(Ret) Jim “WAM” Harkins and Eric "Rock" Vold sign posters and shirts for F-4 fans, after exiting their McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs for last time on the final military flight of the storied aircraft at Holloman AFB, N.M., Dec. Photo By Joseph Eddins | Civilian QF-4E Pilot/Controller Lt. Pilots explain how Navy’s F-4 Phantoms intercepted Soviet Bombers near U.S.Civilian QF-4E Pilot/Controller Lt.Previously unknown details about Iranian F-4, F-5, Su-24 and UAVs involvement in air strikes on ISIS targets in Iraq.Probably shot down by a Syrian SA-3 surface to air missile Photo shows Greek F-4 Phantom drop 12 bombs in Vietnam-style attack during Parmenion drills.Video: How the UK QRA responded to Soviet intruders at the times of the Phantom.Take a seat in the cockpit of one of the last USAF F-4 Phantoms as it arrives at Oshkosh airshow.USAF QF-4 Phantom is shot at by an F-35 with two AIM-120s during last unmanned mission (and survives).12 and 13.Īlthough they don’t fly with the USAF anymore, other air arms around the world still operate the F-4 Phantom, including the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the Turkish Air Force, whose F-4s have had a role in the coup attempt last July South Korea’s ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force), that has also employed the Phantoms to stage Elephant Walks “against” the North and the Hellenic Air Force. The final F-4 Phantom appearance at an airshow occurred during Nellis Air Force Base’s Aviation Nation air show, on Nov. 25 two USAF QF-4Es made flew through the famous “Star Wars Canyon” (Jedi Transition) in Death Valley, CA, during a transit from NAS Point Mugu, CA to Hill AFB, UT. However, the aircraft was not destroyed in the test (read more about the final sortie “against” two AIM-120Cs fired by a Joint Strike Fighter here.) 17, 2016, “against” an F-35 Lightning II.ĭuring that sortie, the Vietnam-era remotely piloted aircraft was shot at by the F-35 Lightning II with two AIM-120 AMRAAMs (advanced medium range air-to-air missiles). Whilst unmanned operations ended in September, the last unmanned mission in a threat representative configuration was flown on Aug. 23: therefore the QF-4 flown by the 82nd ATRS Det. It flew its last unmanned mission in August 2016 and will be replaced by the QF-16 in 2017.Īir Combat Command declared initial operational capability for its replacement, the QF-16 full-scale aerial target, that has been flying with the 82nd ATRS, based at Tyndall AFB, Florida, since September 2014, on Sept. 21, 2016.ĭuring its service as an aerial target, the QF-4 has helped test an array of weapons that have contributed improving 4th and 5th generation fighters and weapons systems. However, it continued to serve with the flying branch: re-designated the QF-4 and assigned to the 82nd ATS, 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, 53rd Wing, at Holloman, the QF-4 has flown as manned and unmanned aerial target until Dec. Nicknamed Double Ugly, Old Smokey and the Rhino, the aircraft was retired from the active service in 1997.
Moreover, it has been the only aircraft to be flown by both the U.S. In 53 years of service, the Phantom set 15 world records, including aircraft speed – 1,606 miles per hour – and absolute altitude – 98,557 feet. “There is no way to truly understand what this aircraft has done without talking to the people who lived it.” 1, 82nd Aerial Target Squadron commander in an Air Force release. “This has been a humbling experience,” said King, the Det. Air Force F-4 pilot flew AF 349, the last QF-4 Phantom II in the USAF story. Interestingly, it also shows (actually, it lets you hear) the double “sonic boom” caused by two Phantoms flying overhead.
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