[Ted Brown]

Can't remember if I posted this before, but here is an example of how to get out of the RF4C when it seems the fire in the right engine isn't going to go out by itself. Courtesy of the Nevada Air National Guard, this happened 35 or so years ago. Picture taken from another RF4C using it's KA-56 low pan camera. I was the official photographer at the crash site, but of course they took all my film for the investigation. Not much left except a big smoking hole. The crew got out OK.

 

[Ted Brown]

With the exception of shoulder fired SAMS I don't know of any Iraq kills of our aircraft. An FA18 came back to Bahrain with a hit on one engine, but was still able to make it back. The AC130 that went down in the gulf was brought down by a SA7 or 9. All the crew were lost. SA2, 3 and 6 missiles were being fired ballisticly without guidance. I don't think any were effective during Desert Storm. The Wild Weasels prevailed!

 

[Ted Brown]

The NVANG RF4C went down in Spanish Springs about 20 miles north of Sparks, NV. It was on landing approach to the Reno/Tahoe airport, returning to base. A bolt sheared in a fuel pump, cracking the pump housing. That caused the engine fire.

 

[Ted Brown]

Of the variations of the F4 Phantom, the RF4C was the fastest. It was also a very stabile camera platform and could out perform most other fighters at low altitude. Just before the last RF4 was retired, one was arbitrarily taken off the flight line in Reno and used to set several closed course speed records over the Black Rock Desert. That was in 1995. I was not a pilot, but had the pleasure of flying in the back seat once and actually had the stick while performing some aerobatics over Pyramid Lake. It was great and probably the most fun I ever had with my clothes on!