F-4N PHANTOM II MODEL

The F-4N Phantom II was used by the U.S. military as the primary air fighter and a fighter-bomber for the US Air Force, Navy and Marines during the Vietnam War. The F-4N upgrade program began in 1970, as response to Navy concerns about the condition of the F-4B aircraft, which by that time were over a decade old and rather the worse for wear. In that year, a program named Bee Line was initiated in which the F-4Bs were refurbished and modernized.

The aircraft were sent to NAS North Island, California, where they were stripped and inspected. They were then completely rebuilt using new parts. The changes included a structural strengthening to extend the fatigue life, plus a complete rewiring. The electrical generating system was upgraded with 30-kVA constant speed alternators. The F-4N retained the thin wings and tires, the main radar, and the undernose infrared search and track detector of the F-4B.

The first F-4N flew on June 4, 1972, and the first rebuilt F-4N entered service in February 1973. By 1983, the F-4Ns had been completely replaced by F-14 Tomcats.