Phantom production numbers

…F-4 and the F-16 are converted by British Aerospace in the US how patriotic does that make you feel (-:
curlyboy

I don’t mind, it has a huge US arm and I’m sure lots of American shareholders and unlike many other firms, does the work here creating jobs.
At least it’s not Chinese…yet. 😀

Feel free to inspect my garage, there is a Mercedes and my wife’s new Volvo…(sorry the Mini left) I’m a pragmatist.

IIRC, for some reason, they’re only using Es and RFs…

The E & RF models were the most modernised as the RF-4C had many updates and was one of the last Phantoms in use by the USAF this is sort of true with the E as the E has the most of any model built so there were lots more of them about.

Pagen01 i agree it makes me feel old the F-16 is now to be blown up for trials but ironically both the F-4 and the F-16 are converted by British Aerospace in the US how patriotic does that make you feel (-:

curlyboy

the F-4 drone programme is winding up…

…it is the turn of the F-16 now.

Now that does make me feel old!!:eek:

But the F-4 drone programme is winding up even though there was over 1000 F-4’s still at AMARG…curlyboy

IIRC, for some reason, they’re only using Es and RFs…

All drone F-4’s were converted service aircraft as they all carry their own service serials and some aircraft had histories but most ended up in flaming pieces although the USAF was considering keeping one flying as a memorial as most are E models and at least one was repainted into it’s original Vietnam colour scheme.

But the F-4 drone programme is winding up even though there was over 1000 F-4’s still at AMARG (or whatever it is now called) up until a few months ago but it is the turn of the F-16 now.

curlyboy

Gooday All

rem,ember reading somewhere where new phantoms pretty much streight off the production line were converted into target drones and shot down. Liked phantoms, thought it was a waste

cheers

I’ve never heard that.
And the Putnam book does not support that.
The USN had sone orange drones in the 70s when they were still fairly new, but they were not considered expendable drone…missiles were programmed for near misses (but close enough where you didn’t want a pilot onboard) rather like the USAF QF-104s and QB-47s in the 50s and 60s.

The actual figures must be known, McDonnell would have records of complete or kit aircraft produced, as would Mitsi.
.

The number will be a mystery as you have the prototypes to remove as the early Phantoms were obviously not ‘production’ machines but this is just knit picking.

Normally people take the US total of 5057 and add the Japanese built ones and that is the consesus total, however there was a mix up with some aircraft being given the wrong serials and some serials changed for publicity like the 3000th Phantom is supposedly a F4J but is actually a RF-4C i think so it is confusing.

curlyboy

Also, I recall reading somewhere, (probably Air International) many years ago, that a Phantom fan was trying to collect photos of every Phantom ever built.
Anyone else recall that…and know if he was successful?

I thought Bob Dorr was the supposed Phantom guy. I got some cartoon/stickers he used to hand out somewhere.

it may have been a discrepancy with the serial numbers and the published number for the C model i am getting confused with, just cannot remember it has been so long since i studied the F-4

there was def a discrepancy somewhere and 5201 still sticks in my head

never ever

Appart from German ones arriving and departing from airshows and hopefully/maybe participating in the odd excercise, then no.

Is there anywhere in the uk in the foreseeable future that it may be possible to see one fly?

The kits have already been mentioned, and would assume are part of the final figures (McDonnell or Mitsubishi?).

there def some supplied as kits

i have that book also and i will try to find the reference to it. I got rid of most of my F-4 Stuff a while back but i might be able to find it

on another tack, i have lots of F-4 Slides anyone interested?

‘Phantom: Spirit inthe Skies‘ edited by Jon Lake, details the F4 from block 1 to block 67 as 5,068 built in the US, with a further 127 Mitsubishi license built examples, giving a total of 5,195.

5201 stick in my head for some reason, i think there were some kits supplied to japan, will check my sources

philip

It’s a shame that website hasn’t been updated since 2008, or any extra info or pictures been added.
But I would hope that if he was that keen and set himself that goal that he has done the research and would be spot on with the production figure of 5195 Phantoms.
This might not be a populor view, I really do like Gunstan’s publications but sometimes I do wonder about the preciseness of some of the information he uses.

Gooday All

rem,ember reading somewhere where new phantoms pretty much streight off the production line were converted into target drones and shot down. Liked phantoms, thought it was a waste

cheers

Hiya… not sure on the production numbers, but here’s the guy… or a guy at least… who’s collecting the photos of every Phantom.

www.5053phantoms.com

Cheers,
Richard

PS. On looking through that site, it seems that much of it is dismantled sadly. I couldn’t find any relevant photos.