11/12/2025
A comprehensive meeting and interview on the Greek F-4E Phantom with retired Lieutenant General (P) Vasileios Katsiantonis — an aviator who holds two distinct firsts.
- He has the privilege of being the only Greek pilot who trained twice in the United States: first on the F-4E at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida in 1973–74, and later at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina in 1978 for the needs of the newly acquired RF-4E aircraft.
- On the day after the invasion of Cyprus, on 21 July 1974, he redeployed to Tanagra on readiness status with aircraft 01508, with Flight Lieutenant (P) Lappas as his co-pilot. During their mission, the crew carried out the first interception ever conducted by the Hellenic Air Force with a Phantom, against TuAF aircraft over the Aegean.
Historic photograph: 1978, at an unspecified airfield during refueling while delivering F-4Es to the 337 Squadron and RF-4Es to the 348 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron.
