Mutual Support by Michael Rondot In any conflict, accurate intelligence about the enemy is important,
but during the Gulf War it was crucial to the rapid ending of hostilities
with minimum Allied casualties. US Air National Guard RF-4C Phantoms,
flying deep-penetration photo reconnaissance mission into Iraq and
occupied Kuwait, provided much of the vital intelligence which enabled
Allied ground forces to outflank and overwhelm Iraqi opposition with such
devastation. Their missions were dangerous, taking them into the most
heavily defended air space over Baghdad and the Kuwait Theatre of
Operations in broad daylight. They were fired on by SAMs and AAA barrages,
but none were lost in over 300 missions.
The aircraft belong to 192nd PRS (Nevada National Guard) and the
second aircraft from the 106th TRS (Birmingham Alabama national Guard)
Michael Rondot's painting portrays a classic formation of 2 RF-4Cs in
action over Iraq, flying in company to provide lookout and mutual support
in case of attack. On the ground palls of sand and smoke drift away from
Iraqi positions following an air strike, as the Phantoms accelerate and
turn in for their battle-damage assessment photo run. In the next minutes
they will come under fire from heat-seeking missiles and flak defences
around the target before escaping South, back to their base at Sheikh Isa
AB, Bahrain.
Phantom Thunder by Michael Rondot There are few aircraft even today that can match the sheer power and
brute performance of the F4 Phantom, portrayed here on a breathtaking low
level high speed 'lake burner' run.
