Nice photos Gerry R.

Are there still two Phantoms at Leauchars? (black mike and the one on the gate).

Is Black Mike still in such good nick? as i have not seen any recent photos of her in a while, and what will happen to both of them when the base shuts??

curlyboy

I beleive the third is still lying disassembeled at Leuchars, although tentative enquiries with ‘locals’ have met a blank so far.

Regarding the F3/F-4J the story at the time was as SF relates – the designation F3 should have been the correct one, but was not adopted to avoid confusion with the new Tornado F3

Try googling for ‘RAF Ensign’ – there are a few suppliers.

e.g

http://www.newtonnewtonflags.com/regimental-flag-raf-ensign.htm

http://www.piggotts.co.uk/raf-ensign

ZE359 A little while later starkers awaiting the Vietnam era USN paint job-

That’s interesting, I didn’t realise she had been stripped back (so no paint archeology for future generations to re-discover. I don’t suppose they documented what was there?

I’ve always had the theory that the variable paint colour was down to a thin layer of top coat refelecting the primer undercoat (it always looked greener in dull weather). A similar effect is alleged on late war German aircraft.

T

JohnF86, 352 eventually acquired the proper colour (I presume you were referring to the peculiar greeny-blue the J’s were delivered in?) which she wears to this day. You’re welcome to come and see her any time though she will be moving home in the next few months with myself and my collection having been evicted from Hooton Park (again!). Perhaps when the weather improves you might like to come and see her.

I will try and take you up on that! Should be down in your part of the world later in the year.

Great pics guys, keep ’em coming.

I’ve got the cockpit from ZE352 ex-Laarbruch. It also had the XV zap on it (and still has). It’s probably one of those in the photos.

The reason we can’t have a whole Phantom is not because of size or space or lack of desire, it’s because no one will let us have one:(.

It’s tough enough getting hold of an F-4 cockpit, let alone the rest of it. Give me the chance though and, ten tons or not, I’ll move it.

Anon.

That’s good to hear Anon – is she still in her ‘delivery’ green/gray colour? I’d love to have a close look at that!

Dave

Regarding the mentioned in the older posts, I beleive it’s identity is known, and it is the one mentioned in the book on Buffalos over Singapore as being found in the Jungle in the 60s and reburied. I asked Mark Hasleden about it, and he told me about it being bulldozed/scrapped during development.

Looked up the book.

The Buffalo was W8202, which was crash landed near the Mersing River on 12 January 1942, whilst part of the combined 21 RAAF/453 Squadron. This is actually a very famous aircraft, as it featured in the series of LIfe photos showing a Buffalo being removed form it’s crate (albeit one was altered to look like W8202 when it wasn’t)

It was re-discovered relatively intact in 1962 and the guns taken back to Seletar, but left there.

It was filmed in 1994, and the results were posted on a web site called ‘air pirates’ (now gone)

http://web.archive.org/web/20061018141610/http://www.airpirates.com/gallery/Malaysia

It’s subsequent history is as described.

This one is in Kirkcaldy (THom Muir Haulage), you can see the railway engines from Den Road (and on Google Streetview)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=kirkcaldy&hl=en&ll=56.119694,-3.156161&spn=0.001956,0.005681&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=17.025991,46.538086&vpsrc=6&hnear=Kirkcaldy,+Fife,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=56.119576,-3.156469&panoid=AD1AV1WYb1y0fvfS9XPFzA&cbp=12,336.78,,0,-0.68

I think we have discussed this one before – could the engines be from a Hastings or Bristol Freighter?

Why does every thread about TE311 go on to mention TB382. It is getting very tedious and quite frankly I am getting fed up of one or two members comments. Here are the facts
1. TE and TB came to BBMF in 1999 for spares recovery after a proposed auction was stopped
2. 2000/01 Both a/c were surveyed and TE was chosen by ME as the most likely to be considered as a project by BBMF this was based on condition
3. 2001 work started on TE
4. TB was then struck off charge and used/ swapped call it what you like to pay for the wing restoration for TE.

Mark 12 has said many times on here that TB will by restored and will fly again. It is now down to the owner of TB if he/they want to let any info out on their project is it not!!!!!

Rant over.

Thanks for that Fluffy. The speculation/assumption has always lurked due to the nature of the phrases ‘struck off charge’ and ‘spares recovered’. There was always a sense of disbeleif that the RAF would actually scrap a Spitfire, (especially a combat veteran with an association with a famous figure) in 2000s. It’s nice to finally have a definitive statement. Glad to know that there was actually such a positive outcome.

Now, as for TE311, what a superb piece of work to turn what was effectively a shell into what will soon be a flying aeroplane.

Look forward to seeing her in the air – you’ll soon have as many fighters as the frontline squadrons!!