1973 - South Vietnam finally get the Phantom

[Spinners 15,976]

McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom - 522nd TFS, Vietnam Air Force, 1973

 

 

The end of the Linebacker campaign on October 23rd, 1972 coincided with the US Government's 'Project Enhance Plus' - essentially the building up of the Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) to an adequate level to sustain effective operations after any final ceasefire and, more importantly for domestic politics, to continue the fight after the complete withdrawl of US forces. In a rush effort, 288 aircraft were transferred to the VNAF including 116 F-5's Freedom Fighters, 90 A-37's Dragonflys and 28 A-1 Skyraiders. Not content with that, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu specifically asked for F-4 Phantoms explaining that he felt that the VNAF was being issued with aircraft that were short on range and unable to carry the fight to the North.

 

Initially refused, US President Nixon later added an amendment to 'Project Enhance Plus' by allowing the transfer of 36 F-4C Phantoms from USAF stocks. The war-weary F-4C's began to arrive in early 1973 to equip two squadrons of the VNAF based at Tan Son Nhut airbase seeing sporadic action during the uneasy truce and scattered skirmishes of 1973 and 1974. However, when NVA forces burst through the crumbing South Vietnamese defences during April 1975 they quickly captured Bien Hoa airbase to the north of Saigon and immediately swung west to capture Tan Son Nhut airbase catching most the surviving 27 F-4C's of the VNAF on the ground. The Phantoms were inspected and overhauled by Chinese technicians before entering service with the 927th Fighter Regiment of the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) who operated the type until 1982 when they were grounded by a chronic spares shortage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2013 by Spinners

[exhausted 55]

Nice work, but what do they look like in 1976?

[Spinners 15,976]

Probably got a few holes in them...

 

Or olive green with VPAF markings!

[+daddyairplanes 9,011]

Double dog dare you on the olive green!

[Spinners 15,976]

lol - one day, one day.

[Spinners 15,976]