On January 2, 1967, Major Philip Combies and 1st Lieutenant Lee Dutton were flying this aircraft during Operation BOLO when they shot down a North Vietnamese MiG 21. It first flew in the early 60s and was later assigned to 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base during the Vietnam War. Aviation Challenge’s aircraft is an Air Force F-4C. The USAF replaced the Phantom II with the F-15 Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. The Navy and Marine Corps F-4s were replaced by the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet. Simultaneously 100 Phantoms that have been converted into QF-4 drones and missile targets that still serve the U.S. More than 800 F-4 Phantom II aircraft are still on active duty with the defense forces of eight nations: Egypt, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey. McDonnell Douglas built over 5,000 F-4s, making the Phantom the record holder for the largest production run of any supersonic fighter built in the United States. It has been flown by the defense forces of 11 other nations: Australia, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Iran, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Turkey. It is the first and only aircraft ever to be flown concurrently by both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds. The Phantom was the first multi-service aircraft, flying concurrently with the U.S. Although F-4s are no longer in the USAF or Navy inventory, a few are still flown by foreign nations. F-4s were used extensively in the Vietnam War, while later versions of the aircraft were active in the Air Force inventory well into the 1990s. Specially modified USAF Phantoms also flew reconnaissance (RF-4C) and “Wild Weasel” anti-aircraft missile suppression missions (F-4C WW).
The newer F-4E incorporated an internal 20 mm gun. The early F-4 did not have an internal gun and was used only as a missile/bomb platform. In various combinations the F-4 can carry over 18,000 pounds (8200 kg) of externally carried conventional, laser guided or nuclear bombs, rockets, air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and 20mm cannon pods. The United States Air Force (USAF) evaluated it and in 1962, approved a USAF version. Navy fleet defense and entered service in 1961. First flown in May 1958, the Phantom II was originally developed for U.S. The aircraft could perform three tactical air roles - air superiority, interdiction, and close air support - as it did in Southeast Asia. The F-4 Phantom II was a two-seat, all-weather, long-range supersonic interceptor and fighter-bomber with twin afterburning turbojet engines.
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