Airshow RAF Phantom blasts off the runway burns tarmac

[eXpLodingj2ice2]

The RAF didnt use Phantoms!!! Only the U.S. !!

[banoffee2001]

@eXpLodingj2ice2 Yes they did. Late 60's-70's

[stevepick135]

@eXpLodingj2ice2 Last RAF Phantom retired in the 90's

[PICLex]

@eXpLodingj2ice2

Comes as a surprise doesn't it? :)

[jonesy97]

Informative video.

[planejunky]

@AmFearLiathMor I had the privilage of working with both the F-4J(UK) and the FGR.2 back in the day, and it was still generally accepted that the J's were a better jet. It went some way to proving what the RAF's top brass already knew when our politicians were busying themselves buggering it up in the wake of the TSR.2 cancellation. ;-) The FGR.2's served us very well and departed a good ten years before they should've done as there were updates in the pipeline.

[planejunky]

@AmFearLiathMor The F-4J(UK) was a much better jet. The engines were the later smokeless J-79-GE-10B, it also had the very capable AWG-10 radar, better internal fuel capacity, external formation lights, and numerous other improvements as it was refurbished to a near F-4S standard at NARF before delivery to the RAF in 1984. It's just a shame they didn't include the F-4S combat slats, but they wanted to keep things as standard to the exsisting FG.1 / FGR.2 fleet as possible!

[dc8flightdeck]

The Spey Phantom plus a gunpod really did equal a flying brick! The RAF should have ordered E Phantoms.

[planejunky]

@dc8flightdeck Don't forget the E model didn't fly until 1967, and the RAF began receiving the Phantom in 1968, so the deal was already done and the ink dry before the F-4E became any sort of alternative. The RAF's F-4K/F-4M were broadly based upon the F-4J, but political interference saw it end up with Spey engines and UK avionics etc. On paper the Spey is a better engine with more power and better fuel economy, but the fuselage redesign cancelled out the benefits with higher drag.

[dc8flightdeck]

@planejunky im sure the RAF would never have been allowed to have the E anyway because of their requirement to have a very common air frame with the Navy. The ultimate Phantom/Engine combination was the Israeli PW1120 turbofan Phantom, unfortunately they only were able to fly one Phantom before the engine upgrade was canceled

[planejunky]

@dc8flightdeck Yeah I think you're right there. Still we did ok with the old girl and I miss her terribly, I still can't believe it's 20 years ago next year!

[Santoslhelpa]

flying brick

[f4tweet]

Like we always said, You can put 2 J-79's on anything, and it will fly. I loved my Phantoms, OOH-RAH!

[bertanderny]

except it has speys