Where can I download FlightGear F-4 Phantom add-ons, and how do I install them?

F-4 Phantom in FlightGear – what’s realistically available + how to install

Hi Dan,

FlightGear aircraft are normally distributed through the official Aircraft repository (and some aircraft are included in the base install depending on which package you grabbed). The first step is figuring out whether there’s an F-4 Phantom already available there (and if so, which variant), because that determines both the download method and the install steps.

Step 1 – Check if an F-4 is already available in your Aircraft list

1. Start FlightGear.
2. On the aircraft selection screen, use the search box and try: F-4, Phantom, and McDonnell.
3. If you find one, select it and fly—no separate install needed.

Step 2 – If you don’t see it, make sure FlightGear is set up to use “additional aircraft”
Most “add-ons” in FG are just extra aircraft folders. The sim only sees them if it’s pointed at the folder they’re stored in.

1. Create a folder anywhere convenient (example):
   C:\FlightGear\Aircraft
   (or a similar folder on your system)

2. In FlightGear, set the Additional Aircraft Folder to that folder.
3. Restart FlightGear and search the aircraft list again.

Step 3 – Installing an aircraft you downloaded (generic method)
Once you have an aircraft package (usually a folder named after the aircraft), installation is basically:

1. Unzip it if it came as a ZIP.
2. You should end up with a single aircraft folder (for example something like F-4-Phantom or similar).
3. Drop that entire aircraft folder into your Aircraft directory, e.g.:
   C:\FlightGear\Aircraft\F-4-Phantom\

4. Launch FG and select it from the aircraft list.

A quick “sanity check” for a correct aircraft folder
Inside the aircraft folder, you should typically see aircraft files and subfolders (often things like Models, Sounds, and one or more aircraft definition files). If the folder you copied contains only another single folder (a “folder inside a folder” situation), FG won’t see it—move the inner folder up one level.

One important note on “A/B/C/D/J” variants
FlightGear aircraft availability varies a lot by model, and sometimes a single package covers multiple variants via liveries/config rather than separate downloads. So the exact “F-4A vs F-4J” may or may not exist as distinct FG aircraft packages.

A couple quick questions so I can point you to the right method

1. Which FlightGear version are you on, and what OS (Windows/macOS/Linux)?
2. Did you install FG via an all-in-one installer, a distro package, or did you use a separate aircraft download/repo setup?
3. When you search the aircraft list for “F-4” or “Phantom”, do you see anything at all?

If you answer those, I can tell you the most reliable way to grab aircraft for your exact setup and how to confirm FG is actually scanning the folder correctly.