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Description
| Manufacturer: | McDonnell-Douglas | |
| Base model: | F4H | |
| Designation: | XF4H | |
| Version: | -1 | |
| Nickname: | Phantom II | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Navy / Marines | |
| Designation Period: | 1922-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Fighter | |
| Status: | Experimental | |
| See Also: | ||
Specifications
| Length: | 58' 3.75" | 17.7 m | |
| Height: | 16' 3" | 4.9 m | |
| Wingspan: | 38' 4" | 11.6 m | |
| Wingarea: | 530.0 sq ft | 49.2 sq m | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 2 | ||
| Powerplant: | General Electric J79-GE-2A (A/B 16,150Lb/7,326Kg) | ||
| Thrust (each): | 10,350 lb | 4,693 kg | |
Performance
Known serial numbers
Recent comments by our visitors
| Virgil H. Soule Frederick, MD | I was at MAC working as a data reduction technician in the old 8X10ft Low Speed Wind Tunnel when the F4H-1 first flew in the spring of 1958. We got word from somewhere that the aircraft was taxiing out for the first flight and a bunch of us climbed up on the very top of the wind tunnel building where we had an unobstructed view of the whole takeoff and subsequent landing. The F4H took off first followed by an F-101B chase plane. As I recall, the first flight was cut short by technical glitches with the aircraft but was generally successful.
I worked on data reduction for a couple of series of supersonic inlet tests that evaluated pressure recovery and flow distortion at the engine compressor face for various inlet configurations. It was always interesting to go down to the model shop to see the models under construction. The original F4H with the small nose was a nice-looking aircraft but the radar originally selected couldn't do the job and the replacement had a larger radar dish, hence, the big nose. My way to the parking lot to catch my ride home took me through the final assembly building where the F-101 was in production for the Air Force and the F3H Demon for the Navy. Interesting times for a kid of 20. 05/03/2007 @ 21:26 [ref: 16391] |
| Frank C. Bonansinga Indio Hills, CA | I first flew the 5th McDonnell YF4H-1F BuNo 143390 9 Nov 1959 at Hanscom Fld Bedford MA working for Raytheon. This early Phantom II had a small nose for the early Westinghouse Radar, a Stanley Rocket seat, No Stab Aug, No Boundry layer control(BLC) so it's approach speed was 175 knots. It had 2 center fuselage tanks removed for telemetering and on board recording equipment. This was used in developing the Sparrow III AMCS XN-2 RDT&E for the Navy.
It was restricted to Mach 1.8 because of the windshield. We breathed 100% oxygen then, till later told not too. (It caused bend like symptoms. I experinced severe migraine headaches) The machine flew and preformed excellently but it took a flight or two to learn how to keep from blowing the tires as they wore rapidily those first few flights. as The drag chute was needed. The later received #10 F4H Buno 145309 came in at 125 kts and there was no problem landing on RW 23, the 5000 foot runway at Bedford when the wind was favorable. It had BLC. a Martin Baker seat, a big nose. I took it to Mach 2 on two tests with no problems except it sucked up nearly all the JP on 35 minute tests at high altitude. In 1959 and early 60s there were few Tacan stations and places to refuel. I always managed to make it from Boston to St.Louis then to Albequerque then to Mugu without trouble. But often there were breaks in the Tacan coverage along the way. On one flight from the MAC factory, it took less than 1 hour and 30 minutes from St Louis to Boston and that was moving along, in the early 60s. fcb Indio Hills CA. 14 Feb. 2001 02/14/2001 @ 23:24 [ref: 1618] |
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