In many respects the most successful, versatile and widely-used combat aircraft of the post-war era the F-4 Phantom II was quickly adopted by the USAF after its spectacular US Navy introduction. Its introduction to USAF squadrons happened just in time for the Vietnam conflict where USAF F-4Cs took over MiG-fighting duties from the F-100 Super Sabre. Although the F-4 was never intended as a dog-fighter to tangle with light, nimble, gun-armed MiGs it was responsible for destroying 109 MiGs in aerial combat. At the end of their careers many of the survivors from the 3,380 'land-based' Phantoms were converted into target drones for training purposes. New aircraft were also built for West Germany, Iran and Israel. The USAF's experience with the Phantom showed clearly that the air-to-air fighter was still a necessity and its decision to fund its successor, the McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle (as well as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22A Raptor) was heavily influenced by the lessons of US and other Phantom pilots in combat.

In many respects the most successful, versatile and widely-used combat aircraft of the post-war era the F-4 Phantom II was quickly adopted by the USAF after its spectacular US Navy introduction. Its introduction to USAF squadrons happened just in time for the Vietnam conflict where USAF F-4Cs took over MiG-fighting duties from the F-100 Super Sabre. Although the F-4 was never intended as a dog-fighter to tangle with light, nimble, gun-armed MiGs it was responsible for destroying 109 MiGs in aerial combat. At the end of their careers many of the survivors from the 3,380 'land-based' Phantoms were converted into target drones for training purposes. New aircraft were also built for West Germany, Iran and Israel. The USAF's experience with the Phantom showed clearly that the air-to-air fighter was still a necessity and its decision to fund its successor, the McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle (as well as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22A Raptor) was heavily influenced by the lessons of US and other Phantom pilots in combat.

This book tells the fascinating story of this truly unique aircraft's design and development as an icon of American airpower, and relives its glorious record in the Vietnam War, various Arab-Israeli conflicts, the Cold War, and Operation Desert Storm.

A legend in its own time, over five thousand Phantoms were built in St Louis and Japan over more than twenty years. This heavily tabular book gives the construction number and first flight date of each aircraft and the attrition or retirement date and disposition of those no longer in service. USAF,USN and USMC aircraft which have scored combat victories are also detailed.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber. Part one of this title provides detailed photographic coverage of the USAF F4C, F-4D, RF-4C, F-4E, F-4G, QF-4E/G and Thunderbird variants.

Originally designed as a carrier-borne long-range interceptor armed with radar-guided missiles and tasked with defence against missile-launching bombers, the Phantom II went on to establish itself as one of the most important multi-role fighter, attack and reconnaissance aircraft of the 20th century. Arguably the United States' most important aircraft in the Vietnam War, where it played the role of workhorse as well as being a deadly MiG interceptor, the Phantom was also a mainstay of Atlantic Fleet operations ? intercepting Soviet bomber and reconnaissance aircraft and turning them away from the carrier groups at the height of the Cold War. This book reveals the design and development history of the naval Phantom, its variants and the exported designs adopted by other NATO countries. Packed with illustrations, photographs and first-hand accounts, it provides a technical history of one of the most famous aircraft ever built.