Re: F4 Phantom - Flying Bus???
THS,
Sorry to rub your nose in it, but was lucky enough to get a backseat trip in a 74 Sqn F4J at the back end of 86. I was a sqn ops 'shiney' and was given the trip on leaving the sqn. Sqn Ldr John Sims/Simms was the pilot and the trip was the best memory I have of the RAF - bar none! Told by the auth on walking to the jet 'no air combat with a pax on board'. 20 mins later we made an rv with another F4J that just happened to be out over the North Sea on an air test! For the next 10-15 mins did not know my a... from my elbow! Still, in between sessions in the sick back, it was bloody fantastic!
Did not think too much of Wattisham at the time, but being on 74 more than made up for it. Great days and great people to work for. Dick Northcote, Cliff Spink, T+9 the list goes on and on.
For me, the F4 was 'the' jet to get a trip in, but if I won the lottery, I would off down to sunny SA to book a trip on the banana jet at Thunder City!
WJMcP