On this day in aviation history: In 1971 the Phantom learns a new language. In the early 1970s, the West German air force was looking for a replacement for its fleet of F-104G Starfighters. The replacement aircraft was seen as a short term replacement for the Starfighter. Although the F-104 had been successful in US service, nearly 30perscent of the 700 aircraft used by German were lost due to accidents, earning the plane the nickname “Widowmaker.” Although the Phantom used the same J-79 jet engine as the F-104, the F-4’s double-engine configuration and sturdy airframe made it a far more reliable fighter. Nicknamed “Smoky,” “Spook” or even the “Air Defense Diesel” by its German pilots, the Luftwaffe’s F-4 was a stripped down US Air Force F-4E with many features that were considered too expensive not used in the German version. Some cuts resulted in an engine that gave Luftwaffe Phantoms a very distinctive smoke trail, something not welcomed during dog fights or stealthy reconnaissance missions, as the plume could be spotted miles away. Originally, the Luftwaffe took delivery of the F-4 on this date in 1971 as a multi-role aircraft, performing both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, but it also received a batch of unarmed RF-4E reconnaissance jets. The F-4 lost its “Mud Mover” and reconnaissance responsibilities following the introduction of the Panavia Tornado in the mid-1980s and early 1990s. As the Tornado began to take over the Phantom’s roles, the F-4 fleet was cut. The remaining aircraft went through the Improved Combat Efficiency (ICE) program, receiving critical upgrades to make the ageing Phantom more capable for the demanding requirements of modern air warfare. The main elements of ICE were a new radar system and the introduction of the AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missile. By 2000, the F-4 was considered obsolete and in need of replacement, but its planned successor, the multi-role Eurofighter, suffered from heavy program delays, forcing the Phantoms to soldier on until 2013, over 40 years of service!
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 20:16:54 +0000
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