Decaying F4 Phantom in Kent
 

On a pleasant drive near Rochester, Kent recently we ended up passing the old Chattenden Barracks and military base which is now mostly empty. From a narrow leafy lane I suddenly spotted this plane half hidden in long vegetation and in a poor state.

Arriving home I found it on Google Maps and could see that its wings have been removed. Perhaps it was used for training or exercises.

I beleive that part of Kent is rather sparsley populated comprising mostly open fields. I often travel to Cliffe, near Hoo so will take a look next time in the area. So far as aware there were no active airfields in the location
so as suggested it may have been used by the army navy or cadets in ground training activities.

For many years there was an F4 in Chattenden Barracks I was told it was used to train special forces in how to destroy aircraft.I used to instruct out of Rochester and remember seeing the airframe parked in the barracks.There were train carriages, buses and an airliner fuselage used for training.VBR Stampe

Ex-228 OCU FGR.2 XT907:

http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...s/IMG_0645.jpg

From that photo I think that it is not located there any more, but has been towed to a field at the northern edge of the site.
Interesting to hear that they had railway carriages there, because it was served by the Chattenden and Upnor Light Railway, apparently some of the rolling stock is now used on the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Preserved Railway.
On the same drive we saw and photographed the WW1 German U-Boat at Humble Bee Creek.

Curiousity got the better of me when I had two hours to kill whilst SWMBO attended a course a few miles ago. I managed to snap these photos through the fence:
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps240d0fa8.jpg
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps847ecf79.jpg
Because of the vegetation it is difficult to determine the exact current postion. The first photo was taken from the car park on Lodge Hill Lane and the second from a gate a bit further up the lane.

Your second photo is virtually identical to one I took from the same spot, through a hole in the metal gate in a small opening between the trees. I spotted it in my peripheral vision as I drove past.

I have a facebook book page or group Save XT907 if anyones interested. Not sure if it will do any good but more to drum up support for saving this jet :-)

chattenden phantom
 

Any contacts or news on this cat..leads or contacts to save this phantom...contact me at [email protected]

Stampe, the a/c was there as a training aid for the RE EOD boys in how to make safe aircraft weapons. At least is was when I visited the site with some ATC cadets around 20 years ago.

BL.

Having traipsed around a lot of ground on the other side of the road from the barracks (where the Phantom is) in my previous life when I was a baby Royal Engineer training as a Surveyor, I can also let you know that there (circa 2005) was/is a Nimrod fuselage knocking about too as well as some old railway carriages.

After looking at the site and on Google maps I saw no sign of the Nimrod fuselage. I believe the carriages had been part of the Chattenden Light Railway/Tramway which served the barracks, and which connected to Upnor and to the Grain line. I believe some of them are now at Kemsley and Sittingbourne Rlwy. There was at least one oddball Aveling loco which was basically a chain-driven traction engine converted for rail use, and this is now in Cahtham Dockyard.

She looks a bit sad, anyone know what actual condition shes in and whats going to happen to her.

According to my logbook, I flew twice in her on 7/10 September 1979 when she was on No 228 OCU.

The Sweep

That is the very 'toom I banged my head on, one of the Aux Air Inlet doors underneath while doing an Engine change in 1980 (ish). Bloody sharp things they were, had to have 5 stitches.

Also I think this Aircraft was bent too (but not because of the afore mentioned head inpact). When a SUU Gun was fitted on the Center line station it look like it was pointing to the left hand side of the main leg!

Regards
H

Buc Driver, will see if I can find any info on its potential fate from an ex Chattenden mate.

I have discovered the aircraft is up for disposal, with a tendering process now well under way.