F-4F Early (Germany)

2021-04-18T08:31:43Z

U89821250: cannons should not be underestimated, never lose energy, bombs are not worth it and the F4F-early does not have flares

{{About
| about = German jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4f
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=items_F-4F Early (Germany)
|cockpit=Cockpit f-4f early.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/7107-event-future-technology-en|Future Technology]] event.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,066 || 2,020 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.8 || 162.3 || 152.4 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|M61 (20 mm)}}
{{main|AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (7,500 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (7,500 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (7,500 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (7,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (7,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (7,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total) + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

The aircraft is pretty heavy, rather quick in acceleration and top speed and doesn't have the best turn time. It's armament however impressive. With the gun pod modification equipped, you'll fire enough lead downrange to destroy just about any air target. Using the phantom as a turnfighter is generally inadviseable. Therefore, try to ambush a unsuspecting enemy. Even the single 20mm cannon will give any foe a fiery end.

Using the bombs on the F4F usually isn't that great of an idea: the match often evolves to the later stages before you will be able to rearm, and then two situations usually occur. Situation 1 involves your team destroying more aircraft of the enemy team, leading to a victory where bombing bases turned out to not be decisive and therefore it can be argued you were dead weight. Situation 2 is when your team is losing. After you dropped the payload and destroyed the base in situation 2, the opposite team will start to hunt down the remaining friendly players. You might be able to survive 1-2 enemies, but having four on our tail usually ends badly.

Any engagement will boil down to three basic situations: You find an enemy doing a head-on, you chase an enemy or you get chased by the enemy. When doing a head on, missiles aren't very effective, so don't bother using them. Keep in mind that if you're fighting another phantom, that he'll often have the afterburner on, and given the engines slight downward angle, kind of "drift", which has to be taken into account before taking the shot. You usually want to fire at around 3km during the head on, and keep on firing either until you get a critical hit(i.e he lost tail control, wings or he is on fire) or you can hear his shells whizzing by. In either sitution, break off (an aircraft with no control travelling at 600 or more kph still has a lot of kinetic energy, and the second situation speaks for itself) and if he is hopelessly crashing into the ground, find another target. If otherwise, try to get onto his tail by starting to break off before he has passed you.

If you are chasing an enemy, try to predict his movements: your shells have a high muzzle velocity, but the enemy is still a fast and therefore difficult target. I personally fire along the path they can possibly go through, wasting ammo but securing a (usually critical) hit. Know when to disengage, i.e rolling scissors or another enemy is engaging you.

If you are being chased by the enemy, try to be as far and as fast as possible: if you have friendly fighters nearby, try to bait the enemies to your teammates. If you play on a map with ships that have CIWS, many players usually underestimate those systems. It doesnt give you the kill but it keeps you alive to get more kills or bait more players. If a missile is locked onto you, try to lose as little energy as possible whilst also making sure the missile won't hit. Remember, you do not have countermeasures.

The missiles on the F4F, apart from the AIM-9J, arent very good. the AIM-9B FGW.2 and AIM-9E both have pretty poor lock-on range, small targeting window and roughly 10 G's they can pull. The AIM-9J is better, it has a higher lock-on range, a pretty large targeting window, can pull 20 G's and is faster. You want to fire a missile when the enemy is close and slow. Very close targets usually don't have the time to acticate countermeasures, or the countermeasures are flat out ignored. Another way of using missiles is to make the enemy lose their energy, and making them an easy target to hit with either another missile or with your cannon.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good performance at high altitude
* Can carry up to 12,000 lb of ordnance
* Varied and mixed armament presets allow for multipurpose usage in ground battles

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks countermeasures (flares/chaff)
* Lacks SARH missiles found on other Phantoms, such as the AIM-7 Sparrow
* Underwhelming performance at very low altitudes
* Lacks a [[Ballistic Computer]]

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


;'''Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era'''

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]]
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7104-development-craft-srafting-event-early-f-4f-phantom-ii-en|[Devblog] Early F-4F Phantom II]]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

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F-4F Early (Germany)