Originally Posted by
RetiredBA/BY
Not sure the F4 was recoverable, we understood at the time it went flat and was unrecoverable, although drag chute could possibly help.
As I recall it the USAF did spinning trials with the F4 (post losses due departures in Vietnam) which were made into a film that became required watching ( it may well be on YouTube somewhere). All bar one of the sorties ended in successful recoveries ...as I recall it the one loss was due to late deployment of the chute....the spin had time to go flat and then was indeed unrecoverable.
As I recall it initial actions (F4 K and Ms) were "unload, mil, bag, RAT" ...if that didn't solve it it was stick full forward and full in spin stick.....
In more mundane circumstances Going around again from the runway (especially into the radar pattern) having dumped the chute almost always resulted in some wag on the "other" squadron seeing the second landing and circulating a rumour that somebody had obviously almost spun in.......