Flying the F-4 Phantom | Roy Macintyre 

I flew the F-4 B with the Marines and it was a magnificent beast. I also flew the F-8 and it was also a great plane but the difference between them was stark. The F-8 felt like there was an explosion in the tailpipe when the AB lit off but the F-4 was like an automatic transmission that kept accelerating. As a Naval aviator, we were taught to use the angle of attack as our safety base when things turned to you know what. It was a small device sitting above the glare shield that covered the instrument panel. It had a "V" symbol on top, an "O" in the middle, and an upside-down "V" on the bottom. Safe was the "O" and no matter where you were, upside-down, landing, in a high "G" dogfight, if the "O" was lit up the plane was happy and you were safe from a deviation to uncontrolled flight. All carrier approaches use this for a perfect approach and it is repeated on the landing gear for the LSO to see how you are doing. At Mach II if it wasn't for the airspeed indicator, you would never know how fast you were going. There was no indication at all and it still flew very stably. For me, a 22-year-old 2nd Lieutenant it was the dream of a lifetime and that old beast will be in my heart forever.

Using the fuel dump as a wing stall indicator is nothing short of genius. fantastic

Absolutely fantastic. The best ever description on the flying characteristics on the Phantom. Again, another interview which deserves 100x views

I don't think Roy reckons much to Politicians. ........... So that's another thing in his favour. Top bloke.

I could listened to Roy all day. Great interview.

I could listen to Roy all day! Absolutely fascinating, love how he explains everything in detail, the kind of bloke I'd love to have a beer with!

Very insightful interview. Really makes you appreciate the level of skill required to fly the F4 in demonstration teams like the Blues and TBirds.

The British F4 looked like a different kind of beast on it's own! Just like the American F4....truly a joy to watch & respect....the same with the Japanese F4....a samurai of the sky!

One of the loudest planes. In the 70s Thunderbird show at lake Tahoe impressed a ten year old. Back then it was common to hear Sonic booms everyday.

Roy always gives top quality interviews. They're so informative, and of course this one was on the British/Spey Phantoms, the best looking.

I m so happy to see Roy back, just like Jeff Guinn, his explanations are so great and done in a way that non-professionals get access to the logic behind things and make understanding those very things so much easier. He must have been a hell of an instructor/ teacher. Btw, how is Jeff doing, would love to see him on again, hope he s doing fine.

“Hidden talents will emerge with time.” What an insightful logbook entry. This was a great interview!

Aha! A real mix-up! Adding 4+4 was so 'happy'.

Great interview. Roy's explanation of why pilots had to use rudders at high angles of attack was the best I've heard, especially with the story of the fuel dump! Great stuff. Must have seen him flying at Leuchars back then.

F4 Phantom : the coolest fighter aircraft ever !!!

What a great man would love to have a week or two jest to sit and listen to all his flying story's. Great video 🤠👍🇨🇦Some good tips for all you keyboard warriors on DCS

Love Roy Macintyre. Great interview about one of my favourite aeroplanes.

At work on 5sqn I was in recs control when I stupidly cracked a joke about armours . The Sgt shouted “ Window” . I was picked up and thrown unceremoniously out of the window onto the grass. My comment was can’t take a joke. The biggest armourer said “ yes we can we opened the window first”. Make fun at your peril with armourers .

The Phantom! Even today, the lines of the old girl just scream "fighter jet". Such brutal beauty! Japan has recently retired the last of their Phantoms, but I believe Turkey still flies their "Terminator" variant (systems & weapon updates) F- and RF-4E's, as does S. Korea and Greece.. Phantoms (almost) Phorever..

Great interview, and Roy is a pleasure to listen to

All , regardless of rank etc, who knew or came into contact with Roy only had praise for him, if only the majority of officers had his attitude and manners then it would be far better RAF. The noise from 1980/81 of tombs reheat departure was just awsome, QRA shouts were great as there was just so much noise,smells 😁 Mind it can be tricky to get a word in with Roy occasionally, but the legendary Friday night mess rituals were quirky ! Us rotary guys were always judge and jury 🤪😝😁😁😁😁🥳🥃

Roy should teach instructors how to do lectures! Brilliant stuff! 👍👍👍

For anyone wondering how Angle of Attack works, it’s when the aircraft’s nose is raised above the direction of travel, before the movement can catch up with it. The reason it’s usually measured in degrees is because it’s how many degrees above the direction of travel the nose is raised. The more Angle of Attack an aircraft pulls the more it leaves standard flight, the less the wings are pointed into the oncoming air which is what causes that trailing edge stall he talks about.

Roy is the man👍🏻

Roy’s a top bloke thank u for the interview 😊😊

VMFA 235 KMCAS (Kaneohe MARINE CORPS AIR STATION Hawaii) F 4 J`s. `73-`75. You explained the adverse yaw well. I was aviation ordnance. Used to fly my own RV-4.

Fantastic thanks for sharing I too was at Raf leuchars in the late 80s ,happy times I remember the beer calls well😊 Regards Dave

Great interview loved it.

I feel like the reason Phantom pilots like the plane is because its quirks and shortcomings are like badges of honor. Even its crude looks give it an intimidating appearance.

FYI we had adverse yaw on the space shuttle too. On entry we are flying an alpha of 40 degrees and we had to augment control surfaces with our RCS jets.

Very entertaining most informative many thanks to you both...

The old days were more dangerous, because the cold war was, actually, a war. Thanks for your service in a dangerous time.

Great stuff Mike thanks 👍 thanks to Roy too really enjoyed it I look forward to the happy hour episode

Much Respect Sir ! Loved watching the Phantoms at RAF Leuchars - amazing aircraft and crew :-)

Thank you both brilliant interview

Loving your interviews with Roy! Thanks 😀

F4 landed like you've dropped a sack of spuds! Drunk in charge of a bicycle! Love his tales!

Super, super interview!

Controversial but I still think the Phantom, especially the RAF Phantoms are the meanest looking beasts the UK have ever operated 😍

They fly over my house every day of the week Phantoms !! Very rarely on a Sunday though! But haven't seen one for a few days though !

My fave plane of all time! I visited 74 Sqn at Wattisham in about 1992 (At a guess, or possibly at Wildenrath, can't remember).

Nice video, these guys are a special bunch.

While safety is a laudable goal, it has the danger of rendering the military less prepared for its war-fighting role, the very definition of 'unsafe'. It's a difficult balance to strike - training people to handle risk and adversity while not exposing them to excessive danger.

An interesting outlook regarding Spey engined F-4s I read from a former Phantom pilot went along the lines of when a dog gets Speyed, it slows down and gets a bit lardy around the arse! :D

Very interesting.

F -4 , turns like a truck. But climb like a Phantom.

Great interview, i recognise Roy, we must've met at some stage, the question about drink driving is, what about drink flying?👌😜

Great interview. Reminds me of a rather rude Phantom joke. "What happens when you Spey a b*tch? She gets fat and slow!"

Looking forward to that “happy hour”!!! :)

Ah! The Pehiem Mast!

Flying the F-4 sounds a lot like my typical outing in the DCS Tomcat 😆. Sounds very similar in how to roll the jet with rudder. If I'm not mistaken, GB received F-4Js. First thing to do was they got rid of was those smoky J79s. I can't imagine a jet with tons of ass behind it, and replace it with even more ass lol. Roy explained the engine difference exceptionally. Its my favorite jet ever, and I enjoyed hearing about its UK cousin. Legendary aircraft of the Cold War.

Never been this early!

I think the spey engines had more top end speed, kinda slow on acceleration. I could be wrong

I hope you still instruct Roy...

Reverse boundry layer on the root?

@Aircraft Interview - Did you create the intro theme tune?

Nice brief Roy

Another AI classic. Roy Macintyre is top drawer.

Hunts google maps for Pehiem Mast lolol

agricultural that cracked me up hahahahaha

Ace combat 3 i kick all ass in a phantom. Trick is the spool up and spool down

Spey engines caused the loss of the coke bottle effect