![]() ![]() It was also the most numerous and significant aircraft type to participate in the Vietnam War. The Phantom was the most significant aircraft to serve with the US Navy and Marine Corps, and the US Air Force. When the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom first emerged towards the end of the 1950s, it represented a generational step from the first postwar jets and later 'Century Series' aircraft, to the modern high-tech fighters such as the F-16. Why was it conceived? What was it like to fly in combat? Who were the people who designed it and who became famous for flying it? What were its virtues and vices? These questions are answered and a wealth of technical data, additional information and suggestions for further reading are provided. This is the perfect introduction for the general reader, enthusiast or modeller wishing to find a succinct yet detailed introduction to the design and history of this aircraft. The F-4 is still operational with several units, but is now coming to the end of its long and successful period as a front-line combat warplane. It was one of America's most utilised aircraft during the long Vietnam War and has been flown in anger in the Middle East by a number of different air forces. One of the Royal Navy's Phantoms stole the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing, a record that stood until taken by the remarkable Blackbird.ĭuring the long course of its service history, the Phantom has been employed in a variety of different combat scenarios and theatres of war. In Britain, it was ordered for the Navy and Air Force, but was modified to take the Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan. There then followed a spate of orders from around the world. ![]() ![]() The US Air Force then realised that the Navy had an aircraft that was far better than any tactical aircraft in their inventory and ordered 543 F-4C variants. The Phantom was developed for the US Navy as a long-range all-weather fighter and first flew in May 1958. ![]()
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