Syark Air Force (SAF) - 1/72 Hobby Master US Navy F4J PHANTOM II, VF 31, TOMCATTER, USS SARATOGA, 1972

1/72 Hobby Master US Navy F4J PHANTOM II, VF 31, TOMCATTER, USS SARATOGA, 1972

The F-4J was the final version of the Phantom II produced for the US Navy and US Marine Corps. It constituted an improved version of the F-4B and flew operationally for the first time in 1966. Of this version, 522 aircraft were constructed between 1966 and 1972. Because of increased weight and more demanding sink rates, the F-4J was fitted with a sturdier landing gear, which required modifications to the inner wings, as had been the case for the F-4C. F-4B aircraft were later converted to F-4N versions in a service life extension programme.

Similarly, 265 (of the 302 planned) F-4J aircraft went through a modification process at the Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF) at NAS North Island, to provide more structural strength, a longer fatique life, updated mission equipment (AN/AWG10 to AN/AGW-10B radar) and a slatted wing. These modified F-4J aircraft were designated F-4S and the first one flew in 1977. The modifications saved about 25% on aircraft maintenance. The slatted wing modifications consisted of an external strap that ran from one wing fold under the fuselage to the other wing fold, effectively zero-timing the wing. The outer wing panels were replaced with new ones. The first forty or so F-4J airframes converted to F-4S were completed before the slat "kits" were available. These were sent to the Marines as F-4J/S Phantoms (it was even painted on the aircraft). Later, the ones that were still around were brought back to NARF North Island and fitted with slats. Formation lights were also added to the vertical stabiliser, the fuselage and the wing tips. The aircraft were also rewired with newer wire. The above information was kindly provided by Mr. Jan jacobs, who has 1,400 hours of flight time in the back seat of the F-4B/F-4N/F-4J Phantoms and was the Technical Manual Data Manager for the F-4 at the Naval Air Rework Facility at NAS North Island from 1981 through 1984.

VF-31 set many Navy records during the time it flew the F-4 Phantom II. On June 12, 1972, CDR. Sam Flynn and Lt. Bill John, while flying F-4J AC 101 (157293), downed a North Vietnamese MiG-21 with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, which made VF-31 the only Navy fighter squadron to achieve air-to-air victories in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

sources : F4J PHANTOM II