The Phantom Story-Peter E. Davies, Anthony M. Thornborough

The Phantom Story (Arms & Armour)\n\nFew jet aircraft become 'legends in their own time', but the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom truly deserves this tribute.  Now over 35 years old, the design is still in service with many air forces throughout the world, for no other modern jet has managed to equal its versatility, rugged construction and brute power in delivering payloads deep into heavily defended areas.  Thus the Phantom remains in front-line service and has carved a well earned reputation in aviation history; popular with crews and enthusiasts but feared by its enemies, it has become one of the classic aircraft of the 20th century.\n\nOriginally conceived as a purely speculative design for the ideal all-purpose US Navy fighter in 1953, the Phantom developed from a requirement for a long endurance, missile-armed fast aircraft to replace the Crusader as the standard Navy fighter.  McDonnell won the contract and the order of 17 December 1958 for 45 of the new F-4H;