Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
F-4 "Phantom II"
Photographed by James Hulse, August 16, 2024
1. F-4 "Phantom II" Marker
Inscription.
F-4 "Phantom II". . First flown in May 1958, the Phantom II orignally was developed for U.S. Navy fleet defense and entered service in 1961. The Air Force evaluated it for close air support, interdiction and counter-air operations and, in 1962, approved the Air Force version. The Phantom II, designated F-4C, made its first flight on May 27, 1963. Production delveries began in November 1963. In its air-to-ground role the F-4 can carry twice the normal bomb load of a World War B-17. The F-4s also fly reconnaissaice and "Wild Weasel" anti-aircraft missile suppression missions. Phantom production ended in 1979 after over 5,000 had been built - more than 2,600 for the Air Force, about 1,200 for the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest for friendly foreign nations. In 1965 the first Phantom IIs were sent to southeast Asia (SEA). The first pilot to score four combat victories with F-4s in SEA was Col. Robin Olds, a World War II ace. Typical armament loaded on the F-4C consisted of four air-in-intercept-missiles 7E and four AIM 9B air-to-air missiles, and eight 750-pound MARK 117 bombs. The aircraft also carried two external 370-gallon fuel tanks on the outboard pylons and one ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod on the right inboard pylon., This aerospace vehicle (s/n 149421) is part of the USAF Heritage Program Collection.
First flown in May 1958, the Phantom II orignally was developed for U.S. Navy fleet defense and entered service in 1961. The Air Force evaluated it for close air support, interdiction and counter-air operations and, in 1962, approved the Air Force version. The Phantom II, designated F-4C, made its first flight on May 27, 1963. Production delveries began in November 1963. In its air-to-ground role the F-4 can carry twice the normal bomb load of a World War B-17. The F-4s also fly reconnaissaice and "Wild Weasel" anti-aircraft missile suppression missions. Phantom production ended in 1979 after over 5,000 had been built - more than 2,600 for the Air Force, about 1,200 for the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest for friendly foreign nations. In 1965 the first Phantom IIs were sent to southeast Asia (SEA). The first pilot to score four combat victories with F-4s in SEA was Col. Robin Olds, a World War II ace. Typical armament loaded on the F-4C consisted of four air-in-intercept-missiles 7E and four AIM 9B air-to-air missiles, and eight 750-pound MARK 117 bombs. The aircraft also carried two external 370-gallon fuel tanks on
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the outboard pylons and one ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod on the right inboard pylon.
This aerospace vehicle (s/n 149421) is part of the USAF Heritage Program Collection.
Erected by USAF Heritage Program Collection.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Vietnam. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1958.
Location. 29° 23.637′ N, 98° 37.153′ W. Marker is in Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in Bexar County. It is on Bong Avenue south of Luke Blvd. The marker is located at the USAF Airman Heritage Museums Air Park which is around the parade grounds. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jbsa Lackland TX 78236, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Texas and in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
More about this marker. The marker, museum and air park are located on the Lackland Air Force Base, an active U.S. military installation which is a part of the Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA). The USAF Airman Heritage Museum and Air Park are open to the public, but appropriate identification is required for access. Visit the museums web site for current details on visiting the museum and air park.
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it entered service with the Navy in 1961 before it was adopted by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, and by the mid-1960s it had become a major part of their air arms. Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981 with a total of 5,195 aircraft built, making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history, and cementing its position as a signature combat aircraft of the Cold War.
(Submitted on August 26, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 24, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 139 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 26, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
