Posted on 10/24/2015 7:44:35 PM PDT by Yardstick
I remember seeing the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels flying Phantoms way back when.
First time I saw an F-4 was on my first night on duty in the war, Kunson AB, S.Korea. As a Security Policeman I was assigned to guard eight Priority A F-4’s in revetments under the lights. Around 11 PM flares began to go off on the south perimeter and tracer rounds began dancing out to see. Suddenly the SAT jeep roared up to me and gave me two bandoleers of 5.56 and told me to watch myself, we had sappers in the perimeter and sped away. My first thought was damn, I thought this war was over 15 years ago! Next my years of watching WW2 movies kicked in and I quickly took cover where I could see all of my aircraft without walking in plain sight. Eventually there was a flash of light offshore and the N.Korean spy boat was dispatched by S.Korean patrol boat. Pretty exciting for my first night on duty. When I rotated back stateside I was assigned to Nellis AFB (Las Vegas) and was able to enjoy watching the Thunderbirds practice in their F-4’s as they rattled the windows of every building on base. Good times.
My dad was an F4 pilot. First time I saw one was when he returned from the war. We were stationed at Holloman AFB in New Mexico. We could hear them before we could see them. Then out of the blue they came in over the mountains one after the other. They put on quite a show for the families waiting on the flight line.
They each did a low pass, touch and go and dipped their wings. What a magnificent plane!
Worked with a guy who flew back seat in Robin Olds squadron, the stories he told were awesome...
She was a rocket...
I LOVED those things when they were here! Miss them now that they’re gone. Thanks for the video. Am passing it on to friends who remember how it was back then around here!
Spent his last 2 years in Japan with the last F-4s before the Navy retired them before he quit and went to work for Delta.
I spent several years as a DOD contractor working on F-4 electronics around the country.
Got so even my wife could identify an F-4 on approach as they throttled back and the engines just HOWLED.
You didn’t even have to look up to know a Phantom was in the pattern.
Those pilots were something else. Growing up around them was interesting to say the least.
My dad was about twenty years younger than robin. Don’t remember hearing the name but they had nicknames for everyone. To this day I can’t name some of his buddies except by their nickname.
My dad flew other jets but none like the F4.
Phantom Ping.
I get goosebumps from them and from the P51 mustangs.
Had a teacher in high school who flew Phantoms in Vietnam. Sometimes returning from a mission and out of ammo, they'd see an enemy convoy on the deck. The Phantoms would dive, and 'Sonic Boom' the enemy.
bttt
I used to just love watching them workout in Vietnam. You’d see a speck hauling a$$ almost straight down, go behind some mountains. Then you’d hear the jet engines. Then see that same speck come from behind the mountains almost straight up. Then abut the same time hear the engines again and a loud KA BOOM!.
I recall seeing them up close when our chopper landed near one. They just looked so wicked.
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