Photography > Aerial Reconnaissance and Imagery Analysis > Airplanes

RF-4C Phantom II
The McDonnell-Douglas RF-4C came into service in September, 1965, and was the mainstay aerial reconnaissance aircraft of USAF throughout the Viet Nam War and remained in active service as late as Desert Storm. It replaced the RF-101 VooDoo. Known as the Phantom II, it had a maximum speed of approximately 1300 mph, cruised at 575 mph, and had a service ceiling of 55,000 feet.

The Phantom carried a full suite of cameras and sensors. The KA-56 panoramic camera provided a 180 degree scan beneath the aircraft in a 4.5-inch by 9.5-inch frame mode. The nose, oblique, and vertical coverage was acquired by the KS-87s, in a 4.5 by 4.5-inch frame format. A thermal infrared scanner (AN/AAD-5 and later AAS-18) provided day/night imaging. A high resolution synthetic aperture radar was added in the mid-70s, providing a near all-weather imaging capability and down link in near real time.

The Phantom Fink was a common logo for personnel associated with the aircraft. Photo Interpreters of the 38th TRS at Zweibrucken AB, Germany did this adaptation - the Phantom Photo Interpreter - for their part of the mission.