The F-4 Phantom II – otherwise known as the Bent Wing Wonder, Old Smokey, Rhino, Elephant, Double Ugly, and other nicknames not fit for print – flew in air shows all around the world for half a century and still does. But this demo by the German Luftwaffe, flown over St. Paul's Bay on the Island of Malta, may just be the most jaw dropping F-4 display of all time.
The lighting, the backdrop, and the low-level, high-energy maneuvers just can't be beat. Here, just watch:
And just for comparison, here's an equally impressive demo of the F-4 at RAF Leuchars in 1992:
Tyler Rogoway is a defense journalist and photographer who maintains the website Foxtrot Alpha for Jalopnik.com You can reach Tyler with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other defense topic via the email address Tyler@Jalopnik.com