F4 Phantom
Get this one going!!
Surely after all this time the flyers must be able to yarn about interesting times far out to sea chasing Bears and Badgers? And what about goings-on in the ADIZ from the Wildenrath guys?
Well, anything on the lines of the Vulcan/Victor/Canberra threads...
Well, anything on the lines of the Vulcan/Victor/Canberra threads...
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Mists of time...
1974, F4 OCU: GA & AD courses going through at the same time, much banter, mud-moving vs ear-defending etc. The first Luftwaffe exchange crew, ever, come through Coningsby. All the RAF chaps in awe of the smart leather jackets, cool shades and extremely tasty other halves. Both guys are good operators, know the ropes, enter into friendly game of getting through the OCU without causing too many waves.
Last phase before moving to Squadron is live drop at Wainfleet, one LW pilot & RAF nav in #1, RAF pilot and LW nav in #2, call into the range. Strange noise on range frequency, sounds like music, but not quite. Further audio checks and it transpires the LW pilot is singing, quietly, the German National Anthem. Breaks into intelligible words.... "Today ve make history, zis is ze first time, since 1945, zat ze Tcherman Air force has dropped bombs on Britain..." "In hot..... off range..etc, etc.."
Laconic voice from Range officer, who by the way flew the BoBF Lancaster, "No wonder you lost the f.....g war, those bombs were 6 o'clock at 2000 yards...!!"
Fair play to the guy, he had a Transall come in to CGY and drop a barrel of finest quality German beer for the occasion, which we all enjoyed at HH.... whilst discussing the accuracy or not of the mud-movers.
Happy days.
Last phase before moving to Squadron is live drop at Wainfleet, one LW pilot & RAF nav in #1, RAF pilot and LW nav in #2, call into the range. Strange noise on range frequency, sounds like music, but not quite. Further audio checks and it transpires the LW pilot is singing, quietly, the German National Anthem. Breaks into intelligible words.... "Today ve make history, zis is ze first time, since 1945, zat ze Tcherman Air force has dropped bombs on Britain..." "In hot..... off range..etc, etc.."
Laconic voice from Range officer, who by the way flew the BoBF Lancaster, "No wonder you lost the f.....g war, those bombs were 6 o'clock at 2000 yards...!!"
Fair play to the guy, he had a Transall come in to CGY and drop a barrel of finest quality German beer for the occasion, which we all enjoyed at HH.... whilst discussing the accuracy or not of the mud-movers.
Happy days.
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Must have been round about that period at Coningsby when a real live pig was released into a dining in night and did a porking good job interrupting boring speeches.
And we formed the 641st TAF in Cyprus during the Turkish invasion in 1974 under the UN flag - composed of 6 Sqn, 41 Sqn and 64 (reserve) Sqn. 54 Sqn were not represented since they were all by then single role AD.
Coningsby in those days had 3 x F4 operational squadrons and the F4 OCU all operating out of the hangars on the North side - now it has lots more buildings on the North side, two shelter complexes southside, no squadrons - just waiting for a few Typhoons.
Is this value for our taxes?
And we formed the 641st TAF in Cyprus during the Turkish invasion in 1974 under the UN flag - composed of 6 Sqn, 41 Sqn and 64 (reserve) Sqn. 54 Sqn were not represented since they were all by then single role AD.
Coningsby in those days had 3 x F4 operational squadrons and the F4 OCU all operating out of the hangars on the North side - now it has lots more buildings on the North side, two shelter complexes southside, no squadrons - just waiting for a few Typhoons.
Is this value for our taxes?
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74 CGY
Soddim,
Wasn't that also the time that the boss of 6 was a guest of King H of J, "somewhere in the Med.." and couldn't fly the odd few miles to take over the 641TAF in Cyprus, but had to fly back past it, then turn round in the UK and come back. Also, I think 54 were being re-plated as 111 when they dumped their navs and then flew Jags out of Colt.
I think the pig was slightly later, though I'm sure BEagle can give time, place and attendees.
Wasn't that also the time that the boss of 6 was a guest of King H of J, "somewhere in the Med.." and couldn't fly the odd few miles to take over the 641TAF in Cyprus, but had to fly back past it, then turn round in the UK and come back. Also, I think 54 were being re-plated as 111 when they dumped their navs and then flew Jags out of Colt.
I think the pig was slightly later, though I'm sure BEagle can give time, place and attendees.
The 'Pink Rabbit' incident was indeed much later! 1981, I think?
I wasn't there at the time, but was told how it went:
'Beetle', the boss of the OCU is giving a very boring end-of-tour speech when there is a creaking noise from behind the mess curtains as a sash window is carefully opened - a sound of mirth is heard in the background. Then a piglet appears through the curtains, dressed in an OCU T-shirt. It site there blinking bemusedly until Courtney (29 sqn chap) gives it a kick up the ar$e. It goes mental, rushes around squealing in fear whilst the speaker tries to carry on. Finally the speech stops and the PMC orders the piglet to be apprehended. Mayhem ensues, chairs overturn, tables shift as 29 Sqn do their best to catch it. I can't recall how it was caught, but eventually the situation calms down and the PMC orders 29 Sqn to leave the dining room. So they go straight to the bar, the barman thinks that the dinner has finished early, so they all get stuck in to a few beers before the rest of the diners arrive several boring speeches later......
Unfortunately, A/Cpl Plod doing his rounds later spots a suspicious looking cardboard box outside the mess dining room window.... Upon investigation, it is found to contain straw and pig $hit - Plod is not impressed!
The Stn Cdr at the time was Ba$tard Bill. The miserable git banned everyone on the station from ever mentioning the incident, but the word soon leaked out and the 'pink rabbit' saga was soon famous around the F4 world!
I wasn't there at the time, but was told how it went:
'Beetle', the boss of the OCU is giving a very boring end-of-tour speech when there is a creaking noise from behind the mess curtains as a sash window is carefully opened - a sound of mirth is heard in the background. Then a piglet appears through the curtains, dressed in an OCU T-shirt. It site there blinking bemusedly until Courtney (29 sqn chap) gives it a kick up the ar$e. It goes mental, rushes around squealing in fear whilst the speaker tries to carry on. Finally the speech stops and the PMC orders the piglet to be apprehended. Mayhem ensues, chairs overturn, tables shift as 29 Sqn do their best to catch it. I can't recall how it was caught, but eventually the situation calms down and the PMC orders 29 Sqn to leave the dining room. So they go straight to the bar, the barman thinks that the dinner has finished early, so they all get stuck in to a few beers before the rest of the diners arrive several boring speeches later......
Unfortunately, A/Cpl Plod doing his rounds later spots a suspicious looking cardboard box outside the mess dining room window.... Upon investigation, it is found to contain straw and pig $hit - Plod is not impressed!
The Stn Cdr at the time was Ba$tard Bill. The miserable git banned everyone on the station from ever mentioning the incident, but the word soon leaked out and the 'pink rabbit' saga was soon famous around the F4 world!
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My vivid recollection of Phantom aerodramatics was back in circa 1981.
I was a young eager engineer at BAE jewel in the crown site (Warton) and so tended to watch as many aircraft comings and goings as I could without being told off.
One day I saw a Phantom on the approach and being a bit out of the ordinary I decided to watch it land.
Well unbelievably on the approach, gear down etc, at about 500ft he decided to do a 360deg roll and then complete the landing! Absolutely unbelievable.
Almost as good fun as K Hartley Lightning take-offs.
Happy daze.
I was a young eager engineer at BAE jewel in the crown site (Warton) and so tended to watch as many aircraft comings and goings as I could without being told off.
One day I saw a Phantom on the approach and being a bit out of the ordinary I decided to watch it land.
Well unbelievably on the approach, gear down etc, at about 500ft he decided to do a 360deg roll and then complete the landing! Absolutely unbelievable.
Almost as good fun as K Hartley Lightning take-offs.
Happy daze.
Yesss, I remember Toom Town and the 92 Battle Flight very well.
That German lunatic Matthias Rust has taken years off me. As he pootled his way towards the East German border and Red Square I was reclining in the Battle Flight en suite accommodation watching some "top shelf" publications from the NAAFI video shop whilst spooning in my trout & almond entree served in a hotlock, (life doesn't get much better). This idyll was destroyed by an almighty noise hitting the room like a freight train coming through the wall, I still can't explain it. A blur of then ensued, rather like the star ship Enterprise engaging warp speed. After what seemed like 3.2 seconds I found myself half naked stood outside the HAS with a handful of "noddy caps" watching, and feeling, the mighty Toom head Eastwards.
Almost immediately three Land Rover's screamed up the peri track from D dispersal. BENGO, JENGO, and SENGO alighted from their steeds and chorused "What the ^%&^$%'s happened?" At that point I suffered a complete vocabulary failure and relied instead on expletives to explain what had just happened.
Then there was the Jag shootdown.......but that's a different story!
That German lunatic Matthias Rust has taken years off me. As he pootled his way towards the East German border and Red Square I was reclining in the Battle Flight en suite accommodation watching some "top shelf" publications from the NAAFI video shop whilst spooning in my trout & almond entree served in a hotlock, (life doesn't get much better). This idyll was destroyed by an almighty noise hitting the room like a freight train coming through the wall, I still can't explain it. A blur of then ensued, rather like the star ship Enterprise engaging warp speed. After what seemed like 3.2 seconds I found myself half naked stood outside the HAS with a handful of "noddy caps" watching, and feeling, the mighty Toom head Eastwards.
Almost immediately three Land Rover's screamed up the peri track from D dispersal. BENGO, JENGO, and SENGO alighted from their steeds and chorused "What the ^%&^$%'s happened?" At that point I suffered a complete vocabulary failure and relied instead on expletives to explain what had just happened.
Then there was the Jag shootdown.......but that's a different story!
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Jag score
I was always intrigued by the item in the 228 OCU pamphlet/book/history/whoswho.. where it mentioned the combat victories of the generic F4. Loads of Migs from 'Nam, obviously, then odds and sods from other bush-fire conflicts by the recipients of US aid programmes, Israel primarily, though that is hardly a bush-fire; then the line, "1 x Jaguar".
Now I know we don't always see eye to eye with the garlic crunchers at the other end of the Waterloo Line, and PCness forbids me expressing an opinion about other users of the big cat, so I can only surmise that it must have been something of an own goal.
Any clues from the chaps in the know?
Now I know we don't always see eye to eye with the garlic crunchers at the other end of the Waterloo Line, and PCness forbids me expressing an opinion about other users of the big cat, so I can only surmise that it must have been something of an own goal.
Any clues from the chaps in the know?
Last edited by johnfairr; 14th Mar 2006 at 19:53.
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Jag Splash
At the time we used to do no notice aircraft generation exercises to show Ivan we were ready for him. Hooter blows and you have 12 hours to get 70% of your aircraft fully serviceable and armed. At endex we often flew them off in armed state and did practice intercepts.
As a safety break the circuit breaker for the trigger circuit was pulled (it sits in the back cockpit down where the navigators right calf may be. Of course you're not supposed to make the master arm live or select the weapon or pull the trigger either.
Mighty F4 traps unsuspecting Jag mate on recovery to Bruggen. Winds in behind him and the training takes over: master arm live, sidewinder selected, lovely loud growl in the headset (shows missile acquisition, and trigger pulled.
Woosh.... Fox 2 kill. Circuit breaker must have been wobbly 'cos the navigator maintains to this day it was out.
Court Martial gave them a mild slapping mainly because the regulations were in a shambles and the defence (think it was John Smith later leader of the Labour Party) said how could they be expected to work with such poor documentation.
Bottom line is you teach a man to be a fighter pilot don't be surprised when he acts like one!
The F4 later became the gate guard at Stornoway of all places!
As a safety break the circuit breaker for the trigger circuit was pulled (it sits in the back cockpit down where the navigators right calf may be. Of course you're not supposed to make the master arm live or select the weapon or pull the trigger either.
Mighty F4 traps unsuspecting Jag mate on recovery to Bruggen. Winds in behind him and the training takes over: master arm live, sidewinder selected, lovely loud growl in the headset (shows missile acquisition, and trigger pulled.
Woosh.... Fox 2 kill. Circuit breaker must have been wobbly 'cos the navigator maintains to this day it was out.
Court Martial gave them a mild slapping mainly because the regulations were in a shambles and the defence (think it was John Smith later leader of the Labour Party) said how could they be expected to work with such poor documentation.
Bottom line is you teach a man to be a fighter pilot don't be surprised when he acts like one!
The F4 later became the gate guard at Stornoway of all places!
Fantastic Phantom
What a much-missed sight and sound. I'd sell my soul to the devil for one last look at an F-4J going down the local valley at Warp 9.
Anyone come across a guy called Dave Wildridge, with whom I was on UWAS in the early 1970s? Believe he wound up on the F-4 and subsequently gave up the RAF in favour of becoming Somebody's polo manager -- or so the grapevine said.
Please keep the stories coming.
John
Anyone come across a guy called Dave Wildridge, with whom I was on UWAS in the early 1970s? Believe he wound up on the F-4 and subsequently gave up the RAF in favour of becoming Somebody's polo manager -- or so the grapevine said.
Please keep the stories coming.
John
Went through Cranwell with Milo Wildpig! Good 'lad' to use the UWAS term of the day - not a 'gap'.
Last saw Wildpig at Kidlington a fair few years ago now when he was a civil FI teaching baby airliner-drivers.
Definitely one of the characters of the time!
Last saw Wildpig at Kidlington a fair few years ago now when he was a civil FI teaching baby airliner-drivers.
Definitely one of the characters of the time!
How could they be expected to work with such poor documentation?
signed for 4 sparrows, 4 'winders, and 1000 in the can. I was closer still to the scorch marks when Flt Lt brought back just 3 'winders.As for the excuses, it wasn't aircrew's finest moment when it came to pointing the finger. Could it just possibly have been that old sloppy link between seat and stick that failed?
Milo Wildpig
Milo Wildpig -- that brings back memories. Actually he and a chap called Dennis Harkin were responsible for the whole lads/gaps thing, which I believe is still going strong. Happy days, and the b*g*er still owes me 200 fags and a tenner.
If you ever see him, ask him how the undersigned got his "Bring 20 Tarts to a Party", "Major B*llocking from the Boss" and "Upset the SDO" ticks on the Lads Progess Chart simultaneously . . .
John
If you ever see him, ask him how the undersigned got his "Bring 20 Tarts to a Party", "Major B*llocking from the Boss" and "Upset the SDO" ticks on the Lads Progess Chart simultaneously . . .
John
Den H - another good 'lad'. But he went grey prematurely after the pressures of a RAFG Jag tour.....
Milo's tales of 'Thumper', his 'magic trousers' and how Superthick pinched the UWAS boss's 1800 had us in hysterics during groundschool....!!
Milo's tales of 'Thumper', his 'magic trousers' and how Superthick pinched the UWAS boss's 1800 had us in hysterics during groundschool....!!
December 1983, Operation Pulsator (support of Beirut), Buccaneer and Phantom detchments operating from Akrotiri. Phantom squadron change from 43 to 56. Joint dining-in night between Bucc det and Phan det to say farewell to 43.
So, we (the Bucc det) decided to present 43 with a trophy. "Fighting Cocks" (in the avian sense) were not easy to come by so we purchased a live chicken from "Kris Kebab" restaurant for £1. The Bucc det commander played the bagpipes and so the chicken was duly piped in at the dinner on a silver salver under a large silver dome. Once it had been presented to OC Phan det, we expected some animal from 43 to decapitate it. But no, the chicken became the guest of honour and spent the rest of the evening strutting around the tables cr**ping everywhere. Usual food and drink throwing and vomitting, and a good night was had by all.
Next morning the PMC (a Wing Commander dentist!) went into breakfast and exploded at the "state" of the dining room, immediately phoning the Station Commander, Group Captain John Willis. The staish then summoned OC Bucc det and OC Phan det for a viewing of the dining room, along with the PMC. He surveyed the room and calmly said "What mess, PMC? Looks to me like the boys had a good time". He then summoned the detachment commanders to his office and apologised for the behaviour of his PMC! I was very pleased that JW made 4 star - a real gent.
The chicken became the Phan det mascot and lived in a drying room in one of the blocks. However, after about a month it disappeared, and we suspect that "Kris" had stolen back a now very well fed chicken for a few kebabs.
The final 43 Sqn sortie of their det was a Friday lunchtime push with 5 F4s defending the airfield against 4 attacking Buccs. One F4 chasing a Bucc hit the beach at around 200 ft still supersonic, and it was pointed out to us that if we were calling it an airfield attack we should fly high enough for the bombs to fuse!
The days of real aircraft.........
So, we (the Bucc det) decided to present 43 with a trophy. "Fighting Cocks" (in the avian sense) were not easy to come by so we purchased a live chicken from "Kris Kebab" restaurant for £1. The Bucc det commander played the bagpipes and so the chicken was duly piped in at the dinner on a silver salver under a large silver dome. Once it had been presented to OC Phan det, we expected some animal from 43 to decapitate it. But no, the chicken became the guest of honour and spent the rest of the evening strutting around the tables cr**ping everywhere. Usual food and drink throwing and vomitting, and a good night was had by all.
Next morning the PMC (a Wing Commander dentist!) went into breakfast and exploded at the "state" of the dining room, immediately phoning the Station Commander, Group Captain John Willis. The staish then summoned OC Bucc det and OC Phan det for a viewing of the dining room, along with the PMC. He surveyed the room and calmly said "What mess, PMC? Looks to me like the boys had a good time". He then summoned the detachment commanders to his office and apologised for the behaviour of his PMC! I was very pleased that JW made 4 star - a real gent.
The chicken became the Phan det mascot and lived in a drying room in one of the blocks. However, after about a month it disappeared, and we suspect that "Kris" had stolen back a now very well fed chicken for a few kebabs.
The final 43 Sqn sortie of their det was a Friday lunchtime push with 5 F4s defending the airfield against 4 attacking Buccs. One F4 chasing a Bucc hit the beach at around 200 ft still supersonic, and it was pointed out to us that if we were calling it an airfield attack we should fly high enough for the bombs to fuse!
The days of real aircraft.........
Date: Mid 80's
Location : Northern end of the Dovey Loop TFA7 (Tal y Llyn Pass)
I was heading east(up the pass) sitting on my Honda 750 at traffic lights.
A "FULLY LOADED FOR BEAR" F4 comes through the top of the pass at 5 feet AGL and starts to level out and descend heading west towards the lake!! It is now level with the road and moving.
For some (silly) reason I flash my headlight at the fast approaching beast.
As she goes past, (about 25yards away) I see the nav looking at me and see him give a massive "V" with his white gloved hand!!
MAGIC.
I couldnt ride for smiling
Location : Northern end of the Dovey Loop TFA7 (Tal y Llyn Pass)
I was heading east(up the pass) sitting on my Honda 750 at traffic lights.
A "FULLY LOADED FOR BEAR" F4 comes through the top of the pass at 5 feet AGL and starts to level out and descend heading west towards the lake!! It is now level with the road and moving.
For some (silly) reason I flash my headlight at the fast approaching beast.
As she goes past, (about 25yards away) I see the nav looking at me and see him give a massive "V" with his white gloved hand!!
MAGIC.
I couldnt ride for smiling
Ah - the fun of LLOLPIs! We used to take the odd pair from WTM across to Wales now and again for that sport. Ex-RAFG people like Tony-the-poof used to transit at low level which was a bit of a waste of time and fuel (though fun), sensible folk would go HI-LO-HI and get an extra PI out of it. Let down over Wales, then split for the runs. Great sport tearing about at low level round the hills and down the valleys with lots of afterburner use...
But the fun detectors eventually banned non-exercise LLOLPIs in the UK due to noise and fatigue. Fortunately I was on '10s by then!
But the fun detectors eventually banned non-exercise LLOLPIs in the UK due to noise and fatigue. Fortunately I was on '10s by then!
"AOC's commendation as crew save valuable aircraft"
So read the RAF News crca 1980. However Toom Town News had a source closer to the action.
A crew had been down south to visit Uncle Sam, whilst there they had taken advantage of the fantastic deals on offer at the PX. Upon returning they decided to do a few touch & go's. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to the crew, one "touch" resulted in the aircraft snagging the RHAG. Reheat engaged as per normal but this time the aircraft seemed a bit sluggish. Tower informed the crew that a cable appeared to be hanging from the rear of the aircraft. At this point the crew were faced with the viable proposition of gaining a Martin Baker tie. Decision made to stay with the aircraft, so the mighty Toom continued its circuit in full reheat with a 50 metre length of steel cable hanging out the back scattering Pembrokes in its wake. Crew performed perfect landing and halted at runway end. First vehicle to reach the aircraft was the groundcrew "popemobile" tractor which drew up on the R/H side as the emergency servs, Stn Cmdr, et al arrived on the L/H. Nav handed down to ground crew one Bang & Olufsen music centre, (you know, the big one that sits neatly on your lap and rests between the side panels and the cockpit sills), then hopped out the other side to a rapturous welcome.
Payment received in due course with thanks to Messrs Grolsch & Dortmunder.
So read the RAF News crca 1980. However Toom Town News had a source closer to the action.
A crew had been down south to visit Uncle Sam, whilst there they had taken advantage of the fantastic deals on offer at the PX. Upon returning they decided to do a few touch & go's. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to the crew, one "touch" resulted in the aircraft snagging the RHAG. Reheat engaged as per normal but this time the aircraft seemed a bit sluggish. Tower informed the crew that a cable appeared to be hanging from the rear of the aircraft. At this point the crew were faced with the viable proposition of gaining a Martin Baker tie. Decision made to stay with the aircraft, so the mighty Toom continued its circuit in full reheat with a 50 metre length of steel cable hanging out the back scattering Pembrokes in its wake. Crew performed perfect landing and halted at runway end. First vehicle to reach the aircraft was the groundcrew "popemobile" tractor which drew up on the R/H side as the emergency servs, Stn Cmdr, et al arrived on the L/H. Nav handed down to ground crew one Bang & Olufsen music centre, (you know, the big one that sits neatly on your lap and rests between the side panels and the cockpit sills), then hopped out the other side to a rapturous welcome.
Payment received in due course with thanks to Messrs Grolsch & Dortmunder.