X'ceptin' the F-4 was an Interceptor (now that ought to piss of the F-4 drivers! ). The F-100 is very cool, but I have to go with the MiG Master, aka the F-8.
JorgeI, you're right; it was designed as an interceptor to stop the "Red Horde" coming over the horizon....BUT once the Navy and the Air Farce figured out how to take advantage of the F-4's strong points (two J-79's in burner) and the various Migs' weak points, it was no contest in SE Asia or over the Sinai.
I've fought Mig 17's, 21's and 23's (which were the threat when I was on active duty) in the F-4 and IF you know what you're doing they are easily defeated.
It's sorta like a gunfight; you fight with what you have at the time and the Phantoom was it for many years!
Later, even in the F-14A with the "crummy engines" all that series Migs were considered "grapes" and no contest.
Good morning to you sir! Excellent post and spot on with what I believe. The F-4's strong points were of course speed, acceleration, rate of climb & descent but the last thing you wanted to do was get into a turning, low altitude fur ball with the Migs and of course the fact it had no gun (the USAF F-4E did) was a huge disadvantage once you ran out of AIM-9s. As you know the AIM-7 was dogshit with a less than 10% kill rate against fighters. Cheers, j
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
). The F-100 is very cool, but I have to go with the MiG Master, aka the F-8. 
figured out how to take advantage of the F-4's strong points (two J-79's in burner) and the various Migs' weak points, it was no contest in SE Asia or over the Sinai. 