One of the coolest things I ever saw was an F-4 nose up (probably near a stall) at treetop level rocking back and forth. It looked like it was walking on the tree tops. That was one amazing aircraft.
Yep, the coolest thing I ever saw also involved F-4s. I had to go to the field with the MASH unit I was assigned to during the very last month of my enlistment. Man, was I ever p***ing and moaning about that! But as it turned out, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Our enormous hospital tents were set up on a huge flat hilltop at an altitude of 1,000 ft or so and four F-4s simulated strafing runs on us for a half an hour or so. It was a thing of beauty, though I'm sure the Cong would describe it differently!
All you could hear was this low generalized rumble as they circled the hilltop at a distance. You couldn't see them from where we were because the hilltop was surrounded by tall conifers.
Then they'd gun it and pop up over the trees at Mach 1 and come in 50 feet over our heads just a couple of seconds later. And you still couldn't hear them until they were right overhead - because they were flying at Mach 1.
Boy, our heads were on a swivel that day because you never knew which direction they'd come in from. The roar as they flew over was incredible. I'd never been 50 feet from an F-4 (or any jet for that matter, but especially an F-4), flying at Mach 1.
They were also dropping little bags of colored (neon colors, yet) flour just over our heads to show us how accurate they could be with bombs. Let me tell ya'... veeeeery accurate!
I was deployed aboard the FID. I worked the flight deck.
An F-4 was on the cats, getting ready to go. As it started down the cat, a deck wrench came flying out from the catwalk (sabotage was a very real thing). The F-4 ate the deck wrench. It then spit out the engine in a million little pieces. Then it hit the end of the cat.
As soon as the pilot cleared the deck, all stores were jettisoned, and the aircraft dropped below the flight deck, out of sight. I was watching for the pilot to eject.
After what seemed like an eternity, I saw the aircraft, just above the waves, flames coming out of 1 engine, but still airborne. It went on it’s way, and then started to climb. It flew around and landed safely.
One tough aircraft, and one hell of a pilot.