Post by Admin on Nov 17, 2020 5:27:27 GMT -5
F-4 Phantom Low altitude speed record
In 1961, the Navy kicked off Operation Sageburner, which was meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of naval aviation by setting a new low-altitude speed record. The first attempt, on May 18, 1961, ended in disaster when F-4H1-F BuNo 145316 suffered a pitch control damper failure.
The jet, suddenly subjected to violent oscillations that exceeded the plane’s structural limits, exploded in midair, killing the pilot and copilot. A second jet, 145307, successfully threaded a 3-kilometer long course at 902 miles per hour, all the while staying under 125 feet.
In 1961, the Navy kicked off Operation Sageburner, which was meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of naval aviation by setting a new low-altitude speed record. The first attempt, on May 18, 1961, ended in disaster when F-4H1-F BuNo 145316 suffered a pitch control damper failure.
The jet, suddenly subjected to violent oscillations that exceeded the plane’s structural limits, exploded in midair, killing the pilot and copilot. A second jet, 145307, successfully threaded a 3-kilometer long course at 902 miles per hour, all the while staying under 125 feet.