Low Level Phantom

[Leading Observer]

https://frontlinevideos.com/blogs/videos/crazy-lazy-beautiful-cover-girl?a=mk&var=f-4+2+guys-pinups&utm_campaign=f-4+2+guys&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=original-pinups-mk&utm_content=f-4

Funnily enough I had a very similar experience whilst a member of the ROC - can't rember where or when exactly, but I distinctly recall hitting the deck 

[kerick]

That aint nothin!
An Lt and I were controlling 2 F-4s on a hill at the range at Ft Hunter Ligget back in '84. The Lt told me to keep my eyes on number 2 as he would watch number one while making the strikes. Well of course we lost track of the aircraft so I'm looking around in all directions when I see a black spot behind us. It quickly turned into a black radome with two large intakes. The crazy SOB was coming at us level with the top of the hill and outrunning his own sound! About two seconds before it reached us I started to see the wings and fin. All I could do was pull on the Lt's sleeve and point. I think it almost clipped our antennas. Some Army troops were watching the show and dove under their truck. We lost our maps in the turbulence. Of course no one had a camera!

[TheChronicOne]

Nutty on both accounts!!   ^ ^^

In other news... sure am going to miss the Phantoms. I saw a clip the other day from one of the few remaining air show appearances.

The last ever will be a couple days after my tool date.

http://airshowstuff.com/v4/2016/just-six-public-appearances-remain-for-usaf-f-4-phantoms-including-final-flight-event-in-december/comment-page-2/

[kerick]

I didn't think there were any flying at all any more. If I had known 2 were at EAA I would have made a better effort to be there! Darn it!

[TheChronicOne]

I didn't think there were any flying at all any more. If I had known 2 were at EAA I would have made a better effort to be there! Darn it!

No kiddin, they stopped in D/FW back in October which is a 3 hour drive from here.  And I didn't know, either. I didn't even know any of the drones are left! One good thing I read in the article there was that they are to be gotten ridden, not necessarily destroyed, and won't be blown up as drones either which means some could make it to be displays or even wind up in private hands or in museums, etc. It's good that they didn't just blow them up until they were all gone.

[PR19_Kit]

Don't the Turkish Air Force still fly them operationally? There was at least one Turkish F-4 at RIAT this year.

[Captain Canada]

Cool video. Too bad the guy holding the camera wasn't prepared though ! I had planned to see the Phantom this year, but as usual, ended up forgetting all about it.

[kerick]

The best low level pass I've seen is the Spitfire buzzing the BBC reporter. Just search YouTube for spitfire low level.

Ah, here it is!      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iOoiEbtf2w

[sandiego89]

Don't the Turkish Air Force still fly them operationally? There was at least one Turkish F-4 at RIAT this year.

Think it was a pair of Greek F-4's at RIAT 2016.

http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow/visiting/lookingback/looking-back-at-2016/aircraft-in-the-spotlight/f-4e-phantom

Yes Turkey still flies them as well.  Not sure about Korea and Japan?  Perhaps ironically Iran may be the last military operator of the Phantom, but not sure how the local Police would feel about western spotters leaning their ladders against the perimiter fence and writing down serial numbers at your typical Iranian Air base 

-Dave

[NARSES2]

  Perhaps ironically Iran may be the last military operator of the Phantom, but not sure how the local Police would feel about western spotters leaning their ladders against the perimiter fence and writing down serial numbers at your typical Iranian Air base 

-Dave

They get a tad peeved in Greece about that as well. They just can't seem to comprehend why anyone would want to take the numbers down of aircraft.