Phantoms to depart Tyndall for the Phinal time

At or near the end of May, the last QF-4 Phantoms will depart Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida for the last time.  Since 1997, 318 F-4 Phantoms were converted to QF-4 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) drones and delivered to the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron at Tyndall or Detachment 1 at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.  After 2 shootdowns last week, only 3 of the more colorful heritage birds remain.  They soon will be transferred to Holloman.

The remaining QF-4s at Holloman are expected to remain in service until the 4th quarter of 2016.  QF-4s are being replaced with the QF-16 Fighting Falcon.