The F-4 Phantom II Heritage Flight is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it became a major part of the air wings of the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The aircraft was originally designed as a missile-armed, single-seat fleet defender, and set various speed and altitude records in the 1950's and 1960's. The F-4 was used extensively during the Vietnam War, serving as the principal air superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, as well as being important in the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles by the close of U.S. involvement in the war. First entering service in 1960, the F-4 continued to form a major part of U.S. military air power throughout the 1970s and 1980s, being gradually replaced by more modern aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in the U.S. Air Force; the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S. Navy; and the F/A-18 in the U.S. Marine Corps. It remained in use by the U.S. in the reconnaissance and Wild Weasel roles in the 1991 Gulf War, finally leaving service in 1996. The Phantom was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several Arab–Israeli conflicts, while Iran used its large fleet of Phantoms in the Iran–Iraq War. Phantoms remain in front line service with seven countries, and in use as an unmanned target in the U.S. Air Force. Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1979, with a total of 5,195 built. Arguably one of the finest combat fighters of the 20th Century, the F-4 Phantom II series was produced in larger numbers since the end of World War 2 than any other Western fighter of the time. The Phantom II grew into an all-around performer, and though widely retired from most national air forces, some continue to serve today - some 50 years after production had initially begun. See the F-4 Phantom Fighter in action! View the 2010 Duluth Airshow Schedule. Read about other performers: · U.S. Navy F/A-18 · USMC Harrier · MiG-17