BUR-NER…clap-clap…PHRI-DAY…clap-clap…BUR-NER…clap-clap…PHRI-DAY!
Happy Burner Phriday, everyone! If you can imagine yourselves standing on Phlorida’s Space Coast during a lovely Phall afternoon, staring up at the sky and seeing one of the most iconic phighters in the history of ever, you’d be just as excited as we are. On the day in question, the U.S. Air Phorce’s Heritage Phlight was performing at another show up the coast in Jacksonville. The mighty QF-4E Phantom II snuck away to come pay us a visit in the sky over Cocoa Beach.
This particular jet belonged to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, the parent command to the “Combat Archer” WSEP at Tyndall Air Phorce Base in the Phlorida panhandle.
A McDonnell Douglas QF-4E Phantom II makes a pass during the 2011 Cocoa Beach Airshow. (Photo by Scott Wolff)
The jet made a few passes in front of the crowd, most of them with both J-79 wicks lit in all their glory, and just phlat-out…raging through the show container. What was especially cool is the east coast A-10 Demo Team pilot, “HABU,” was in the pit, getting his phirst ride in the Phantom.
And while it is true that one could make a brick phly if you put a strong enough engine on it, it does not lesson the amount of awesome or beauty you behold when said brick is the shape of the F-4. What an absolutely badass airplane. Rhino. Double Ugly. The Phantom. All pay homage to a bygone era, where a magnificently-mustached Robin Olds was prowling the skies of Southeast Asia, phighter pilots were still allowed to be phighter pilots and leadership was embodied in two words: “Phollow me.”
But we digress…
So here is your weekly Burner Phryday sendoff, PhighterSweep Phans! We hope you have a great one, and keep your eyes peeled, as there is more great content on the way phor your viewing enjoyment!
Phantoms Phorever!
(Pheatured Photo by Scott Wolff)