February 2025 - Rolling Thunder (Patreon)

Hi folks!

This month, I finally give the people what they want... Phantom weapon tutorials. This jet is mainly remembered for its air-to-air role in the Vietnam War, but some of you may not know how much capability the aircraft really has when it comes to pound some ground.

While a lot of the F-4's arsenal may appear unsophisticated at first (dumb bombs), the Phantom's systems and sensors can allow for a surprising amount of precision and flexibility if used correctly. This generation of aircraft bridges the gap between "classic bombing" a la Second World War and modern aircraft equipped with CCIP or CCRP release modes. The whole process can be a little bit clunky, but I found it very educational about understanding the fundamentals behind today's newer, shinier systems providing unprecedented accuracy.

Needless to say, the F-4E has a lot of bang for the buck. Unguided bombs, cluster munitions, rockets, laser-guided bombs, TV-guided bombs, anti-runway bombs, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, anti-radiation missiles, an internal gun, external gunpods... the armament section will likely be one of the biggest I've ever done. It's an ambitious project to be sure, but I have a feeling it will be an eye-opening experience.

Stay tuned!