Except when they have things that go Brrrrrrrrp and Boom and use them on those low fast loud passes… and not danger close
Probably ten years ago, I was up at Portland International doing quality control inspections of a couple of buildings we did. I was on the roof of the terminal parking garage and pairs of Oregon Air Guard Phantoms were taking off on the nearby runway. Oh wow…
Hammer used to tell how when he was a kid at Edwards, they’d go up on the roof of the house when his dad flew home. Could hear the engines from over the mountains, then the smoke. Lots of smoke.
I’ve seen plenty of F-4s flying at air shows, mostly at MCAS El Toro and Edwards AFB. But probably the most I heard out of them was at the end of the Certian Fury excercise of REFORGER 84. We had done an all nite long movement to tent city facility at Heidenheim and were just getting time to sleep finally. That’s when pairs of Phantoms started “beating up” the area for several hours. I went out and watched them for a few then decided some sleep in spite of the noise would be a better idea after having been since first light the day before… ah youth…
Four pilots got out of their soft warm beds at the AFB, had warm meals of eggs, bacon, pancakes and hot coffee. Went out to the flight line and said,
“Let’s go wake up the Army!”.