Developed for the US Navy in the late 1950s, the Phantom platform would become one of the most prolific American-made aircraft ever produced.

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation’s F-4 Phantom was quickly becoming the do-all fighter by the mid 1960s, able to lug thousands of pounds of bombs on one mission and then strictly air-to-air ...

The F-4 Phantom was neither pretty nor elegant. But it did its job when so many other aircraft in history couldn’t. That’s what counts. You can find Michael Peck on Twitter at @Mipeck1.

The maximum speed of the F-4 Phantom II was 1,485 miles per hour at 48,000 feet. This bird was not to be toyed with. She carried with her into battle a 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling cannon with 640 rounds.

The F-4 Phantom II began flying fleet defense for the U.S. Navy in 1958 but wasn't used by the Air Force until 1963 (as the F-4C). The two-seat, twin-engine tactical jet fighter bomber was built ...