Kalasnkova74

This is not an accurate statement. For one, the F-4E Phantom II is still in frontline service with Greece, South Korea, Turkey and Iran. Japan only recently retired their F-4EJ fleet two years ago. Rest assured the F-4E still resonates with people of all ages in those nations. Go watch the 1-300 YouTube channel and tell me with a straight face the F-4EJ doesn’t resonate with younger people. Further the QF-4E left USAF service in 2016. While retired from the frontline in the 90s, pilots and crews were doing air shows all the way up until the final QF-4Es met their end. The 82nd ATRS squadron commander was still hosting backseat rides for qualified pilots of other aircraft all the way up until retirement. So rest assured even in the modern “5th Generation” USAF the Phantom II remains a well known aircraft. For those still skeptical , go check out DieselThunder’s YouTube channel. Notice the average age of the people working on their F-4D. Hint- it’s not that high.

Yeah, don’t use “Brand X” as a guideline. They basically copy/pasted that early Phantom cockpit into every F-4 variant, including the Japanese & British ones.

correct. Here’s what it looks like from the refueler’s view:

I stand corrected on the JDAM. My source was this article from TWZ, and they usually do their homework on such matters. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37742/so-long-samurai-japan-bids-farewell-to-its-final-frontline-phantoms

Agreed. I don’t want to present the idea an F-4EJ isn’t welcome- I’d certainly like the module- but it would need to be a standalone module to be done correctly. They’re “hard wing” F-4s so the flight model would have to be redone. The standard F-4EJ doesn’t have as much A2G capability as equivalent USAF versions while the “Kai” variant has ASM and JDAM compatibility, plus the upgraded radar. All these changes mean skins and appearance packages are probably what HB can afford to include, at least in the short term.

Today I strapped in VSN's F-4C mod and went up against an AI Mig-21BIS & Mig-29. Both on "Veteran" difficulty. Neither track file is going to put Tom Cruise out of work, but the bandits clocked 2nd place. F-4 vs Mig-21 BIS.trk F-4 vs Mig-29.trk

Couple of disclaimers. One, this tactic was run with two US Navy Phantom IIs. One would dive down to pressure the MiG to turn, and the other would be climbing to gain energy before committing to their own attack. This would work against a single MiG-21 driver inexperienced in BFM (which was most of the NVAF). Against a single trained bandit or team of them, not so much. A smart MiG driver won’t let a Phantom II kill their energy until it suits the Fishbed’s fight. As proved by the 4477th TES the MiG just has to threaten the nose enough to get the F-4 to make a sub-optimal turn (or force a horizontal scissors) . With every knot lost the MiG gains the advantage. Ultimately F-4 vs MiG-21 is going to be a pilot skill contest.

Pretty much. Cold War era aircraft are simply frightfully expensive to operate. I’m sure one or two monied folks like Jared Issacman will have a 4th Gen warbird in their hangars, but we aren’t going to see groups of warbird enthusiasts meeting at fly ins with surplus F-16s and F-15s. Not when an “affordable” F-16 costs $8000 an hour. Even if it were legal to own a private F-14, Tom Cruise would gag at the $25k per hour charge.

Careful- someone’s going to quote you and announce it’s coming out tomorrow! Appreciate the update. I speak for just myself , but take whatever time your team needs to make it right. Whether that’s next week or next year I’ll be ready.

Even wealthy people would find it a tall order operating F-4E . In the following interview a former Phantom pilot who became an entrepreneur was asked if he’d ever fly a privately owned F-4E when say, Turkey or Greece retired theirs . His response? Basically LoL. The F-4E’s cost per hour in fuel is stupid expensive -and this dude literally owns an airport gas station. If an F-4 Phan like him’s done the math and scuttled the idea, safe to say it’s not workable for most folks . He quoted 3,000 gallons an hour for an F-4 vs 500 gallons an hour for an F-5. At $6-$8 USD a gallon it’s not cheap. Put another way, at modern prices the following 3 odd minute Collings Foundation demo clip cost $1,533 in fuel!

my unscientific guess is we’ll see the F-4E sometime in December 2023 or early 2024.

Scrapped outright, with some put on display in museums or outdoor pedestals.

Doubt it. I figure most F-4 fans appreciate the Strike Eagle enough to know they have very different forms, even if they share functions.

The leading edge slats were included on new build USAF F-4Es by 1972. The final new build Mitsubishi F-4EJ (and the final Phantom II built) was delivered in 1981. The feature was certainly available during the JASDF’s tenure.

For those not in the know, it’s the F-4D gifted to the Collings Foundation. Currently the only airworthy F-4D in the country, and thanks to the F-4s prohibitively expensive operating costs ($17,000 per hour in fuel at mil power!) it’s likely going to stay the only airworthy F-4D in civilian hands.

This is an embarrassing admission coming from an American , but the best feature length film showcasing F-4E content comes from the repressive Islamic Iranian government. It’s a film titled “Attack on H3”, presenting a dramatized version of a real attack the IRIAF made against Saddam’s farthest air base. Fortunately much like the latest Top Gun movie they don’t focus on politics. Just the aircraft and mission details. If nothing else, whoever filmed and edited this was a true Persian Phantom Phanatic.

Based on related research I did on the AIM-7s used by Irans F-14A , the later AIM-7s update guidance logic and performance wasn’t compatible with earlier radars. So there’d be no advantage shooting a later Sparrow for an Iranian F-14 or 1970s era F-4E. To gain the benefit of an AIM-7M, you need the pulse doppler radar. This is why the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force adapted the HAWK surface to air missile for the F-14; it’s constant wave receiver was compatible with the F-14s emitter, and obviously being embargoed on Sparrows made the HAWK a good substitute.

Back in the 60s and 70s, the Israeli Air Force tankers used probe/drogue setups similar to the US Navy. Obviously this posed a problem with the F-4E as it’s a boom/socket configuration. What you see is the workaround. Not all IDF/AF Kurnass Phantoms were fitted with the adaptor , and in any event Israel did acquire boom/socket tankers.

Stencils for service panel access.

Here’s why I know all that stuff; it’s from research I did in preparation for producing this diecast F-4EJ video review

Interceptor / air defense. This is one of the reasons (plus the retrofit cost) why they never featured leading edge slats. Speed matters when you need to defend against North Korean or Soviet/ Russian intruders. Initially they started with the F-4EJ, which is essentially a Japanese built version of a late 1970s/Early 1980s F-4E. Incidentally the final F-4 ever built worldwide was an F-4EJ Kai, serial #17-0440. What makes the Kai befitting the “improved” name? It included modernized avionics such as an APG-66 radar, updated INS, updated HOTAS switchgear (old school F-4EJs predated the USAF HOTAS suite), JDAM and indigenous anti ship missile compatibility. Finally we have a unique beast in the RF-4EJ below : “Kalash you moron, that’s clearly not a recon Phantom! Look at the nose!” Please step away from your keyboard and remain calm. I haven’t lost my mind- it’s a recce Phantom. See, the wily Japanese during the F-4EJ Kai program pulled 12 Phantoms and modified them for the reconnaissance mission. Fitted with updated ground mapping terrain following radar, a new RWR , plus a recon package including a French ELINT pod , in line photo pod and a side looking LOROP pod (seen fitted above) these would serve alongside their “normal” reconnaissance in the 501st Hikotai. Still kept the cannon too, far as I know.

Hopefully VSNs new standalone bullet nosed F-4B/F-4C mod will solve that problem.

Allowing for the fact it’s a mod, it flies and operates pretty close to what I’ve read about hard wing Phantoms. Note that because it lacks the slats and updated horizontal stabilizers of the F-4E , the F-4C /F-4B mod will turn poorly relative to the F-4E.

Long as he doesn’t strafe the plane guard helicopter he’ll be OK. But wiping out the deck crew might earn some bad attention from the Air Boss

Defeating a MiG-29 with an F-4E is a simple, if patient process. Just stay in min AB and wait for the Fulcrum to go joker.