This year the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will be retiring the last of its F-4 Phantom aircraft. It's one of the last Air Forces to operate the veteran type, which was a mainstay of the Vietnam War in the 1960's. It's always had a reputation as a demanding aircraft to fly, but one that repays piloting skill with superb performance.
A Japanese videographer has produced a couple of fascinating videos of the JASDF's Phantoms over the past year or so. We've seen them in these pages. Here's his latest offering, filmed in slow motion at very high resolution.
It's amazing to think that the F-4 first flew in the year that I was born, yet some upgraded examples are still in front-line service. That's more than I can say for myself!
Peter
4 comments:
That caused some flashbacks! Worked on d's, e's and a random c or two in my career. Saw these had whatever currently is the ALE-40 chaff/flare system, also the antennas what was for me the ALR-46 radar warning receiver system. One of the acft had what looked like an ALQ-131 countermeasures pod on the left pylon. Worked on all of those above.
I wonder how things would have turned out if the re-engining project had worked?
What are the Japanese planning on doing with their Phantoms? Display, scrap, sell?
My grandfather was a Tool and Die maker for Douglas back in the day. He was part of the team that that did the rivit layout and design for the wings on those beasts.
Grandpa flew these over in Vietnam with the Triple Nickle Squadron.
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