McDonnell Aircraft / Douglas F-4B Phantom II
The Hickory Aviation Museum F-4B Bureau Number 148400 came from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren in Virginia. It is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Coordinated by Kyle and Kregg Kirby.
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor aircraft/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, and by the mid-1960s had become a major part of their respective air wings.
The Phantom is a large fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and various bombs. The F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was designed without an internal cannon. Later models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record, and an absolute altitude record.
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | McDonnell Aircraft / McDonnell Douglas |
First flight | 27 May 1958 |
Introduction | 30 December 1960 |
Retired | 1996 (US combat use), 2004 (Israel Air Force), June 2013 (German Air Force) |
Status | In service |
Primary users | United States Air Force (drone), United States Navy, U. S. Marine Corps, Republic of Iran Air Force |
Produced | 1958–81 |
Number built | 5,195 |
Propulsion | 2 × General Electric J79-GE-17A axial compressor turbojets |
Unit cost | US$2.4 million (FY1965, F-4E) |

Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.2 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 4.5 in (11.7 m)
Height: 16 ft 6 in (5.0 m)
Wing area: 530.0 ft² (49.2 m²)
Empty weight: 30,328 lb (13,757 kg)
Loaded weight: 41,500 lb (18,825 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 61,795 lb (28,030 kg)
Fuel capacity: 1,994 U.S. gal internal, 3,335 U.S. gal with three external tanks (370 U.S. gal) tanks on the outer wing hardpoints and either a 600 or 610 U.S. gal tank for the centerline station).
Maximum landing weight: 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)
Maximum speed: Mach 2.23 (1,472 mph) at 40,000 ft
Cruise speed: 506 kn (585 mph, 940 km/h)
Combat radius: 367 nmi (422 mi, 680 km)
Ferry range: 1,403 nmi (1,615 mi) with 3 external tanks
Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,300 m)
Rate of climb: 41,300 ft/min (210 m/s)
Takeoff roll: 4,490 ft (1,370 m) at 53,814 lb (24,410 kg)
Landing roll: 3,680 ft (1,120 m) at 36,831 lb (16,706 kg)
Hardpoints: 7 total
Missiles/Bombs/Other: Air-to-air missiles:, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AMRAAM, MK80, Rockets, Shrike, Walleye, Maverick, Reconnaissance and Targeting Pods, Fuel