USAF by Pixel reviewed at MiGMan's Flight Sim Museum

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Flight Testing
Speed in level flight

Putting on my virtual test pilot cap, I headed out to the flight line to get some hard data on the F-4 Phantom. Data which would be really useful when planning missions and making decisions in combat. For example, it would be no use setting a cruise speed in the flight plan which the aircraft couldn't achieve! ... or trying to chase down an enemy aircraft which had a higher top speed.

Line A shows the worst-case scenario. The F4 was loaded for bear with Mk83 x 6, AGM45 x 2, ALQ-131 x 1, LAQ61 x 6 and AIM-9 x2.

This I thought represented a good loadout for a strike mission, The Mk83 1,000 lb bombs are for the main target, the AGM45 Shrike for attacking enemy SAM radars and the ALQ-131 to jam them. The 2 AIM-9 sidewinder missiles are fairly standard issue for self defense. Heaps of ordnance hanging off the wings and you'd expect the lowest cruise speeds.

So far so good.

Lessons learned from flight A:
1. The optimum cruise altitude seems to be 10,000 feet.
2. I couldn't coax the F-4 over 25,000 feet.
Poncing about with all that hardware on the pylons sure eats up the fuel. I flew this mission from Nellis and over to the range (only about 30 miles). Pretty soon after ignoring the two voice warnings "LOW FUEL ... LOW FUEL"... I flamed out and had to eject! OK.... next time the rocket pods go in favour of 2 external tanks... even 3. Always check the fuel status.

Line B wasa flown at full military power (100 % rpm no afterburner) with a fairly clean bird. 4 x AIM-7 Sparrows, 2 x AIM-9 Sidewinders.
I chose this configuration to represent an aircraft on Combat Air Patrol (CAP) which has burnt of the fuel in the external tabnks and jettisoned them. Or, alternatively an aircraft on the way home from a strike mission.

Line C was flown in the same config at Full Afterburner. The question mark represents the highest altitude I was able to get in level flight. The straightness of this line suggests compressabilty which doesn't seem right...I expected about 50,000 feet and Mach 1.5.

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