Final Phantom
Posted by Jolly on June 25, 2012
F-4F’s final fling at Waddington
A Luftwaffe F-4F will appear at RAF Waddington's airshow next weekend.
Gary Parsons - 22-Jun-2012
In the final run up to what is proving to be an excellent year for international
attendance the RAF Waddington International Air Show airshow team is still receiving confirmations of aircraft participation, this time in the form of the German Air Force F-4F Phantom.
The aircraft, well loved and well used aircraft across the world, is coming to the end of its career with Germany being one of the last operators out of the 12 nations which have had the aircraft. With their scheduled out of service date of June 30, 2013 looming, the airshow team have worked hard to secure the static display, in what may well be the aircraft’s last appearance!
The example on display will come from JG 71 ‘Richthofen’ Wing based at Wittmund, in Northern Germany. The wing is the last F-4F operator in the German Air Force and operates the F-4 in the air-to-air fighter and interceptor role, and is due to replace its Phantoms with the Eurofighter Typhoon next year.
The RAF Waddington International Air Show takes place next weekend on June 30/July 1 and visitors will see 20 countries take part in what is going to be the biggest line up for a number of years. Advanced tickets are still available through Morrisons, HSBC and Santander - to check which outlets are near you please visit www.waddingtonairshow.co.uk.
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Comments:
Posted by
butch71
on
Jun 25th, 2012
Myself never been a phantom pilot. But love the phantom and I do have books on the bird. I also read them.
Posted by
Bags
on
Jun 26th, 2012
1300+ hours in the F-4E/G. Good to see the Rhino still a front line fighter, but a year to retirement is sad. May the spirit of the McDonnel-Douglas F-4 Phantom II guide the Raptors and Lightening IIs to ever greater heights of fame.
Posted by
don_farmer
on
Jun 26th, 2012
Yes, a year to retirement, WOW, yet an other one retiring soon....sounds like many of us Old F-4 drivers. With close to 600 hours in the Phantom and thousands more in other aircraft, it is a sad time.. There aren't too many of us left, especially in the US. It was an aircraft that you really had too fly by the seat of your pants...not too many computers in the ole Phantom. Started and learned how too fly from the "best"...and still remember most of what I was taught..."if ya ain't cheat'in...ya ain't try'in". CHEERS TO Y'ALL!!!
GO PHANTOM PILOT'S AND WSO'S!!!
Piggie!!!
Posted by
tulip
on
Jun 26th, 2012
So sad to see them go, another icon gone. I remember many happy Friday afternoons in the skies over Northern Germany around the Peheim mast in low-fly area 1. Encountering the Wittmunders, small smoking specks one moment, large Rhino's the next moment, caused impromptu air battles to get started. Although I was on 104's in those cold War days it was usually the Phantoms that were the first to switch on the tail lights. But then, German guys, breaking German rules over German territory meant it was sort of ok, so it signaled for all to light the burners. Five minutes of intensity and then it was all over and the skies were empty again as if nothing had ever happened. Yeah, those were the days.
Tulip
Posted by
neilcosentino
on
Jun 26th, 2012
First flight F-4E 1968 - George AFB only time in 6,000 hours did I fly a new aircraft fresh from the factory an F-4E...that beats everything except all night sex. Was In the 434th, the 67th, the 311th the 4th, the 53rd and the 62th Hope someday to meet Phantom'eers who could do everything that aircraft could do... that is how good that aircraft is... with new engines with VN and new black boxes it could last as long as the B-52Gs... Phantom Pilots Reunions every Tampa Bay/MacDill Airfest ... Friday's on the beach...
Sixgun
Posted by
DavidPeterson
on
Jun 27th, 2012
Not a pilot but one of those guys who got that jet ready for you at George/DaNang/CNA or coordinated those mods for you projectat Nellis DTRS.Working at the "Boneyard" on the QF program since Jun 02. The last flyer came in just over a month ago.
Posted by
Hangman
on
Dec 14th, 2012
Yep, a year to go and another one bites the dust. I spent 11 years crew chiefing the Phantom. I fixed every model of F-4 the Air Force ever bought. I was four years at Ramstein on RF-4's and F-4E hard wing and then the slated modified version, 7 years at Spangdahlem AB Germany and all that time on F=4C Wild Weasels and then the newly converted F-4G's.Only Pilots I knew that their primary qual was to be scared of hights. You flew my jet how LOW!!!!!! I can't say I enjoyed every second on the ole Phantom but I do have enough war stories to last two lifetimes. There were days when YGBSM was all I could say about it. Here's to the last of the Red Hot Mama's.
Posted by
Hangman
on
Dec 14th, 2012
Oh I fergot, also spent alot of week-ends fixing the other Brands F-4 Dog modles at Spangdoolie Germany 1978-1985!
Posted by
Hangman
on
Dec 14th, 2012
Oh I fergot, also spent alot of week-ends fixing the other Brands F-4 Dog modles at Spangdoolie Germany 1978-1985!
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