Subject: McDonnell F-4 Phantom (48 of 50)

From: [email-masked] (joseph.f.baugher)
Date: 10 Jul 94 19:53:21 GMT

The Hankook Kong Gon (Republic of Korea Air Force, or RoKAF) began to 
acquire Phantoms in the late 1960s, and continues in the present day 
to be an important user of the Phantom.  

In 1968, the Republic of Korea, having gotten rather nervous about 
border clashes with North Korea, ordered an initial batch of 18 F-4Ds.  
This order was filled using aircraft drawn from from existing USAF 
stocks rather than by new construction.  The transfer program was 
assigned the code name *Peace Spectator*.  The first four F-4Ds 
arrived in Korea in August of 1969.  They were supplied to the 110th 
TFS of the llth FW based at Taegu.  

In 1972, the RoKAF received 18 more F-4Ds drawn from the USAF's 
locally-based 3rd TFW.  These planes were supplied in return for the 
Korean government agreeing to transfer 36 Northrop F-5A/Bs to South 
Vietnam under the *Enhance Plus* program.  The F-4Ds were supplied to 
the 157st TFS of the 11th FW.  These planes were officially only on 
loan to Korea, but the transfer was eventually made permanent.  A few 
USAF F-4Ds were used by the RoKAF on short-term loan during the 1970s, 
but six were permanently supplied to the RoKAF in 1982 to make up for 
attrition, and a further 24 were delivered between December 1987 and 
April 1988.  This last batch were equipped with Pave Spike laser 
designators.  This final batch enabled the ROKAF to bring its two F-4D 
squadrons back to full strength and to equip a third.  Ultimately, at 
least 70 ex-USAF F-4Ds were transferred to South Korea, the last being 
delivered in 1988.  

The RoKAF ordered 37 new-build F-4Es from McDonnell, receiving the 
first examples in 1978.  The last of these planes, 78-0744, was the 
the 5068th and last Phantom to be built in the USA.  These 37 planes 
were delivered under Operation *Peace Pheasant II*.  They went to the 
152nd and 153re TFS of the 17th TFW based at Chongju.  

Subsequently, Korea has received an unspecified number of ex-USAF 
F-4Es.  The US offered 24 surplus F-4Es in 1988 and 30 in 1989, but 
probably only the latter batch was actually delivered.  It is 
uncertain exactly how many ex-USAF F-4Es are currently flying in 
Korea.  Some Korean F-4Es are equipped to carry the AN/AVQ-26 *Pave 
Tack* laser designator pod.  

When the USAF's Korea-based 460th TRG disbanded in late 1990, 12 of 
their RF-4Cs were turned over to the RoKAF, along with a quantity of 
AN/ALQ-131 jamming pods.  These were given to the 131st TRS of the 
39th TRG based at Suwon.  

The following table is a list of known USAF serials of Phantoms 
transferred to the RoKAF.  It includes both used ex-USAF aircraft 
transferred to Korea as well as the batches of new-build F-4Es 
purchased by Korea.  This list is incomplete and is likely to contain 
errors.  I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has any additions 
or corrections to this list.  

64-0929/0937		McDonnell F-4D-24-MC Phantom
				0931 to Korea in 1969
				0933 to Korea in 1969 
					w/o before 1982
				0934 to Korea in 1969
				0935 to Korea in 1969
64-0938/0963		McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom
				0941 to Korea in 1969
				0943 to Korea in 1969
				0944 to Korea in 1969
				0946 to Korea in 1969
				0947 to Korea in 1969
				0948 to Korea in 1969
				0950 to Korea in 1969 
					w/o before 1982
				0951 to Korea in 1969
				0955 to Korea in 1969 
					w/o before 1982
				0957 to Korea in 1969
				0958 to Korea in 1969
				0961 to Korea in 1969
				0962 to Korea in 1969
64-0964/0980		McDonnell F-4D-25-MC Phantom
				0966 to Korea in 1969
				0978 to Korea in 1972
65-0580/0611		McDonnell F-4D-26-MC Phantom
				0582 to Korea in 1972
				0589 to Korea in 1972
				0591 to Korea in 1972
				0592 to Korea in 1972
				0605 to Korea in 1972
				0610 to Korea in 1972
65-0612/0665		McDonnell F-4D-27-MC Phantom
				0620 to Korea in 1972
				0622 to Korea in 1972
				0623 to Korea in 1972
				0630 to Korea in 1972
				0640 to Korea in 1972
				0650 to Korea in 1972
				0663 to Korea in 1973, w/o
65-0666/0770   		McDonnell F-4D-28-MC Phantom
				0678 to Korea in 1972
				0679 to Korea in 1982
				0691 to Korea in 1972
				0709 to Korea in 1970, w/o
				0715 to Korea in 1972, w/o 9/25/78
				0732 to Korea in 1972
				0755 to Korea in 1982
				0762 to Korea in 1972
65-0771/0801		McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
				0778 to Korea
				0786 to Korea
				0795 to Korea
				0797 to Korea in 1982  
					still in US as of 11/83
66-0226/0283 		McDonnell F-4D-29-MC Phantom
				0239 to Korea
				0274 to Korea
66-7505/7650 		McDonnell F-4D-30-MC Phantom
				7507 to Korea in 1987/88
				7555 to Korea in 1987/88
				7577 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7608 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7618 to Korea in 1987/88 
66-7651/7774 		McDonnell F-4D-31-MC Phantom
				7673 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7690 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7709 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7715 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7732 to Korea
				7737 to Korea in 1987/88  
					still in US as of 1/90 
				7747 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7750 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7753 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7758 to Korea in 1987/88 
				7762 to Korea in 1987/88 
66-8699/8786 		McDonnell F-4D-32-MC Phantom
				8701 to Korea in 1987/88 
				8734 to Korea in 1987/88 
				8737 to Korea in 1987/88 
				8756 to Korea in 1987/88 
				8758 to Korea in 1987/88 
				8759 to Korea in 1987
				8765 to Korea in 1987/88 
66-8787/8825 		McDonnell F-4D-33-MC Phantom
				8806 to Korea in 1987/88 
				8810 to Korea in 1987/88 
67-0342/0398		McDonnell F-4E-36-MC Phantom
				0369 to Korea (?)
68-0303/0365		McDonnell F-4E-37-MC Phantom
				0358 to Korea (?) still in US in Oct90
68-0366/0395		McDonnell F-4E-38-MC Phantom
				0387 to Korea (?), still in US Oct 90
				0390 to Korea (?), still in US Oct 90
68-0488/0494		McDonnell F-4E-40-MC Phantom
		 		0494 to Korea (?) still in US in Oct90
76-0493/0511		McDonnell F-4E-64-MC Phantom  
				new builds for Korea
78-0727/0744		McDonnell F-4E-67-MC Phantom   
				new builds for Korea

Sources:

  McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume II, Rene J.
  Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1990.

  McDonnell F-4 Phantom: Spirit in the Skies.  Airtime Publishing, 1992.

  Electronic mail from Ben Marselis

Joe Baugher			**************************************
AT&T Bell Laboratories		*  "Round up the usual suspects."    *
1000 E. Warrenville Road	**************************************
P. O. Box 3013
Naperville, Illinois 60566-7013		
(708) 713 4548				
uscbu!jfb                     Who, me?  Speak for AT&T?  Surely you jest!	
[email-masked]