In the ship‑borne versions of the F‑4 Phantom, the forward landing gear was fitted with a system that lifts the front wheel about a meter before launch. This raises the aircraft’s nose and increases the angle of attack at the moment of take‑off.
The feature provides several advantages: it generates more lift immediately after leaving the deck, reduces the risk of stalling at low speed, allows the aircraft to launch with more fuel and ordnance, and lessens the pilot’s need to pull hard on the nose after launch.
Because a ship’s deck is short, even with a rocket booster the aircraft departs the deck at a lower speed than a land‑based take‑off. Raising the angle of attack before launch is therefore crucial for safety and performance.
This system was only present in ship‑borne variants such as the F‑4B and F‑4J; land‑based models like the F‑4E did not have it.