| There was an aircraft that used to fly across | | | | it took a major effort to get the plane back |
| our skies that was affectionately called the | | | | up again, such was the legacy of the Phantom. |
| Phantom II or the F-4 Fighter. It was a very | | | | There was also a unique thing that all |
| powerful aircraft that seemed to prove the | | | | maintainers came to know as well called the |
| theory that you could make a rock fly if you | | | | Phantom bite, as this aircraft had many |
| put big enough engines on it. It was a MIG | | | | jagged and protruding drains that would |
| Killer in Vietnam and used extensively in | | | | inevitably cut or hurt you. Still it was a |
| every theater of the world. It had two huge | | | | badge of honor to get it, but if you were |
| engines that delivered 25,000 lbs of thrust | | | | lucky you just lost a uniform and no skin. |
| and when the afterburners were lit up, it | | | | The Phantom had light strips on the sides and |
| would rock the ground for miles away. The | | | | when it was sitting on the end of the runway |
| early versions like the F-4C could be seen | | | | and lit up the afterburners it was truly an |
| for miles as they had a huge smoke trail, | | | | amazing sight. That has been captured by many |
| this was later modified in the F-4D and F-4E | | | | photographers, but it had to be seen to be |
| versions. There were also versions used for | | | | believed. Luckily there are some F-4's |
| air recon missions that had photo cameras on | | | | featured in various air show acts and if you |
| the bottom. The F-4G was called the Wild | | | | are fortunate to see one, be sure to watch it |
| Weasel and had the capability of taking out | | | | on take off, that is where the legacy of the |
| enemy air defenses, which proved to be very | | | | Phantom was born, the power and might of |
| valuable during the attacks against the North | | | | McDonnell-Douglas engineering in all 5,195 of |
| Vietnamese air defense system. The Phantom | | | | the Phantoms that were produced from |
| had two seats and that pilot was in the front | | | | 1958-1979. |
| seat, and directly behind him was the weapons | | | | |
| officer otherwise called the WISO. These | | | | I was stationed at Clark Air Base in the |
| aircraft have been featured in many movies | | | | Philippines in the late 80's and got to work |
| such Top Gun or Hamburger Hill to mention | | | | on these mighty beasts called the Phantom. |
| just a few. The aircraft is now retired from | | | | Our aircraft, of course had Shark Teeth |
| active service, last flown by the Air | | | | painted on the nose and were feared immensely |
| National Guard and Air Force Reserves, and | | | | by our good friends up there in North Korea. |
| now can usually be seen as static aircraft | | | | The meaning of the teeth painted on the nose |
| all over the US. The testament to the glory | | | | was to represent fear to the Asian people, |
| days of a true fighter, and though it was | | | | but I appreciated it from a strictly artistic |
| hated by maintenance personnel it carries a | | | | prospective. The Phantom ruled the Pacific |
| special place in the hearts of those of us | | | | those days and even those up and coming F-16 |
| who worked on it. | | | | Falcons had to bow in respect when the F-4 |
| | | | Phantom II rolled by, and it was not until |
| The Phantom was definitely a loud and leaky | | | | the F-15 Eagles started to replace the |
| aircraft that loved to fly, in fact if you | | | | aircraft in the inventory that signaled the |
| flew the aircraft constantly it would rarely | | | | end of an era. Phantoms of the Air Force now |
| break, but let it sit for even a few days and | | | | live on in our memory only. |