SOFREP Pic of the Day: Farewell Flight of the Phantoms

Today’s SOFREP Pic of the Day features the final farewell flight of four South Korean F-4E Phantoms, which were in service there from 1969 to 2024.

The Phantom II

The F-4E Phantom II is a legendary American fighter jet developed by McDonnell Douglas. It is an upgraded version of the original F-4 Phantom II, featuring an internal M61 Vulcan cannon, which its predecessors lacked. Additionally, it has an extended nose to accommodate a radar system improvement, enhancing its effectiveness in combat.

Introduced in the late 1960s, the F-4E was designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, making it one of the more versatile aircraft in the U.S. military’s arsenal. It was widely used during the Vietnam War and continued to serve in various roles across several air forces worldwide. The F-4E’s capability to carry a significant payload of missiles and bombs made it a formidable multirole aircraft.

It’s hard to believe it first flew back in 1958 while Eisenhower was still in the White House.