Phantom News
2024
07-06-2024 South Korea retires its F-4s - News Article
2021
18-03-2021 Japan retires its last Phantoms
2017
31-10-2017 Greek 339 Mira disbanded 31 Oct 2017
05-05-2017 Greece retires RF-4E last squadron 348 MTA
2015
11-03-2015 - Turkey to retire Fleet of RF-4s after recent crash - see here
05/03/2015 - A Turkish F-4E 2020 of 112 Filo 2 K - crashed during a training exercise with Azerbaijan near the town of Konya - 2 Crew killed : Mustafa Tanis - Mustafa Delikanli
24/02/2015 - 2 Turkish RF-4E disappeared from radar shortly after Take-off - near the city of Malatya - All four crew killed
2014
28-02-2014 - South Korea retires it's RF-4C's see link
11-02-2014 - QF-4 Crashed NOLO
2013
30-06-2013 - German retires it's F-4F Phantoms - JG-71 Disbands as the last F-4F Squadron - see here for pictures
Happy New Year ! Phanks for the continued support !
2012
23-06-2012
-
Turkish warplane downed by Syria 'may have crossed border' The Turkish military
lost radio contact with the F-4 Phantom while it was flying over Hatay province
Turkey's President, Abdullah Gul, has said the Turkish fighter jet shot
down by Syria's air defence forces on Friday may have violated Syrian airspace.
Update from the BBC on Turkish F-4 Lost
Here
22-06-2012 - Turkish F-4 Contact Lost - Turkey's military says it has lost contact with one of its aircraft over the sea close to the border with Syria. See Here
17:00 Update - Pilots are alive and rescued according to Swedish Media, also Syrians confirms take-down and apologized to Turkish PM - Taken from www.combatace.com forum
11-06-2012 - The final Phantom drone, serial number 68-0609 (RF-4C) , will become the 318th QF-4 drone supplied to the Air Force when it is delivered next January. See here for more details
17-05-2012 - XV586 moved to RNAS Yeovilton from RAF Leuchars for preservation see here
09-03-2012 - XT914 arrives safely at Wattisham see here
16-01-2012 - RAF Phantom XT914 to be preserved and moved to it's former base of RAF Wattisham, Suffolk England.
2011
The TRT television said the F-4 fighter jet crashed near the central Anatolian city of Konya, home to a large air base, today.
It says the cause of the crash is under investigation.
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 6, 2011 13:41:54 EDT
ROSWELL, N.M. — A military fighter plane crashed Wednesday in southern New Mexico after the pilot ejected safely, Air Force officials said.
The QF-4 Phantom from Holloman Air Force Base crashed in grasslands southwest of Roswell near the community of Hope. The crash sparked a fire that burned 28 acres before it was contained. The pilot was in good condition, according to a statement from Col. David Krumm, commander of the 49th Wing. Base officials confirmed there was no live ammunition aboard the plane. However, Krumm said in his statement that the base was “asking the public to cooperate with military and civilian authorities at the scene to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”
The aircraft was assigned to and operated by Detachment 1, 82nd Aerial Target Squadron. The QF-4 is used as a target for weapons testing. It can be flown by remote control or with a pilot.
Base officials said a safety board would be convened to investigate the crash.
02-04-2011 - Croatia offered German Phantoms to replace MiG-21s - See Here
Germany has offered Croatia a possible deal to acquire 20 of its
McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom fighters, as Zagreb nears a decision on how to replace its remaining Soviet-era Mikoyan MiG-21s. Just two of these are available at any given time to protect its airspace.
13-01-2011 -
Japan F-4 Replacement
From Press TV Website
Gates wants US jets for Japan
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has suggested to his Japanese counterpart
Toshimi Kitazawa to consider purchasing American jet fighters. In a meeting with
Kitazawa in Tokyo, Gates reportedly discussed ways to strengthen military ties
with Japan. The meeting came just two days after China conducted the first test
flight of a stealth fighter jet. US officials have raised concerns about China's
faster-than-expected advances in its anti-ship ballistic missile program, which
could challenge US aircraft carriers in the Pacific. Pentagon officials hope
Japan will buy US fighter jets, when upgrading its fleet of aging F4 Phantom
fighters.
12-01-2011 - Vietnam F-4D missing crew Identified
Airmen Missing From Vietnam War Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of two servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors.
Air Force Col. James E. Dennany, 34, of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Maj. Robert L. Tucci, 27, of Detroit, will be buried as a group Jan. 14, in the Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery.
On Nov. 12, 1969, Dennany and Tucci were flying the number three aircraft of three F-4Ds escorting an AC-130 gunship on a night strike mission over Laos. After the gunship attacked six trucks and set two of them on fire, the AC-130 crew's night vision equipment was impacted by the glow from the fires. They requested that Tucci attack the remaining trucks. During the attack, gunship crew members observed anti-aircraft artillery gunfire directed at Tucci's plane followed by a large explosion. No radio transmissions were heard from the F-4D following the attack and no parachutes were seen in the area. An immediate electronic search revealed nothing and no formal search was initiated due to heavy anti-aircraft fire in the area.
Beginning in the mid-1990s analysts at DPMO and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) developed case leads they collected from wartime reporting and archival research.
In 1994, a joint U.S.-Lao People's Democratic Republic (L.P.D.R.) team led by JPAC analyzed leads, interviewed villagers, and surveyed five reported crash sites near the record loss location with negative results.
In 1999, during another joint survey, officials in Ban Soppeng, Laos, turned over remains later determined to be human, two .38 caliber pistols and other crew-related equipment that villagers had recovered from a nearby crash site. Between 1999 and 2009, other joint U.S.-L.P.D.R. teams pursued leads, interviewed villagers, and conducted three excavations. They recovered aircraft wreckage, human remains, crew-related equipment and personal effects.
JPAC scientists used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of the remains.
With the accounting of these airmen, 1,702 service members still remain missing from the conflict.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/ or call 703-699-1169.
11-01-2011 - Luftwaffe F-4F QRA
SOURCE - Flight International By Craig Hoyle
Germany has resumed its provision of quick reaction alert (QRA) cover for NATO's Baltic member states, with a detachment of six McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantoms in place at Siauliai air base, Lithuania.The German air force's 71, or "Richthofen", Fighter Squadron assumed the air policing task for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on 5 January, with its F-4s replacing a previous US Air Force contingent of Boeing F-15Cs. The service's new commitment - its fourth at Siauliai since NATO assumed the Baltic QRA task in April 2004 - also comprises around 100 personnel.Germany's previous four-month deployment to Siauliai, conducted between September and December 2009, was split between its F-4s and Eurofighters. Its Phantoms will maintain the latest presence at the base until late April, when the service will hand over responsibility to the French air force.
And also
QF-4 in New Role
F-4 continues long-time service to Air Force with new mission
by Senior Airman Kirsten Wicker 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- The 82nd Aerial Target Squadron officials here are replacing the use of Learjets for their banner tow missions with the F-4 Phantom, creating an air-to-air target that aircrews in training can safely evaluate, develop, and test their weapons systems.
The F-4 models in use by the 82nd ATRS range in age from 36 to 42 years old.
Lt. Col. Gregory Blount, the 82nd ATRS director of operations, began flying the F-4's new mission two months ago.
Full Story here
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123237870
Happy New Year
2010
Merry Christmas
and a Peaceful 2011
to all the Phantom Phans and Phanks for your support over the years !
17-11-2010 - RF-4C (131 TFS/39 TRG) Crash kills 2 South Korean pilots
By the CNN Wire Staff
November 12, 2010 -- Updated 0747 GMT (1547 HKT) STORY HIGHLIGHTS The Air Force RF-4C surveillance plane crashes into a mountain Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- Two South Korean pilots were killed Friday when their surveillance plane crashed into a mountain in central South Korea, the Ministry of National Defense said. The Air Force RF-4C surveillance plane disappeared from the radar at 12.30 p.m. Friday, officials said. The plane crashed into a mountain in Jeonju in good weather. Wreckage from the routine mission was found on the mountain in Jeonju, about 240 kilometers (149 miles) south of Seoul, the Yonhap news agency said. A committee will investigate and soon release the cause of the crash, the ministry said.
17-08-2010 - Iranian fighter jet crashes near nuclear plant
TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian fighter jet crashed Tuesday in southern Iran near the country's nuclear power plant that is to start up over the weekend, a semi-official news agency reported. The two pilots ejected safely. The Fars agency quoted local government official Gholam Reza Keshtkar as saying one of Iranian airforce's F-4 planes crashed about four miles (six kilometers) north of the city of Bushehr. The city is located 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) south of the capital, Tehran. Keshtkar said the pilot and co-pilot ejected safely from the plane before it crashed but were rushed to the hospital in Bushehr. He didn't provide other details. Another local official, Mohammad Hasan Shanbadi, said technical failure was the cause of the crash but did not elaborate. He said the plane crashed in the desert, close to an industrial center. The Bushehr nuclear power plant — Iran's first such facility — is expected to start fueling up this weekend. Iran purchased many U.S.-made planes, including scores of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and during the rule of the late pro-Western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
17-07-2010 - German F-4F Phantom (38+50 JG-71) attends RIAT 2010 at RAF Fairford UK.
15-06-2010 - South Korea F-4D Phantom squadron 151 conducted its last flight Wednesday, ending its 41 years of service with the ROK Air Force.
“Though the F-4D aircraft is fading into the mist of history, their spirit will be succeeded by the F-15K, which will further bolster our air defense,”
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Kye-hoon said at the ceremony. Hundreds of guests, including former F-4 pilots, attended the event.
South Korea still flies the F-4E and RF-4C.
07-03-2010 – US Navy F-4 Ejection seat for sale on Ebay see here. Yours for £3600 !
02-03-2010 - The first two F-4E's modernized under
Simsek (Lightning) programme were delivered to 112nd Squadron with a ceremony.
The project covers a total of 16 aircraft. See here for more info.
2009
23-07-2009 - Turkish
F-4 Phantom crashes in Malatya,
18-07-2009 - RF-4E
Phantom 69-7487/7487 of 348 Mira Greek Air Force returns to the
12-05-2009 - Turkey disbands its first
Phantom Squadron, 172 Filo 'Falcons', based in
09-05-2009 - Turkish
Air Force unveils new cammo scheme for its RF-4Es. 18 RF-4s to be updated
during Project Light. See here for picture and more details http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=184290&hl=
06-03-2009 - Japanese
Phantom squadron 8 Hikotai retires its last Phantom.
17-03-2009 - F-4E
2020 68-0528 Crashed shortly after take off near
14-02-2009 - Iranian
F-4 pictures on airliners.net including 2-6502 RF-4E & 3-6532, 3-6651 both
F-4E search for Phantom for www.airliners.net to see pics.
31-01-2009 - The
last QF-4E 68-0450/AF-352 is delivered to Tyndall Air Force base. (See
Airforces Monthly April 2009)
12-01-2009 - Four Turkish F-4 Phantom jets flew just 100 meters above the islet of Farmakonisi before being intercepted by Greek fighter aircraft.
08-01-2009 - More Phantom parts for sale
on Ebay including cockpit covers for XV439 and the tail from XV404.
01-01-2009 - Happy New Year From The
Phantom Shrine
2008 - 50th Anniversary year of the First Flight of the F-4
Phantom II
10-07-2008
- RF-4E Phantom 69-7487/7487 of 348 Mira Greek Air Force
arrives in the
07-07-2008 - The GAF have reported they will now fly at least 12 F4F Phantoms to 2014 extending their mission by 3 years. (Info from F-4Phantom@googlegroups.com)
02-07-2008 - The last 3 F-4F Phantom departed from Neuburg for their new home of Wittmundhafen at 10.02 local time.The serials were in departure order 38+37(special markings), 38+64 and 37+85.
30-06-2008 -
Preceeding the above news 38+74 departed Neuburg for Wittmundhafen on Monday 30
June. (Info from Le Addeur noir
(scramble Forum) and F-4Phantom@googlegroups.com)
06-06-2008
- A McD-D RF-4E Phantom II of 348 Rec. Sqn. of
the Hellenic Air Force (ser.no 71763) made an emergency landing on the
(Info from F-4Phantom@googlegroups.com)
27-05-2008 - The 50th Anniversary of the First Flight of the F-4 Phantom II. 50 Years ago today Robert Little took the F-4 Phantom to the sky for the first time and the rest is History.....still being made !
17-04-2008 -
07-04-2008 - South Korean RF-4C crashes both crew eject ok. - The aircraft took off at 9:15 a.m. from its home base and was on a training mission. 25 minutes later it crashed in a mountainous area.
Two pilots ejected safely. One of the pilots suffered minor injuries while the other, a captain, was rescued from the top of a tree
19-02-2008 - More Phantom parts on Ebay including XT902 Cockpit mirror (Sold at £129.01), FGR-2 wheel (Not sold) and half a canopy (still on sale)
09-01-2008- HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M - For the first time, an air-to-ground missile was launched from a full-scale aerial target drone QF-4G (69-7968 Det 1 of the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron)
01-01-2008 - The 50th Anniversary year
begins !
2007
16-12-2007 - 20
modernised McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantoms and 30 Lockheed Martin F-16s attack
Kurdish rebel camps 150km (81nm) inside northern
26-11-2007 -
Iranian F-4 Phantom crashes into
20-10-2007 - The
first Greek woman pilot in a fighter jet Ioanna Xrisaygi is right now in the
last stages of training with the RF-4E Phantoms of 348 MTA 110 Fighter Wing at
Larisa AB:
http://tinyurl.com/3bu2q9
- Source Thanks to Hionia Martos of F-4Phantom@googlegroups.com
19-10-2007 -
Luftwaffe Phantom 38+48 makes arrested landing see link for details
08-10-2007 -
Various F-4 parts for sale on Ebay including XV404 (Tiger Scheme) Tail Fin at
£2000 or best offer !
11-07-2007 - 2 X
Luftwaffe F-4Fs (37+77 & 37+81) arrive for the RIAT 2007 at RAF Fairford
14-06-2007 -
Brig Gen Robin Olds passes away. RIP - More Info Here
19-04-2007 - 6 x German F-4Fs (37+17,
37+26, 37+48, 38+44, 38+46, 38+67 from JG-71) visit RAF Lossiemouth
17-04-2007 - Bae to upgrade more 20 F-4s to
QF-4 Drones - see Bae Story Here.
11-01-2007 - Turkish F-16 intercepted
by Greek F-4s and F-16s - http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=158712
2006
07-09-2006 - The 200th QF-4 drone has been
delivered. The Air Force has issued contracts to Bae for a total of 243
QF-4 aerial targets.
08-06-2006 - F-4D Phantom #550
(66-7550 - Shot down Mig-21 16-04-1972) has been recovered and is being
restored in
12-07-2006 - 2 X Turkish F-4E Phantom of
172 Filo (68-0342, 68-0374) arrive for RIAT 2006.
30-06-2006 - Greek RF-4E Phantom
(69-7519/7519 - 348 MTA) arrives in the
20-06-2006 More Phantom parts apear on
Ebay. F-4J (
27-05-2006
Front Canopy of Phantom FGR-2 XV461 on sold at auction Ebay for £278.00
!
23-05-2006 Rear Canopy of Phantom FGR-2
sells on Ebay for £41.00.
01-05-2006 Museum volunteers and military
veterans at Wings and
16-03-2006 Last manned QF-4G Flown see link for more details http://f4phantom.com/features.asp?cat=12
2005
16-12-2005 - 337 MPK - Fantasma - F-4E
- 110th/Larissa disbanded in
13-07-2005 - RoKAF (South Korean) F-4E
(from 17 FW) crashes into sea with the loss of both crew, during a night vision
goggles training exercise. (Source AFM - Sept 2005)
13-07-2005 - Greek RF-4E (7519) and two
German F-4F (38+17 and 38+29) arrive at RAF Fairford for this years RIAT.
01-07-2005 - Two Turkish F-4E Phantoms
appear at RAF Waddington Air Show.
22-06-2005
- Turkish F-4E crashed in a filed after experiencing a technical
failure. Both crew ejected ok (Source AFM August 2005) A/C 68-0473 172 Filo.
11-04-2005
- German Phantoms (37+13 &
38+24 from JG-74) visit RAF Lakenheath after a visit to RAF
Lossiemouth. (Source UK
Airshow Review)
- RIAT announce RF-4E from the Greek airforce to appear at RAF Fairford. see http://www.airtattoo.com/airtattoo
10-04-2005 - RIAT announce two Luftwaffe
F-4Fs are to appear at RIAT 2005 at RAF Fairford. see http://www.airtattoo.com/airtattoo
15-03-2005 - Greek and German
Phantoms take part in the Tactical Leadership Program exercise in Florennes,
01-03-2005 -
11-01-2005 - According to the The Phantom Shrine's records four Phantoms were lost in accidents in 2004. 5 crew lost their lives.... lets just spare a thought and prayer for them and their families as we enter 2005.
2004
20-12-2004 - 20th FS 'Silver Lobos' is deactivated. 72-1118 and 72-1218 are delivered by Col. Kevin Zeeck, the 20th FS Director of Operations to AMARC. See this web site for more details. http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCArticle20FS.asp
24-11-2004 - QF-4S 153821
"Scooby" has been saved from the Scrapman's Torch and will be
preserved and displayed at the Forward Air Controller's Museum in
17-11-2004 - 20th FS 'Silver Lobos' retires the first of 15 a/c to AMARC at Davis-Mothan AFB. All but two of the remaining F-4s will be retired in Dec 2004. The last two F-4s will be retired 7-01-2005. This will mark 41 years of USAF Phantom operations. (Source AFM Jan 2005)
08-11-2004 - 20th FS 'Silver Lobos' the Luftwaffe F-4F training unit at Holloman AFB, is due to disband in on 20th December 2004. (Source AFM Nov 2004)
01-11-2004 - Japanese F-4EJ Kai suffered multiple bird strikes on take off. Damaged occured to port undercarriage and engine intake. Both crew ok. A/c from 83rd Kokutai/302nd Hikotai. (Source AFM Jan 2005)
00-10-2004 - 113 Filo (RF-4E) and 132 filo (F-4E) of the Turkish air force participate in the Turkish held multinational exercise Anatolian Eagle 2004. (Source AFM Nov 2004)
19-09-2004 - Japanese F-4EJ Kai (17-8302) rear canopy became detached. A/c made emergency landing. Crew ok. A/c from 83rd Kokutai/302nd Hikotai 17-8302 (Source AFM Nov 2004)
07-09-2004 - Japanese F-4EJ Kai made an emergency landing after a fault warning light for the flaps was seen. Crew ok. A/c from 83rd Kokutai/302nd Hikotai (Source AFM Nov 2004)
00-07-2004 - Turkish squadrons 131 Filo (F-4E) and 173 Filo (RF-4E) disbanded. (Source AFM Oct 2004)
21-07-2004 - 38+25 F-4F of the German Luftwaffe damaged after tyre blow out on landing at Hopsten AFB. Crew ok. A/C unlikely to be repaired due to Phantoms pending retirement (Source AFM Oct 2004)
12-07-2004 - Japanese F-4EJ Kai damaged after aborted take off crew ok. F-4EJ Kai 47-8338 83rd Koukuutai/302nd Hikoutai (Source AFM Sept 2004)
28-06-2004 - German F-4F will not fly a display at RIAT due to German fast jet policy see RIAT web site for more details (Source http://www.rafbfe.co.uk/AirTattoo)
15-06-2004 - F-4E (70-1516) 117 PM Greek Air Force crashed with the loss of both crew (Source AFM Aug 2004)
12-05-2004 - 201 Sqn Israeli
Defence Force/Air Force ceases F-4 Kurnass operations. 119 Sqn ceases ops in
2003. A/C 498 RF-4E(S) handed over to
2003
05-12-2003 - The
from next year. This should secure XV415's future when disposed of,
hopefully ending up at NEAM. (Source Phil Moore)
23-11-2003 - German F-4s to fly until 2008 according to Luftwaffe F-4 Pilot at RNLAF Airbase Twenthe. (Source Erik van Leeuwen)
18-10-2002 - Spanish RF-4Cs retired after almost 25 years of service (Source AFM)
31-01-2002 - JG-72 and Staffel 721 Disband (Source AFM March 2002 and AI March 2002)
16-06-2001 - Luftwaffe (German Air Force) 37+47 F-4F is to be the first German Phantom scrapped. All Luftwaffe F-4s should be gone by 2006 (Source Air Forces Monthly July 2001)
Long Live The Rhinos !
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