VMFA 314 F-4 Phantom

“VMFA 314 F-4 Phantom” Heritage Poster Art.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron, known as the “Black Knights”, is currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3d MAW). Their tail code is VW.

In 1961, the squadron became the first Marine squadron to transition to the new F-4B Phantom II and was designated VMFA-314. In May 1982, the squadron’s last F-4 was transferred in preparation for transition to the new F/A-18 Hornet. In 1982, VMFA-314 received the first of its F/A-18s, becoming the first tactical squadron in the Marine Corps and Navy to employ the Hornet.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was also adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force, and by the mid-1960s had become a major part of their respective air wings. Reconnaissance RF-4Cs made their debut in Vietnam on 30 October 1965, flying the hazardous post-strike reconnaissance missions. The USAF Thunderbirds used the F-4E from the 1969 season until 1974.