Guest Maj Millard Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I've been intending to read some books for years now on the airwar over Viet Nam. Just so many impressive aircraft involved such as the F-4 Phantom, F100,F105 'thuds' etc. And who could forget that great F-4 movie 'The Great Santini'............ Just viewed the video 'Pardos' push' in the news section, and this is a typical example of what I am talking about. The F-4 Phantom is one of my favorite aircraft of all time anyway, and I was lucky to see them fly whilst we had two squadrons of them, while waiting for the F-111 dramas to be rectified, in the early 70s. We were actually trained on some systems of the F-4 when I was at 77sqn at Williamtown, as occasionally one or two would overnight there, and we needed to be able to 'turn them around' before they departed. We spent a week at Amberly to recieve the training. I tried like hell to get a backseat ride in one but it didn't happen, and had to settle for a couple in the dual Mirage 111D instead !!.... Not many know that the anhedral tail (inverted V) on the F-4 was a product of the legendary Burt Rutan of Vari-eze fame. He was then an AirForce test engineer at Edwards Air Force base in the desert of California. It appears that the F-4 had stability problems until that tail was perfected. I was lucky enough to witness the F-4 in action during a couple of firepower displays at Williamtown, and I can tell you it was an awsome machine, that you did not want to be on the recieving end of !.....I can also remember being on top of one refuelling , and you did not want to fall off either.......they were a sizable aircraft. Anyway 'Pardos' push' is certainly worth viewing if you'r into that stuff, and good to see that Pardo finally got the recognition he deserved............................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit12 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 While doing the bus tour of the Boneyard in Tucson last year, I spotted a couple of rows of F-4s. Turns out that they have dozens in flyable storage ready to go for the next big war, and an Air Force Colonel whose job it is to supervise one being returned to flying status and test fly it every week, before putting it to bed again for another year or two. Will put up a picture if I can find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 That Colonels' got himself a tough job for sure....wonder what elso he gets to fly ????.............................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 The 24 F-4C s that Australia were lent for two years were returned to the US and put back into service in various roles. You can read the history and fate of each during it's life (only 23 returned, one crashed here off Evans head during gunnery practise) I believe the last of them crashed recently off Florida after being shot down as a remte -controlled target drone!....Others went on to be upgraded to RF-4 counter insurgency aircraft. One or two I believe are in Australian museums ??..............................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Also interesting with the Phantom was it was originally produced without any guns, and as a pure air-air missile equipped aircraft. Thinking was there would not be anymore in-close fighter type combat, with the speeds capable. (mach 2) They then realized the need still existed, and fitted a temporary modified fuel tank with a Vulcan rotary gatling-type cannon which they found worked well against the Migs. The Vulcan gattling cannon was then fitted permantly under the nose, which it the projection on the 'chin'. Later in Viet Nam the Phantom went on to produce the last air combat 'Ace', requiring five air to air combat 'kills', using the Vulcan cannon. They also held at one time the record for the highest speed of a survivable ejection which was well over 1000 Mph !...previous to this the record had been held by a Mirage test pilot who ejected at Woomera in an early production Mirage 111 at around 900 something MPH. He survived with two broken legs but was killed a couple of years later in an auto accident (go figure !)................What remained of his lightweight summer flightsuit and other flying gear was in the airforce museum at Point Cook some years ago when I viewed it............................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza 38 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 WOW what a coincidence Maj, I posted a You Tube video of the Pardo's push of FB 2 days ago. I didn't realise that it was on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 It's in the news section dazza...quite enjoyable I thought............................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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