The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington, is the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world. The Museum’s Great Gallery displays several jet fighters of the 1960s.
McDonnell F-4C Phantom II
The U.S. Navy selected the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II as a fleet defense interceptor in 1958. According to the display:
“As the pre-eminent American combat aircraft of the 1960s, it fulfilled the roles of interceptor, air superiority fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft, and had the versatility to handle nearly 20 different types of bombs, missiles, gun pods, and electronic countermeasure pods and radars in a variety of combinations weighing up to 16,000 pounds.”
The F-4 required a two-man crew.
The 1965 McDonnell F-4C had a top speed of 1,433 mph, a cruising speed oof 587 mph, a range of 538 miles, and a ceiling of 56,100 feet.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 PFM
Among the best-known Soviet aircraft is the MiG 21 which was built and flown by many nations. According to the display:
“First flown in 1955, the MiG-21 was the first Soviet plane to reach Mach 2. For three decades, variants of the MiG-21 went head-to-head with the F-4 Phantom and other American-made fighters in Cold War-related conflicts worldwide.”
The Museum’s MiG-21 was acquired from the Czech Republic after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
The MiG-21 had a top speed of 1,386 mph, a ceiling of 62,340 feet, and a range of 808 miles.
Air-to-Air Combat
The MiG PFM and the F-4C Phantom II were rivals on numerous occasions over North Vietnam. According to the Museum display:
“Air-to-air combat in Vietnam was a throwback to the pre-nuclear era, but the U.S. forces struggled to overhaul their air-to-air tactics, preferring technological solution and further training for pilots. New weapons like the SUU-16 gun pods and the use of Identification Friend or Foe interrogators improved kill ratios slightly while programs like the United States Navy Fighter Weapon School or the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor programs, known as TOPGUN were established.”
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Museum of Flight: Jet fighters of the 1950s (photo diary)
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