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McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

"F-4" redirects here. For other uses, see F4.

F-4 Phantom II
A U.S. Air Force QF-4E flies with the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron over White Sands Missile Range in 2008
Role Interceptor, fighter-bomber
National origin United States
Manufacturer McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
McDonnell Douglas
First flight 27 May 1958
Introduction 30 December 1960
Retired 1996 (U.S. combat use)
2013 (Germany)
2016 (U.S. target drone)[1]
2021 (Japan)
2024 (South Korea)
Status In limited service
Primary users United States Air Force (historical)
Produced 1958–1981
Number built 5,195
Variants McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1/FGR.2

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II[N 1] is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.[2] Proving highly adaptable, it entered service with the Navy in 1961[3] before it was adopted by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, and by the mid-1960s it had become a major part of their air arms.[4] Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981 with a total of 5,195 aircraft built, making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history, and cementing its position as a signature combat aircraft of the Cold War.[4][5]

The Phantom is a large fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs.[6] The F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was initially designed without an internal cannon. Later models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance,[7] including an absolute speed record and an absolute altitude record.[8]

The F-4 was used extensively during the Vietnam War. It served as the principal air superiority fighter for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps and became important in the ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance roles late in the war. During the Vietnam War, all five American servicemen who became aces – one U.S. Air Force pilot, two weapon systems officers (WSOs),[9] one U.S. Navy pilot and one radar intercept officer (RIO) – did so in F-4s.[10] The F-4 continued to form a major part of U.S. military air power throughout the 1970s and 1980s, being gradually replaced by more modern aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in the U.S. Air Force, the F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy, and the F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

The F-4 Phantom II remained in use by the U.S. in the reconnaissance and Wild Weasel (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) roles in the 1991 Gulf War, finally leaving service in 1996.[11][12] It was also the only aircraft used by both U.S. flight demonstration teams: the United States Air Force Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the United States Navy Blue Angels (F-4J).[4][13][14] The F-4 was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several Arab–Israeli conflicts, while Iran used its large fleet of Phantoms, acquired before the fall of the Shah, in the Iran–Iraq War. The F-4 remains in active service with the air forces of Iran, Greece, and Turkey. The aircraft has most recently been in service against the Islamic State group in the Middle East.

  1. ^ Devine, Jacqueline. "USAF bids farewell to F-4 Phantom". Military 1. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 301.
  3. ^ "Boeing: Historical Snapshot: F-4 Phantom II Fighter". boeing.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "F-4 Phantoms Phabulous 40th". Boeing. Retrieved : 27 November 2012.
  5. ^ "First to Last", Phabulous 40th, Boeing, archived from the original on 13 December 2009, retrieved 19 November 2007.
  6. ^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 122. ISBN 9780850451634.
  7. ^ "Phantom 'Phirsts'", Phabulous 40th, Boeing, archived from the original on 29 June 2011, retrieved 27 November 2012.
  8. ^ "World Record Holder", Phabulous 40th, Boeing, archived from the original on 6 July 2009, retrieved 14 December 2007.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference dorrp200-201 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dorrp188-189 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Donald Spring 1991, p. 26.
  12. ^ Donald Summer 1991, p. 22.
  13. ^ Lake 1992, p. 190.
  14. ^ Lake 1992, p. 203.


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