[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Tyler109

I'm all for the Boscombe Phantom

You and me both!

[Phantom Phan1200]

A few I would like to see.

[ZS-VAN]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

This is probably a long shot, but I would definitely like to see GA do these anniversary Phantoms for sure!

FGR2 XV424 NATO 30th Anniversary

Boscombe Down FGR1 XT597 25th Anniversary

The 30th Anniversary one looks cool to me. The other is a bit loud.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by Phantom Phan1200

Spot on Timbo.

After doing much reading on the subject it was interesting to hear that a great number Brit F-4 pilots perfered the standard J79 American F-4 to the RR sepy version for the reason listed above.
The brits got their hands on a number of ex USN F-4J's in the 80's as a stop gap measure untill newer aircraft came online, most of them were based in ther Falklands, the RAF crews loved them.

Like I said it was politics that lead to the Spey F-4, the British governemt was not to keen on buying a off the shelf American fighter at the time.
To ease some of political pressure they felt it would be better if some of the aircrafts parts were built at home. While the spey was great powerplant it really did not improve the F-4 based on the other factors needed it fit it to the airframe, is has been said if brits would have just went of the standard F-4 they would have also saved a ton of time & money in the long run.
There are also differences in electronics, weapons systems & other things on American & British F-4's, but the main thing as always been the engines.

Having said all that the Spey F-4 is no turkey, it just did not live up to the expectations many had.
The combination of American & British technology worked great in the P-51 & others things like the Shelby A/C Cobra, but not as much in the F-4.

I persoanally love the way spey F-4's look, they look a little meaner with those over sized intakes & big engines sticking out the back.
Being a F-4 nut this is a important model to own & I will probably buy everyone GA makes, as long as they do a good job

Yep I have always loved the look of the Spey nozzles at the back. The just look like the mean business The F4 (along with the Bucc) is my favorate jet.

I believe the Falklands just had regular F4-K/M models based down there. The F-4J(UK)'s obtained in the 80's were all formed into 74Sq and based in the UK. - These are the ones Corgi have modeled twice.

Thinking about the lack of top end on the Spey phantoms. I'm not sure if that was that much of a disadvantage for the roles they were bought for at all. These birds would have been penatrating wasaw-pact airspace at zero feet, and any birds assigned to be interceptors wont be dog-fighting at Mach2. The lack of the smoke trail will have more than made up for that. Was speeking to an ex F4 jock on the Midway last week and he said you could see an F4 coming from miles off because of these smoke plums.

I think the biggest problem in my mind was that they used the J airframe as the basis and not the E with it's integral gun.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

This is probably a long shot, but I would definitely like to see GA do these anniversary Phantoms for sure!

FGR2 XV424 NATO 30th Anniversary

This one was to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Allcock and Brown's first transatlantic flight. I have a picture of me and my dad with it taken at the 79 IAT airshow.

[Phantom Phan1200]

Timbo
Your correct about the F-4J's seriving with N0 74 SQN. I had it backwards the F-4J's were needed for U.K home air cover since a large number of Phantom FGR Mk.2's were sent down to the Falklands.
Still I thought I read some F-4J's did see time in the Falklands
Below is a bit of info from one of the F-4 sites on the whole F-4J U.K program.



In order to bring British home-based defense back to strength after the transfer of the Phantom FGR Mk.2s (F-4Ms) of No. 23 Squadron to RAF Stanley to provide air defense for the Falklands, the RAF obtained 15 low-time Navy F-4Js. The serials of these planes were BuNos 153768, 152773, 153783, 153785, 153795, 153803, 153850, 153809, 155510, 155529, 155574, 155734, 155755, 155868, and 155894. Most of the jets came from the boneyards at Davis Monthan or from Navy storage. These planes were overhauled and modified at NARF North Island before delivery to the RAF. A number of US Navy systems, such as the AN/ASN-54 Approach Power Compensator System, the AN/ASW-25 datalink system, and the AN/ALQ-126 countermeasures set, were removed and replaced by British systems. The re-work was essentially to F-4S specifications, less slats but with some British equipment. When delivered to the RAF, these ex-USN F-4Js were designated F-4J(UK) and were assigned the RAF serials ZE350/ZE364. An F-9xx number (where xx ranged from 00 to 14) which represented the re-work production number used at NARF North Island was painted onto the forward nose gear door. The jets arrived in small groups of three and four aircraft at Wattisham starting in August 1984. All served with No. 74(F) Squadron at Wattisham in Suffolk. One jet ZE358/155510 was lost in RAF service when it flew into a hillside in Wales during a low level training flight on 26 August 1986. Both the crewmembers were killed in the wreck. All remaining aircraft were withdrawn from use during 1990. Only 155529 is preserved in a museum at this time. Several airframes do still exist but are mostly derelict.