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Vietnam and Gulf War service
The '''F-4 Phantom II''' was a supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber used by the [[United States]] military from 1960 to 1996. It was developed by McDonnell Douglas.
The '''F-4 Phantom II''' was a supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber used by the [[United States]] military from 1960 to 1996. It was developed by McDonnell Douglas.
It was the fighter and fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force, Navy and Marines during the Vietnam war. It was used both by the Navy [[Blue Angels]] demonstration team and the Air Force [[Thunderbirds]].
It was the fighter and fighter-bomber used by the [[United States Air Force]], [[United States Navy|Navy]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] during the Vietnam war. It was used both by the Navy [[Blue Angels]] demonstration team and the Air Force [[Thunderbirds]].
Some are still in service with other nations who bought them from the United States.
Some are still in service with other nations who bought them from the United States.
Armament: One 20 millimeter Vulcan cannon (E model only<ref>Although other models could carry external gun pods.</ref>), and either four [[AIM-7 Sparrow]] missiles and four [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]] missiles or 16,000 lb bombload.
Armament: One 20 millimeter Vulcan cannon (E model only<ref>Although other models could carry external gun pods.</ref>), and either four [[AIM-7 Sparrow]] missiles and four [[AIM-9 Sidewinder]] missiles or 16,000 lb bombload.
==Phantoms over Vietnam==
The conflict most commonly associated with the F-4, at least by Americans, is the [[Vietnam War]]. The Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all flew Phantoms throughout the conflict. In the first part of the war, they were mainly tasked with escort duties.<ref>In the beginning, F-100 Super Sabers flew escort missions, but they were found incapable of dealing with Migs, and re-assigned</ref> Consequently, most of the Migs shot down over Vietnam, including the first ones, fell to Phantom-launched missiles. The Phantoms had the advantage of speed, but were less maneuverable than their opponents. In addition, the requirement to protect the bombers and the restrictions placed on the rules of engagement prevented the American pilots from using their planes to their fullest potential. As time went on, the role of the Phantoms expanded to include support attacks and eventually the bombing of strategic targets.
===Operation Bolo===
The most famous (and one of the most successful) Phantom operations of the Vietnam War was [[Operation Bolo]], the brainchild of WWII ace Air Force Colonel Robin Olds. In response to the increasing Mig threat, an intricate ambush was planned, and on January 2, 1967, executed. 56 Phantoms lured a dozen Mig-21s up to fight and shot down seven with no losses. In addition, the remaining Mig-21s were out of action for three months while the pilots retrained and replacements were acquired.
==Phantoms over Israel==
==Phantoms over Israel==
By the mid-1980s, the Phantom was starting to get a little long in the tooth compared to the F-15, [[F-16]], and the newer Migs in service at the time with many Arab air forces. The Kurnass 2000 project was initiated to give the Phantom a new lease on life, and 130 planes were re-equipped with new avionics and modifications to the hydraulic and fuel systems. Kurnass 2000s have seen action in Lebanon.
By the mid-1980s, the Phantom was starting to get a little long in the tooth compared to the F-15, [[F-16]], and the newer Migs in service at the time with many Arab air forces. The Kurnass 2000 project was initiated to give the Phantom a new lease on life, and 130 planes were re-equipped with new avionics and modifications to the hydraulic and fuel systems. Kurnass 2000s have seen action in Lebanon.
==Phantoms over Kuwait==
By the time of the [[Gulf War]], the Phantom had been mostly superseded in American service by the [[F-14 Tomcat|F-14]], F-15, and F-16. The USAF still used RF-4s for tactical reconnaissance, and sent a total of eighteen of them to the Coalition forces in [[Saudi Arabia]].
Playing a more prominent role were the Air Force’s F-4Gs, specialized for SAM-suppression. Phantoms from the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing flew with the airstrikes, destroying missile sites and radars with their [[AGM-45 Shrike|Shrike]] and HARM missiles when they threatened the strike aircraft. 250 Iraqi radars were destroyed in total, mostly by Phantoms. In spite of the risky nature of their mission, only one F-4G was lost in combat in the war, to anti-aircraft fire. The highest scoring F-4G crew were pilot Captain Vince Quinn and WSO Major Ken Spaar, who destroyed twelve SAM sites during their tour.
==Notes==
==Notes==
==Sources==
==Sources==
===Vietnam===
*[http://www.wingweb.co.uk/aircraft/McDonnell_Phantom_F-4_part3.html The Phantom in Vietnam]
*''Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat from World War II to the Gulf War'', by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997
*''Fast Movers: Jet Pilots and the Vietnam Experience'', by John Darrell Sherwood, St. Martin’s Press, 1999
*''Mig-21 Units of the Vietnam War'', by Istvan Toperczer, Osprey Publishing, 2001
===Israel===
===Israel===
*''Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat from World War II to the Gulf War'', by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997
*''Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat from World War II to the Gulf War'', by Ivan Rendall, Dell Publishing, 1997
*''Israeli F-4 Phantom II Aces'', by Shlomo Aloni, Osprey Publishing, 2004
*''Israeli F-4 Phantom II Aces'', by Shlomo Aloni, Osprey Publishing, 2004
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/phantom.html JewishVirtualLibrary: F-4 Phantom II]
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/phantom.html JewishVirtualLibrary: F-4 Phantom II]
===Kuwait===
*''Desert Storm: Air War'', by Robert F. Dorr, Motorbooks International, 1991
*''The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft'', ed. by Paul Eden, Amber Books, 2004
*[http://128.121.102.226/aaloss.html Coalition Aircraft Combat Attrition]
*''Rolling Thunder: Jet Combat from World War II to the Gulf War'', by Ivan Rendall
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:United States Air Force]]
[[Category:United States Air Force]]
[[Category:United States Navy]]
[[Category:United States Navy]]
[[Category:Vietnam War]]