Description
The McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom was a long-range, twin-engine, all weather two-seater multi-role fighter. The flight of the prototype took place on May 27, 1958, and serial production began in 1961. Originally, the F-4 was intended only as a fighter, but from 1955 on, the design work went towards meeting the US Navy’s need for a new carrier borne fighter. The F-4 Phantom turned out to be a very successful machine, produced in several versions, exported to many countries, some produced under license. The first versions were models from A to D intended as fighter-bombers. The next version was the F-4E, produced since 1967 as a long-range fighter. Reconnaissance versions were also created: RF-4B, RF-4C and RF-4E. The latest versions are the F-4F and F-4G Wild Weasel – these were electronic warfare planes and designed to combat enemy radar. The F-4 took part in the Vietnam War, plus conflicts in the Middle East (1967, 1973) and the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). In total, 5,057 F-4 Phantoms were built. The F-4E had a maximum speed of 2370 km/h, a rate of climb of 210 m/s, and a maximum ceiling of 18300 m with a maximum range of 2600 km Armament consisted 0f a fixed 1 20mm M61A-1 cannon, and up to 7255 kg of bombs and rockets.
