F-4 Phantom II

My father-in-law passed away this week.
He was a flight surgeon during the Vietnam war and to get the respect of the pilots he took care of, he went on a mission with one of them. They flew an F-4. This one is for him.

Find F-4 Phantom II stuff here.

F-4s where my favorite jets when I was growing up. They looked different. They looked cool and futuristic, not like the Migs or even the European jets from Saab or Hawker. I even liked it more as I grew up and found out that it was the fastest jet in the world. Now, today, the F-4 is listed with a top speed of Mach 2.23 but there is this supposed record breaker from the U.S.S.R., a Mig 23 variant called a Ye-152 that states a top speed of Mach 2.8+. I don't think it happened. Not only because it is one of the most ugliest jet fighters ever made but the record was broken, again supposedly, by about 60 mph. When the top speed of a machine has a number with a plus sign after it and it breaks a speed record, they should know exactly how fast the machine went. On top of that, the Ye-152 that was flown was designated as a Ye-166, so why not call it a modified Ye-152? Was it that different? Look at this small picture and tell me it is not ugly... please. When I see the thing flying past a stock F-4, then I'll want to see it against the record breaking, modified F-4.

I guess the point is mute now, the SR-71 holds the record now with a listed top speed of Mach 3.3. Who knows how fast a Blackbird can go.

General characteristics:

• Crew: 2
• Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.2 m)
• Wingspan: 38 ft 4.5 in (11.7 m)
• Height: 16 ft 6 in (5.0 m)
• Wing area: 530.0 ft² (49.2 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 0006.4–64 root, NACA 0003-64 tip
• Empty weight: 30,328 lb (13,757 kg)
• Loaded weight: 41,500 lb (18,825 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 61,795 lb (28,030 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J79-GE-17A axial compressor turbojets, 17,845 lbf (79.4 kN) each
• Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0224
• Drag area: 11.87 ft² (1.10 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 2.77
• Fuel capacity: 1,994 U.S. gal (7,549 L) internal, 3,335 U.S. gal (12,627 L) with three external tanks (370 U.S. gal (1,420 L) tanks on the outer wing hardpoints and either a 600 or 610 U.S. gal (2,310 or 2,345 L) tank for the centerline station).
• Maximum landing weight: 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)

Performance:

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.23 (1,472 mph, 2,370 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
• Cruise speed: 506 kn (585 mph, 940 km/h)
• Combat radius: 367 nmi (422 mi, 680 km)
• Ferry range: 1,403 nmi (1,615 mi, 2,600 km) with 3 external fuel tanks
• Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,300 m)
• Rate of climb: 41,300 ft/min (210 m/s)
• Wing loading: 78 lb/ft² (383 kg/m²)
• lift-to-drag: 8.58
• Thrust/weight: 0.86 at loaded weight, 0.58 at MTOW
• Takeoff roll: 4,490 ft (1,370 m) at 53,814 lb (24,410 kg)
• Landing roll: 3,680 ft (1,120 m) at 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)

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Find more F-4 Phantom II stuff here.

Find more F-4 Phantom II stuff here.