraft leaving and the old stuff coming back for refit, from U.S. and countries abroad kept the lines beyond capacity. Was an amazing time at McDonnell Douglas. AV8B, F-4 and the F-15 with the F-18 coming in the 90's was the golden age for Mac. Working at the plant was some off my best years of work. Everyday made me smile and proud to be American. The sound of Freedom all day long. If I knew that this extreme reeeeeing was going to effect me this bad I would of wore protection all day long. U.S. Pilots and Aviators are the Best in the world. And to be able to fly the best there is to offer must be an extreme Honor. But always wondered how there hearing is. A bunch of my family grew up in St. Louis and my dad's family had a house near the end of the Lambert runway back in the 60s-70s. He woke up one night thinking WW III was kicking off. Turned out it was just a bunch of F-4s taking off at or near full burner to get ferried up to the Canadian Air Force
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Posted: 1/6/2023 5:41:34 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Robin Olds? Quote HistoryQuoted: Robin Olds? |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 6:13:57 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: One of my old bosses ran that engine program. I remember him saying USAF ran the numbers on performance on either the reengined F4 or the Lavi and torpedoed the program based upon resultant a/c performance relative to the F15. It was an FMS program... I always admired the actual "father" of that engine, Gerhard Neumann. His life-story is like something out of an adventure novel (fled the Nazi's, worked for the Flying Tigers, and more). He and Kelly Johnson shared a Collier Trophy for the J70 and the F-104. Well worth reading about him. I met a retired Boeing engineer a while back who had worked with him for a while (long after that period above). Got some good stories out of that exchange. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Neumann |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 8:56:30 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Steve Ritchie/Chuck DeBellevue |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 9:14:28 PM EDT
[#36]
My dad was a Navy Air Crewman on a C47 from 60-64. During the Cuban Missile Crisis his crew, and some others, were ferried to Texas via F4s to fly back C47s to stage in south Florida. I believe they made 3 trips and stated once they hit the gulf it was balls out to Texas. Said it was the coolest thing he ever did.
Edited to add that my 2000th post since 2000 !!!!! ?? |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 9:25:24 PM EDT
[#37]
Dad's best friend was an AF Phantom pilot and Wing Commander during Vietnam.
Survived ejection too. Somewhere, I have his WC patch. Got to know a guy who was an F-4 pilot and Wing Commander during Vietnam and got the last air to air, fighter on fighter gun kill for the USAF. I built the last gun he shot, and that he had with him when he passed, while coyote hunting. F-4 drivers had big balls, and both dudes were smaller guys. |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 9:36:21 PM EDT
[#38]
Dad was a crew chief on F-4’s in VN and after.
I have fond memories of watching AB take-offs at Lakenheath as a kid. I believe it was the firm foundation of my current tinnitus, lol. It’s still my favorite Cold War fighter. Followed closely by the Tornado. Watching those do low fly by’s in Scotland was always a thrill. |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 9:41:52 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: DeBellevue flunked out of pilot training, but no one seems to know why. Or it's just one of those things that one doesn't talk about. No personal knowledge @Rodent - but you can maybe extrapolate in general from “JetJocks” comments from his time flying with him here: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/military/33219-upt-today-vs-yesterday-12.html |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 10:08:06 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Doesn't look like they slowed down the film after the pilot and RIO punch out. Amazing the amount of thrust those engines must've been putting out to basically balance the aircraft on its ass end for a few seconds. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: I couldn't find any details on that crash - what caused it? I *assume* it was on its maiden test flight? Yep, fresh off the assembly line. A socket left behind by a mechanic jammed the stick in the full aft position. Doesn't look like they slowed down the film after the pilot and RIO punch out. Amazing the amount of thrust those engines must've been putting out to basically balance the aircraft on its ass end for a few seconds. Who knew a full sized Phantom could do the “Harrier” like the smaller RC model airplanes can do. That’s were the RC pilots gets the nose straight up, and the airplane is just standing on end, hanging on the prop, or ducted fan and even mini turbine. |
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Posted: 1/6/2023 10:53:13 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I love the Phantom but anecdotally, my friends dad was a USAF fighter pilot (F-100, F-4, F-15) and he speaks like the AF never wanted the "Navy" plane. I was all excited to hear about him flying the F-4 but it wasn't his passion like the Hun or 15. I get the impression that the AF went all in on the F-15 as their baby and upgrading the F-4 may have been viewed as lipstick on a pig. I'm only guessing though. The Air Force certainly has a history of NIH syndrome, but the F-15 is clearly a better fighter than any warmed over Phantom could be. The F-4 served the Air Force longer than any previous fighter, so you can’t really accuse them of not trying to get the most out of it. |
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Posted: 1/7/2023 1:47:47 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No personal knowledge @Rodent - but you can maybe extrapolate in general from “JetJocks” comments from his time flying with him here: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/military/33219-upt-today-vs-yesterday-12.html Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: DeBellevue flunked out of pilot training, but no one seems to know why. Or it's just one of those things that one doesn't talk about. No personal knowledge @Rodent - but you can maybe extrapolate in general from “JetJocks” comments from his time flying with him here: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/military/33219-upt-today-vs-yesterday-12.html |
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Posted: 1/7/2023 1:58:23 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Linkee no workee. Hmm, works when I try it. Dunno. I will email it to you, maybe that will work. |
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