Alternative AAM history: AIM-4H enters service.

[Dilandu]

Just a theoretical speculation. Let's imagine that McNamarra relented a bit and allowed Air Force to redesign their version of Phantom to better suit their needs. So they decided to make a Phantom with the same highly capable MA-31 FCS as Delta Dart, and with internal storage for AIM-4 Falcon missiles.

Would it be possible to fit the internal weapon bay(s) on F-4 Phantom, to store & launch, say, four AIM-4 missiles (or a pair of AIM-26 Super Falcon or a pair of AIR-2 Genie)?

 

[NMaude]

Would it be possible to fit the internal weapon bay(s) on F-4 Phantom

I doubt it, not without a massive redesign of the F-4's airframe which would no doubt mean it's an F-4 in name only.

 

[Dilandu]

I doubt it, not without a massive redesign of the F-4's airframe which would no doubt mean it's an F-4 in name only.

True, the plane internal arrangement is rather... tight, and engines are low-placed.

Still I think a belly weapon bay, shaped like proposed conformal fuel tanks for Super Phantom, would be possible:



After all, four Falcons in two pairs (one after another) require just about 5 meters of length and 0,5 meters of width/heigth to store.

 

[Scott Kenny]

True, the plane internal arrangement is rather... tight, and engines are low-placed.

Still I think a belly weapon bay, shaped like proposed conformal fuel tanks for Super Phantom, would be possible:

View attachment 768271

After all, four Falcons in two pairs (one after another) require just about 5 meters of length and 0,5 meters of width/heigth to store.

It'd have to be scabbed on like that, there's no space in the belly of a Phantom for a weapons bay.

 

[Yellow Palace]

My guess is the USAF would be happy to settle for externally carried Falcons and the associated FCS.

 

[Scott Kenny]

My guess is the USAF would be happy to settle for externally carried Falcons and the associated FCS.

Yes, the USAF would settle for the SAGE FCS.

But if you showed them that the belly tray would make the plane faster than with having everything out in the breeze, I bet they'd buy a "belly tray bay plus FCS upgrade" over just an FCS upgrade.