F4N Phantom II, US Navy, VF-84, USS Roosevelt, over Mount Etna, 1975

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One of the most famous and easily recognized fighter aircraft of the post-WWII era was the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II. This aircraft was developed as a private venture by the aircraft company but was soon ordered by the USN as a carrier-based attack aircraft. Its first flight took place on May 27, 1958 and it entered active service in December 1960. It wasn’t long after the F-4B appeared that a fly-off was set up with USAF front-line fighters. It was no contest, the F-4 performed so well that the USAF ordered their own variant, the F-4C. As time went on, the F-4 evolved into well over a dozen variants.

VF-84 “Jolly Rogers” received the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II in 1964. In 1970 concerns about the F-4B’s condition eentually led to 228 being converted to F-4Ns. These aircraft were completely stripped, refurbished and upgraded. The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972 with F-4B 150415 being the 95th aircraft to be converted. In 1975 VF-84’s last cruise with the F-4N was in the Mediterranean on board the USS F. D. Roosevelt. F-4N 150415 was one of 78 F-4Ns converted to QF-4N drones. VF-84 converted to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1976.