McDonnell Douglas F-4EN

[Spinners 15,986]

McDonnell Douglas F-4EN Phantom II - Hävittäjälentolaivue 31, Ilmavoimat, 1974

 

During the late 1960's McDonnell Douglas realised that the fast-falling unit price of the Phantom could open up more export opportunities for the F-4 especially in downgraded and/or lightweight versions. A study into a single-seat export version of the new baseline F-4E called the F-4EF was initially proposed for the West German Luftwaffe before they sensibly adopted the two-seat F-4F and McDonnell Douglas then re-focused their efforts on a spin-off version of the F-4F for export with limited offensive capability and designed for air defence only. Designated F-4EN (believed to have initially stood for F-4E for neutral countries but subsequently changed to F-4E for Nordic countries) McDonnell Douglas initially pitched the F-4EN to Finland and were rewarded with a contract for 72 aircraft the first of which entered service with HävLLv 31 in 1972.

 

 

 

[dsawan 624]

We need one of these. Good idea here. What indigenous weps would it have carried?

[Wrench 9,874]

imported from the good ole USofA

[boulder 6]

Simply phabulous, Spinners!

[+daddyairplanes 10,261]

might be a lil overarmed there mate. treaty of paris '47 that ended hostilities between russia and finland originally stated no AAM. in was amended in 62 to allow AAM but only IR appears to be carried until the advent of the Hornet. and keep in mind that Finland had to walk a tight enough line to buy from us and the russians till the end of the cold war. finally they were allowed no more than 60 combat aircraft tho they got around that by dual roling trainers which they could have as many as they wanted. dont get me wrong i'm all for Phantoms round the world. but yer discardin alot of history to pitch this what if as is! appearence wise looks great!

Edited August 8, 2011 by daddyairplanes

[boulder 6]

might be a lil overarmed there mate. treaty of paris '47 that ended hostilities between russia and finland originally stated no AAM. in was amended in 62 to allow AAM but only IR appears to be carried until the advent of the Hornet. and keep in mind that Finland had to walk a tight enough line to buy from us and the russians till the end of the cold war. finally they were allowed no more than 60 combat aircraft tho they got around that by dual roling trainers which they could have as many as they wanted. dont get me wrong i'm all for Phantoms round the world. but yer discardin alot of history to pitch this what if as is! appearence wise looks great!

 

HM-55 Falcon (Rb27) semi-active radar guided missiles were used in Saab J 35 F starting from mid-seventies, so that IR only statement is slightly incorrect. American jets were of course politically impossible to acquire. Even Mirage IIIC, the absolute number one choice of the air force evaluation pilots in 1961, was out of reach. Along with the Draken Finnish air force got their first chance to acquire western fighter technology in early seventies. Even without the cold war, the Phantom would propably have still been too expensive and complex aircraft to use and maintain. Keep in mind that the Mig-23 was offered to Finnish air force, but was considered too complex and difficult to maintain.But in what-if scenario, without any financial or other restrictions the Phantom would surely have been the top machine for the Finns too.

Edited August 8, 2011 by boulder