I've done many things over the years: (a sort of jack-of-all-trades-guy) everything from a manufacturing executive, instrument rated private pilot, owned, flew and operated 3 aircraft over those manufacturing years, Realtor, banking and commercial and residential mortgages, teaching and mentoring new real estate agents, training dogs for the blind, motorcycle (Harleys and chopper hybrids and the like) sales and services, seasonal catastrophic storm insurance adjusting. Now, I'm working as a certified caregiver for Home Instead Senior Care. In my spare time, I have resurrected my old hobby of building and flying giant-scale model aircraft (go to www.rccd.org). But, the best part of my life these days is living happily with my wonderful wife and best friend, Claudia, simply enjoying our lives together. I am totally blessed! Life is good!
Update: We moved from our home in Berkley, MI to Sterling Heights, MI in the summerof 2016. A ranch style with all rooms on one floor...for ease of getting around...getting older, as many of you know, requires fewer steps to climb up and down. All is good with the two of us. We now have another grandson living close by these days. I gave up my Harley Road King some years ago...vision, hearing and good reaction time not as good as it used to be. I'm still working part-time as a Realtor helping specifically Veterans of all wars and conflicts and so-called "Police Actions". Beyond all of that, God is always in our lives, therefore, all is good!
UPDATE:
Retired 1 NOV 2018
Other Comments:
I have been truly blessed to have had the opportunity to serve with all the guys surrounding my 4 years in the Air Force as a Dog Handler. For those guys remaining on this beautifully designed planet I pray all are doing well. For those past on, I look forward to joining them one day. Lessons learned over the past 68 years?...Well, I wish I had learned this simple fact earlier in life: God has a plan for all of us. The trick is to be and live in His word every day...listen intently for His guidance and follow His lead. This will...WILL... guarantee a rewarding and fruitful life as He promised, provide all you will ever need. No matter what may happen to you, remember...it's God's plan...not for us to necessarily understand why, but it's His plan. Be blessed, all...
TSN AB: Never got to see any up close and personal, however really enjoyed watching them roar down the runway while posted on one of the K posts...beautiful birds!
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F-4 Phantom Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
From Wikipedia: The F-4 Phantom was designed as a fleet defense fighter for the U.S. Navy, and first entered service in 1960. By 1963, it had been adopted by the U.S. Air Force for the fighter-bomber role. When production ended in 1981, 5,195 Phantom IIs had been built, making it the most numerous American supersonic military aircraft.[7] Until the advent of the F-15 Eagle, the F-4 also held a record for the longest continuous production with a run of 24 years. Innovations in the F-4 included an advanced pulse-doppler radar and extensive use of titanium in its airframe.[8] Despite the imposing dimensions and a maximum takeoff weight of over 60,000 pounds (27,000 kg),[9] the F-4 had a top speed of Mach 2.23 and an initial climb of over 41,000 ft per minute (210 m/s).[10] Shortly after its introduction, the Phantom set 15 world records,[11] including an absolute speed record of 1,606.342 mph (2,585.086 km/h), and an absolute altitude record of 98,557 ft (30,040 m).[12] Although set in 1959?1962, five of the speed records were not broken until 1975 when the F-15 Eagle came into service.[11] The F-4 could carry up to 18,650 pounds (8,480 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints, including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, and unguided, guided, and nuclear bombs.[13] Since the F-8 Crusader was to be used for close combat, the F-4 was designed, like other interceptors of the day, without an internal cannon;[14] In a dogfight, the RIO or WSO (commonly called "backseater" or "pitter") assisted in spotting opposing fighters, visually as well as on radar. It became the primary fighter-bomber of both the Navy and Air Force by the end of the Vietnam War. Due to its distinctive appearance and widespread service with United States military and its allies, the F-4 is one of the best-known icons of the Cold War. It served in the Vietnam War and Arab?Israeli conflicts, with American F-4 crews achieving 277 aerial victories in South East Asia and completing countless ground attack sorties.[15] The F-4 Phantom has the distinction of being the last United States fighter to attain ace status in the 20th century. During the Vietnam War, the USAF had one pilot and two WSOs,[16] and the USN one pilot and one RIO,[17] become aces in air-to-air combat. It was also a capable tactical reconnaissance and Wild Weasel (suppression of enemy air defenses) platform, seeing action as late as 1991, during Operation Desert Storm.[4][5] The F-4 Phantom II was also the only aircraft used by both of the USA's flight demonstration teams.[18] The USAF Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the USN Blue Angels (F-4J) both switched to the Phantom for the 1969 season; the Thunderbirds flew it for five seasons,[19] the Blue Angels for six.[20] The baseline performance of a Mach 2-class fighter with long range and a bomber-sized payload would be the template for the next generation of large and light/middle-weight fighters optimized for daylight air combat. The Phantom would be replaced by the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in the U.S. Air Force. In the U.S. Navy, it would be replaced by the F-14 Tomcat and the F/A-18 Hornet which revived the concept of a dual-role attack fighter.[21]