Yeah,I've noticed the same issue with F/A-18. It can randomly happen on takeoff or landing,resukting a crash in most of cases,especially at takeoff.
Exactly F/A-18's flightmodel is one of main term of the discussion.
And, to get back to the F-4,would it be possible to have a working radar scope now that we have the F/A-18 with a wonderfully working radar?
I havn't got textbooks about the Radar equipped on F-4, what visual is indicated on the scope, etc.
If I can see it in a "Movie" like on YouTube, that may help us more than books.
But in my thought, F/A-18's radar screen is "Not Raw reflection of Radio waves" .... it's filtered and picked-up aircraft shadows from noises or clutters by wise computer, in the other hand 1960 time F-4's Radar scope may show only Raw reflection of Radio waves.
On F-4, pilots or WSOs may have to identify aircraft shadows as bright points by only 2 eyes from much noises/ clutters similar to aircraft shadows.
I think I can import the Radar function from F/A-18's cockpit into F-4, but it will be far from historical, too easy like an "OOPArt".