😮 That was interesting to hear, I’ve got the Defiant, Mosquito and Hampden log available and various others on crash sites in Snowdonia, Peaks, Lakes and Yorkshire.

How can I put this? You’re wrong, the RAF website is correct, when the F-4J (UK) entered service in the early 1980s at least some official paperwork described them as the Phantom F3 – unless you think the Scopie bible the AP3440 is not official enough for you. The F2 (ADV) Tornado had not even entered service at this point, so no-one worrying about the F3 designation at the time. Subsequently the nomenclature was changed to F-4J(UK), but that’s irrelevant, for a while they were Phantom F3s, though as I’ve previously said all RAF F-4s were known as Alpha through to Delta fits in the Air-defence world.

Excuse me if this sounds a little tetchy but I was there, and rather like the thread on the F1-11 the ‘experts’ seem to to know better than those of us who were.

I don’t think anyone is doubting the early RAF reference to the F4J(UK) being designated the F3, it was the logical option at the time.

When the airframes (F901 – 915) were reworked at NASNI, the Rework Facility carried out a Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) and a number of UK Mods prior to release to the RAF, this work resulted in the aircraft being designated F4J(UK) by the team at NASNI. Also upon release to the RAF, the Log Sell Configuration dated June 1984 refers to the aircraft as F4J(UK)

So my conclusion is, the RAF initially wanted to/did designate it F3 and it was released from the US to the RAF as F4J(UK). As mentioned somewhere earlier in the thread, the Tornado ADV was eventually to carry the designation F3 so I guess the easy option was to opt for F4J(UK) as it was to remain operational for only a short period.

I hope this information provides a viable answer to both sides of the story for an aircraft with two names.

Dr Strangelove.. gentlemen this is the war room….you can’t fight in here!!!
Fujimi….Japanese company….Boscombe Down writer of Pilots notes cover says RAF Phantom F4 J !!! – I can show you copy if you wish .. Trust me the F3 was a Tornado not an F4:)

I’m with you SF, then again I would be:cool:. I should have some F4J (not F3)info ready for you soon:D

If Tony can’t help, PM me, might have some somewhere.

XV404 was one of the aircraft returned from Wildenrath, ex 19Sqn coded ‘I’, just under 5500 A/F hrs when it was scrapped.

That’s if you could get permission from the Americans, Dave. I can’t see it somehow given their past record with aircraft loaned to museums.

I understand there is a raft of problems now coming to the surface with US airframes loaned to UK museums. This includes the recipient museum being liable for the delivery and disposal of the airframes once the loan expires or is cancelled. This could prove to be very costly for the museums affected, especially if they have more than one US aircraft on loan.

XV 404 in AdlerTag’s post was painted up by 74 sqn. as a static airframe for a Tiger Meet. It wasn’t a 74 sqn. machine but was a static airframe which belonged to another Wtm squadron. The 74 sqn. CO at the time wouldn’t allow them to paint up one of their own so they “borrowed” 404.

When the Phantom cull took place she was scrapped and languished at Hanningfield Metals for a while as “Mrs” had the idea they might keep it intact on the gate at the yard, it being such a pretty bird. However, Authority intervened and they were ordered to scrap it. I believe the tigers-tail fin survives somewhere.

Yes, spotted the “G” tail code on 352, Jon.

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.

Anon.

The cockpit is due to be saved 😉

Is the RAF Phantom still there? XT899 IIRC