F-4E Phantom II

Description
The F-4 Phantom II is a twin-engine, all-weather, third generation naval fighter-bomber. The cost of a new one during its age was 2.4 million. The aircraft could perform four tactical air roles: air superiority, interdiction, close air support and fleet defense, as it did in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. First flown in May 1958, the Phantom II originally was developed for U.S. Navy fleet defense and entered service in 1961. The USAF evaluated it for close air support, interdiction, and counter-air operations and, in 1962, approved a USAF version after it was discovered to be over 100 miles per hour faster than the F-104 Starfighter. The USAF's Phantom II, designated F-4C, made its first flight on May 27, 1963. Production deliveries began in November 1963. In its air-to-ground role the F-4 could carry twice the normal bomb load of a WW II B-17. USAF F-4s also flew reconnaissance and "Wild Weasel" anti-aircraft missile suppression missions (the latter had a specialized variant known as the F-4G). A gun was added on one of the final versions, the F-4E. Phantom II production ended in 1979 after over 5,000 had been built more than 2,600 for the USAF, about 1,200 for the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest for friendly foreign nations, including to Israel, Iran, Greece, Spain, Turkey, South Korea, West Germany, Australia, Japan, and Great Britain. It is the only aircraft flown both by the USAF's "Thunderbirds" and US navy's "Blue Angels" simultaneously. The F-4 was used extensively in the Vietnam War, where its numerous dogfights with North Vietnamese MiG fighters earned it the nickname "the world's leading distributor of MiG parts." On 2 June 1972, USAF Major Phil Handley shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-19 "Farmer" with his F-4E's internal 20mm cannon. With an indicated airspeed of Mach 1.2, he scored the world's first and only supersonic gun kill. The Phantom also saw service in the Middle East with the Israeli Air Force. The Israeli Phantoms were delivered under the Peace Echo I though IV and Nickel Grass programs. Israeli F-4E Phantoms were nicknamed Kurnass (heavy hammer) while the RF-4E's was called Orev (raven). In the Beqqa Valley the Phantom shot down 4th generation soviet aircraft piloted by Russians under Syrian markings. The last Israeli Phantoms were retired in 2004. Later versions of the aircraft were still active in the U.S. miltary's inventory well into the 1990s. F-4's are no longer in the USAF inventory but are still flown by foreign nations.

Aces

 * William (STFS/AC)
 * Super Fly (Usean Rebel Force/AC2)
 * Dryade (BAF/ACZ)
 * Lanze (BAF/ACZ)
 * Dietrich Kellerman (BAF/ACZ)
 * 207th Tactical Fighter Squadron (AAF/ACX)
 * Manta (LAF/ACX)
 * Korol (King) (EAF/AC6)

Standard Weapons

 * Gun: 1x 20mm M61A1 Vulcan Cannon
 * Missiles: 2x AIM-9L Sidewinder

Special Weapons

 * NPB: Mk.77 Bomb (AC04, AC5, ACZ & ACX, ACX2)
 * SAAM: AIM-7F Sparrow (ACZ, ACX)
 * UGBM: Mk-83 1000lb Bomb (AC4)
 * UGBL: Mk-84 2000lb Bomb (ACZ & ACX, ACX2)
 * QAAM: AIM-9X Sidewinder (ACX2)
 * GPB: GBU-12 Paveway II (ACX2)

Air Combat

 * Stability: 50
 * Defense: 20
 * Offense: 20
 * Power: 50
 * Mobility: 20

Ace Combat 2

 * Power: 50
 * Defense: 33
 * Mobility: 35
 * Stability: 70
 * Climbing Ability: 45
 * Air-to-Air: 40
 * Air-to-Ground: 40

Ace Combat 04

 * Speed: 35
 * Mobility: 35
 * Stability: 35
 * Defense: 55
 * Air-to-Air: 45
 * Air-to-Ground: 35

Ace Combat 5/Zero

 * Speed: 63
 * Mobility: 32
 * Stability: 46
 * Defense: 56
 * Air-to-Air: 25
 * Air-to-Ground: 50

Ace Combat 6
This aircraft cannot be flown by the player.

Ace Combat X

 * Speed: 66
 * Air-to-Air: 51
 * Air-to-Ground: 15
 * Mobility: 30
 * Stability: 39
 * Defense: 45

Comparable Aircraft

 * English Electric Lightning
 * F8U-3 Crusader II
 * Su-15 Flagon
 * MiG-21bis Fishbed
 * MiG-21-93 Fishbed
 * J-8 Finback
 * Mirage V
 * IAI Nesher
 * A-4 Skyhawk
 * F-15C Eagle
 * MiG-19 Farmer
 * Hawker Hunter
 * MiG-25 Foxbat

Related Development

 * F-4G Phantom II Wild Weasel


 * F-4X Phantom II