QF-4: The Final Unmanned Flight

The QF-4 Phantom flew its final unmanned mission in the skies above White Sands Missile Range on August 17. However, as the Air Force prepares to transition to the QF-16 and bid its final farewell to the heritage aircraft -- the legacy of the F-4 will continue to fly on.

#f4phantom #whitesands #usaf

[chrisniakaros]

Taking a SAM hit without evasive maneuvers or ECM is not exactly the most noble way to end such a historic air frame.

[s]

Amazing that the F6F Hellcat used to do this role. But I mean now the F6F is super rare because of that

[creoleDJ]

I remember being at Tyndall AFB in the ‘90s when they were still using some of the QF-102 Delta Dagger & QF-106 Delta Dart drones...

[peaceloverscafesince]

It is a miracle that survived to this point for 40 years from the manufacturing.
Surviving enough to count among the 5000 fellows.
F - 14 ceased to exist ten years ago.

many thanks

[ToonandBBfan]

The good old F-4 Phantom - America's proof to the world that with enough thrust even a brick will

[s]

Some will say its a waste. But think about it, they are going down the way "they where designed to go down". Not scrapped for that coke can on sale at your corner store, but as fighters getting shot down by a missle the way there where supposed to

[warthunderdude]

What will happen to the other F-4 Phantoms? Scrap? Museums? Civilian Flights (like Collings Foundation, Commemerative Air Force)

[terrydouglas]

Prior to Vietnam the AIM7's, AIM4's and AIM9's were not properly tested! Just like the navy torpedos prior to WW2. AA missiles in Vietnam had under 20% hit rate before 1970. If their had been QF testing of them, they might have been fixed sooner and some pilots wouldn't have died or spent time at the Hanoi Hilton!

[lestercoons]

It so sad for me to see this. I worked on F4D's, F4E'S and RF4D'S for many years at Clark AFB, RP.

[kaleblowe]

F-4 phantom to his son the f-35: son you will have to shoot me down

[MrBen]

So whats the deal with the F-35 missile test? Did they intend to destroy the target or not. The F-4 came back to base unharmed.

[eatcommies]

Can You post some F-16s drone footage? 🇺🇸👍

[DowntownDeuce]

THE YEAR THAT THIS TOOK PLACE WOULD BE HELPFUL

[lifeisamatrix]

That footage is white sands missile range and holloman afb

[terrydouglas]

I spent a lot of sweat and occasionally blood working on these aircraft. Before they were defanged.

[ewanmc]

The old soldier has been exploited for a long time and finally gets killed at the end.

[CT-mu]

Its way to sad and almost unamerican to shot these planes down.

[raynus]

Ugh.
Should've sold them to Can'tada...we're running low on fighters.

[breakpointsniper]

Hear me out why not use these as well as reaper and predator against enemy targets

[linguinei]

For those of us who flew the F-4, FU!