Any Phantom stories out there?
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In mid summer 85 or 86 (not sure which) a USAF F4 Maydayed into Coningsby, frantically dumping fuel with the starboard leading edge slat wrapped around the Sargent Fletcher pylon. The crew stopped halfway down the runway,shut down and got out asap, leaving the dump valve open. When the RAF crash rescue team got out there, they had to send back for a power set to enable the dump valve to be shut. The armourer then found that the crew had got out without making any attempt to make the seats safe before they stood on them.
By now, the huge pool of fuel had damaged the recently laid friction course surface of the runway, almost plumb in the middle, so frantic repairs had to be made over the next couple of days.
All in all, the Station Commander wasn't best pleased, and made his feelings known to the crew's Base Commander.
The most memorable thing to me was watching the crew's faces as a BBMF aircraft (the Mk XIX Spitfire, I think) landed over their heads.
By now, the huge pool of fuel had damaged the recently laid friction course surface of the runway, almost plumb in the middle, so frantic repairs had to be made over the next couple of days.
All in all, the Station Commander wasn't best pleased, and made his feelings known to the crew's Base Commander.
The most memorable thing to me was watching the crew's faces as a BBMF aircraft (the Mk XIX Spitfire, I think) landed over their heads.
An A7 got airborne off a carrier during the Vietnam war with the wings folded. The pilot managed to land it back on. Amazingly, the deck crew launched him in this configuration without noticing!
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SAC Propulsion Mechanic posted to 43 Sqn at RAF Leuchars, in 1977. On day one his Cpl tells him to go to the Eng Wg Engine Bay and ask to see Sgt Fletcher.
SAC does what he's told and the Engine Bay Chief tells him to go outside to the North side of the Engine Bay.
There are 4 Sargent Fletcher drop tanks on a rack.
SAC waits for an hour then goes back to the Sqn, slightly puzzled.
Rgds SOS
SAC does what he's told and the Engine Bay Chief tells him to go outside to the North side of the Engine Bay.
There are 4 Sargent Fletcher drop tanks on a rack.
SAC waits for an hour then goes back to the Sqn, slightly puzzled.
Rgds SOS
When 74 reformed on the Phantom they put out a call that a CAP would be run near the wash.
Sure enough every one and his brother rocked up to tested out the new unit with the funny F4s.
The story goes that a BBMF pilot on a local test flight also heard there was fun to be had.
"Boss," says a poor Phantom backseater "there's a Spitfire diving into our six"!!
Nice work!
Sure enough every one and his brother rocked up to tested out the new unit with the funny F4s.
The story goes that a BBMF pilot on a local test flight also heard there was fun to be had.
"Boss," says a poor Phantom backseater "there's a Spitfire diving into our six"!!
Nice work!
Last edited by typerated; 6th Aug 2012 at 05:35. Reason: Spelin
Chief Bottle Washer
I remember an excellent lecture at the Southampton UAS in about 1988 from a man from the AAIB who told stories of how a number of F-4s were catapulted off carriers in the 1970s with their wings still folded. I think he said something like 12 were launched of which 6 crashed straight away with the loss of the crews and of the other 6, 4 of them had the crews bang out and the other two landed them.
My memory might be fading, but I think that that was right.
There were also some incidents over here with RAF owned ones - something like the wings being down but not locked and the locking indicators being missed on 2 x walkrounds and not seen by the lineys either.
My memory might be fading, but I think that that was right.
There were also some incidents over here with RAF owned ones - something like the wings being down but not locked and the locking indicators being missed on 2 x walkrounds and not seen by the lineys either.
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http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/m...0414_xt912.pdf
I remember this one quite well. lots of us looking at 903 as it came in the hangar and shaking our heads in disbelief at the damage. the crew were very lucky that day.
I remember this one quite well. lots of us looking at 903 as it came in the hangar and shaking our heads in disbelief at the damage. the crew were very lucky that day.
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F4 Stories
On the net somewhere is a picture of a Keflavik F4 E airborne with both wings folded - it landed safely . RAF Phantoms that lost outer wings as far as I know - 29 Sqn lost one with an ejection doing air combat against F104 s and then one lost part of the honeycomb outer Wong but landed safely. RAF F4 s I think had new outer wings made by BAE in the late 1980s they certainly had lots of mods done to make them stronger they always had the paint removed and primer where patches were.
There are a million F4 stories ( you can read a few in my Haynes manual in the F4 !!! Plug) but I would love to re see the film of "Dead Dog" departing an F4 in the Falklands and mushing down a Valley whilst the GCI controllers looked on !!!
Interesting story and pictures of XV431 as that was the aircraft the later crashed on take off with a wing fold. I recall part of the line up checks the back seater did was " wings spread and locked" the pins were originally painted green but later day glow or red
There are a million F4 stories ( you can read a few in my Haynes manual in the F4 !!! Plug) but I would love to re see the film of "Dead Dog" departing an F4 in the Falklands and mushing down a Valley whilst the GCI controllers looked on !!!
Interesting story and pictures of XV431 as that was the aircraft the later crashed on take off with a wing fold. I recall part of the line up checks the back seater did was " wings spread and locked" the pins were originally painted green but later day glow or red
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From a McAir book
Wasn't there a "I Learnt About Flying" report once about an F4 in the Falklands that landed with aerial wire caught on the fin, shortly followed shortly by a call from an irate farmer who'd had his aerial ripped out by a low flying aircraft?
I seem to remember that the first F4M's we received at Coningsby had hydraulic wingfold whilst later ones had purely mechanical (literally manual). Folding the outer wing involved (obviously) pushing up from underneath until a couple of guys on top could grab hold. The more vertical the wing became, the less mechanical-advantage the guys underneath had, whilst those on top were limited in what they could grab as their toes were hard up against the hinge and increasingly vertical outer.
Just before lunch one Friday, I was working away under one aircraft when, from across the other side of the hangar there was a loud yell, an equally loud thump, followed by a brief but deadly hush. The (almost) inevitable had happened and a young fresh from training school J/T had not realised the implications of the yell from on-top and failed to dive out of the way. The poor chap was spread-eagled on the concrete, unconscious. It took SSQ an absolute age to send an ambulance, by which time the J/T was begining to show some slight signs of life. We all assumed he would be whisked to Nocton Hall to have his bonce X-rayed etc and were amazed when SSQ sent him to his billet after giving him a cuppa and a couple of aspirin.
XV431 - was that the one that tangled with an over-exuberant Harrier in Germany (or was it the other way round?).
Just before lunch one Friday, I was working away under one aircraft when, from across the other side of the hangar there was a loud yell, an equally loud thump, followed by a brief but deadly hush. The (almost) inevitable had happened and a young fresh from training school J/T had not realised the implications of the yell from on-top and failed to dive out of the way. The poor chap was spread-eagled on the concrete, unconscious. It took SSQ an absolute age to send an ambulance, by which time the J/T was begining to show some slight signs of life. We all assumed he would be whisked to Nocton Hall to have his bonce X-rayed etc and were amazed when SSQ sent him to his billet after giving him a cuppa and a couple of aspirin.
XV431 - was that the one that tangled with an over-exuberant Harrier in Germany (or was it the other way round?).
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In the late 1980s, I was flying a Chinook towards Hopsten Airbase in Germany to pop in for a refuel. We had not been there before, so there was a deal of map/ground and ground/map going on as we approached its IP South. As I reached it at 120 kts and 500 ft agl, most eyes were looking ahead for the airfield and, as I checked in with Tower, they said "Are you visual with the F4 in your 3 o'clock?"
Four sets of eyes swivelled to the right, to see an F4G, about 50 metres away, level, very slowly passing us, flaps and slats down, blown air going ten to the dozen, and two German aviators grinning at us and waving.
Most impressive.
Four sets of eyes swivelled to the right, to see an F4G, about 50 metres away, level, very slowly passing us, flaps and slats down, blown air going ten to the dozen, and two German aviators grinning at us and waving.
Most impressive.
I see that the 'RAF Timeline 1980-1989' at RAF - RAF Timeline 1980 -1989 states that the jets operated by 74 Sqn in 1984 were termed the 'Phantom F3':
Surely that's bolleaux? I thought that only spotters and spotter comics used that rather than the correct term 'Phantom F4J(UK)'?
November 1984 - No 74 Squadron reforms at Wattisham with the delivery of the first of the F4J Phantoms, given the RAF designation Phantom F3. The new fighter Phantoms are ex-US Navy aircraft de singed to fill the gap in the UK Air Defence capability, created by the need to provide full time cover on the Falklands, until the full deployment of the Tornado F3
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RAF F4 J (uk)
Beagle
Your absolutely correct - I think the RAF Spin has caused this confusion - they are quoted as saying 74 Sqn operated the Phantom F3 which is utter Bollouex
I have the Swanton Morely op order sating that the RAF would call them F4 J UK
The RAF in 1984-1986 had the Lightning F3 the Tornado F2 / F3 so operating the Phantom F3 was stupid - they were all ex Navy / Marines F4 Js so we had the F4 K M and J UKs - I think a japanese model company made a kit of the RAF Phantom F3 so all the spotters assumed mr Hiroshimo was correct.
Beagle see private MSG
Your absolutely correct - I think the RAF Spin has caused this confusion - they are quoted as saying 74 Sqn operated the Phantom F3 which is utter Bollouex
I have the Swanton Morely op order sating that the RAF would call them F4 J UK
The RAF in 1984-1986 had the Lightning F3 the Tornado F2 / F3 so operating the Phantom F3 was stupid - they were all ex Navy / Marines F4 Js so we had the F4 K M and J UKs - I think a japanese model company made a kit of the RAF Phantom F3 so all the spotters assumed mr Hiroshimo was correct.
Beagle see private MSG
Dog Tired
Diginagain. Official Secrets Act.
Lad. Other way round but he did reverse into us.
Blaireau. Yes, Hopstein. That's Wg Cdr *****, OC the certain Harrier Sqn who has just arrived from the scene of the alleged attack by chopper ten minutes after the main event.
Lad. Other way round but he did reverse into us.
Blaireau. Yes, Hopstein. That's Wg Cdr *****, OC the certain Harrier Sqn who has just arrived from the scene of the alleged attack by chopper ten minutes after the main event.