McDONNELL F-4 PHANTOM II
F-4 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | McDonnell Aircraft Corp., St. Louis, Missouri, USA (In 1967, became McDonnell Douglas Corp., McDonnell Aircraft Co. Division) |
| Model: | Model 98 |
| Designations: | F-4; AH, F-110, F4H |
| Names: | Phantom II; Spectre (temporary, F-110) |
| First official flight: | (YF4H-1) 27/05/1958 |
| Factory production period: | 1957 - 1979 1972 - 1981 (Foreign built) |
| Primary service period: | 1960 - 1980's |
| Last official flight: | (F-4S) 14/05/1987 (US Navy) (F-4S) 18/01/1992 (USMC) (F-4G) 20/04/1996 (USAF) |
F-4 VARIANTS
| 1958 | Model 98 | YF4H-1 | 2 | Total: 0002 |
| 1958 | Model 98 | F4H-1F (F-4A) | 45 | |
| 1961 | Model 98 | F4H-1 (F-4B) | 649 | |
| 1965 | Model 98 | RF-4B | 46 | Total: 0740 |
| 1963 | Model 98 | F-4C | 583 | |
| 1963 | Model 98 | YRF-4C | 2 | |
| 1964 | Model 98 | RF-4C | 503 | |
| 1965 | Model 98 | F-4D | 825 | Total: 1913 |
| 1967 | Model 98 | F-4E | 1387 | |
| 1970 | Model 98 | F-4E(J) | 13 | |
| 1969 | Model 98 | RF-4E | 132 | |
| 1974 | Model 98 | RF-4E(J) | 14 | |
| 1973 | Model 98 | F-4F | 175 | Total: 1721 |
| 1966 | Model 98 | F-4J | 522 | Total: 0522 |
| 1966 | Model 98 | F-4K | 52 | |
| 1967 | Model 98 | F-4M | 118 | Total: 0170 |
|
Grand Total: 5068 |
| 1972 |
Foreign built - Japan: Model 98 |
F-4E(J) |
127 |
Grand Total: 0127 |
F-4 PRODUCTION
YF4H-1
Prototype twin-engined, 2-seater fighter-bomber
for US Navy. Originally designed as the single
seater XAH-1. Later redesignated as F4H-1,
then as F-4A in 1962.
Produced 1957 - 1958
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (H)
| BuNo.142259, 142260 | ? |
Total: 0002 |
F4H-1F
As YF4H-1, engine upgrade, minor changes.
Last 29 built to almost F4H-1 standard.
Redesignated as F-4A in 1962.
Produced 1958 - 1959
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (H)
| BuNo.143388 / 143392 | ? | |
| BuNo.145307 / 145317 | ? | |
| BuNo.146817 / 146821 | ? | |
| BuNo.148252 / 148275 | ? | Total: 0045 |
F4H-1
As F-4A, engine upgrade, modified
canopy, nose. 29 loaned to USAF
as 62-12168 / 62-12196.
Redesignated as F-4B in 1962.
Produced 1961 - 1967
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (H)
| BuNo.148363 / 148434 | ? | |
| BuNo.149403 / 149474 | ? | |
| BuNo.150406 / 150493 | ? | |
| BuNo.150624 / 150653 | ? | |
| BuNo.150993 / 151021 | ? | |
| BuNo.151397 / 151519 | ? | |
| BuNo.152207 / 152331 | ? | |
| BuNo.152965 / 153070 | ? | |
| BuNo.153912 / 153915 | ? | Total: 0649 |
| 35 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
RF-4B
As F-4B, unarmed photo reconn. version
for USMC. Original designation was F4H-1P.
Produced 1965 - 1970
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| BuNo.151975 / 151983 | ? | |
| BuNo.153089 / 153115 | ? | |
| BuNo.157342 / 157351 | ? | Total: 0046 |
F-4C
As F-4B, version for USAF, engine upgrade, various
changes. Original designation was F-110A Spectre.
Produced 1963 - 1966
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| 62-12199 | ? | |
| 63-7407 / 63-7713 | ? | |
| 64-0654 / 64-0928 | ? | Total: 0583 |
| 27 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
YRF-4C
As RF-4B, prototype version for USAF.
Original designation was YRF-110A.
Produced 1963
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| 62-12200, 62-12201 | ? |
Total: 0002 |
RF-4C
As YRF-4C, production version for USAF.
Original designation was RF-110A.
Produced 1964 - 1974
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| 63-7740 / 63-7763 | ? | |
| 64-0997 / 64-1085 | ? | |
| 65-0818 / 65-0945 | ? | |
| 66-0383 / 66-0478 | ? | |
| 67-0428 / 67-0469 | ? | |
| 68-0548 / 68-0611 | ? | |
| 69-0349 / 69-0384 | ? | |
| 71-0248 / 71-0259 | ? | |
| 72-0145 / 72-0156 | ? | Total: 0503 |
| 129 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
F-4D
As F-4C, weapons systems upgrade.
Produced 1965 - 1969
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| 64-0929 / 64-0980 | ? | |
| 65-0580 / 65-0801 | ? | |
| 66-0226 / 66-0283 | ? | |
| 66-7455 / 66-7774 | ? | |
| 66-8685 / 66-8825 | ? | |
|
67-14869 / 6714884 - 16 to Iran as 3-601 / 3-616. |
? | |
|
68-6904 / 68-6919 - 16 to Iran as 3-617 / 3-632. |
? | Total: 0825 |
| 65 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
F-4E
As F-4D, engine upgrade, 20mm nose
cannon, various improvements.
Produced 1967 - 1979
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| 66-0284 / 66-0382 | ? | |
| 67-0208 / 67-0398 | ? | |
| 68-0303 / 68-0547 | ? | |
| 69-0236 / 69-0307 | ? | |
| 69-7201 / 69-7273 | ? | |
| 69-7286 / 69-7303 | ? | |
| 69-7546 / 69-7589 | ? | |
|
69-7711 / 69-7742 - 32 to Iran as 3-633 / 3-664. |
? | |
| 71-0224 / 71-0247 | ? | |
|
71-1070 / 71-1166 - 73 to Iran. |
? | |
| 71-1391 / 71-1402 | ? | |
|
71-1779 / 71-1796 - 18 to Israel. |
? | |
| 72-0121 / 72-0144 | ? | |
| 72-0157 / 72-0168 | ? | |
| 72-1407 | ? | |
|
72-1476 / 72-1535 - 36 to Greece. |
? | |
|
73-1016 / 73-1055 - 40 to Turkey. |
? | |
| 73-1157 / 73-1204 | ? | |
|
73-1519 / 73-1554 - 36 to Iran. |
? | |
| 74-0643 / 74-0666 | ? | |
|
74-1014 / 74-1061 - 24 to Israel. |
? | |
|
74-1618 / 74-1653 - 2 to Greece. |
? | |
|
75-0222 / 75-0257 - 36 to Iran. |
? | |
| 75-0628 / 75-0637 | ? | |
|
76-0493 / 76-0511 - 19 to South Korea. |
? | |
|
77-0277 / 77-0308 - 32 to Turkey as 67-0277 / 67-0308. |
? | |
|
77-1743 / 77-1760 - 18 to Greece as 71743 / 71760. |
? | |
|
78-0727 / 78-0744 - 18 to South Korea. |
? | Total: 1387 |
| 272 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
Turkey operated a total of 233 Phantoms from
1973 to about 2001.
72 F-4E and 8 RF-4E Phantoms were delivered as new with the
remaining 153 delivered from retired USAF stocks. Pictured here
is ex. USAF F-4E-36-MC, s/n: 67-0360, delivered to Turkey in 1991
and retired in 2001 still wearing the famous "shark's mouth" nose art.
Turkish Air Force Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, 2005.
F-4E(J)
As F-4E, version for Japan. First two
as prototypes, last 11 delivered to
Mitsubishi in component form.
Produced 1970 - 1971
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| (JASDF) 17-8301, 17-8302 | ? | |
| (JASDF) 27-8303 / 27-8306 | ? | |
| (JASDF) 37-8307 / 37-8313 | ? | Total: 0013 |
RF-4E
As F-4E, unarmed tactical reconn.
version for export.
Produced 1969 - 1978
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
|
69-7448 / 69-7535 - 88 to West Germany as 3501 / 3588. |
? | |
|
69-7590 / 69-7595 - 6 to Israel as 144 / 149. |
? | |
|
72-0266 / 72-0269 - 4 to Iran. |
? | |
|
74-1725 / 74-1736 - 12 to Iran. |
? | |
|
75-0418 / 75-0423 - 6 to Israel. |
? | |
|
77-0309 / 77-0316 - 8 to Turkey as 67-0309 / 67-0316. |
? | |
|
77-0357, 77-0358 - 2 to Greece as 70357, 70358. |
? | |
|
77-1761 / 77-1766 - 6 to Greece as 71761 / 71766. |
? | Total: 0132 |
| 29 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
A close up view of the distinctive F-4 intake
ramps to help with
air distrubution into the engines during various flight operations.
The forward plate is a movable section, the aft plate is fixed
with bleed air holes covering the surface.
Turkish Air Force Museum, Istanbul, Turkey, 2005.
RF-4E(J)
As RF-4E, version for Japan.
Produced 1974 - 1975
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| (JASDF) 47-6901 / 47-6905 | ||
| (JASDF) 57-6906 / 57-6914 | Total: 0014 |
F-4F
As F-4E, version for West Germany.
Sub-assemblies built by MBB and VFW-Fokker.
Produced 1973 - 1976
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| 72-1111 / 72-1285 | ? |
Total: 0175 |
|
All delivered as: (Luftwaffe) 3701 / 3875 |
||
F-4H
- Not used to avoid confusion with F4H designation.
F-4I
- Not used.
F-4J
As YF-4J, production version for US Navy.
Produced 1966 - 1972
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
| BuNo.153071 / 153088 | ? | |
| BuNo.153768 / 153911 | ? | |
| BuNo.154781 / 154788 | ? | |
| BuNo.155504 / 155580 | ? | |
| BuNo.155731 / 155903 | ? | |
| BuNo.157242 / 157309 | ? | |
| BuNo.158346 / 158379 | ? | Total: 0522 |
| 13 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
F-4K
As F-4J, version for Royal Navy, RR engine
upgrade, many other changes. First two
designated as YF-4K prototypes.
19 diverted to RAF on delivery.
Produced 1966 - 1969
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
All delivered as Phantom FG.Mk. 1 to:
| (RN) XT595 / XT598 | mixed 1449 to 1669 | |
| (RN) XT857 / XT876 | mixed 2097 to 2856 | |
| (RN) XV565 / XV592 | mixed 2872 to 3424 | Total: 0052 |
| 7 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
F-4L
- 1963, proposed version with advanced upgrades.
F-4M
As F-4K, version for RAF, minor equipment
changes. First two designated as YF-4M
prototypes.
Produced 1966 - 1969
McDonnell St. Louis, Missouri (MC)
All delivered as Phantom FGR.Mk. 2 to:
| (RAF) XT852, XT853 | 1950, 2020 | |
| (RAF) XT891 / XT914 | mixed 2250 to 2771 | |
| (RAF) XV393 / XV442 | mixed 2791 to 3226 | |
| (RAF) XV460 / XV501 | mixed 3231 to 3507 | Total: 0118 |
| 46 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
F-4(HL)
- 1966, proposed F-4M version for RN with enhanced performance, cancelled.
F-4(FV)S
- 1966, proposed swing wing design for F-4J/M production, cancelled.
F-4T
- Proposed lightweight, fighter only version, cancelled.
|
Grand Total: 5068 |
Foreign built - Japan:
F-4E(J)
As F-4E, version for Japan.
Produced 1972 - 1981
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.,
Nagoya, Japan
| (JASDF) 37-8314 / 37-8323 | ? | |
|
47-8324 / 47-8352 - 47-8324 / 47-8331 prefix changed to 37. |
? | |
| 57-8353 / 57-8376 | ? | |
| 67-8377 / 67-8391 | ? | |
| 77-8392 / 77-8403 | ? | |
| 87-8404 / 87-8415 | ? | |
| 97-8416 / 97-8427 | ? | |
| 07-8428 / 07-8436 | ? | |
| 17-8437 / 17-8440 | ? | Grand Total: 0127 |
F-4 CONVERSIONS
US Navy / USAF
| TF-4A | 1+ | F-4A, conversions as operational trainers. |
| DF-4B | 1+ | F-4B, drone director conversions. |
| EF-4B | 1+ | F-4B, conversions for ECM training. |
| NF-4B | 1+ | F-4B, permanent conversions for development testing. |
| QF-4B | 45 | F-4B, 1972, USN target drone conversions. |
| EF-4C | 36 | F-4C, 1969, "Wild Weasel" conversions for ECM duties. |
| EF-4D | 1+ | F-4D, 1976, "Wild Weasel" conversions for ECM duties. |
| QF-4E / G | 368 | F-4E / F-4G, 1994-present, USAF target drone conversions. |
| YF-4E | 1 |
YRF-4C(62-12200), 1965-1979, prototype for F-4E tests. 1 F-4C(63-7445) / 1 F-4D(65-0713) later converted for YF-4E tests. |
| TF-4F | 12 | F-4F, unofficial designation for US based Luftwaffe training. |
| (NTF-4F) | 1 | TF-4F, permanent conversion for test duties. |
| F-4G | 12 | F-4B, 1963, US Navy avionics upgrades for use in Vietnam. |
| 116 |
F-4E, 1975-1996, USAF "Wild Weasel" conversions for ECM duties. Original designation was to be EF-4E. |
|
| YF-4J | 3 |
F-4B(151473, 151496, 151497), 1965, prototypes for US Navy, engine / weapons upgrade, various improvements. |
| EF-4J | 1+ | F-4J, conversions for ECM duties. |
| F-4N | 228 | F-4B, 1972-1985, life-extension / avionics upgrades for US Navy. |
| (QF-4N) | 78 | F-4N, 1983, USN target drone conversions. |
| F-4S | 265 | F-4J, 1975-1992, life-extension / avionics upgrades for US Navy. |
| (QF-4S) | 1+ |
F-4S, 1992-2004, USN target drone conversions, many later upgraded with new avionics as QF-4S+. |
| F / RF-4X | 1 |
F-4E, 1974, mock-up reconn. prototype with various upgrades, cancelled before completion. Conversion by General Dynamics Corp., Missouri. |
Foreign Conversions
| F-4F ICE | 110 | F-4F, 1990, "Improved Combat Efficiency" upgrades for West Germany. |
| F-4E(S) | 3 |
F-4E, 1976, avionics upgrades for Israel. Conversions by General Dynamics Corp., Missouri. |
| F-4EJ(Kai) | 96 | F-4E(J), 1984, avionics / weapons upgrades for Japan. |
| RF-4EJ(Kai) | 14 | F-4E(J), reconn. upgrades for Japan. |
| C.12 | 36 | F-4C, 1971, designation for Spain. |
| RC.12 | 4 | RF-4C, 1978, designation for Spain. |
| F-4J(UK) | 15 |
F-4J, 1984-1991, British avionics upgrades for the RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: ZE350 / ZE364. |
FOREIGN MILITARY SERVICE
- F-4 Phantom II aircraft in military service with Australia, Egypt,
Greece, Iran, Israel, Japan, Spain, Turkey and West Germany.
- Many countries upgrading F-4 fleets for extended-life service.