Built by McDonnell Aircraft as a twin-engine, two-seat, long-range, all-weather interceptor and attack bomber for the Navy, the F-4 was adopted by the Air Force to replace the F-105. The USAF F-4C first flew on 27 May 1963. The aircraft's unique aerodynamic design incorporates "the coke bottle" fuselage, downward shaped elevons and upward sloped outer wings. Raw thrust from the two engines gave it a reputation for rapid acceleration. Two squadron of F-4Cs were later modified as "Wild Weasel" aircraft which incorporated sophisticated electronics to counter enemy surface to air missiles, 5,195 Phantom IIs were produced by McDonnell Aircraft Co, making it the second most produced and exported American jet fighter, after the North American F-86 Sabre. The aircraft has been operated by the USAF, US Navy, US Marines, eleven foreign nations and for a time used by both the USAF Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels.
USAF s/n 64-0706 is an F-4C-22-MC, one of 583 F-4Cs built in St Louis, MO. It was delivered to the USAF on 12 May 1965 and assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC), Holloman AFB, NM. In January 1966 it was sent to the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing (PACAF), Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam, for a two year combat tour. In April 1968 it went to the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC), Georga AFB, CA. The final two assignments were to the 58th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC), Luke AFB, AZ, in August 1974 and the 191st Fighter Interceptor Group (ANG), Selfridge AFB, MI. It was flown to the museum on 22 July 1986 bearing the black and yellow checkerboard of the Selfridge Fighter Squadron.
Specifications:
Crew: 2
Power Plant: 2× 11,560 lbf J79-GE-15 turbojet engine 17,500 w/afterburner
Dimensions:
- Span: 38' 8"
- Length: 63' 0"
- Height: 16' 6"
Weight:
- Empty: 30,328 lb
- Maximum: 61,795 lb
Performance:
- Speed:
- - Max: 1,600 mph @ 36,000 ft
- - Cruise: 585 mph
- Range: 1,615 miles
- Ceiling: 60,000 ft
- Climb: 41,300 fpm
Armament:
- Guns:
- Internal:
- External: Up to 18,650 lb of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including general purpose bombs, cluster bombs, TV- and laser-guided bombs, rocket pods, air-to-ground missiles, anti-runway weapons, anti-ship missiles, targeting pods, reconnaissance pods, and nuclear weapons. Baggage pods and external fuel tanks may also be carried.
- - 4× AIM-7 Sparrow in fuselage recesses
- - 1× 20mm M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon, 640 rounds
- - 4× AIM-9 Sidewinder
- - 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM
- - 6× AGM-65 Maverick
- - 4× AGM-62 Walleye
- - 4× AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-78 Standard ARM
- - 4× GBU-15
- - 18× Mk 82, GBU-12
- - 5× Mk 84, GBU-10, GBU-14
- - 18× CBU-87, CBU-89, CBU-58
- - B28EX/B61/B43/B57 nuclear weapons
Source: aircraft placard
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