One of the most famous and easily recognized fighter aircraft of the post-WWII era was
the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II. This aircraft was developed as a private venture by the
aircraft company but was soon ordered by the USN as a carrier-based attack aircraft. Its
first flight took place on May 27, 1958 and it entered active service in December 1960. It
wasn’t long after the F-4B appeared that a fly-off was set up with USAF front-line
fighters. It was no contest, the F-4 performed so well that the USAF ordered their own
variant, the F-4C. As time went on, the F-4 evolved into well over a dozen variants.

VMFA-531 “Grey Ghosts” along with their F-4s were assigned to the USS Forrestal for a
Mediterranean deployment from September 22, 1972 until July 6, 1973. From February
23 until March 6, 1973 VMFA-531 carried out cross operating with F-4Ks from HMS Ark
Royal. During this period the VMFA-531 F-4B wore the dark sea grey tail and fin flash of
the host No. 892 Squadron. Urban legend has it F-4B AA/207 went mechanical while on
Ark Royal and was painted this scheme to mask the aircraft when HMS Ark Royal sailed
into Malta who was at odds with the USA.

Specification of the F-4B Phantom II
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
Performance
Maximum speed
@ Sea level - 845 mph
@ 48,000 ft - 1,485 mph
Initial climb rate - 28,000 fpm
Service ceiling - 62,000 ft
Combat ceiling - 56,850 ft.
Combat range
Normal - 400 miles
Maximum range – 2,300 miles with maximum fuel load
Weights
Empty - 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 missiles
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

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