USAF F4 Final Flight

[ORAC]

Holloman Air Force Base > Home > F-4 Farewell Event (http://www.holloman.af.mil/Home/F-4FarewellEvent.aspx)

The Retirement Ceremony and Final Flight of the last F-4 Phantom II aircraft in active duty Air Force inventory is scheduled for Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at Holloman AFB, NM.

A public event expo will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The full schedule of events is as follows:

8 a.m. – La Luz Gate* opens to attendees (attendees will be directed to designated parking areas and then bused to the event)

8 a.m. – Community expo open to include static aircraft such as the QF-4 and QF-16

10 a.m. – F-4 Phantom II takeoff and final flight (tentative)

11:30 a.m-12 p.m. – F-4 Phantom II retirement ceremony

1 p.m. – event conclusion..........

[LTCTerry]

I didn't even know there were any active Phantoms left in the US Military. My dad flew Navy F-4s for ~2,000 hours in the 70s.


My dad died in 2013. Some years before he described travelling and spontaneously stopping at an airplane museum somewhere. He commented about the F-4 on display, "I forgot how big it was" after not touching one for 30 years.


In my opinion the F-4 is the best looking American fighter plane ever - followed by the F-86.


Terry

[tartare]

My thoughts exactly.
Any other poster from `murica who can tell us in what role the mighty `toom is/was still serving?
I thought they'd all been retired years ago.
(Raises a civilian salute to the daddy of all heavy-iron fast jets).

[westernhero]

Well the Holloman base Facebook page describes the forthcoming event as the end of the QF-4 so I'd Imagine some form of Drone ?

[GeeRam]

They've been operating the QF-4 drone program for years, gradually using up all the stock of F-4's sitting in DM storage (just as they did in previous years with the F-106, and F-86 etc)

With the F-4's all used up, the next up for drone conversion to targets is the supply of F-16's in DM, hence the mention of the QF-16 in the OP.

[ExRAFRadar]

Many moons ago I used to love it when the F4G's came out to play over the range at Spadeadam.

Only word for it - Warbird.

[sandiego89]

GeeRam With the F-4's all used up, the next up for drone conversion to targets is the supply of F-16's in DM.....


Point of clarification, there are droves of F-4's still in the boneyard at DM, I believe the switch to the QF-16 had more to do with them being a 4th generation jet than anything- and of course there are plenty available.


Looks like Greece, Turkey and Iran are the remaining Phantom users.

[Sandy Parts]

sad - remember the distinct size and sound of the German Weasels when at school near Rheindahlen. Even sadder to think of F-16s already being 'droned-up' for destruction. Rushed out to buy the large scale model of them from Elmpt model shop when they were first introduced into USAF service :)

[Lonewolf_50]

The Collings Foundation (http://www.collingsfoundation.org/aircrafts/f-4d-phantom/)(Houston) still has one flying.

[GeeRam]

Current inventory as of last month shows about 70 F-4's now left there.


I think you can add Japan to the list of still current users, pretty sure they are still flying the beast....??

[Rhino power]

As of 15/11/2016 there were 176 F-4's still in storage at AMARG, Davis-Monthan AFB.
They comprised-
F-4C - 2
F-4D - 8
F-4E - 65
F-4F - 15
F-4G - 10
F-4J - 1
F-4S - 4
QRF-4C - 4
RF-4B - 1
RF-4C - 66
The number may have dropped by a few more since then as they are being scrapped on an increasingly regular basis.

As to the remaining front line operators of the F-4, Turkey, Greece, Iran, Japan and South Korea are the only ones left...

-RP

[NutLoose]

Seems apt to be retiring them as the UK is looking at generating one.. :E

[papa_sierra]

Can anyone shed some light on the attached photo. Purported to be of the last aircraft to leave 19 MU St Athan in the mid seventies.

[Rhino power]

Can anyone shed some light on the attached photo...

Yes, it's not from the mid 70's, since the jet is wearing 'Barely Grey' camo and that wasn't introduced until the very early 80's.
Also, allegedly flown by a chap called G** P****e, who had form for this type of post maintenance departure, if what I've read elsewhere is to be believed...

-RP

[Above The Clouds]

I wish in 1983 at Leeming I had a camera when the US Air National Guard came on detachment with a squadron of F-4s.
During their arrival two came across the airfield and went between the hangars below roof height with near enough 90 degrees of bank on and burners glowing :)