Leuchars Gate Guard, XT864 question...
 

Can anyone clear up a debate please? Am I right in believing that it was XT864 that had the ding dong with the fuel bowser, which wrecked the tail empennage, and once the extent of the damage was discovered it was patched up and put on the gate?

-RP

Yes - according to Thunder & Lightnings anyway - can't post the link - you can search it. Damaged in December 1988.

Yeah, I've seen that link, thanks. It's just that a couple of folks on a 'social media' F-4 group are convinced it was XT859. I figured someone on here would be able to help...

-RP

I always thought that it was one that suffered a heavy landing in Cyprus on APC with 111 in '88 and was repaired, zapped and flown back by 43?


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Yep, that was 864...

-RP

Ah. Destiny called I guess!


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Rhino, I concur.

Cheers, CM

-RP

I always believed it was the F4 that was taking the approach end cable and landed short and the hook took the runway end lip - that caused a rather abrupt stop and the fuselage to stretch a few inches! :eek:

LJ

It did indeed have a heavy landing with Tremblers in Akrotiri.
The spanner gods could fix the wing tanks so we ferried it back with spine fuel only.
JJ in the front me in the back and if I remember correctly 6 or 7 plugs from our personal Victor tanker back to Leuchars.
Will dig out my logbook for exact date - that was the last time it flew.

Skid

I'm sure I've seen pictures of it with its 43sqn colours on somewhere online?


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XT864 duly zapped ... as posted before under my "Squadron One-upmanship Fun" thread :ok:

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...pscd28db28.jpg

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...nship-fun.html

It was indeed a heavy landing at RAF Akrotiri during a Treble One APC, flown back to the UK by our 43 friends. Leon, the lip incident at Yeovilton was XV574, Bravo Zulu.

Take That - thanks, that's cleared up that one in my head, then! :ok:

One more question about the damage to XT864, if I may, how severe was it? Was the entire empennage torn off, or was it the stabilator/s that were mangled? Are there any pics of the damage available?

-RP

Uh another point of order.

Is this "Junky Juliet" we're talking about?

Just noticed the numerals

Is there something about the Yeovilton 27 approach. Al Bryan and I managed to land in the undershoot there. Exercise Southaxe, 2 June 1981, 468. I got as big a bolleauxing as he did - welcome to crew co-op!

Does anyone know what happened to Al - I heard that he is not with us anymore.

The Sweep

Apologies for dragging this thread up again...

It seems it was XT859 that had it's tail end surgically removed by a bowser after all, and not XT864. I was talking to someone on a well known social media website about the incident and he apparently arrived on the scene in the immediate aftermath and witnessed the mangled tail in all it's glory, he also mentioned what I assume was the name of the bowser driver, but no need to mention his name here...
Anyway, here is a small image I've found of XT859 clearly showing the tail section missing up to the point where the stabs pivot, it's not too clear in it's original size, but when enlarged, it can be seen more clearly...
http://www.gairney.plus.com/Graphics...59_Phantom.jpg

-RP

I thought they were different ones. I knew the bowser driver back then. Can't recall his name now but he certainly had a few sleepless nights until his fate was decided!

was he only shot at dawn, or was it worse ..... do tell!