By the middle of October, 37 Phantoms had been lost in combat and another six were damaged beyond repair. [34], The first aircraft delivered were F-4Es, provided under the "Peace Echo" program, authorized on 7 January 1968, by president Lyndon Johnson, and supported by Senator Robert F. Nota: Prezzi e disponibilità sono solo indicazioni. The contract included industrial offsets for German industry, particularly production work for Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm who manufactured and supplied F-4 components to McDonnell Douglas' Phantom production facility in St. The main updates involved the APG-76 radar, Elbit ACE-3 mission computer, HOTAS, the addition of winglets for increased agility, ASX-1 TISEO and the ability to deploy Popeye missiles. 24 German F-4F Phantom IIs were operated by the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing of the USAF at Holloman AFB to train Luftwaffe crews until December 2004. 2, 6, 14, 17, 31, 41 and 54 Squadrons in the close air support, tactical strike and tactical reconnaissance roles. The Yom Kippur War started with Egyptian and Syrian air strikes on Israel. Camouflage colors used on German Phantoms are based on their RAL standard and they are: NORM 81, The Turkish F-4 fleet was enhanced with 15 secondhand US aircraft delivered in 1981 to Filo 173 and finally, another 15 delivered in 1984 to replace fleet losses. Before that, this wing was only a training unit equipped with the last Turkish F-100s. [34], Peace Echo IV brought another 52 F-4s to the IDF, 24 of which were ex-USAF. F4 Phantom. The old RF-84Fs were retained until 1990 for training purposes. The first Phantoms delivered to the THK had Southeast Asia camouflage colors and TISEO equipment, consisting of a wing-mounted television camera with zoom capacity for spotting targets outside of normal visual range. In this short time, the air force had already passed through two generations of jet combat aircraft, having bought the North American F-86 Sabre and the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. The "ICE" (Improved Combat Efficiency) program commenced in 1983 to upgrade the F-4F's air-to-air capabilities. This left 301 Hikōtai flying F-4EJ Kai models as the last remaining squadron equipped with Phantoms in Japan, to be replaced by the F-35A Lightning II in 2020.[52]. The first of these arrived in March 1971. On 11 November 1969 an F-4E first shot down a MiG-21. The next day, at Bremgarten, the aircraft was accepted by the Inspekteur der Luftwaffe ("Inspector of the Luftwaffe", Gunther Rall.[14]. Leeuwarden Opendag 15-09-11; F4 Phantom Luftwaffe Arrival. However, when the SEPECAT Jaguar entered service from 1974 onwards, the Phantom FGR.2s were redeployed in the air defence role, replacing English Electric Lightnings with Nos. The costs sustained in the upgrades had incurred a delay in AMRAAM acquisition. The lack of AMRAAMs was a serious handicap and the MiG 29s were retained for longer than had been planned. Edwin, you seem to be very knowledgeable on t... Hi I recently found a photo of a Sunderland t... Hi Nico Spain has employed F-4Cs as spares since 1989. [64], This batch of RF-4Cs was updated to the highest USAF standard prior to delivery and had a completely revised avionic suite, including new radios, RWR, VOR and ILS navigation equipment and KS-86 cameras. Earlier, the Americans had offered to sell 48 aircraft, including RF-4Es if the RAAF had cancelled the F-111C. Filo 111, 112, 113, all based on JAB 1, Eskişehir, were the new Phantom units. In the late 1990s, these were withdrawn from service after being replaced by F-4Fs. Take a shot! (in Italian), McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in Australian service, 348th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron "Eyes", 338th Fighter-Bomber Squadron "Aris/Mars", McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in UK service, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, "Index of Phantom Variants and Operators. [90] These aircraft were modified to enable them to carry the SUU-23/A gun pods. The first six aircraft were returned in October 1972, with another five returned in November 1972. Other fighters, seen as supplemental to the F-4E, were purchased as well. The F-4Es changed the balance of power in the region; they were not only effective on the battlefield, but available in large numbers as well. [73] The Turkish release suggested that the Turkish government did not immediately view the Syrian action as provocative, and it acknowledged that Syrian assets were assisting efforts to find the aircraft and crew. Divenuto nel corso della sua lunga vita operativa una delle icone della superiorità aerea americana durante la Guerra del Vietnam e nel periodo della Guerra fredda, è ancora in servizio presso alcune forze aeree. These aircraft were flown directly to Israel, some by U.S. pilots. [13] There were special flares for night use and two night/all-weather reconnaissance systems. The Greek Air Force (Polemiki Aeroporia, PA) was interested in buying 32 aircraft in 1992 but the differences were too great between the FGR.2 and the F-4Es they operated.[94]. [12], In July 1989, the first F-4F ICE Phase 2 aircraft was completed, and on 22 November 1991 the first firing of an AIM-120 AMRAAM took place. Required fields are marked *. 2:41. [29] On 30 November 2014, Al Jazeera reported that an Iranian F-4 had conducted an airstrike in Iraq against Islamic State militants. That was an interesting read on Wyve... Hello Barry, what an amazing find!! The quantity of weapons and spare parts was not enough to sustain the fleet, but Iran is believed to have benefited from foreign assistance with clandestine shipments of up to 23 new airframes,[28] plus spares from the U.S. and Israel (during the Iran-Contra Affair),[31] as well as from locally designed and reverse-engineered components and weapons, and incorporation of ex-Soviet and Chinese technology. [72], On 22 June 2012, the Turkish government announced that Syrian forces had shot down a Turkish RF-4E from 113 Filo with two crew members over the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Hatay Province, which borders the Syrian Latakia Governorate. [23], The last batch of 40 Phantoms was not delivered due to the political situation in Greece, but with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the US-led Operation Desert Storm liberation, the situation changed. However, they did not enter service in time to fight in the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. The first six F-111Cs were delivered in June 1973, and the rest of the F-4Es were returned to the United States Air Force. The IDF Phantoms received Elbit Jason digital bombing computers, Litton LW-33 inertial navigation systems, new radar warning receivers, TISEO and combat slats. 74 Squadron RAF (Tiger Squadron), based at RAF Wattisham in the air-defence role. Operation Peace Patch involved another batch of 12 Phantoms, delivered in 1971. To support them a fleet of three KC-97Ls was acquired in 1972, equipping Escuadrón 123, being replaced by KC-130Hs (which equipped Escuadrón 301) from January 1976. Vi offriamo di scaricare sfondi McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, Air Force, la Germania, la caccia-intercettore, Luftwaffe, Forze Armate tedesche, aerei militari da un insieme di categorie aerei per la relativa delibera del monitor per la registrazione gratuita e senza. [70], Small strakes above the air intakes to improve agility, new attachment fittings, engine mountings, stronger wing fold ribs, updated canopy sill bar, 12 mi (20 km) of wiring replaced (reducing weight by 1,653 lb/750 kg) as well as most hydraulic and pneumatic lines and hoses, and fuel tank reinforcements. [85], To ease the impact on employment in the UK aircraft industry from the cancellation of home-grown programs, the aircraft had a high British content. The F-4F ICE program offered a reasonably inexpensive and capable aircraft for the interceptor role, albeit with limitations. [34][46], By the end of the 20th Century there were still 112 F-4s serving with the IDF, in three Squadrons: the 119, 142 and 201. Under the Peace Trout program, one RF-4E upgrade had an ELINT system installed in the nose, based on the APR-39 of the F-4G. [86] These engines (RB 168-25R Spey Mk 202/203s) were more powerful than the J79s (20,515 lbf/91.25 kN afterburning thrust) and had a lower fuel consumption (Specific fuel consumption was around 0.7 lb/hp.h). [42], IDF Phantoms took part in many other battles, among them Operation Mole Cricket 19 in June 1982, when Syrian SA-6 sites were destroyed by a coordinated attack made by IDF aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. This was the last F-4 built in the world. [34], On the second day of the war, the IDF launched attacks with F-4s and A-4 Skyhawks but the enemy air defence and MiGs shot down six Phantoms and 30 A-4s. Let Let Let – Warplanes. While the F-4EJs were built almost entirely by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the RF-4Es were bought directly from McDonnell-Douglas. These were the only "C" models ever exported, even as second-hand examples. [35] Egyptian fighters had a hard time dealing with the F-4s, and their SA-2 Surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) were not effective at low altitudes. [7] Initially, Egyptian ground crews found their maintenance far more complex than required for Soviet aircraft and consequently there was an average of only nine F-4s serviceable during 1982, a 26% serviceability rate. The F-4Cs were assigned to Escuadrones 121 and 122, Ala 12 (Wing). The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) operated a total of 175 F-4Fs, 10 F-4Es (for training at U.S. airfields) and 88 RF-4Es making it one of the most prolific Phantom customers. These encounters gave the EAF a measure of the type's effectiveness, especially as a bomber. The 111th and 112th Filo received 32 F-4Es replacing their aging F-100s. "Ejército del Aire: McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II" (in Spanish). The first eight were sent to George AFB where crew training was carried out. By the end of that reorganization, Filo 171 became a ground attack unit, 172 interception and 173 reconnaissance. By 1990, Phantom losses were 21 F-4Fs and 15 RF-4Es. Greece upgraded 39 to Peace Icarus 2000 standard. There was doubt that even a simplified version of the Typhoon could be acquired. The 348th "Eyes" Squadron relinquished their RF-84Fs for new RF-4Es in 1979. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. The RF-4Cs were given the Spanish designation CR.12.[63]. 892 NAS commissioned with the Phantom in 1969, and embarked in Ark Royal for the first time in 1970, making the Fleet Air Arm the only naval air arm outside the United States to operate the Phantom from the deck of an aircraft carrier. [5] After modifications in the 1970s, the tail had a new RWR system; a British-made Marconi ARI.18228 fitted in a rectangular antenna box on the fin tip.[86]. [84], New multifunction display in the front cockpit plus two in the rear, new Kaiser El-OP 976 wide-angle HUD and HOTAS system, high-performance Elta EL/M-2032 ISAR-capable high-resolution SAR/GMTI (ground moving target indicator) multi-mode fire-control radar (developed for the IAI Lavi), IAIC mission computer, new navigation equipment including GPS/INS connected to mapping mode, dual MIL-STD-553B databus managing avionics package, Astronautics Central Air Data Computer, new UHF and IFF packages, airborne video tape recorder (AVTR), Elta EL/L-8222 active ECM pod and Mikes (Aselsan) AN/ALQ-178V3 passive embedded SPEWS, and RWR. Cooper, Nicole, Arab Migs, Volume 4, Attrition War 1969-1973, p. 101, 102, Rollino, Paolo. The upgrades included provisions for up to four AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles, for self-defence and to provide a secondary capability as an interceptor. The man saw a jet coming at him at high speed and low altitude and opened fire, Makdissi said. A total of 12 F-4Fs were initially modified for dual controls and were later de-modified. Your email address will not be published. Australia returned the F-4s to U.S. after leasing. AirDOC S48-01 - Luftwaffe F4 F Phantom II Price Canadian Dollars: $34.95 . U.S. President Richard Nixon authorized the delivery of 36 ex-USAF F-4s under Operation Nickel Grass, from the USAF 4th and 401st Tactical Fighter Wings. There were 12 ex-USAF 460 TRG (Tactical Reconnaissance Group, disbanded in 1990) that were sent to the South Korean 131st TRS (Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron), 39 TRG, at Suwon Air Base, along with another 11 sent later. Aeromaster 48-574 for the Brit F-4 Phantom II. The aircraft were designated Phantom FGR.2 ("Fighter/Ground attack/Reconnaissance") by the British and the prototype first flew on 17 February 1967. The two RAF squadrons converted to the Tornado F.3 in 1989 when the FG.1s were withdrawn from service. It was fitted with an AN/AWG-12 radar and fire-control system, similar to the AN/AWG-11 but without the ability to fold the radome and antenna back to enable the aircraft to fit the lifts on an aircraft carrier, and Martin-Baker Mk.H5 ejection seats. This made the targets difficult for the small Iraqi air force to destroy. Seoul ordered 18 ex-USAF F-4Ds, which were quickly delivered under the Peace Spectator program. A four-ship flight of RF-4Es and RF-4EJs from 501 Hikōtai performed a ceremonial flypast, which included aircraft serial 47-6901, the first RF-4E built for Japan and the first to be handed over. [30], The Iraqi air force performed a very deep strike of more than 837 km (520 mi) inside Iran, but this small formation was intercepted by two Iranian F-4s and one or two MiGs were lost. [8], By the end of the 1990s, three aircraft had crashed but were replaced with three others. In the 1980s, the Tornado started to replace the Phantom in the air-defence role. [9][10] As of 2018 the two squadrons of F-4s are retired and are in storage/reserve. This meant that the bases were very large, well-dispersed and stocked with ample spare parts. Another deserting F-4 was less lucky, being intercepted and shot down by Saudi F-15 Eagles on 5 June 1984. This latter was a mixed unit, sent to Preschen airbase and had one staffel of F-4s and one with MiG-29s. It’s interesting that with the new camouflage was also changed size of national insignia. 19. [81][82] Calls to scrap the F-4s and replace them with the fifth generation F-35s were renewed.