McDonnell F-4N Phantom II

Developed for the U.S. Navy, the McDonnell F-4N Phantom II became one of the first fighters adopted by multiple armed services and was widely favored for its speed and maneuverability. More than 5,000 were produced and flown by American and foreign forces. Originally built without guns or cannons because it was expected to rely on longer-range Sparrow III and shorter-range Sidewinder missiles in air-to-air combat, the Phantom’s close encounters with North Vietnamese MiGs during the Vietnam War sometimes exposed the limits of that idea and helped shape later dogfighters such as the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet, which were designed with internally mounted cannons. The Phantom achieved legendary status during the Vietnam War and served with U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps squadrons, though it was too large and heavy for smaller Essex-class carriers like Intrepid. Its true air-to-air success rate remains unclear because opposing sides made sharply different claims, but the U.S. Navy officially credited it with 40 victories against 7 losses in air-to-air combat. On May 10, 1972, Lt. Randy Cunningham and Lt. (j.g.) William Driscoll shot down three North Vietnamese MiG-17 fighters, and with two previous kills became the first aces of the Vietnam War.

New York, New York · United States