I got about 2500 hrs in the mighty Phantom during my 24 years in the Air Force. AWESOME jet! Never let me down. I had a few "white knuckle" moments but she always got me home. I had 6 years of cranking wrenches as a jet engine mechanic then got my commission and started flying the Phantom after pilot training. As an FCF (functional check flight) pilot I got to wring her out on the test flights. What a dream come true!! 😊
The most beautiful fighter ever made in my opinion. P-51 is right there behind it but a Phantom looks like it’s gonna punch you in the mouth. Bad ass. Thanks for posting.
Actually she is 59 years old her real tail number is 65-0749 civilian registration N749CF I believe she’s painted up to resemble the phantom that general Robin Olds flew which was actually a C model built in 1963 I hope this helps. Thank you for reading this and may you have a great day from an old F4 crew chief 474TFW 428TFS my F-4D was tail # 65-0680 and I will always remember her unfortunately she was destroyed as a aerial target
@@barrymccockiner6641 I believe that the aircraft is painted to resemble the F-4 that Col. Robin Olds flew which in fact was a F-4C which was built in 1963 if you look up the civilian registration number for that particular aircraft you will find that it serial number is actually 65-0749 I hope that helps. I never worked on C models. I did work on the models when I was in the Air Force.
I was a jet engine mechanic on F4's (C, D, E, F, and G model Wild Weasels), and F-105 F a G Wild Weasels. The sound brings back great memories, thank you.
Thank you so very much for keeping her up and running. I was in the USAF from 1978-84 as a Crew Chief on F-4Ds & F-16As. Believe it or not but my F-4D was tail # 65-680 at Nellis AFB 474TFW 429 TFS then we transitioned to the general dynamics F-16. I believe the tell number you guys are using on your aircraft is actually off of C model that general Robin Olds flew. I wish you guys are located in California. I would love to volunteer to go work on that. I got out. Got my A&P and worked for McDonnell Douglas at Long Beach Airport finishing off my career on the C 17
Also correct me if I’m wrong but those engines are the J-79-15s on C&Ds the E model had the-17s also do you guys ever use start cartridges? I remember there was two different starter cartridges and you had to use the right one either Sunstrand or air research once again thank you for the old memories gosh, I wish that airplane even though at the time I didn’t realize it
@remylopez4821 Can you explain why the tail code on this, either actual or Olds', is AF 37 680? There are even a couple pics without the 37, someone added that sometime...
@@barrymccockiner6641 It's a memorial aircraft. The paint jobs display planes have in museums and as gateguards often are NOT the markings the aircraft used in service! There are retired F-16Ns (modded Navy versions of the F-16 Block 30 used by TOP GUN between 1987 and 1995) that are painted up as Air Force F-16s Oft-times, they use whatever airframe is convenient for displays. What the service record of the plane was is secondary to static display.
@AvengerII I know. But the plane is not from 1937. Look at any other tail code, it's always the year that the procurement was placed, or when it was activated.
@@barrymccockiner6641 The 3 is from 1963 the rest are the assigned serial number the Navy Marine Corps uses bureau numbers and I have no clue how those work out
As an ECS mechanic I was also certified as a Crew Chief, Egress, Sheet Metal, Electrical, Hydraulics, AGE, Engines, WCS, and assisted with weapons. Loved this aircraft.
I used to work on ex Navy Asheville Class gunboats as high speed research vessels, they used a marinized J79, called a LM1500. Never a issue with them hardly, if anything it was the APU that would act up. Loved hearing her up at full throttle, and making 40 knots.
OMG!!! Sound on my computer is at 100% and I've got the biggest grin on my face. I'm a former E model crew chief and the flood of memories that came back just now are crazy. Esprit de Corps
Same here. As soos as I heard the familiar high pitch sound of the -60 starting up, the hairs on my arms stood up taking me back to my youth and the hundreds of hours on the flightline of Bergstrom AFB, Aviano AB and Zweibrücken Air Base. Wow!
14 speed records, 1958 Collier Trophy, Bendix Trophy award on multiple airframes, The A-5, F-4, F104, and B58 were all known for one thing..."Now you see me, now you don't" speeds. Thank you guys for keeping her flying. I was born in the 60s and remember the the Thunderbirds flying the F-4 at airshows.
Just stumbled across this. F4C is what I cut my teeth on as an aircraft mechanic in 1974 at Luke AFB in Arizona. Here I sit as a rated A&P mechanic 52 years later looking at this beautiful jet. Cockpit view I almost remembered all the start numbers. Thanks
I grew up around the F-4. My father flew the F-4 Wild Weasel for 25 yrs. Which included a tour or two in Vietnam. He was a Thud Weasel driver and then he transitioned to the Phantom the 2nd time around over in Vietnam. I have loved the F-4 since i was old enough to remember. I got to sit in his squadrons planes numerous times. I still remember the smell of the cockpit. He was in the 561st our 1st go round at GAFB in Victorville, California. Then we were in Vegas where he was working at Redflag. After that we went back to GAFB where he was in Detachment 5 as the commander. I truly miss that howl and booming roar. Man, I wouldn't want to grow up anywhere else.
We used to see F-4Gs from George all the time, since we were in Lancaster/Edwards AFB. We also had F-4Ds I think at Edwards for the Test Pilot School and maybe as chase? They were around all the time. We also had F-106As and Bs for chase on the B-1B program, and F-111s as well. Did your dad fly F-105Gs in Vietnam? I wonder if he knew MAJ/LTC Horner, later General Horner.
@@LRRPFco52 he did fly the F-105ww in Vietnam. i will ask him if he knew General Horner. Only time i was at Edwards AFB was to watch the Space Shuttle land one time.
@robcollins8690 my father was there the same time but I believe he was commanding Det. 5 by then. Still flying weasels but test piloting. They (Det. 5) were testing the HARM missiles at that point I believe. He retired in 1990. Is call sign was Muggsy. Lieutenant Colonel Clark
I know it's an old cliche . "Jet noise is the sound of Freedom" . Every time I sat in the cockpit of an F-117 or F-22 to run engines that phrase would be in the back of my mind, along with the child like smile that I always got.
I wish i had the money to donate to you guys, my dad was a jer engine turbine specialist when he was in vietnam in the army, when he got back he did four more years and then did a few years in the national gaurd. i remeber him hanging out the side door waving at us when they were out testing the aircraft and flew over our house. He also would being home these huge wooden crates that engines came in and would make club houses out of them for me and my brother. They used to have christmas parties on base and he could bring us and we would go for rides in the chinooks, hueys, and armored personel carriers and tanks. Memories i will never forget. My dad was my hero and i miss him a lot. You guys are awesome doing what you do....
In 1968 I was at McClellan AFB enroute to Lackland AFB. I think it was a depot for F4s on the way to and from Vietnam for major maintenance. We heard some of the jocks were 100 mission vets and were performing test flights. These guys were the hottest pilots I’d ever seen. Saw one guy in burner who folded up the gear feet off the runway and stood that Phantom on its tail and disappeared straight up. Unbelievable…..
Just hearing the familliar sound of those engines spooling up brought back many memories of working in the QRA HAS. Finaly hearing the "Thunder". Spook lives !!
I was a plane captain on the A4E while on the Forrestal WestPac cruise. I loved to watch the F4s get set on the cats, raise the nose up and launch. Have a picture of the F4 launching at night with ab from the bow cat in color in the Forrestal cruise book. Quite the job working on the flight deck. Would do it again tomorrow. I'm 77 yrs old and still get goose bumps when I hear the jet engine start. Keep up the great work.
I saw these guys doing their work in Vietnam 67-68 then in Germany i was right across the autobahn from ramstein afb saw the f4s every day I’m just another old vet who can’t forget those days
As a teenager driving a tractor I would often (by surprise) get buzzed by an F-4 reserve pilot who previously flew in Viet-Nam. His parents lived in a small house at the north end of one of our fields and it almost always caught me off guard. The sudden and unexpected noise was frightening yet exciting when you saw him turning (black smoke churning) to make another pass at his parent's place. I braced myself (to no avail) if I knew it was coming and could easily smell the jet-A burning after he passed by. Late 1970's and early 80's. I doubt they can get away with that now. Also saw him in town giving similar welcomes to golfers and pool patrons at ag pilot levels--back in the day!
I served in the U.S. Navy from 1970 - 76. As an aviation machinist mate ADJ-1, I worked on A-4 Skyhawks, and F-4 Phantom aircraft. Watching this video, brings back fond memories. Thanks.
I, among many, watched the 'last' Phantom flight video and thought we'd seen the end of an era. Just the cost of flying and maintaining these pieces of history would be prohibitive. Great job guys I truly admire your dedication as I'm sure the guys that flew these birds through the years do too.
Wow the first time a ran an F4 D when I was working red flag my knees were shaking so much, lots of things to think about for a kid just out of high school. There was a shorted of qualified people to run air craft up for testing and i got called up to do the run training. All great memories.
I spent 21 years in the Tail Hook Navy and always loved the F4 unfortunately I was never in a F4 Squadron, spent first 9 or 10 years with A7 Squadrons. Got into the Hornets when I was on the F/A-18 Fleet Introduction Team 1980. Spent from then till 1991 with F-18 Squadrons. I can remember the sound of those two J79 when a F4 would taxi by. Great Aircraft with a history that is just amazing.
My late uncle worked on these during Vietnam. He told me they're made for speed...fast in a straight line...faster than a bullet fired out of a rifle. If you look at the upward canted wing tips, they serve the same aerodynamic purpose as the paper airplanes you made and flew in elementary school (folded wing tips). The rear lateral stabilizers turn down similar to the design on some rockets and missiles....they let the air flow off the top without the drag that a horizontal stabilizer would produce. Speed kept the phantom alive, according to my uncle. He said that pilots kept it just under Mach 2, to make their fuel last, and to extend the engines' life. At just under twice the speed of sound, the F-4 was often just a speck in the sky by the time anyone heard it and located it.
Man that takes me back. I was a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force 82-86 I was stationed at Edwards from 83-86. I remember running F4 and T38 out on the trim pads on 2nd shift
Were you assigned to any of the CTFs? We were there from 1972-1980, then 1982-1985, then 1987-2007. I left in 1993 and went Active Duty until 2003, never went back but to visit. We used to see F-4s regularly, as well as T-38As, F-111s, F-106s, B-1A, B-1B, YF-16, F-16 FSDs, F-16A/B, F-16C/D, YF-15A, TF-15A, YA-10A, A-10A, A-7D, F-15C/D, F-15E, U-2 from NASA, F/A-18, B-52, and a bunch of other aircraft. Edwards had it all.
@@LRRPFco52I was FMS and just worked on the support aircraft mostly F4 F111 and T38 also T37 and a few others but yea I got to see so much cool stuff and the Air Shows they had there every year were unbelievable
I was stationed at Homestead AFB and worked on the Flight line in the 70's, this sound and the smell of Kerosene was everyday, when a Flight of 4 F4's in full afterburners took off together it was the loudest thing I've every heard and was told it was behind a Volcano, Atom Bomb and the Saturn 5 Rocket in Decibel's. Dont know if its true but it was really an experience when your a couple hundred foot away.
I was a Crew Chief on the F 4 D in Germany from 1969-1972 , and was Engine run Qualified. Loved the work, eventually when I got out attended A&P school at Spartan school of aeronautics. Went on to Northrop University in CA studied Engineering, graduated and hired on w Pratt Whitney, good career. Thank you USAF and the F4 for my start in aerospace.
TSgt/43171/engine run qualified here, worked D, E and G models at George and Torrejon '78 to '84. Good thing QA wasn't around - no fire bottle to be seen, main wheels chocked only on one side, etc. etc.! But I haven't heard a -60 spool up in about 40 years, that was great. It was tough seeing these beautiful birds being converted to drones at Mojave, breaks my heart. Good work guys, keep this thing flying!
USAF went through QF-102s, QF-106s, then onto QF-4C/D/E, then onto QF-16As and now QF-16Cs. I’ve even seen QF-16C Block 30s with the GE F110 motor. A lot of air forces would love to have an F-16C Block 30.
Sure brings back memories. I loaded munitions on the F-4 in 67-68 in Thailand. Didn’t realize how much I loved the plane until they sent me back stateside to SAC. I never forgave them
As our youth transitions from "grandfathers who served in WWII"......to......"grandfathers who served in Vietnam", I sincerely wish this channel the best of luck. Just as fellers kept the P-51 and F4U in the sky, now you're keeping the last stateside, flyable F-4 airworthy as well. God bless you guys. Keep up the great work.
I ran the F-4 many, many times. I was a Jet Engine Mech at George AFB. In all my years working on the F-4 I never saw -15 engines installed in a G..Also that started up would have made my butthole pucker. Man I scene the RPM get to ten and fuel flow kicked in also at ten, over the horn, but man that thing took forever to come up. I was watching for a Hot Start and thank God it didn't happen...Damn, I miss those days at George....Nellis too!.Nellis was great and the 16 was a great Jet to work on..The engine was WAY easier to work on and was a breeze to swap engines..Gravy!..Cake to run also...No air hook up...lol...JFS..Happy Veterans day to all my fellow Vets!
She's never had a hot start, at least not since she's been with the Foundation. From what I've recently learned, sometimes they will start slow if it's been sitting around for a while. No air for the Viper, though I hope you never had to hand pump the JFS accumulator!
Well it's one hell of a noise producing engine. ❤. Love the F-4!! I was driving a big Ryder box truck up I-95 just got out of Jacksonville FL. Heading towards Brunswick Georgia. I'm in that nice quiet swampy marshland area on 95 were the pulp mills are .. All of a sudden! Two F-4s snuck up on me from behind . Came from behind my left shoulder and blasted the crap out of me. I was kinda the only truck out there at that time . They gotta good laugh out of it I'm sure. But they were way way down on the top of the swamp grass and treetops pushing hard. All I heard was the roof on the truck getting pushed down and popping. Which made me look up and there they were right over the top of me. Squarely. 😅😅. Scared the crap out of me. It was dead silence for a second from the vacuuming they created so close to me. Then all hell let loose as I saw the twin afterburners kicked in hard and black smoke and fire pouring out of both of them. Holy sh_t .😅😅... Yeppers! I got my doors blown in by a pair of them out playing around one morning.. it was a awesome experience for sure once I had figured out the truck was ok and not coming apart at 75 mph. Lol lol. They got me good. So for any of you F-4 jockeys back in the 80s that remember taking aim on a 24ft Ryder truck on I-95 . Well it's me saying thank you for the wake up call.. 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅. It was definitely a Air Boss coffee moment in the tower from Top Gun..
Man do I love the F-4, one of my favorite airplanes as a kid. I remember one that had an emergency and had to go full burner right outside my bedroom window in suburban Chicago to make it to NAS Glenview. In the Air Force I was stationed at Clark AB Philippines where we had RF-4s. Unfortunately I had to watch one auger in while I was on the flight line, wing folded... But what a great airplane, never heard an F-4 pilot say anything bad about it, but I stand to be corrected.
when i was a teenager in the 70's . I was out in the yard mowing the grass. There was a church about 1/2 a mile away. There was a wedding happening. it was a wedding of an airforce pilot and one of his friends buzzed the church in an F$ Phantom. Too do so he went over me at probably almost tree top level. he was going so fast i did not hear hime comming. When he went over i thought the world was ending, almost wet my pants....lol. he went vertical over the church and into after burners. My dad said he got into all kinds of trouble.
We had the B models in our ship squadron. Was in F-4 squadrons on 2 different carriers. Both flying the B models. Loud & smokey. Guzzles fuel like you've never seen before but what a kick ass fighter/bomber. Thanks so much for restoring & keeping them flying.
Interesting to see a museum Phantom. They are labor intensive aircraft, and must be pretty expensive to maintain….kudos to you guys. As a Jet Mech I had an opportunity to work on the J79’s in F-4E’s for about two years before my guard unit (108 TFW) retired them. Just after Desert Storm we converted to KC-135E’s and merged with another guard unit on McGuire AFB…..sad day for sure.
I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and spent weekends at my grandmother's house. She ran a boarding house for college girls and one of their dads worked at the McDonald Douglas plant. She got me a set of beautiful color prints of Phantoms. Sadly, they disappeared over the years but I got to see Phantoms at several air shows. Truly a magnificent aircraft and a tribute to McDonald Douglas.
hey buddy, don´t worry about leaks...she has quite some years under her belt...you´ll fix this 4sure...looking forward listening the roaring thunder of both engines...thx 4 sharing this beauty
I didn't work on Phantoms, I worked on Intruders in the USN, but our motto was "If it ain't leakin, it's empty" Been years since I heard a huffer spooling up.
It's a Phantom. Finding new ways and places to leak something is its goal in life. But it sounded soooo good as it spooled up. And I even thought the Dash-60 starting up sounded wonderfully familiar. Keep up the good work, guys.
10 im 1970 my uncle Jack piloted the F4 phantom in Vietnam, I was in awe, when he'd come home on leave I'd want to ask questions but he didn't talk about it. God bless all who served and those who serve today. 🇺🇸🙏
I especially wanted to watch this video as my USAF brother used to fly them. This was overseas about 1971. He later went on to be AC Commander of the C-5 at Dover AFB. Good show.👍
My first F-4 was a D model 65-0730 with the 49th OMS at Holloman AFB New Mexico. Slid back in time to C models at Torrejon AFB Spain with the 401st OMS...the last was 63-7647, made me Crew Chief of the Month kept it OR for 45 days. Good to see this D mode still airworthy.
Absolutely breathtaking!! Hearing the old girl clear her throat for the first time in years was fantastic! Shame about engine #1, but better to find these issues on the ground then mid-formation in an airshow. I have no doubt you fine folks will get her back to flight status just as soon as she's ready. I'm seriously considering flying out there when the time comes! Also, having flown the DCS Phantom a decent amount, I'm happy to hear the sounds are so accurate. I had the biggest grin on my face when I saw the exhaust temp gauge suddenly spring up during ignition just like in DCS. Thanks for helping to keep this historical piece of engineering in the skies, and out of the boneyard!
The sweer sound of a badass bird right there, miss these beasts flying over the Outer Banks of NC vacationing there as a kid in the 70s and 80s, Navy/MC B,Cs,Ds,Ss out of Oceana NAS Norfolk, Va and Cherry Point MCAS, also Cs,Ds, and Es out of Seymour Johnson AFB NC, also enjoyed the free airshows we got while on the beach, sound of freedom right there, hats off to you guys for preserving this peace of history. The Mighty F4 Phantom.
Thanks for the memories! F106 Crew Chief '76-'77. Went to Korea summer of' 77 and worked F4 C's & D's. Did Cope Thunder in P. I. @ Clark AB twice. Then finished up on F105 F&G's at George AB. We were still using cart start on the F105 and we would get all the cartridges just before they ran out of shelf life. Many a false start, and then when you pull the cartridge out it would light off. Some kinda memories.
These used to fly over our house in Duluth MN in the mid 70s usually in pairs and on a couple of occasions that old glass would crack in the windows I still remember what they sounded like to this day!
I got about 2500 hrs in the mighty Phantom during my 24 years in the Air Force. AWESOME jet! Never let me down. I had a few "white knuckle" moments but she always got me home. I had 6 years of cranking wrenches as a jet engine mechanic then got my commission and started flying the Phantom after pilot training. As an FCF (functional check flight) pilot I got to wring her out on the test flights. What a dream come true!! 😊
I was an ECS mechanic on F-4E's in Germany from May of 1978 to October 1982. Best time of my life.
The most beautiful fighter ever made in my opinion. P-51 is right there behind it but a Phantom looks like it’s gonna punch you in the mouth. Bad ass. Thanks for posting.
If this was a car this would be in the category of 65-72 muscle car.
And Robin Olds flew both of them.
@@frederickking1660 I heard his book in audibles great book.
Corsair
My dad worked on them in viet nam. They called them flying hogs. 50-60000 lbs. 1600+ mph Pratt and Whitney engines.
This old bird is 66 years old thanks for keeping it in running condition.
Actually she is 59 years old her real tail number is 65-0749 civilian registration N749CF I believe she’s painted up to resemble the phantom that general Robin Olds flew which was actually a C model built in 1963 I hope this helps. Thank you for reading this and may you have a great day from an old F4 crew chief 474TFW 428TFS my F-4D was tail # 65-0680 and I will always remember her unfortunately she was destroyed as a aerial target
@@remylopez4821 Can you explain the AF 37 680 tail code?
@@barrymccockiner6641 I believe that the aircraft is painted to resemble the F-4 that Col. Robin Olds flew which in fact was a F-4C which was built in 1963 if you look up the civilian registration number for that particular aircraft you will find that it serial number is actually 65-0749 I hope that helps. I never worked on C models. I did work on the models when I was in the Air Force.
" BEAST " !!!!!!!!!!!
@@remylopez4821 I was CC on F4 -66-0742. The plane was sold to Saudi Arabia in 1977. I launched the Saudie pilots that day
I stood next to these guys on the catapult in full afterburner. My teeth literally rattled in my head. Wonderful memories.
ME TOO , 72 yr. old US Navy vet.
I bet your eyes were burning... OMG the fumes from lighting up a Phantom F-4 will never be forgotten from me!
Even though it was only one, it sure smelled good!
I was a jet engine mechanic on F4's (C, D, E, F, and G model Wild Weasels), and F-105 F a G Wild Weasels. The sound brings back great memories, thank you.
Did you perhaps do time at George AFB? I was there 1975-77 as an avionics tech. Saw all those planes except the G model F4.
@@scottholman3982 i grew up on GAFB. Dad flew the Weasel and we were stationed there two different times. How i loved the F-4, no matter what model
Ft@@knockharder3554
Thank you so very much for keeping her up and running. I was in the USAF from 1978-84 as a Crew Chief on F-4Ds & F-16As. Believe it or not but my F-4D was tail # 65-680 at Nellis AFB 474TFW 429 TFS then we transitioned to the general dynamics F-16. I believe the tell number you guys are using on your aircraft is actually off of C model that general Robin Olds flew. I wish you guys are located in California. I would love to volunteer to go work on that. I got out. Got my A&P and worked for McDonnell Douglas at Long Beach Airport finishing off my career on the C 17
Also correct me if I’m wrong but those engines are the J-79-15s on C&Ds the E model had the-17s also do you guys ever use start cartridges? I remember there was two different starter cartridges and you had to use the right one either Sunstrand or air research once again thank you for the old memories gosh, I wish that airplane even though at the time I didn’t realize it
@remylopez4821 Can you explain why the tail code on this, either actual or Olds', is AF 37 680? There are even a couple pics without the 37, someone added that sometime...
@@barrymccockiner6641 It's a memorial aircraft. The paint jobs display planes have in museums and as gateguards often are NOT the markings the aircraft used in service!
There are retired F-16Ns (modded Navy versions of the F-16 Block 30 used by TOP GUN between 1987 and 1995) that are painted up as Air Force F-16s
Oft-times, they use whatever airframe is convenient for displays. What the service record of the plane was is secondary to static display.
@AvengerII I know. But the plane is not from 1937. Look at any other tail code, it's always the year that the procurement was placed, or when it was activated.
@@barrymccockiner6641 The 3 is from 1963 the rest are the assigned serial number the Navy Marine Corps uses bureau numbers and I have no clue how those work out
As an ECS mechanic I was also certified as a Crew Chief, Egress, Sheet Metal, Electrical, Hydraulics, AGE, Engines, WCS, and assisted with weapons. Loved this aircraft.
I used to work on ex Navy Asheville Class gunboats as high speed research vessels, they used a marinized J79, called a LM1500. Never a issue with them hardly, if anything it was the APU that would act up. Loved hearing her up at full throttle, and making 40 knots.
I was a weapons mechanic on F-4E 1978-1981 great memories
OMG!!! Sound on my computer is at 100% and I've got the biggest grin on my face. I'm a former E model crew chief and the flood of memories that came back just now are crazy. Esprit de Corps
Same here! Spent a lot of years turning wrenches on E models
F yeah brother, so good!
Same here. As soos as I heard the familiar high pitch sound of the -60 starting up, the hairs on my arms stood up taking me back to my youth and the hundreds of hours on the flightline of Bergstrom AFB, Aviano AB and Zweibrücken Air Base. Wow!
@@mdrobtx I was at SJ
I'm his neighbor I can confirm this
The F-4 was the plane of my youth. I was stationed at McDill AFB in 1978, loved the sound of the Phantom
Ah McDill, when the conspiracy theorists in me comes out - its supposedly were they took a lot of the Roswell wreckage to for study.
@@goldenmanuever1176 thanks for the info. Was there from 78-80. Never heard that rumor!
@@fernandocastillo1972 Well I was born 78 so its way before my time. Apparently, they had a large aerospace medicine facility there.
The sound of freedom right there. Loud and proud! 🙂
Lauch assist!
Brings back so many memories of helping launch the E models.
This sound lives forever in my head in the form of tinnitus!
Ah yes, that's how I got mine - GAFB 87-91. Take off two at a time. Other familiar sound is the clicking of the brake stacks when towing.
I can't hear you, Brother 😂
I can't hear you, Brother 😂
14 speed records, 1958 Collier Trophy, Bendix Trophy award on multiple airframes, The A-5, F-4, F104, and B58 were all known for one thing..."Now you see me, now you don't" speeds. Thank you guys for keeping her flying. I was born in the 60s and remember the the Thunderbirds flying the F-4 at airshows.
As an old Phantom Phixer, that was awesome! Thank you!
I have that patch in my scrap book.
Just stumbled across this. F4C is what I cut my teeth on as an aircraft mechanic in 1974 at Luke AFB in Arizona. Here I sit as a rated A&P mechanic 52 years later looking at this beautiful jet. Cockpit view I almost remembered all the start numbers. Thanks
I grew up around the F-4. My father flew the F-4 Wild Weasel for 25 yrs. Which included a tour or two in Vietnam. He was a Thud Weasel driver and then he transitioned to the Phantom the 2nd time around over in Vietnam. I have loved the F-4 since i was old enough to remember. I got to sit in his squadrons planes numerous times. I still remember the smell of the cockpit. He was in the 561st our 1st go round at GAFB in Victorville, California. Then we were in Vegas where he was working at Redflag. After that we went back to GAFB where he was in Detachment 5 as the commander. I truly miss that howl and booming roar. Man, I wouldn't want to grow up anywhere else.
We used to see F-4Gs from George all the time, since we were in Lancaster/Edwards AFB. We also had F-4Ds I think at Edwards for the Test Pilot School and maybe as chase? They were around all the time. We also had F-106As and Bs for chase on the B-1B program, and F-111s as well. Did your dad fly F-105Gs in Vietnam? I wonder if he knew MAJ/LTC Horner, later General Horner.
@@LRRPFco52 he did fly the F-105ww in Vietnam. i will ask him if he knew General Horner. Only time i was at Edwards AFB was to watch the Space Shuttle land one time.
I was a crew chief on the F-4G in the 561st at George from 1986-89. Was your dad there around that time?
@robcollins8690 my father was there the same time but I believe he was commanding Det. 5 by then. Still flying weasels but test piloting. They (Det. 5) were testing the HARM missiles at that point I believe. He retired in 1990. Is call sign was Muggsy. Lieutenant Colonel Clark
Love that sound! Brings back a lot of memories!
Yes, it does
I know it's an old cliche . "Jet noise is the sound of Freedom" . Every time I sat in the cockpit of an F-117 or F-22 to run engines that phrase would be in the back of my mind, along with the child like smile that I always got.
Wow! Really awesome you got a front row seat for that!
@@DieselThunderAviation Had to bust my butt to do it, but hey that is what a Crew Chief is supposed to do. Our jets are our "other women"
Is that Al Arrowood?
I'll take a C5B all four at Takeoff (TRT). Now you want to feel power .
@@1256giff 🤣 But there is no AB shockwave to play with. Zip lock bags full of 7808 make some cool fire balls. Just saying.
I wish i had the money to donate to you guys, my dad was a jer engine turbine specialist when he was in vietnam in the army, when he got back he did four more years and then did a few years in the national gaurd. i remeber him hanging out the side door waving at us when they were out testing the aircraft and flew over our house. He also would being home these huge wooden crates that engines came in and would make club houses out of them for me and my brother. They used to have christmas parties on base and he could bring us and we would go for rides in the chinooks, hueys, and armored personel carriers and tanks. Memories i will never forget. My dad was my hero and i miss him a lot. You guys are awesome doing what you do....
OH HELL YA!!!!!! Brings a tear to my eyes.
I’m an Air Force F-4G crew chief been decades since I hear that sweet sound of the J-79
were you ever stationed at GAFB?
@@knockharder3554 spent 7 weeks tdy from Spangdahlem
So exciting to see and hear the F4 come to life! It’s great to see your sons getting involved too! Thanks phor a great video!
Getting closer. Cant wait to see this girl fly. Congratulations fellas and thank you!
We called this the flying rock. It proved with enough engine power anything could fly. Clark AFB Philippines mid 80s.
In 1968 I was at McClellan AFB enroute to Lackland AFB. I think it was a depot for F4s on the way to and from Vietnam for major maintenance. We heard some of the jocks were 100 mission vets and were performing test flights. These guys were the hottest pilots I’d ever seen. Saw one guy in burner who folded up the gear feet off the runway and stood that Phantom on its tail and disappeared straight up. Unbelievable…..
Just hearing the familliar sound of those engines spooling up brought back many memories of working in the QRA HAS.
Finaly hearing the "Thunder".
Spook lives !!
I was a plane captain on the A4E while on the Forrestal WestPac cruise. I loved to watch the F4s get set on the cats, raise the nose up and launch. Have a picture of the F4 launching at night with ab from the bow cat in color in the Forrestal cruise book. Quite the job working on the flight deck. Would do it again tomorrow. I'm 77 yrs old and still get goose bumps when I hear the jet engine start. Keep up the great work.
Former AF POL troop, refueled many F4’s in Italy early 80’s. Miss that beautiful loudness!
My favorite fighter jet. We had RF-4B's and F-4N's at MCAS El Toro when I was stationed there 84-87.
Was aF4j mechanic in the 70s USNavy what a trip down memory lane. Thanks
I saw these guys doing their work in Vietnam 67-68 then in Germany i was right across the autobahn from ramstein afb saw the f4s every day I’m just another old vet who can’t forget those days
As a teenager driving a tractor I would often (by surprise) get buzzed by an F-4 reserve pilot who previously flew in Viet-Nam. His parents lived in a small house at the north end of one of our fields and it almost always caught me off guard. The sudden and unexpected noise was frightening yet exciting when you saw him turning (black smoke churning) to make another pass at his parent's place. I braced myself (to no avail) if I knew it was coming and could easily smell the jet-A burning after he passed by. Late 1970's and early 80's. I doubt they can get away with that now. Also saw him in town giving similar welcomes to golfers and pool patrons at ag pilot levels--back in the day!
I served in the U.S. Navy from 1970 - 76. As an aviation machinist mate ADJ-1, I worked on A-4 Skyhawks, and F-4 Phantom aircraft. Watching this video, brings back fond memories. Thanks.
Awesome, thank you for your service!
I, among many, watched the 'last' Phantom flight video and thought we'd seen the end of an era. Just the cost of flying and maintaining these pieces of history would be prohibitive. Great job guys I truly admire your dedication as I'm sure the guys that flew these birds through the years do too.
No as much as the electronic wiz kid jets of today!!
I was an engine mechanic on the D model at Phu Cat RVN. Had orders for Bien Hua to support the F100 lead sled. Was so glad I ended up on the Phantom!
The F4 is such an iconic jet, listening to that thing start up is so fucking awesome
Wow the first time a ran an F4 D when I was working red flag my knees were shaking so much, lots of things to think about for a kid just out of high school. There was a shorted of qualified people to run air craft up for testing and i got called up to do the run training. All great memories.
I was run-qualified and I have too under my belt many to count. I miss working on the Phantom!
Just the sound of that thing gives me shivers. How awesome!
I spent 21 years in the Tail Hook Navy and always loved the F4 unfortunately I was never in a F4 Squadron, spent first 9 or 10 years with A7 Squadrons. Got into the Hornets when I was on the F/A-18 Fleet Introduction Team 1980. Spent from then till 1991 with F-18 Squadrons.
I can remember the sound of those two J79 when a F4 would taxi by. Great Aircraft with a history that is just amazing.
Even just sitting there, that plane is the Death Star with wings!
My late uncle worked on these during Vietnam. He told me they're made for speed...fast in a straight line...faster than a bullet fired out of a rifle. If you look at the upward canted wing tips, they serve the same aerodynamic purpose as the paper airplanes you made and flew in elementary school (folded wing tips). The rear lateral stabilizers turn down similar to the design on some rockets and missiles....they let the air flow off the top without the drag that a horizontal stabilizer would produce. Speed kept the phantom alive, according to my uncle. He said that pilots kept it just under Mach 2, to make their fuel last, and to extend the engines' life. At just under twice the speed of sound, the F-4 was often just a speck in the sky by the time anyone heard it and located it.
Outstanding static tests. And yall found what youre looking for. Nice to see her spread her wings a bit.
Keep 'em flyin'>
Man that takes me back. I was a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force 82-86 I was stationed at Edwards from 83-86. I remember running F4 and T38 out on the trim pads on 2nd shift
Were you assigned to any of the CTFs? We were there from 1972-1980, then 1982-1985, then 1987-2007. I left in 1993 and went Active Duty until 2003, never went back but to visit. We used to see F-4s regularly, as well as T-38As, F-111s, F-106s, B-1A, B-1B, YF-16, F-16 FSDs, F-16A/B, F-16C/D, YF-15A, TF-15A, YA-10A, A-10A, A-7D, F-15C/D, F-15E, U-2 from NASA, F/A-18, B-52, and a bunch of other aircraft. Edwards had it all.
@@LRRPFco52I was FMS and just worked on the support aircraft mostly F4 F111 and T38 also T37 and a few others but yea I got to see so much cool stuff and the Air Shows they had there every year were unbelievable
I was stationed at Homestead AFB and worked on the Flight line in the 70's, this sound and the smell of Kerosene was everyday, when a Flight of 4 F4's in full afterburners took off together it was the loudest thing I've every heard and was told it was behind a Volcano, Atom Bomb and the Saturn 5 Rocket in Decibel's. Dont know if its true but it was really an experience when your a couple hundred foot away.
I lived right out of the north gate in homestead. F-4’s for life!
Freaking awesome to see and hear that bird! And awesome to see a crew chief that likes his job!
I was a Crew Chief on the F 4 D in Germany from 1969-1972 , and was Engine run Qualified. Loved the work, eventually when I got out attended A&P school at Spartan school of aeronautics. Went on to Northrop University in CA studied Engineering, graduated and hired on w Pratt Whitney, good career. Thank you USAF and the F4 for my start in aerospace.
Missed you by a year. I was a CC in the 22TFS at Bitburg. I rotated in 1968
Saw no chocks on right side main lading gear,,, are you nuts parking Brake only ????? Chocks all around!!! 15:45 15:45 15:45
@@lawman5511😊
That was awesome !! Thank you to all the guys that keep these old birds running . Gotta love the sound of an F-4 ………
Glad you enjoyed it! She's on her way to getting back in the air!
Phantom Phxyer for Life. Crewed F4D's and RF-4C for 17 yrs. Love the aircraft. No other sound like the F4.
I still have my phantom bites from years as crew chief on C's, D's and RF's. That is a great machine.
My dad photographed hundreds of Phantoms in the 70's and this was the symphony he loved being around. Thanks for bringing back those memories!
Very cool! My dad took Super 8 footage of these flying over South Vietnam in the late 60's.
Turning dinosaurs into NOISE!!!
That was GLORIOUS!!!! You all do such a fabulous job. Can't wait for her to get back int he air!
great to see this, miss my Air Force days. served at Luke in Az and Korat Thailand , also Bergstrom Texas. love the Phantom.
TSgt/43171/engine run qualified here, worked D, E and G models at George and Torrejon '78 to '84. Good thing QA wasn't around - no fire bottle to be seen, main wheels chocked only on one side, etc. etc.! But I haven't heard a -60 spool up in about 40 years, that was great. It was tough seeing these beautiful birds being converted to drones at Mojave, breaks my heart. Good work guys, keep this thing flying!
USAF went through QF-102s, QF-106s, then onto QF-4C/D/E, then onto QF-16As and now QF-16Cs. I’ve even seen QF-16C Block 30s with the GE F110 motor. A lot of air forces would love to have an F-16C Block 30.
I worked on those -60's while in the Air Force. I was your everyday AGE mechanic. 1982-1986. Most of my tour spent at Nellis AFB.
Sure brings back memories. I loaded munitions on the F-4 in 67-68 in Thailand. Didn’t realize how much I loved the plane until they sent me back stateside to SAC. I never forgave them
That just made my Sunday!
So many memories both good and bad.
Great video and so awesome to hear that machine start up. I've got 7 plus years working on the D model as a Crew Chief! Keep up the great work.
As our youth transitions from "grandfathers who served in WWII"......to......"grandfathers who served in Vietnam", I sincerely wish this channel the best of luck. Just as fellers kept the P-51 and F4U in the sky, now you're keeping the last stateside, flyable F-4 airworthy as well. God bless you guys. Keep up the great work.
I ran the F-4 many, many times. I was a Jet Engine Mech at George AFB. In all my years working on the F-4 I never saw -15 engines installed in a G..Also that started up would have made my butthole pucker.
Man I scene the RPM get to ten and fuel flow kicked in also at ten, over the horn, but man that thing took forever to come up. I was watching for a Hot Start and thank God it didn't happen...Damn, I miss those days at George....Nellis too!.Nellis was great and the 16 was a great Jet to work on..The engine was WAY easier to work on and was a breeze to swap engines..Gravy!..Cake to run also...No air hook up...lol...JFS..Happy Veterans day to all my fellow Vets!
She's never had a hot start, at least not since she's been with the Foundation. From what I've recently learned, sometimes they will start slow if it's been sitting around for a while. No air for the Viper, though I hope you never had to hand pump the JFS accumulator!
That is by far my favorite model of the F4. It makes me very happy to see it operating.
Well it's one hell of a noise producing engine. ❤. Love the F-4!!
I was driving a big Ryder box truck up I-95 just got out of Jacksonville FL. Heading towards Brunswick Georgia.
I'm in that nice quiet swampy marshland area on 95 were the pulp mills are ..
All of a sudden! Two F-4s snuck up on me from behind . Came from behind my left shoulder and blasted the crap out of me. I was kinda the only truck out there at that time . They gotta good laugh out of it I'm sure. But they were way way down on the top of the swamp grass and treetops pushing hard. All I heard was the roof on the truck getting pushed down and popping. Which made me look up and there they were right over the top of me. Squarely. 😅😅. Scared the crap out of me. It was dead silence for a second from the vacuuming they created so close to me. Then all hell let loose as I saw the twin afterburners kicked in hard and black smoke and fire pouring out of both of them. Holy sh_t .😅😅... Yeppers! I got my doors blown in by a pair of them out playing around one morning.. it was a awesome experience for sure once I had figured out the truck was ok and not coming apart at 75 mph. Lol lol.
They got me good. So for any of you F-4 jockeys back in the 80s that remember taking aim on a 24ft Ryder truck on I-95 .
Well it's me saying thank you for the wake up call.. 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅.
It was definitely a Air Boss coffee moment in the tower from Top Gun..
Man do I love the F-4, one of my favorite airplanes as a kid. I remember one that had an emergency and had to go full burner right outside my bedroom window in suburban Chicago to make it to NAS Glenview. In the Air Force I was stationed at Clark AB Philippines where we had RF-4s. Unfortunately I had to watch one auger in while I was on the flight line, wing folded... But what a great airplane, never heard an F-4 pilot say anything bad about it, but I stand to be corrected.
Given enough power, even a brick will fly. I haven't heard that sound in 30 years. Really takes me back. Thank you all.
when i was a teenager in the 70's . I was out in the yard mowing the grass. There was a church about 1/2 a mile away. There was a wedding happening. it was a wedding of an airforce pilot and one of his friends buzzed the church in an F$ Phantom. Too do so he went over me at probably almost tree top level. he was going so fast i did not hear hime comming. When he went over i thought the world was ending, almost wet my pants....lol. he went vertical over the church and into after burners. My dad said he got into all kinds of trouble.
Sounds like quite an impromptu airshow!
We had the B models in our ship squadron. Was in F-4 squadrons on 2 different carriers. Both flying the B models. Loud & smokey. Guzzles fuel like you've never seen before but what a kick ass fighter/bomber. Thanks so much for restoring & keeping them flying.
the J79 has a classic awesome sound! F-104and B-58 had these and they were movers!!
Interesting to see a museum Phantom. They are labor intensive aircraft, and must be pretty expensive to maintain….kudos to you guys. As a Jet Mech I had an opportunity to work on the J79’s in F-4E’s for about two years before my guard unit (108 TFW) retired them. Just after Desert Storm we converted to KC-135E’s and merged with another guard unit on McGuire AFB…..sad day for sure.
I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and spent weekends at my grandmother's house. She ran a boarding house for college girls and one of their dads worked at the McDonald Douglas plant. She got me a set of beautiful color prints of Phantoms. Sadly, they disappeared over the years but I got to see Phantoms at several air shows. Truly a magnificent aircraft and a tribute to McDonald Douglas.
Ditto thank you for keeping her alive such beautiful history
I was an aviation electronics technician for the F4J. VF 21. 69-70 on the Ranger. Loved to turn up those J-79s. 😀🇺🇸👏
Dad was stationed at Seymour Johnson in the early/mid 80s. 5K ft in the air and we covered our ears as kids when these came over.
hey buddy, don´t worry about leaks...she has quite some years under her belt...you´ll fix this 4sure...looking forward listening the roaring thunder of both engines...thx 4 sharing this beauty
I didn't work on Phantoms, I worked on Intruders in the USN, but our motto was "If it ain't leakin, it's empty" Been years since I heard a huffer spooling up.
It's a Phantom. Finding new ways and places to leak something is its goal in life. But it sounded soooo good as it spooled up. And I even thought the Dash-60 starting up sounded wonderfully familiar. Keep up the good work, guys.
10 im 1970 my uncle Jack piloted the F4 phantom in Vietnam, I was in awe, when he'd come home on leave I'd want to ask questions but he didn't talk about it. God bless all who served and those who serve today. 🇺🇸🙏
Sweet sound to this old man in my 80's......Thanks guy's.....
Old F-4 II pilot Shoe🇺🇸 family...
Omg i have wanted to see this happen for so long. Wow. Thank you and everyone else for all there hard work to keep this f4 going. So awesome
I especially wanted to watch this video as my USAF brother used to fly them. This was overseas about 1971. He later went on to be AC Commander of the C-5 at Dover AFB. Good show.👍
My first F-4 was a D model 65-0730 with the 49th OMS at Holloman AFB New Mexico. Slid back in time to C models at Torrejon AFB Spain with the 401st OMS...the last was 63-7647, made me Crew Chief of the Month kept it OR for 45 days. Good to see this D mode still airworthy.
She’s alive!!!!!! quick grab the hotdogs!!!😂
Absolutely breathtaking!!
Hearing the old girl clear her throat for the first time in years was fantastic! Shame about engine #1, but better to find these issues on the ground then mid-formation in an airshow. I have no doubt you fine folks will get her back to flight status just as soon as she's ready. I'm seriously considering flying out there when the time comes! Also, having flown the DCS Phantom a decent amount, I'm happy to hear the sounds are so accurate. I had the biggest grin on my face when I saw the exhaust temp gauge suddenly spring up during ignition just like in DCS.
Thanks for helping to keep this historical piece of engineering in the skies, and out of the boneyard!
The sweer sound of a badass bird right there, miss these beasts flying over the Outer Banks of NC vacationing there as a kid in the 70s and 80s, Navy/MC B,Cs,Ds,Ss out of Oceana NAS Norfolk, Va and Cherry Point MCAS, also Cs,Ds, and Es out of Seymour Johnson AFB NC, also enjoyed the free airshows we got while on the beach, sound of freedom right there, hats off to you guys for preserving this peace of history. The Mighty F4 Phantom.
Imagine opening up what appears to be some innocuous GA hanger only to find an F-4 Phantom parked in there!!! Surprise!!!!
This journey reminds me of MCAS El Toro -- seeing the F-4's A-4's A-6's come in over the freeway as we drive under them .... good times.
I was AIMD on CV42 and we had all the engines. Thanks for the memories
what years i also was on Rosie vf41 power plants checker 1970 to1972
Superb!! One of my favourite aircraft great to see these beautiful planes coming back to life👏👏🇬🇧🇬🇧
Growing up I lived near Dobbins ARB
I loved the howl the splitter vains made on the Spook 😊
Sweet! That is one good looking Phantom, man I miss the old days.
Thanks for the memories! F106 Crew Chief '76-'77. Went to Korea summer of' 77 and worked F4 C's & D's. Did Cope Thunder in P. I. @ Clark AB twice. Then finished up on F105 F&G's at George AB. We were still using cart start on the F105 and we would get all the cartridges just before they ran out of shelf life. Many a false start, and then when you pull the cartridge out it would light off. Some kinda memories.
That dash 60 sounds just like the DCS sound. Really impressive work by heatblur.
Sure does!
What a beautiful jet. Good to see shes breathing so beautifully
Beautiful bird. We had them at Shaw AFB 68-69
These used to fly over our house in Duluth MN in the mid 70s usually in pairs and on a couple of occasions that old glass would crack in the windows I still remember what they sounded like to this day!
PHANTOMS PHOREVER!!
Great progress! Can't wait to see/hear the left engine run and then progress to some taxi tests!
Love the sound, the smell, all of it. ❤😊
That is awesome! Thanks for keeping that bad ass jet alive!
Our pleasure!
Brings back some fond memories from my early years in the Air force working the alert area when we had a sramble, love that F4.