High Performance · ICAO F4

Mcdonnell F-4 Phantom 2

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was one of the most widely used fighters of the Cold War, flown by the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps as well as a dozen allied air forces across three continents. Its distinctive drooped wingtips and upturned tailplane were added late in development to fix stability problems discovered during testing, giving it its unmistakable silhouette. It served as both an interceptor and a fighter-bomber, carrying heavier weapon loads than most dedicated fighters of its era. A handful of countries, including South Korea and Iran, still fly aging Phantoms in frontline service today.

Mcdonnell F-4 Phantom 2, example photo from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alan Wilson from Peterborough, Cambs, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know?

The Phantom's drooped wingtips and upturned tailplane were a late fix for stability problems, giving it its unmistakable silhouette.

Specifications

Length19.2 m (63 ft)
Wingspan11.7 m (38 ft)
Height5 m (16 ft)
Persons on board2
Crew2
Maximum take-off weight28 t
Range1,750 NM (3,241 km)
Maximum speed1,280 kt (2,371 km/h)
Service ceiling60,000 ft (18,288 m)
Rate of climb41,300 ft/min (209.8 m/s)
Take-off distance1,370 m (4,495 ft)
Landing distance1,740 m (5,709 ft)
Fuel capacity12,000 l
Engines2x General Electric J79
Units built5,195

Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.

In CatchFlights

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