Are there better ones? Sure, now. Are there cooler ones? Maybe.

What I like about the F4 is the raw power, and its ridiculous shape, which to me seems actually natural and animal like.

If the Blue Angels used them, they must be half decent. Pictured with another aircraft that blows me away.

Modern tech is cool. I guess (I know) I'm old, because these aircraft have something more visceral to me than modern ones.

The F4 my favorite camera Another F4 by Scopophobia, on Flickr

As a kid I remember being fascinated with an article in National Geographic on the F4 that described it looking like someone accidentally shut a hanger door on it. Most impressive was a photo of all the ordinance that jet could carry neatly laid out on the floor in front of it.

The Phantom was always my favorite aircraft as a kid growing up in the 1980’s. It has a unique, mean look to it. It is iconic and IMO the best looking jet engine aircraft ever made.

My father in law worked on Phantoms in the US Navy. He even got to fly in one and described it as two HUGE jet engines with a little bit of wing attached.

As someone who loves military history and who grew up in their hometown NAS Oceana, my favorite squadron will always be VF 143 aka the “Pukin dogs”. The squadron was flying F-18s when I became aware of their most excellent nick name BUT they did fly the F4 Phantom II. They also flew the OG F4 Corsair way back in the day.



“The squadron adopted its current insignia in 1953, a winged black griffon on a blue shield. The distinctive squadron name "Pukin' Dogs" came about when the squadron commander's wife saw the creature’s droopy head and gaping mouth design. She stated, in front of the squadron pilots, that it looked like a "pukin' dog." The pilots loved that, and the name stuck.”

-from below link

History of VF-143

I visited Kirtland AFB in New Mexico during the mid-1960's when I was an AFROTC cadet, and got to watch some really neat aircraft do their stuff.

Each of us tried to prove to the rest that we had the best vision, by watching departing fighter jets in the clear New Mexico skies. F-100's we could watch for about two minutes. F-4's we could still see after about the same, maybe a little less. Then, an SR-71 took off with the loudest, most awe-inspiring roar. As big as it was (at least twice the size of either of the others...

It was completely out-of-sight in 30 seconds!

Also, a classic Revell model for us kids. I think the forum monkey worked on these in RL, but I've flown these by hand back around early 1980's as a young teen.

quote:

...I think the forum monkey worked on these in RL...

I worked most of the models, and was Crew Chief on one of the first E models, 66-0295 (number 12).

Also one of my favorite jets.

The F4 is proof that you can attach anything to two J79 engines and it will fly.

I agree that the F4 has a purposeful and deadly appearance that most jets don't share.

They were also dominant when I was a kid first noticing such things.

Looks like Pepe Le Pew is eying up his next target of affection, the Playboy Bunny, in the first photo.

On my first WESTPAC, I had to take a Flying Tigers charter flight to Clark AFB Philippines. The guy that sat next to me, was an Air Force back seater in an RF-4 Phantom.

One of my favorites as well.

Spent about 6 years working on aerial reconnaissance cameras and other avionics equipment out of them (RF-4B model).

At the time, the RF was the second fastest aircraft in the US military inventory (only beat by the SR-71). Lots of fond memories of the beloved “Sky-pig” and proof that with enough thrust, a brick will fly.






Grainy old pic, scanned in… guess the F-4 (hint, the exhaust gives it away )

Being a young lad in high school at the time, I remember when the Navy switched from the F4 to the F14.
I'll never forget the quip at the time - "Better a sister in a whorehouse than a brother in Tomcat".
That said, while the F4 is impressive, I am all in on the F14. Hell, it has a gun!

IMO the two sexiest aircraft in history are the F-4 Phantom and the F-4U Corsair. Something about bent wings, maybe? Oh, I used to own a Nikon F4 too. I sold it to finance my first DSLR, and still regret it.

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:
IMO the two sexiest aircraft in history are the F-4 Phantom and the F-4U Corsair. Something about bent wings, maybe?

I agree with you. My last duty station before I retired was as the Avionics Chief for MAG-41 Det A at Andrews AFB. I retired just as we were transitioning from the F-4 to the FA-18. That was an odd assignment; Marine Squadron assigned to a Naval Air Station aboard an Air Force Base.

That's a great photo (SR-71 and F-4). Two awesome aircraft. They were retired before I got to see any CAS work (F-15, F-16 F/A-18, A-10 only). I always thought the F-4 aircraft were awesome.

Two of my favorite aircraft in one pic.

The F4 has always been my favorite. I guess growing up during the 60's-70's had an influence on me. Fast forward to the mid 90's and I bought a house next door to a guy who was a back seater on a US Navy F4 during Vietnam. On one of their missions they had a mechanical failure over the South China sea while heading back to the carrier. They had to eject and my neighbor suffered a couple injuries. He went state side to recover and left the Navy soon after.

The Arizona ANG was still flying F-4s when I was in college at UofA; the campus was on the approach to DM AFB. All classroom instruction stopped when a flight of F-4s passed overhead. LOUD!