Abandoned F-4 Phantom Awaits Scrapping at ‘The Boneyard

(Image: Abandoned America, reproduced with permission)

Loved by enthusiasts and revered by others, the F-4 Phantom family of fighters, reconnaissance, ground attack and, more recently, target drone aircraft is highly regarded as one of the most successful and lethal jets of 20th century aviation. Over 5,000 were produced between 1958 and 1981. Widely exported, the Phantom remains in service with several air forces to this day, including its secondary role with the US armed forces. But in April 2013, as the ‘Last One’ departed ‘the Boneyard’ at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona set for a potentially ominous fate as a QF-4 flying target at the mercy of fifth generation warplanes, those left behind will ultimately be condemned to the scrap heap, rather than a midair explosion.

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