McDonnell F-110 Spectre
McDonnell · United States · first flew 1958 · fighter
The McDonnell F-110 Spectre was the USAF designation briefly applied to the Navy's F4H-1 Phantom II before the 1962 tri-service designation unification renamed it the F-4C.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- USAF designation for the Navy F4H-1 Phantom II before the 1962 unification
- Twin-engine swept-wing all-weather fighter with anhedral outer wing panels
- Distinctive cranked wing and upturned wingtips matching early F-4 Phantom
Identical to the F-4 Phantom II: large twin-engine fighter with drooped anhedralled outer wings, distinctive cranked leading edge, slab stabilator with anhedral, twin afterburning exhausts, and tandem two-seat cockpit under a long canopy.
Specifications
- The McDonnell F-110 Spectre has a length of 19.2 m (63 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.77 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2370 km/h (1473 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
In 1961 the USAF evaluated the Navy's F4H-1 Phantom and was so impressed that it ordered its own version. Before the 1962 unification of US military aircraft designations under Secretary McNamara, the USAF called their aircraft the F-110 Spectre. The 1962 redesignation system renamed all variants under the F-4 designation, making the F-110 a transitional identity that lasted less than a year.
Variants
The F-110A became the F-4C; the designation F-110 itself was applied to only a brief pre-unification batch. The aircraft is physically identical to the early F-4 Phantom II.
Where you'll see it
The F-110 designation was used from 1961 to 1962; aircraft so designated went on to serve as F-4Cs in USAF Tactical Air Command. The type itself served into the 1990s under the F-4 name.
Related aircraft
- McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
- McDonnell XV-1
- Aerfer Ariete
- Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow
- BAC Jet Provost T.3
- F-4 Phantom II
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