McDonnell
Douglas F-4S Phantom
F-4 Phantom in MAPS'
large hangar • Photo © Gary Haught
MAPS F-4S Phantom before disassembly at
MCAS Cherry Point
• Photo © Brian 'Kudzu' Hicks, Carolina Aviation
Museum
MAPS F-4S Phantom
arrives • Photo © Rick Tenan
MAPS' F-4S Phantom and
some of the recovery / transport / assembly
crew in front of the large hangar • Photo © Rick
Tenan
MAPS' F-4S Phantom in
front of large hangar • Photo © Gary Haught
Unloading the Phantom
in the large hangar • Photo © Gary Haught
Unloading the Phantom
in the large hangar • Photo © Gary Haught
Reinstalling the
horizontal stabilators • Photo © Gary Haught
MAPS' F-4S Phantom
standing on her own gear • Photo © Gary Haught
MAPS' F-4S Phantom
• Photo © Gary Haught
MAPS' Member Mark
Silinsky working on horizontal stabilators • Photo
© Gary Haught
Reattaching starboard
flap • Photo © Gary Haught
Another view of the
intricate crane 'dance' • Photo © Gary Haught
former MAPS' Director Brian
Miller working on wing attach area • Photo © Gary
Haught
former MAPS Director Brian
Miller checks out the pilot's seat • Photo © Gary
Haught
|
Special thanks to the
following individuals who helped MAPS in
acquiring the F-4S • Maj. Todd Caruso, MCAS Cherry Point, NC • H. R. Curry, National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, FL • Chuck "Chuckmo" Mosely, All Coast Aircraft Recovery, Inc • Ray Brown, All Coast Aircraft Recovery, Inc. • Jim Brody, All Coast Aircraft Recovery, Inc. • James L. Stuart, MCAS Cherry Point, NC MAPS Air Museum F-4S Recovery Crew: James Mosley (Trustee/Lead Crew Member), Bill Ries, Mark Silinsky, Gary Marks, Sandy Marks, Randy Schuler, Jim Denning |
Aircraft
Background (via http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f4_27.html)
F-4S was the designation applied to 265 (some
sources say 248) F-4Js which were upgraded in the
mid-1970s. This program was analogous to the Bee Line
project in which Navy F-4Bs were upgraded to F-4N
standards. The major goal of the upgrade was to prolong
the life of the F-4J so that it could remain in service
until replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet in Marine Corps
service and by the F-14 Tomcat in Navy service.
Major
changes included airframe and undercarriage
strengthening. The aircraft were stripped and carefully
inspected, and where necessary they received landing gear
and wing/fuselage structural improvements. Visible
external straps were added to the wing spar to improve
the structural integrity. The electrical system was
completely rewired, and the hydraulic system was
replumbed using stainless steel tubing.
In order to improve the maneuverability, two-position
wing leading-edge maneuvering slats were fitted to the
F-4S, which gave a 50 percent improvement in combat
turning capability in comparison with an unslatted F-4J.
These slats operated automatically as a function of angle
of attack, but they could be overridden from the cockpit.
The slats came in two sections, one on the outboard part
of the fixed inner wing and the other on the folding
outer wing panel. Because of delays, these slats were not
initially fitted to the first 43 F-4Ss, but they were
later retrofitted.
The F-4S was fitted with the digital AWG-10B weapons
control system with new AN/ARC-159 dual UHF radios and an
ARN-118 TACAN (but not to all F-4Ss). The ALQ-126 or 126A
deceptive electronic countermeasures set of the F-4J was
retained, with the same short intake antennae fairings.
One way that the F-4S could be externally distinguished
from the earlier F-4N was by the shorter upper intake
fairings of the S.
One of the persistent problems with the Phantom was that
it tended to leave a rather prominent trail of sooty
black smoke behind it, making it more readily visible to
an enemy. In order to correct this problem, the F-4S was
fitted with smokeless J79-GE-10B engines with low smoke
combustors and low-energy ignition. This same engine was
also fitted to some F-4Js.
Low-voltage formation lights were fitted to the
sides of the nose, mid-fuselage, and tailfin, and
staggered cooling ports were fitted near the nose wheel
well.
The first F-4S modification (F-4J BuNo 158360)
took off on its maiden flight on July 22, 1977. The first
F-4S delivered with leading edge slats from the start was
155899, which first appeared in November of 1979.
First to get the F-4S was VMFA-451, which began to
receive unslatted planes in June of 1978. The following
Marine Corps units operated the F-4S: VMFA-112, VMFA-115,
VMFA-111, VMFA-134, VMFA-212, VMFA-232, VMFA-235,
VMFA-251, VMFA-312, VMFA-321, VMFA-333, VMFA-451, and
VMFAT-101.
The first Navy squadron to receive the F-4S was VF-21,
based at NAS Miramar in California, which began to
receive its planes in December 1979. The following Navy
units eventually received F-4Ss: Atlantic Fleet: VF-74,
VF-171 Pacific Fleet: VF-21, VF-121, VF-151, VF-154,
VF-161 Naval Reserve: VF-201, VF-202, VF-301, VF-302. Air
Development: VX-4.
By the end of American involvement in the Southeast Asia
War, the Phantom was already beginning to be supplemented
by the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in deployable squadrons aboard
the larger carriers. All throughout the remainder of the
1970s and into the early 1980s, the Navy progressively
replaced its F-4Ss with later equipment in most
deployable carrier-based squadrons. The exceptions were
six squadrons which were assigned to the older and
smaller USS Midway (CVA-41), Franklin D. Roosevelt
(CVA-42), and *Coral Sea* (CVA-43), which were reequipped
with F-4Ns and F-4Ss and soldiered on with these planes
for a few more years. However, by 1986, all of the
Phantoms serving with the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets
were gone, the last carrier launch of an F-4S having
taken place on March 24, 1986 when F-4Ss from VF-151 and
VF-161 were launched from the USS Midway for the last
time. No Phantoms served aboard Navy aircraft carriers
after that time.
After 1986, F-4Ss served exclusively with shore-based
Naval reserve units. However, this service was rather
brief. The last F-4S was retired by VF-202 from NAS
Dallas on May 14, 1987 (BuNol 155560), becoming the
Navy's last tactical Phantom II. VF-202 later reequipped
with F-14A Tomcats. By mid-1992, the only Phantoms
remaining in Navy service were those assigned to the
Naval Air Warfare Center for operations from NAS China
Lake and NAS Point Mugu in California.
In the late 1980s, Marine Corps units began to
phase out its F-4Ss in favor of F/A-18As. In January of
1992, VMFA-112 retired the last F-4S from the US Sea
Service inventory. They completed their transition to the
F/A-18A shortly thereafter. This was the last Marine
Corps unit to operate the Phantom, and was, incidentally,
also the last naval aviation Phantom to serve on active
duty, apart from drones.
At least one F-4S (158358) was converted into a
drone configuration under the designation QF-4S.
Serials of F-4Js converted to F-4S:
153779, 153780, 153714, 153787, 153791, 153792, 153798,
153800, 153805, 153808, 153809, 153810, 153814,
153818/153821, 153823/153828, 153832, 153833,
153835,153840, 153842, 153843, 153845, 153847, 153851,
153853, 153855/153860, 153862, 158364, 153868, 153869,
153872/153874, 153877, 153879/153882, 153884, 153887,
153889/153891, 153893, 153896, 153898/153900,
153902/153904, 153907, 153909/153911, 154781, 154782,
154786, 154788, 155515, 155517/155519, 155521, 155522,
155524, 155525, 155527, 155528, 155530/155532, 155539,
155541/155545, 155547, 155549, 155550, 155552, 155555,
155558/155562, 155565/155568, 155570, 155572, 155573,
155575, 155579, 155731/155733, 155735, 155736,
155739/155741, 155743, 155745/155747, 155749, 155753,
155754, 155757, 155759, 155761, 155764/155767, 155769,
155772, 155773, 155779, 155781, 155783, 155784, 155786,
155787, 155792, 155794, 155801, 155805/155808, 155810,
155812, 155813, 155818, 155820/155823, 155825,
155827/155830, 155833, 155834, 155836, 155838/155840,
155845, 155847/155849, 155851, 155854, 155855, 155858,
155859, 155862/155864, 155869, 155871, 155872, 155874,
155876, 155878, 155879, 155881, 155883, 155887, 155888,
155890/155893, 155896/155901, 157242, 157243, 157245,
157246, 157248/157250, 157254, 157255, 157257, 157259,
157260, 157267/157269, 157272, 157276, 157278, 157279,
157281/157283, 157287, 157290/157293, 157296/157298,
157301, 157304, 157305, 157307/157309, 158346, 158348,
158350, 158352/158354, 158362, 158370, 158372, 158374,
158376.
Sources:
• McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume II,
Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1990.
• McDonnell F-4 Phantom: Spirit in the Skies.
Airtime Publishing, 1992.
• Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston and Mike Spick,
Crescent, 1983.
• The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter
Bowers, Orion, 1987.
• United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon
Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Armament,
Bill Gunston, Orion, 1988.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE
MAPS
AIR MUSEUM TO RECEIVE F-4S PHANTOM FIGHTER
PLANE SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH
GREEN,
Ohio, 11/10/2003 - The U. S. Navy has authorized transfer
of a McDonnell-Douglas F-4S Phantom to MAPS Air Museum.
This historic aircraft, currently at the Cherry Point,
North Carolina, Marine Corps Air Station, is now being
dismantled for shipment.
The plane is expected to arrive at MAPS on the afternoon
of Friday, November 14th. Unloading and reassembly of the
Phantom is planned to begin at 8 AM, Saturday, November
15th. Keller-Hall has graciously donated the use of a
crane to aid in the unloading and reassembly.
The Phantom being shipped to MAPS last served with Marine
Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA-235, known as the Death
Angels. It began life as an F-4J and was converted to an
F-4S in the late 1970s. VMFA-235 was the last active duty
fighter squadron to fly the Phantom.
The F-4 Phantom has a long and distinguished combat
history. It was used extensively in Viet Nam by the Navy,
Marines and Air Force, and also saw combat in the Middle
East with the Israeli Air Force. MAPS plans to eventually
display the Phantom next to the museum's MiG-17, an
aircraft it encountered in combat both in Viet Nam and
the Middle East. Among the people to fly the F-4 were
local veteran Lt. Cdr. James Findlay, who was one of the
first Top Gun instructors, and MiG ace Navy Lt. Randy
Cunningham (who flew the F-4J).