Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-4>HA19021
McDonnell Douglas F-4B 200, VF-111 “Sundowners”, USS Coral Sea, 1970s
General Background
The F-4 Phantom II first entered US Military service in 1960. It was designed as a fleet defense fighter for the US Navy but by 1963 it was adopted as the US Air Force primary fighter-bomber.
Despite the size and weight of this Cold War icon the F-4 broke 15 world records and continued to hold five of them until 1975.
Produced from 1960 to 1981 there were 5,195 Phantom IIs manufactured. Eleven countries other than the USA had the Phantom II in their inventory.
Produced from 1960 to 1981 there were 5,195 Phantom IIs manufactured. Eleven countries other than the USA had the Phantom II in their inventory.
The Aircraft
VF-111 “Sundowners” re-equipped with the F-4B Phantom II in early 1971. In November 1971
VF-111 returned to the Gulf of Tonkin onboard the USS Coral Sea where they spent 148 days.
29 F-4s were loaned to the USAF when they were planning to acquire the Phantom as their
primary fighter. These aircraft had USAF tail numbers and FJ-170, FJ-171 etc. on the fuselage.
One of these 29 was VF-111 NL200 151000 CAG given tail number 62-12184 FJ-184 and
when the USAF acquired their F-4Cs these 29 aircraft were returned to the USN.
Specifications :
| Number of “B” variant built for USN and USMC: | 649 |
| Engines: | 2 x General Electric J79-GE-8A/-8B/-8C turbojets, 10,900 lb.s.t. dry, 17,000 lb.s.t. with afterburner |
| Maximum speed: | @ Sea level - 845 mph |
| @ 48,000 ft - 1,485 mph | |
| Initial climb rate: | 28,000 fpm |
| Service ceiling: | 62,000 ft |
| Initial climb rate: | 28,000 fpm |
| Combat ceiling: | 56,850 ft. |
| Combat range | |
| Normal: | 400 miles |
| Maximum range: | 2,300 miles with maximum fuel load |
| Weights | |
| Emoty: | 28,000 pounds |
| Gross: | 44,600 pounds |
| Combat: | 38,500 pounds |
| Maximum take-off: | 54,600 pounds |
| Dimensions | |
| Wingspan: | 38 ft 5 in |
| Wing area: | 530 sq. ft |
| Length: | 58 ft 3.75 in |
| Height: | 16 ft 3 in |
| Fuel | |
| Maximum fuel load | |
| Internal in fuselage: | 1,358 U.S. Gallons |
| Internal in wings: | 630 U.S. Gallons |
| Total external fuel load: | 1,988 U.S. Gallons |
| Maximum external fuel load | |
| In center-line tank under the fuselage: | 600 U.S. Gallons |
| In 2 x under-wing tanks: | 740 U.S. Gallons |
| Combined fuel load: | 3,328 U.S. Gallons |
| Armament | 4 x AIM-7D or -7E Sparrow semi-active radar homing missiles in under-fuselage recesses |
| Inner under-wing pylons could each accommodate an additional Sparrow or a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared homing missiless | |
| In ground attack mode, could carry up to 16,000 pounds of ordnance on centerline pylon underneath the fuselage and on four under-wing hard-points |