RF-4B Phantom II reconnaissance aircraft crash - GIF

McDonnell Douglas RF-4B Phantom II reconnaissance aircraft crash caused by a photo flash cartridge explosion inside the aircraft.

<video controls autoplay loop> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/f4_crash_philippines.mp4" type="video/mp4"> Your browser does not support the video tag. </video>


Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...367#post188889
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...641#post186121
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...918#post175619
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...534#post193140
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...536#post189481

The aircraft was lost on October 27, 1987, during a Cope Thunder exercise in Zambales, Philippines when a photo-flare cartridge failed to eject and exploded in the rear-fuselage flare dispenser, causing a major fire and rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. Captain Huey Moser and First Lieutenant Andrew Auer successfully ejected over the Crow Valley weapons range.

A bit more info in comments for video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0PDGaPvVYA

So glad the crew survived. Seems like they came awful close to being struck by the falling aircraft itself or landing in the burning wreckage.

Good thing it wasn't an actual recon mission over hostile territory.