INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In 1963, as Soviet Tu-95 bombers pushed NATO response times to mere minutes, Britain faced a critical defense gap
Budget constraints left the Royal Navy without a modern fighter capable of intercepting threats at supersonic speeds
Facing being outdone by the Soviets, a desperate Britain did the unthinkable: they turned to a foreign warplane for a solution.The American
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II caught their eye
A Vietnam veteran boasting Mach 2.2 speed, cutting-edge avionics, and staggering 18,000-pound payload capacity
Phantom FG.1 was born, a distinctly British interpretation of American muscle
At its core roared all-new Rolls-Royce Spey Turbofans with 30% more thrust
But this power came at a price
During trials aboard HMS Ark Royal, a pilot spooled up his engine for takeoff, unleashing exhaust 150 degrees Celsius hotter than expected
Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber
that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy
It entered service with the Navy in 1961, then was adopted by the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Air Force, and within a
American supersonic military aircraft in history and a signature combat aircraft of the Cold War.The Phantom is a large fighter with a top
It can carry more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground
missiles, and various bombs
Like other interceptors of its time, the F-4 was initially designed without an internal cannon, but some later models incorporated an
internal M61 Vulcan rotary cannon
Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record and an absolute altitude
record.High over Germany a pair of German F-4F Phantoms fly off the left wing of a KC-135R Stratotanker after receiving fuel
The KC-135R is from the 100th Aerial Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England.The F-4 was used extensively during the Vietnam
War, first as the principal air superiority fighter for the U.S
Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, and later as a ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance aircraft
Air Force pilot and two weapon systems officers (WSOs), one U.S
The Phantom remained a major part of U.S
military air power into the 1980s, when it was gradually replaced by more modern aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in
Air Force, the F-14 Tomcat in the U.S
Navy, and the F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S
Marine Corps.The Phantom was used for reconnaissance and Wild Weasel (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) missions in the 1991 Gulf War, and
finally left combat service in 1996
It was the only aircraft used by both U.S
flight demonstration teams: the United States Air Force Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the United States Navy Blue Angels (F-4J)
The F-4 was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations
The F-4 remains in active service with the air forces of Iran, Greece, and Turkey
The aircraft has most recently been in service against the Islamic State group in the Middle East.Top Photo: McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom
II returning to Holloman Air Force Base on November 18, 2008 U.S
Air National Guard Photo: Master Sgt
Vincent De Groot
Sources: YouTube; Wikipedia
