Kirk66

Well they all had defined use cases, it's just that some vere very weapon specific (all the ARBCS modes were really for nukes). And when you are mainly dropping dumb bombs, some modes were not really necessary. For low drag bombs, Dive Toss was the way to go - if it worked. For high drag bombs, you are dropping so low that it was easier to just go direct. CBU was a push (remember, you are usually dropping 6 or so of those puppies at a time). Lofting dumb bombs is fun but dumb. You could loft LGBs and use Spike to guide them pretty effectively. We did practice nukes (visual and radar) using LADD and Laydown. And LADD numbers were available as a backup for LGB lofts. So think A-4 with LGBs and you are pretty close. Which isn't a bad thing, considering the A-4 was designed to drop bombs; the F-4 was designed to drop Migs...

That could be solved by randomizing "friendly" IFF responses so you HAVE to VID bogeys.

For all the whining about dive toss and Pave Spike, when I was using them they were definitely the way to go if you expected to hit anything in a tactical scenario, such as a pop attack on a target at Red Flag. Dive Toss worked - when maintained. What a surprise! Spike was a bit crude but when you understood the pitfalls (which are not really a big problem if you are paying any attention and do some proper mission planning) was a pretty good way to deliver LGBs. RTFM, plan the mission, fly the plan, RTB and drink Weed in the club afterwards.

Really? Just because something was heading West didn't mean it was automatically a hostile - it could be a returning friendly. ID was actually going to be even more of a problem due to the larger number of aircraft involved.

So yeah, we did practice front-stern reattacks: get on the CATA, shoot at Rmax, hard crank cold hold until if felt right, then hard to the nose for a second shot. Worked great in the sim...and even sometimes in the jet! Just as often we would try for a no-lock stern conversion, low to high and run hot, and try for an unobserved Fox-2 from low 6. Surprising how often that fooled young Eagle (and Tomcat) drivers who thought everybody locked on at 30 miles....And yeah, perfect IFF is a wonderful thing. No doubt, it's going to be fun!

MAR? What's that - that hadn't been invented when the F-4 was slingin' Fox-1s! Seriously, that is a MUCH later concept that really is hard to apply when you are locking on at 15 miles and shooting at maybe 10 if lucky, but more likely less since you have to ID your target. Then you have to guide that skinny wingman to impact. Once you commit to a front aspect AIM-7, you pretty much are committed to at least a hi-aspect merge/blowthrough. You kids crack me up... Vulture

Technically with the F-4E's pulse radar and CW guidance for the earlier AIM-7s, you are not "notching" anything; the radar and missile simply do not care. What you have to do is defeat the missile kinematically, or break the radar lock via chaff and ECM. But the point that the Fox-1 got you into the fight with an advantage is dead on - your target, if it survived, would be lower on energy and ripe for a follow on missile or high aspect gun shot. And yes, by the time the AIM-7 hit, you were close enough to watch the impact and results. Vulture

Ok, I'll check it out. Thanks!

I have same problem. Bindings that only have one input and are labeled "toggle" only work as "press and hold". Have to go in cockpit and use mouse to toggle the switch. Otherwise the Gazelle is wonderful!

Absolutely. We practiced Skyspot when I was flying F-4Es in the 36th TFS in Korea in 1978. Never actually dropped anything, but we would go through the whole procedure to exercise the ground stations. Interesting at first, but a bit boring - more of a B-52 thing...

What makes you think this was a problem with the F-4? A curious WSO

Yes this is correct; pretty much a direct quote from the aircraft weapons TO. And since nobody would let themselves get as far as actually locking up a threat and THEN going MASTER ARM, the Phantom Four Second Count will be the way to go. Or, you lock up, squeeze trigger, nothing happens, and after a few seconds yell <profanity> and select ARM. Congrats, you are well past the 2 second minimum.

If you really want to max out the F-4, you need 3 external fuel tanks, 6 M117 bombs on stations 2 and 8, 3 AIM-7s, and an ALQ-131 in the left forward missile well. Full fuel, of course. Make sure you taxi real slow, and don't try landing without dumping some fuel first.

I've posted a few in the past. Thinking about a thread of Phantom war stories for all to contribute. All in good time...

I posted some F-4E documents dating from my time flying it. Enjoy. https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3335473/ I highly recommend going throught the USAF TPS F-4 Guide before flying the Rhino. It will save you a lot of frustration. The rest of the document should give you a good feel for how the jet was operated back in the day. Vulture