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McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
The F-4E is the most-built Phantom II, a two-seat, twin-engine fighter-bomber that put improved J79-GE-17 engines and an M61A1 20 mm cannon on the F-4D design. Each General Electric engine gives 17,900 pounds of thrust with afterburner. The Air Force lists a span of 38 feet 5 inches, a length of 63 feet, a height of 16 feet 6 inches and a maximum take-off weight of 61,795 pounds. It gives an average cruising speed of 504 knots, a ferry range of 1,401 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 58,750 feet. McDonnell Douglas built 1,370 F-4Es.
- Range
- 1,610 miles (1,401 nm, 2,590 km) unrefueled
- Cruise speed
- 504 knots (930 km/h)
- Engines
- Two General Electric J79-GE-17 turbojets in the fuselage
- Max takeoff weight
- 61,800 lb (28,030 kg)
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Specifications
| Length | 63 ft 0 in (19.20 m) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 38 ft 5 in (11.71 m) |
| Height | 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m) |
| Ceiling | 58,750 ft (17,900 m) |
| Number built | 1,370 built |
| Status | Retired in 2016 |
| Type codes | ICAO F4 |
Who flew it
- US Air Force
- US Navy
- US Marine Corps
Service branches, from the services' own fact sheets. No flight data is shown for military aircraft.
History
The Phantom II entered Air Force service in 1963 and was the Air Force's primary fighter-bomber until production ended in 1979. Its operational capability ended in 1997, but Phantoms converted to QF-4 target drones kept flying. The last QF-4 flight was at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on 21 December 2016, flown by Lt. Col. Ronald King of Detachment 1, 82nd Aerial Target Squadron, after 53 years of Air Force service. It was the last flight of the type in US military service.
Last operators
- 82nd Aerial Target Squadron, Detachment 1 (QF-4), US Air Force