F-4 Phantoms at Duke Field Florida

[ffuries]

These worn out Phantoms are being corralled at Duke Field. One showed up about 3 months ago, the rest showed up yesterday. Guess they are headed for scrap soon.

Aircraft 1: Missing Vertical Stab

According to Joe Baugher’s site: McDonnell Douglas F-4E-42-MC Phantom 69-0246 (c/n 3771) converted to F-4G. To AMARC as FP0847 May 1, 1992. To TFSI as QF-4G AF194 Jul 15, 1998. Expended Aug 14, 2002.

Last unit assigned the 37th FW 561st FS George AFB California, also previously with the 32nd TFS Soesterberg AB Netherlands.

Aircraft 2:

According to Joe Baugher’s site: McDonnell Douglas F-4E-60-MC Phantom 74-0652 (c/n 4803) to AMARC as FP0716 Jul 12, 1991. Converted to QF-4E AF245. During takeoff roll from Tyndall AFB, FL Feb 6, 2003 for a Systems Acceptance Evaluation Flight with a safety pilot on board, aircraft performed a veer to port instigated neither by ground controller nor safety pilot. Nose wheel collapsed, aircraft suffered severe damage and thought to be a write-off. Safety pilot unhurt.

Link to USAF AIB report: http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/QF-4E_Tyndall_6Feb03.pdf

Last unit assigned the 37th FW 562nd FS George AFB California, also previously with the 23rd FS Spangdahlem AB Germany, and the 32nd TFS Soesterberg AB Netherlands.

Aircraft 3: Named “Carrie”

According to Joe Baugher’s site: McDonnell Douglas RF-4C-44-MC Phantom 69-0383 to AMARC as FP0659 3/16/1991.To Tyndall AFB as QRF-4C AF102, expended 10/23/1997. Write-off due to hard landing,

Last unit assigned the “Flag Ship” of 38th TRS, 26th TRW Zweibrucken AB Germany, also previously with the 67th TRW Bergstrom AFB Texas.

Aircraft 4:

McDonnell Douglas F-4C-22-MC Phantom possibly 64-0715 Retired in September 1987 from 199 th FIS, 154th FIG Hawaii ANG. Became BDR airframe at Eglin AFB, Florida, and thought to have been scrapped in the late 1990s.














Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support (Retired)
"Your Life Is Our Business"

[viking73]

Wow, sad looking F-4s. I'll bet you are right that the scrap man's torch is near...

Thanks for the pictures.

[mrhenniger]

Here is my Locator entry for Duke Field...

Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Auxilliary Field #3 / Duke Field - C-130, C-123

I would be interested to know where at Duke these F-4s are located, even if only "temporary".

Mike

[tom d. friedman]

the orange tailed 1's were probably slated to be drones for target practice. man!!! when uncle sam demils hardware they are thorough.

[Holedigger]

Well, the QF designator and the paint scheme makes them target drones, with the first posts explanation of ground handling/hard landing as putting two of them down. Smithsonian Air & Space, Dec/Jan 09 has a good article on the venerable Phantom, ending with these QF birds and their final missions. The article ended with "We finally know, It takes four Raptors to shoot down a Phantom! This after one evaded a single Raptor's attack, then the flight of four each fired.....and that QF did NOT make it home!

[RickH]

They are not using up the QF-4s as fast as they originally thought they would. The reason? The F-4s keep winning !!

[ffuries]

Coordinates for the 4 sad Phantoms at Duke Field are below. There are also some old munitions and Tank/Artillery Barrels in the lot also. I think they are cleaning up the surrounding Aux Fields and storing the relics there for future scraping.

30 38 54.47 N 86 31 48.58 W

Mike in Florida
USAF Aircrew Life Support (Retired)
"Your Life Is Our Business"

[Holedigger]

Phantoms are a fast, tough bird! Add modern counter measures and the fact that there is NOT a live pilot on board that has to stay within G limits, that has got to be exciting AND frustrating for the fighter jockeys when that 40 yr old bird out flies them!