F-4E Phantom Air Defense Scramble

5 minute alert in West Germany will get your heart pumping. Sometimes during taxi and takeoff you were still trying to finish strapping in.

[@garymccue1287]

I was the last Branch Chief for the Ramstein ZULU alert. Once we converted to the F-16C, several units from the ANG and Reserves took over the duty until deactivated in '88 or '89. One of the best jobs ever. My crews averaged 2 mins and 45 secs per scramble over the last 12 months using -60s. 526...Copper Ring--scramble your ZULUs...

[@afvet52]

Did you have a relative in Ammo at SP in 85-87?

[@danabogue1804]

WOW , using -60s very nice, but no cart starts on ZULU?

[@obfuscated3090]

@@danabogue1804 It's efficient to leave the -60 connected since it will be running by the time the pilot steps. Carts were cool but they're nasty and if one doesn't work it requires swap out. Fortunately I was Comm/Nav at the time because that was better to observe than do.

[@danabogue1804]

@@obfuscated3090 I was a 431 (crew chief) at Hahn AB and we trained with cart starts on Zulu Alert! Of course, we used -60 if there was a failure, but I never once experienced a failure. However, we had several "flare up" and that's why someone always manned the extinguisher, and you are dead on about them being "nasty"!!!

[@kocook4732]

Was a Black Knight from 78 to 82. Many scrambles. One hairy Alpha in the middle of a winter night in a snow storm. Even with opposite end take off (heading west) after a 270 degree spin out, we still made it under 5 minutes. Happy times being bullet proof.

[@user-sj1fr7pl2g]

Is this Ken Cook flew with Lightening Mike Conrad. You guys were great to me! Dave Athey 77-79

[@eaglekpr427]

Great memories, I was a crew chief in the 526 TFS at Ramstein AB, Germany from Jan 5, 1980 to Jan 6, 1982. I worked ZULU alert for about 1 year, 24hrs on and 48 hrs was great.If you have never Launched an F-4E during a cart start you missed out on History in the making. Overall Germany in the 80's was a great place to be a single airman living off base. The concerts of that era were world class. TDY's to ZZA and Deci were good too. Tail code for Ramstein was RS.Tail color for the 526 were red.

[@obfuscated3090]

I worked Broncos down the road at the 'Bach. Can confirm everything in the above post! Too bad nearly everyone born later has no idea why the Cold War was waged or why it was so necessary. I encourage those who watch this video to dig deeper. The Red Army was not the Russian Federation joke of today and had the wealth of the Warsaw Pact backing it. That era cannot be permitted to return no matter how Putin dreams NeoSoviet dreams. It took decades and enormous sacrifice (by real humans, not video game characters, and there was no plot armor) in multiple wars to contain the Communist Bloc.

[@wails4302]

My dad is in video. Was at rammstein from 79-81 with the 526. This footage is from the Days of Knights video they made during that time. Good memories of watching that movie with my dad as a kid and hearing his stories of the black knights and sitting Zulu alert west Germany.

[@jamesmartin9401]

Still the scariest-looking piece of hardware in any military ever.

[@chanthujohnson]

Yup agreed , along with the Mi-35

[@Seanthefox]

I would say the same about the Su-27

[@jamesmartin9401]

@@chanthujohnson Definitely a contender. I've crested an overpass on a freeway here and been what felt like was nose-to-nose with an AH-64 Apache flying to a training area. That was scary enough. Hinds are more primal-looking and much bigger so I can only imagine.

[@M42ap]

I crewed F-4E's for 6 yrs. in the AF, two of which were at Bitburg. 22nd TFS of the 36th TFW, so our alert duty was "Victor" (Nuke) alert, along with the 53rd TFS...Zulu (5 min.) duty was pulled by the 525th "Bulldogs" ('Able' section). 22nd and 53rd was 'Baker' and 'Charlie' sections respectively. Really miss those days, there was absolutely NOTHING like it!

[@MrLunasee]

I spent '76 - '78 @ Spangdalhem AB. 52nd TFW working on F-4C/D/E models. Still my favorite airplane. Great times then. It was a great fighter plane... with the black smoke trail. LOL

[@lucky4724]

Was at ramstein "76-78", refueling unit (pol)(JP4) Good ol days !! Shoutout to K-Town !!! #MEMORIES "73-78" TIME SERVED 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪💪

[@rickdecastro4584]

Me too, 78-80. 81st. Spent some time on Victor Alert.

[@johnnymarin7306]

April 76-78, 6 months in jet shop, 18 months flight line 3rd shift….fond memories

[@navelriver]

Great to hear from those veterans in the comments! Fantastic experiences of being part of the team keeping the free world safe. Because you veterans were so good at your duties I did not have to go to war.

[@Stevis82]

Never saw a cart start of an F-4 in 5 years of working on them. The sounds take me back. This is a great video!

[@EveryoneIsFightingSomeBattle]

Phantastic video! There are many other alert scramble videos I've seen here on KZbin (most using F-15 and F-16 aircraft), and though they fall within the 5 minute rule, they seem to all get pretty close to the 5 minute mark, before getting airborne. However, this video with these beautiful F-4E aircraft utilizing cartridge starting to bring those J79 engines to life, is the fastest alert scramble I've seen. Truly Phast Phantom scrambling!!!!

[@danabogue1804]

SALTY ROOSTER HAHN AIRBASE GERMANY Set the standard for COMBAT TURNS in USAFE 77-78

[@arkadious9320]

While the maintain the 5 min rule you have to understand the completly different worlds you loved in compared to recent times. Hell the cartarge starts alone without the care the the health of the Mx / Flight crew alone show the difference. In the early 80's there was a real threat. . in the 2000's it was known that Russia wasnt a threat anymore but they trained like it was the cold war anyways.

[@trunkmonkey9417]

From 1970-73 with 57 FiS Keflavik NAS F-102, then 1981-83 with 36th TFW at Bitburg F-15 A/B and C/D, then 1991-1992 Kadena AB 18th TFW and TDY Alert to Gimhae S. Korea, living 24x7 in a war that never happened, but always was, and never knowing if the next horn was another exercise or the "real deal". The few times you were in theater where shit was real, was a weird sense of relief to the times we wondered when that horn went off, may well be the end of all things we knew and loved. Especially, when your family was just a mile or so away, and you knew that you would never see them again. Yeah, even now, nearly 40 years later, you have dreams, you wake up with a start, or you find yourself re-wound to a time in the past when a smell, a noise, or something brings it on suddenly... Those that know, know...

[@TheLeadSled]

What an absolute iconic bird, love my F4 did me justice!

[@djr1684]

I was there 81 to 84...I spent 9 months on ZULU with Russ Bayne. We saw the end of Cart starts and learned how to launch with -60s...it was a bit slower but a lot more exciting as a crew chief. I cannot imagine running at full speed under a loaded F-4, but we did. I was there when we ALFA scrambled on a hang glider...what memories. would I do it again,,,give me a chance...

[@SeaOfBread]

Good for you, man!

[@timothydodd3708]

Phantoms Forever!

[@michaelsimpson2457]

Shouldn't that be "Phantoms Phorever!"

[@mikesmith7249]

@@michaelsimpson2457 came here to say this

[@nsha2011]

I miss those days. I was stationed at Ramstein AB back in the 80s. Good times!

[@usaf6387]

I was an Airframe Repair Technician with six years on F-4's and have no fond memories of that maintenance nightmare. F-4C's Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, F-4D's and RF-4C's at sunny Zweibrücken, Germany and F-4E's at Kunsan. It was a beauty to look at but hell to repair and it needed too much repair.

[@chrismontreuil2206]

usaf6387 what kind of repairs? My brother in law worked on them in the navy and said they were hard to work on too.

[@trespire]

A few examples of airframe repairs on a Phantom : The "triangle" panel at the wing root leading edge always needed attention (loose rivets or a replacement panel), upper wing honey-comb panel over the wheel well edges kept delaminating and curling up, joe-bolts on the titanium hot panels were always loose we had a special key fabricated to try to tighten them up, loose rivets around the edge of the drag-shoot pop-open door, loose rivets galore, side wind shield replacement, horrible job of sealing the 6 center line fuel tanks with PRC B, never ending fuel leaks from the wing tanks, extracting fastners stripped by other mechanics, replacing damaged floating anchor bolts, extracting a strippet 1/16 stainless steel headless Alen screw from the pilots stick in sub light conditions (watch out for FOD).

[@DavidALovingMPF102]

I remember that all electrical canon plugs in the jet had that grape purple or red "stick to itself" tape on them. In the winter when we loaded an ECM pod on it, sometimes my fingers would get slippery. Yup, poked by the safety wire. Numb fingers. Cold toes. In the summer, we would open the shop doors facing the flight line, and when the F-4s would take off, our lungs would vibrate. Scary jets to an A1c. Bentwaters.

[@usaf6387]

@@DavidALovingMPF102 Phantom bites.

[@danabogue1804]

YEAH, it was a maintenance hog, BUT IT WAS "OUR" PIGGY AND WE LOVED HER!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHN AB GERMANY 50th TFW 78 to 80 USAF

[@stangcolbra]

36th TFS 1966 1969 22nd & 53rd sq. spent many a day on Victor Alert as a crew chief for F4d #.66647.Thanks for the video!!

[@rkjessop]

It's amazing to see how far fighter technology has come comparing an F-4 alert take-off to an F-22 take-off.

[@markt4672]

Still remember the smell of those cart starts. Not pleasant. I was a Jet Engine Mech on F-4's. Worked several models: F-4C, F-4F, F-4E and F-4G. Who remembers the F model F-4? German. Had them at George AFB. Basically an E model, but there were discernible differences. Was at George AFB 77 to 80 and 84 to 87. Our alert jets were F-106 Delta Darts in 1977. We were low-smoke converting when I left in 87 for Germany. The carts I smelled were on F-105 Wild Weasels there between 77 and 80.

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

Working the "Nickle."

[@renecordova6349]

Mark T ...i was at George in 1973...worked on F_4E radar...

[@alanhess9306]

I worked WCS at George AFB. I worked C, D, E F, and G models. The F-4Fs were owned by the German govt and the difference between the E and F models was that the F had no AIM-7 capability.

[@intuitive7274]

My absolute favorite attack bird ever. Over all of them.

[@ronmay1041]

I LOVED doing alert scrambles. Phantom crew chief 68 - 69 and 72 - 77.

[@agniteyt]

The Phantom looks creepy to me in the dark. That ominous Howl and then in light it looks badass

[@robertoarias2524]

Power and beauty joined in an aircraft

[@f4dphantomII]

The starter cartridges were about the size of a 3-pound coffee can, and the smoke smelled like rotten eggs, and was probably black powder gunpowder. Yes, the aircrew could suck 100%O2, but what about the ground crew? We just had to try to duck in and out and hold our breath. At Hahn AB, our Victor Alert was all open front revetments, and the crew chief's slept in adjacent rooms. That horrible claxton was right over the bed, so if it went off, you were up and out the door, waiting for the aircrew at the No Lone Zone line with the AP watching you, and then your heart would slow down to about 500 BPM. At Hahn at the time I was there (66-69) Zulu Alert was with the F-102s.

[@MrLuvOldies]

Great USAF "Scramble" Video Clip. Thanks.

[@Mike-01234]

Co-worker was a F-4 Pilot in Germany and South Korea he told me that his F-4 had a nuclear bomb on it he could select the yield from the cockpit. They sometimes sat in their planes for a few hours or more on alert ready to go during the late 70's until the early 80's then the F-16's started replacing the F-4.

[@dispatcher54]

Saw this many times when I was stationed at Bitburg Air Base.

[@TheDustysix]

And still no Cold War Service Medal. My Father and I rate one.

[@alovedone2251]

Was stationed at Ramstein Air Base, 1983-1986........can't count how many times (I worked on the MAC ramp) I saw the alert guys blast off. Was always fun to watch and they got in the air in a hurry!!!!!

[@davidray9068]

A LovedOne '85-86 until the ANG took over. Our record was 3 minutes wheels of the ground, 4 from a dead sleep lol

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

Worked the Zulu barn at the "stein" and Victor at Hahn. Good times. We sometimes turned those jets 5 times a day in Zulu (Damn Russians!)

[@trespire]

Thanks Kirk (ex IAF First Wing airframe mechanic)

[@danabogue1804]

I was at Hahn 78 to 80 Red Section B FLIGHT 496th sq. 50th TFW. Do we know each other? A1C Bogue 43151

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

@@danabogue1804 Probably not. I was at Hahn 83-85 and 90-91.

[@danabogue1804]

@@kirkf4crewdawg604 Cool, we're still BROTHERS AT ARMS I assume then that you chiefed the F-16. Way NICE they look like they're flying on the ground

[@NHL633]

Is that Ramstein? At Hahn our approach to the main runway was not a 90 degree turn like this shows, it was a 45 or maybe a little less and those E models never made contact with the main runway. The pilots would light 'em up on the access ramp and be in missle mode way before the runway. Watching one of those launches made the rest of the tedium worth it. Thanks for the posting. 462 70 -74

[@stoneyj50]

E Whitcher it is Ramstein

[@sheilainman836]

I was a crew chief in the 526th @ Ramstein also during 81-83. They didn't allow females to work ZULU back then due to inadequate facilities...lol....I agree with eaglekpr427 about the concerts and the TDY's.

[@OUTLAW-2024]

Uncle flew the F-4 in the route packs over Vietnam and Laos, said he had some interesting flights during those days...typical flight was dodging SA-2s then tangling with mig17s and 21s ..and that was just while ingressing into the target area.

[@jaazielgarcia3938]

thank you for sharing! That was awesome

[@robert7212]

86th SPS. Ramstein Airbase got to see those ZULU launches oftan. Thet launched right off the taxiway. Once those wheels left the ground those E- models where gone! 82-84

[@michael184272]

A real treat.. thanks for sharing

[@williambuchanan6766]

Was at Ramstein in the mid 80s as an SP. When they did this I always wondered if the next things I would experience would be Flogger coming over the base at tree top level dropping ordinance or a SS-20 warhead streaking in (wouldn't have even had time to kiss my butt goodbye if that were case). Loved to watch them do this, especially when I was working the alert area.

[@complexblackness]

Hopefully a Flogger wouldn't have made it through unscathed.

[@noface4176]

Probably not for 2 reasons Reasons 1 I don’t think it would have made it through y’all’s phantom cover before making a 90 degree trip to the ground Reason 2 Floggers were interceptors or “air superiority” aircraft they rarely if at all were used in ground attack role

[@BraesBladesmyth]

Wave o/ I worked on them and launched ZULU Remember when the Guard guys were flying it from Duluth as wing got F-16's. Last Phantoms. I came over and fixed them, was an E-6 with lots of Phantom Phixing time. 15TRS 9AMS 6515AMS 6100CIRF (322 AD @Ramstein) I figured each launch my kids were playing about 18 miles away in a little village. Best they didn't know.

[@johnmilner5485]

@@noface4176 Except NATO classified the Mig 27 as a Flogger also . It was a ground attack aircraft. I doubt you were even alive when this was filmed smarty pants.

[@noface4176]

@@johnmilner5485 yeah you right

[@bobshannon8917]

Ramstein AB 526 MSU & 512 MSU at Easy Hanger 1985 thru 1988

[@davidray9068]

I was there (Sgt. Albert) working the zulu alert 85-86. We could get wheels off the ground in 3 minutes, 4 from a dead sleep as the IG found out during his visit. We used the air starter carts (-60's) then. They had discontinued the use of the cartridges.

[@19553129]

Phantom Phantastic!

[@stangcolbra]

Yes there was nothing like hearing that Caxton going off and away you go

[@MrLuvOldies]

Did I see a painted "Flying Tiger" type paint scheme on the F4E Phantom noses?

[@radarradford3839]

I still have an original copy of Trapper Goltz's home made movie. Awesome

[@goldencaliber1012]

Still in Greece flying and Scrambling daily

[@goldencaliber1012]

Just make a simple search about Hellenic airforce f4 phantoms on youtube you will find alot videos ! Take Your time !

[@eeeen321]

Great video

[@waswolltihr1526]

I love the Phantom.

[@jamesrobbins26]

Did this many times with the 33rd wing from Eglin. I'll take this scramble over what I witnessed with an F15 scramble. Course I imagine the 1st TFW could come close when they first got theF15s but that was back in the day when we tried to play war for keeps.

[@noface4176]

What film is the aircrew scrambling from ?

[@Manaritzis88]

00:47 beast waking up

[@th3unn3rv3d3]

Big iron butterflies... Beautiful.

[@thomasnikkola5600]

They had a firehouse pole! Cool!

[@tkinter584]

Reminds me of Spang. Those sunny days

[@stoneyj50]

Hah, no kidding.

[@greaserbubtheoriginal7923]

how old was that film by 2010 there were no f-4s in use active or air gaurd?????????

[@mikewagner7281]

Did that 82-83 57th FIS Keflavic Iceland .

[@MJD1701A]

I was just over the hill at Spangdahlem, transfered the Bitburg when the F-15's came in 1976 or early 77.

[@stoneyj50]

We must have passed each other since I went from Bit to Spang for very same reason.

[@MJD1701A]

Scott I went from MAC Control Spang to MAC Control Bitburg. I was there when the USAF opened up the side of a building , a C-141 (I don't think a C-5 could land at Bit) and they removed a HUGE box housing the flight simulator and just pushed it into the building, bricked it up and by end of week the flight simulator was delivered, never to be seen again!

[@stoneyj50]

+MJD1701A wow. Fun times in Germany

[@allgood6760]

Legend 👍

[@phantomfixer5014]

Was at Ramstein 83-87 512 AMU then transfer docks, then 526 AMU..looks like the 526 patch on the hanger in the beginning of clip...must have been late 70s when this was shot..had the green uniforms and the Phantoms had the Tiseo on the left wing...

[@bobshannon8917]

phantom fixer I was there during that time as well over at the MSL. DRAGON 7

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

Yea, Black Knights had "74" E Models with the Tiseo. I was a Crewchief in the 512th went they first came on line at the Stein (76-78). The shot shows the alert jets taxing past some tab vees. The runway at the Stein was a straight shot from the alert barn (no Tab's). (???)

[@user-sj1fr7pl2g]

Crew Dawg Ramstien 77-79. 526th. Great times

[@SimonButler]

An old Phantom crew chief told me those cartridge starts were sketchy. Bad things could happen with them. Put holes in the plane, starts fires, etc..

[@alanhess9306]

I remember the crew chiefs hated the cart starts because they were dirty and required the starter breech to be cleaned after using those carts.

[@subdude23]

The taxi part was not out of the Alert barn. Those go right to the runway and off they go.!!!

[@zebalford6587]

Amazing Jet I would give anything for a flight in that bird. Going Mach at a few hundred feet must be awesome

[@zebalford6587]

Oh one more thing when they said they would go real low when mig was chasing them and the ground oscillation would cause the mig to lose control how low is that

[@seth1987]

Thank you for sharing : nice testimony of a cold war.

[@TheKatr2]

i think these doors cant hold a direct hit of a missile?

[@SB-qz4eo]

My dad flew the F-4 at Spangdahlem and Bitburg bases from 1970-1974. When he was on alert, the plane carried nuclear bombs.

[@stoneyj50]

Yes, Victor Alert. I might have known your father. I was at Bitburg then Spangdahlem 74-78

[@SB-qz4eo]

His name was Stan Brown. He served two tours in Southeast Asia before that (Da Nang and Ubon).

[@stoneyj50]

@@SB-qz4eo Don’t recall the name but apparently he was a stud

[@SB-qz4eo]

@@stoneyj50 Thanks for these videos. It brings back lots of memories of my dad.

[@RightCenterBack321]

Does anybody know when/what base this video was shot?

[@Retiredin09]

Bitburg. I don't know what year. I was at Hahn from 77-79. God, that sounds like such a long time ago. I'm pretty sure Bitburg already transitioned from the F-4 before I rotated home. We still had F-4s at Hahn when I left in November of 79. I heard they got F-16s shortly after that.

[@samr6148]

Old School and Bad Ass!

[@tanadornchatchalotorn1700]

Nice sounds engine start up turbofan

[@cajunamerican2417]

Yeah Buddy 👍

[@GeneralLee1961.3]

I love the shark mouth ❤️🇺🇸

[@Gunfiter74]

Just curious.... I'm assuming the F-4E had some kind of inertial navigation system. How could you get an alignment of the system if the aircraft was moving in less than 5 minutes?

[@stoneyj50]

We had it pre-aligned during a powered up preflight.

[@Gunfiter74]

Well, there's my answer. Thanks, Scott!

[@tommywatkins1747]

You couldn't. I flew the RF-4C in Vietnam (65 - 67) and it took about 30 minutes to spin the INS up.......

[@stanleycthompson]

@@tommywatkins1747 I do not know what the alert birds had to do but you could do a coarse alignment even while airborne. I had to do it once. It was not accurate but it restored several systems.

[@rnman99]

Before my time, the F-4s were gone from Bitburg and Hahn by time I got there...

[@richarddoucet3545]

Hahn Baby !!!😮

[@hpa2005]

Thank you to all who served. At the risk of sounding like an idiot: how much does one jump when horn goes off?

[@hpa2005]

@reverse thrust true....I can imagine that one would go through the roof if it went off during a rather suspenseful part of a horror movie.

[@jamespearson6887]

Been there, done that!

[@crotchboots]

where are the tail codes on these birds?

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

On the tail.

[@michastaneke2791]

Still a bad ass plane

[@TheDustysix]

All of us should be awarded a "Cold War Service Medal". USMC AirWing 77-81.

[@afvet52]

archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=41626

[@johnwozniak5323]

Hell yeah. Was a crew chief on F-4 E and F-4G wild weasel F-16 A ,B,C, and D models. Block 15 and block 40

[@M42ap]

If I only knew then what I know now!...On the one hand, one thinks "I wouldn't do that again for all the tea in China"...on the other, I'd give all I have for the chance to...!

[@CrazyRussianPilot]

👍👍👍👍

[@MultiMonster69]

The alarm that goes off... It's called a claim, correct?

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

Claxson

[@danabogue1804]

Those Birds had TISEO'S, I could'nt catch a tail code, but man that looked like the ZULU barn at HAHN. And they appeared to be RED SECTION Birds Anyone know for sure? I know it says Bitburg but they did'nt have F-4s with TISEO'S that I'm aware of. And they had transitioned to the F15 by 1976

[@stoneyj50]

The video was a composite of different aircraft to capture the essence of a Zulu scramble. The aircraft taxing at the end were from the 36th TFS at Osan AB Korea.

[@jcgoba3219]

F-22 RAPTOR

[@Angry.General1461]

0:17 😃📢😄😂

[@overbank56]

Was this during the 80s!?

[@stoneyj50]

The photo at the beginning was 1975 at Bitburg Germany. The video of them scrambling was lifted from another source and I don't have a date but it was Ramstein AB Germany. The phantoms taxing out were from Osan AB Korea in 1982.

[@overbank56]

Scott Jackson :thx!

[@user-kt1cr8qq9s]

FROZEN WAR SAYS THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER TSIPRAS

[@dutu000]

doors couldn't open slower.....:))

[@armondtodd6969]

What if you taking a shit? Is there any time allowances for that? lol

[@kirkf4crewdawg604]

Nope. Pinch it off and run!

Ah the good old days when you knew exactly who your enemies were.....and the nuclear armed RCAF starfighters were right next door......👍🇺🇸🇨🇦

[@user-ot8ux5hj4e]

5分以内に飛べ!

[@duartesimoes508]

You see, the horn sound is so horrible that everyone wants to be airborne without wasting a second. Better fight the Soviet Fighters outnumbered five to one than withstand that crap any longer. 😲

[@denniswendel1029]

Today we would be happy if we Had Keep some of this bases in an active status since the end of the Cold war....now we see again what russia is able to do....