Phinal Phantom days Wattisham 1992

[gtf4j2m]

Here a few photo's from Wattisham during the last months of Phantom operations during 1992.
Some are from the week of 14 September when 74 sqn hosted a mini Tiger Meet prior to disbanding

XV404 was given a special all over Tiger scheme paint job to act as back drop for the final end of Phantom ops hangar party. The fuel tanks were filled with water so it was not a fire risk. It never flew in this scheme and was scrapped shortly afterwards.


XV404 F-4M special Tiger scheme EGUW .92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV404 F-4M special Tiger scheme EGUW 30.10.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV404 on scrap line late 92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XT892 'J' F-4M RAF-74sqn EGUW 30.10.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XT903 'X' F-4M RAF-56sqn EGUW 15.9.92 (2) by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV404 'I' F-4M 19sqn EGUW 10.1.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV408 F-4M 92sqn marks EGUW 14.7.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV419 'AA' F-4M 19sqn EGUW 10.1.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr

Some F-4's were flown to other airfields as decoys, fire dump or gate guard. This one is XV467 just after arrival at Benbecular 6.8.92


XV467 'F' F-4M 56sqn EGPL 6.8.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV470 'D' F-4M 56sqn EGUW .92 (1) by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XV470 'D' F-4M 56sqn EGUW .92 (2) by Graham Taylor, on Flickr

The Hawk's arrived for 74sqn disbandment parade


XX226 Hawk T.1 RAF-74(R)sqn EGUW 30.10.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


XM192  was Wattisham's gate guard


XM192 'K' Lightning F.1A gate guard (11sqn) EGUW 25.7.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr

Mini Tiger Meet September 1992


XX255 'TE' Hawk T.1 RAF-74(R)sqn EGUW 17.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


5454 G-91R FAP-301esq EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


1810 G-91T3 FAP-301esq EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


41+27 Alpha Jet GAF-JbG43 EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


41+42 Alpha Jet GAF-JbG43 EGUW 17.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


52 Super Etendard French Navy-11F EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


59-1456 KC-135E USAF-108ARW, New Jersey ANG EGUW 17.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


68-0013  F-111E USAF-20TFW EGUW 17.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


68-0051  F-111E USAF-20TFW EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


68-0079  F-111E USAF-20TFW EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


188926 CF-188B CAF-439sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


188927 CF-188B CAF-439sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


FA-64 F-16A FAB-31sm EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


J-003 F-16A KLU-313sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


J-004 F-16A KLU-313sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


J-065 F-16B KLU-313sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


J-067 F-16B KLU-313sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


J-068 F-16B KLU-313sqn EGUW 15.9.92 by Graham Taylor, on Flickr


MM6816 '53-14' F-104S AMI-53°st EGUW 15.9.92 (2) by Graham Taylor, on Flickr

Hope you enjoyed that little trip down memory lane.

Graham
GTF4J2M

[billsamuels]

Thanks Graham.

Absolutely mouth watering photos mate. You sure are a lucky man to have been there to witness the collection.

Well done and if you’ve got any more, load away mate.

All the best.

Bill

[gtf4j2m]

The photo of the KC-135 should not have been taken by me as I was invited to fly on it by the crew, but as the Italian Starfighters were due to land I declined the offer. Better to have the photo's I think. I will see if I have any more not yet moved to digital.

Graham
GTF4J2M

[keefyboy]

A great set of photos Graham.

I think it's a case of 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone'! - I'm sure the last time I saw an RAF Phantom fly was at a Boscombe show in the early 90's - without the Internet in those days, little did I know that it was to be the last time I saw RAF Phantoms, Buccaneers, Shackeltons and Victors in the skies.

I recall sitting in the cockpit of XT903 in a hangar at Coningsby in 1970 when on an air cadet visit from our camp at Waddington - there must have been some 20-30 Phantoms on the flightline. Happy days!

Cheers

Keith

[gtf4j2m]

I started my career on Coningsby's flight line, at first with 41 sqn, perhaps 8 eight aircraft flying per day, then on the OCU with 20-25 minimum per day. As soon as one wave had launched another was coming back.Busy times.

Graham
GTF4J2M

[graham]

Superb photos Graham, always such a great shame to see a wonderful flying machine sat in a muddy puddle surrounded by rubbish at the end of her days.

[davebasing]

Phabulous pictures of XV404 Graham, thanks for sharing them. First saw her at Coningsby in 1972 as 'J' of 54Sq. Her remains were trucked down from Wattisham to a scrap yard in Chelmsford (Haningfield Metals) where the fuselage could be seen for some time afterwards still resplendent in the tiger scheme. There were some photos published of her there at the time which were, according to the story at the time, seen by the MoD who demanded that Haningfields should immediately scrap it. In 2007 the fin of XV404 turned up for sale on e-bay with some bits of other ex RAF F4s for £2,000. Not sure if it sold as the fin was again offered on e-bay in 2009. Wonder who's got it now? Would look nice in my garden (a view not necessarily shared by my wife - While in Riga I was once offered a Mil 8 by the Russians who were moving out of Latvia at the time and did momentarily think that I might convince my wife that it would make a nice greenhouse, but reality very quickly prevailed! Did however buy the Russian's flying helmet for my son for $15).

[davebasing]

Not the best picture but here is XV404 in happier times when I graphed her arriving for the 1990 Mildenhall show in 19 Sq marks.

90-ex by dave tompkins, on Flickr