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The F-4 was retired from U.S. Air Force service in 1996, but many Phantom IIs of numerous variants are displayed in museums worldwide. Incredibly, the venerable warbird still remains in service with the Iranian Air Force to this very day.
A total of 2,259 F-100s were built between 1953 and 1959. The active-duty USAF and the U.S. Air National Guard (ANG) retired the aircraft in 1971 and 1979 respectively but they remained in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and Turkish Air Force as late as 1982.
Ironically enough, the F-15E would score its first air-to-air kill, not with its internal gun 20mm gun or its air-to-air missiles…but a laser-guided bomb, namely a GBU-10.
As far as last hurrahs go, the F-82 turned out to be the last American piston-engined fighter ordered into production by the USAF. Five of them survive today.
Sharon Douglas is a recipient of MOAA's Surviving Spouse Liaison Excellence Award.