Phantom 25th Anniversary Meet

[avro748]

If you don’t like Phantoms look away NOW!

I found myself at a bit of a loose end this afternoon so (instead of hoovering!) I grabbed a random box of slides with the idea of scanning the contents.

The box I picked up contained most of my RIAT 1983 photos on good old Kodachrome 64. The theme of that years RIAT (which was held at RAF Greenham Common) was ‘Phantom 25th Anniversary Meet’. So here hot of the scanner are most of the 27 F-4’s in the line up. I checked on Scramble’s airshow reports and the F-4’s I didn’t photograph were 10 TRW RF-4C, RAF 29 Squadron, 56 Squadron and 228 OCU Phantom FGR2 along with 43 Squadron Phantom FG1.

The rest of the units attending are represented here:

35+65 RF-4E AkG-52


35+81 RF-4E AkG-51


37+79 F-4F JG-71


37+85 F-4F JbG-36


37+96 F-4F JbG-35


38+72 F-4F JG-74


66-0382 F-4E 57 FIS


67-0469:ZR RF-4C 38 TRS, 26 TRW


68-0480:RS F-4E 512 TFS, 86 TFW ...Check out that sharks mouth!!


69-0250:SP F-4G 81 TFS, 52 TFW


74-1650:SP F-4E 52 TFW


XT597 Phantom FG1 A&AEE


XT863:G Phantom FG1 111 Squadron (Special scheme)


XV415:P Phantom FGR2 92 Squadron


XV470:G Phantom FGR2 19 Squadron


XV501:B Phantom FGR2 23 Squadron (Borrowed from 56 Squadron as 23 were by then down in the Falklands)


Phantastic bit of nostalgia!

Cheers

Shaun

[copperbob]

Shaun, fantastic pics, the "toom" was always my fave. In my 13 years in the RAF I spent 2 1/2 years at Coningsby on 29 and nearly 4 years at Wattisham with 2 spent on 56 and my 4 month tour of the Falklands supporting 23. Must dig out my pics and I know somwwhere I have plenty, and have some great ones taken down at MPA (Falklands) and Deccimomannu.
For a bit more "nostalgia" I spent 4 attachments at Deci, and loved it, 100's of aircraft lined up on the ASP in one huge line. And was priviliged to sit in the "viewing area" with the state of the art screens watching one of our pilots, known as "the bear" in a 56 Sqn toom taking on 5 F15's of the USAF and shooting down 4 of them before he himself was shot down, and yes, that was by one of our own! Thankfully "friendly fire" was jsut with a laser camera! Happy memories, and one's i'll never forget.
I finished my career on Tornados out in Bruggen, sadly gone now too, but the Phantom will always be my fave and is remembered with fondness.
Keep them coming, and I will try and find some of mine and add them, if at all possible.
I also have (somewhere) a pic of me standing on a crashed toom at Coningsby, circa 1979 after a double ejection and the hapless aircraft sliding down the runway and ending up in a local farmers field! I was pictured by the local "rag" with some mates atop the aircraft on recovery! thankfully the crew got out safely

Sorry for rambling, but it does evoke so mamy memories for me


Bob

[avro748]

Hello Bob

Some really interesting stuff there, its things like your recollections that help bring this hobby to life. How embarrassed must those F-15 pilots have been? I don't suppose the name 'Spoff' rings any bells does it? He was my 'Boss' for a while when i worked at Walney Island, he flew Phantoms at Wattisham on 56 late seventies very early eighties. I vaguely remember an overun incident at Coningsby, that left a Phantom shaped hole in the eastern boundary fence, i only recall the new fence and a messed up field a few weeks later.

Cheers

Shaun

[copperbob]

Hi Shaun

well, the name "spoff" doesn't ring a bell, but I was at Wattisham 84-87 so may have been after him.

As for the F15's "drivers" as there badges said! yes, highly embarrssed, and having worked with the yanks on many ocassions I can honestly say, (and not just being biased) that the RAF pilots, and Navy ones as well are the best in the world (maybe Israelies have more "experience" ) but having seen them dogfight at Deci on many occasions I know "our" kill ratio was far higher, and the F4 was without doubt, a real beast and more than capable with a good crew. thats why now with the "review" we are left without any defence as such, which I find abhorent, but thats for another day!

Keep the pics coming, and the memories, and lets hope the youngsters don't push the classic fighters to the back thinking the modern eurofighters etc are the bees knees when many know different! Saying that, I must have a day trip to Coningsby again one day soon, and watch them (I don't do military anymore, but still, i'd like to see them) and see my old haunts as well!

Thanks again

Bob

[vanguard]

Hi Avro,

They are just MAGIC, it reminds me of a startup i helped do at one of our (LPL) airshows , i'll never forget that!!!

Vanguard

[gtf4j2m]

Bob

I was at Coningsby from 74 - 82 on 41sqn, 228OCU and then 29 from 79 -82 when I was posted onto Tornado's at Honington. I returned to F-4's at Wattisham in 87 until they finished working in ASF on J's & M's. Happy days.

Working Hawks now and they dont hold any draw whatsoever.

GTF4J2M

[gtf4j2m]

I seem to recall tales of the fence being torn down at Coningsby. It was before my time there, pre .74. I was told that it was decided one day to see if a Phantom could take off without reheat. It very quickly became apparent that it could not and reheat was selected very late. The aircraft got airborne but took the fence with it.

In 1980-81 it was again taken out when XV436 missed the fast end RHAG late one night, wiped its undercarriage off on the disused runway and skidded down the field across the road ending up in the farmers field across the eastern road. Apparently just missing a farmer driving home from the Pub !

GTF4J2M

[copperbob]

GTF4, We must have been at Coningsby at roughly the same time, very happy memories. I was on 56 at Wattisham, and also worked in the Hyd Bay stores over from ASF and then went to Ascension in 86 on the change over with 23 sqn. I still have my red baseball cap for that attachment! Most of the lads were Hyd Bay and ASF lads then and the other "stacker" with me was Dave Cain who was ASF storeman. small world eh!
And as for XV436 it must have been 80, (I did think late 79) as I left mid 80 to go to Akrotiri for 3 years. Thats the baby I was on top of in the local rag pics! and yes, I remember the farmers close call which was all over the papers!
Great memories, and I must dig my pics out sometime. Did some great attachements with 29 and 56 over my time, and my 13 years in the RAF will always be with me. Spent the last 20 years in my current uniform! and retire in 16 months!
Funnily today teh 21st Feb is my 33rd anniversary of joining the RAF too! how spooky! and its true, you never forget your service number do you!

Bob

[Biggles]

Keep telling yourself, "I am not a number"

[Cityflyer]

Memories, memories,

For the older ones, amonst us

[Deleted]

Can't you just feel the power from those Speys

GC