Phantom Survivors: Gone but not Forgotten

Operational F-4s have dwindled over the past decade, with some notable retirements and events.

The advent of modern fighters such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Lightning II has brought into sharp focus how the F-4 may be universally popular, but that it had become increasingly obsolete. There have been some notable retirements in the past few years as long-time operators of the F-4 made their final farewells.

The first F-4F Phantoms arrived in Germany in 1973, with the Luftwaffe going on to take delivery of 175 F-4Fs, joining some 88 RF-4E tactical reconnaissance versions that preceded them. The first unit to receive the F-4F was JG 71 ‘Richthofen’, with its very first aircraft, serial 37+01, being the last to bow out of service in June 2013 wearing special blue and gold colours.

It was decided to apply stunning ‘retro’ colour schemes to two aircraft for the Luftwaffe farewell, in order to chart the career of the F-4 in German service. Aircraft serial 38+10 received the original ‘Norm 73’ green and grey camouflage, with 38+33 being given the ‘toned down’ ‘Norm 81’ scheme, and 3…