Kraków 2023-01-20
159 Tally 1958-05-27
Mc Donnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II ( F4H ).
F-4 Phantom II is a multi-role American fighter, produced in the largest number of copies 5,117 (in times of relative peace). The plane is the winner of 13 aviation records. The aircraft’s predecessor was the F3H Demon fighter. The F-4 Phantom II was the most widely used American combat aircraft during the Vietnam War.
The Mc Donnell Douglas F4H Phantom aircraft was developed specifically for US NAVY carrier aviation. At the time, the F4H Phantom was competing with the North American A-5 Vigilante. This second plane was good, but it was big; length 23 m, span 16 m, total weight 14,870 kg. On board the aircraft carrier, the F4H Phantom performed better and was adopted. The very good performance of the aircraft attracted the attention of the USAF and the aircraft was also adopted by the USAF. In 1962, the aircraft received the designation F-4 Phantom II. The aircraft had the characteristics of a naval aircraft; landing hook, folding wingtips, easy to tilt the nose of the plane to the right side (to shorten the length when hangaring) and others. The mechanism for automatic folding of the wings has been removed, but the fastening system has remained. Aircraft for the USAF received larger wheels and lower pressure in pneumatics to perform better on traditional airports. The landing hook was used for emergency landing roll shortening, as in the F-16 aircraft. F-4 Phantom II aircraft were exported to other countries: Spain, Japan, UK, Greece, Iran, Israel, South Korea, Turkey, Germany. The Germans received the F-4E version, which was equipped with older avionics and a smaller range of armament.
Mc Donnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II at MLP in Krakow.
At the beginning of January 2023, the F-4 E-34-MC Phantom II nb SP AF 67260 aircraft No. 670260 was brought to the Polish Aviation Museum. The machine was manufactured in 1967. The aircraft was handed over as a deposit from the National Museum of the United States Air Force. So far, the aircraft has been exhibited in West Germany (Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim). Because the plane was partially dismantled during transport, it will take a few more weeks before the plane will officially be included in the exhibition. It was the Americans who proposed to transfer the aircraft to Poland in mid-2022. The plane is still US property.
The plane is a so-called shell, i.e. it is devoid of engines, cockpit equipment, radar and other equipment. Therefore, from the initial empty weight of 13,757 kg, the exhibit has a weight of about 9,100 kg. The plane to Poland was transported on a low-floor car platform. Such a transport required precise planning to cover the distance of about 880 km without any foreseeable surprises. The horizontal stabilizer, wingtips, slots on the leading edge, flaps behind the wings, nose of the aircraft and the center wing from the fuselage were detached from the exhibit. Everything was placed on prepared supports and racks and secured against shifting. In addition to MLP employees, employees of the Museum of Military Technology in Zabrze took part in the action.
The Mc Donnell Douglas F-4 E-34-MC Phantom II nb SP AF 67260 No. 670260 aircraft, after being produced in 1967, entered service with the USAF in the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, which was stationed at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida. Subsequently, the aircraft served with the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing at the George Air Force Base in California. From the USA, the plane went to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing at the base in Bitburg in Germany. After 25 years of service, in 1992, the aircraft was decommissioned. It went to the workshops at the Spangdahlem base in Germany, where it was used as an airframe for training mechanics, in repairs of the airframe resulting from combat damage. In 2005, the aircraft was transferred to the German museum Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim as a deposit. The owner of the aircraft is the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Data T-T F-4 E:
Span 11.77 m. Length 19.19 m. Height 5.02 m. Bearing area 49.20 m2. Curb weight 13,757 kg. Maximum weight 28,030 kg. Weapon weight 7,250 kg. Top speed 2,414 km/h (2.3 mph). Climb speed 152 m/s. Landing speed 273 km/h. Range 3,184 km. Operating ceiling 19,685 m. Take-off 1,792 m. Landing 1,704 m.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman