Jump to content

tc2324

Members
  • Posts

    1,450
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    3

tc2324 last won the day on February 2 2018

tc2324 had the most liked content!

1 Follower

About tc2324

  • Birthday 20/12/1970

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://
  • ICQ
    0

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    London, UK
  • Interests
    74 `Tiger` Sqn

Recent Profile Visitors

4,870 profile views

tc2324's Achievements

Very Obsessed Member

Very Obsessed Member (5/9)

4.6k

Reputation

  1. ZE356 was not repainted and retained it`s US scheme, ZE352 however was. 👍
  2. We have that document at BPAG too John. It certainly clarifies what paint specification the MoD asked for, but as said before, it wasn`t what was given. I particularly like this document because it references the aircraft as F-4J(UK) a full year and more before the first example rolled out of NARF. Take that all you `it`s called an F.3`ers.......` 😆
  3. So here we are again.... 🙃 While the paint specification was sent and asked for by the RAF during the procurement process, the various shades coming out the paint shop were not the British Air Defence `barley grey` requested. The following photo is a section of top inner wing section from the trailing edge which we discovered while disassembling ZE360 at Manston Airport. ZE360 was one of the last 6 airframes painted at NARF at NORIS and represents the shade that got closest to the RAF requirement. It also looks to prove that the US did not paint the the top of the inner wings in a darker tone but sprayed the the fuselage and top surfaces of the wings in the same shade. You will note there are two tones of grey, the one on the right being the original US paint job, while the one on the left being the repaint ZE360 received into Barley Grey in 1989. Approximately 6 of the J(UK)`s were repainted in standard RAF grey while the rest of the fleet retained their US paint scheme. Now whether you want to believe that all the J(UK) aircraft were painted in what can only be best described as a duck egg blue, is up to you. I`ve had many people argue the point that they have photos showing them as grey and there are darker shades on the inner wings. All I can do is show you the actual evidence from one of the actual aircraft, the photo above of an example of the original paint shade. Up to you if you want to believe or not. 🙃
  4. The weekend of June 3rd and 4th saw another hurdle jumped for Phantom F-4J(UK) ZE360 and the BPAG Team. The first J79 engine has now been removed from the aircraft for the first time since at least February 1991 with the weekend providing some steep learning curves for the team. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 If you want to know more or get yourself involved with any of the various British Phantom projects the group are involved with, please click either of the following links below. Become a member here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/bf4pag Public page here - https://www.facebook.com/BPAGofficial
  5. Ok, so a long overdue update on all things BPAG. April really has been a blur. Not to put too finer point on the matter, we had to complete a number of things all within the space of a few very short weeks. 1. Lay a large concrete slab - check 2. Relocate the aircraft and other stores from the taxiway onto the slab - check 3. Build an LVRE shelter so that the airframes can be stored undercover after a fair number of years out in the open - check The following photos can help tell the story and if you want to know more, come follow or join the group for regular updates and general British F-4 Phantom chat on our Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/BPAGofficial https://www.facebook.com/groups/bf4pag Once everything is settled at `base camp`, the group will once again turn it`s attention back to ZE360 and start working on relocating her to join her sister ships at Cotswolds. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  6. Interesting thread read, @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies @iainpeden Have to say some of the information stated here is mis-informed, but not gonna get myself into a `hand bags at dawn` discussion. Regarding paint for the J, very true, we are indeed a million miles off from even thinking about that. However when I`m next on site I`ll get a sample and forward that on so Jamie please PM me to discuss. At least the model community may get a good paint match before the real thing does. What I would add is that ZE360 `s shade will be a little different from the other J(UK)`s. As I`ve described before in a previous post, each batch of 3 jets going into the NARF paint shop had slightly different variations of the grey/blue/green paint applied and therefore while 360`s shade would be unique to 360 and the other two J`s that went in with her, it wouldn`t be the exact match for the whole fleet. Something however is better than nothing. Any other questions, please PM me.
  7. The month of November saw the ZE360 BPAG restoration team finally expel most of the gremlins that had held up the work over the last 6 months and culminated in a number of important objectives achieved over the weekend of the 26th and 27th. It`s certainly been some time since the last update, however this kind of work isn`t all glamour and glory working on the aircraft itself. As we approach the end of the year it`s safe to say that the team have spent more than enough time, and some, to make sure all the support hardware is in place and works and operates safely. The last point more so. So, what`s been going on? In order for ZE360 to be relocated from Manston to Cotswold Airport, two things need to be completed as mentioned in previous updates. In very simple terms, (1) the J79 engines require removal before we can proceed with, (2), splitting the aircraft for transportation. The team were lucky enough to obtain a Universal trolley which would assist in completing the first task. However, as with most things that involve equipment that has been left out in the open for a number of years, it was soon discovered that we would also need to strip down the trolley and in effect, restore that as well. To ensure it was fit for purpose and safe to use, a number of parts needed to be inspected and replaced and/or fabricated as required. This included removing and replacing the tyres while inspecting and servicing the hubs and bearings, inspecting and replacing the hydraulic hoses and connectors as required, removing and welding the cracked and leaking hydraulic tank and last but not least, replacing the seals for the hydraulic RAMS. The latter was by far the biggest issue the team faced and it took a number of weeks to complete after much difficulty. Finally, by mid-November a small team were able to attend site and rebuild the trolley making sure the hydraulic components worked as designed and the inbuilt safety features functioned as they should. We used a local engineering firm to carry out the fabrication of the the engine stands that will be used to transport the J79`s to Cotswold Airport. These were assembled and painted over the final weekend of the month and then fixed the completed frames to the two small trolleys for mobility. The J79 adaptors were also test fitted to the Universal trolley which highlighted some areas that required further attention and these will be inspected and serviced at some point in December prior to Christmas. With luck, we are now fast approaching another major milestone relocating ZE360 to Cotswolds where it will join her sisterships, XT905 and XT597 and we look forward to updating you further in the New Year. (All photos via BPAG)
  8. tc2324

    Thunder Strike

    My first `What if` in god knows how long. A nice and welcome change from building fund raising Phantom builds. Premise is quite simple, with the failure of the TSR.2 procurement, the RAF required a stop gap low level interdictor strike and found it in the shape of the American F-105G. Only 20 aircraft were leased all serving with 4 Squadron based in Germany from 1969 to 1973. Updated to carry the Red Beard nuclear bomb, the delivery tactic as shown here, would be a supersonic low level run and then toss bombing the device towards the target. Thanks for looking.
  9. Thanks for the support on this and I really, really need to update this page...!!!! Something to do over the Christmas period me thinks. We are not a charitable organisation at present so the tax thing is a no go I`m afraid. Perhaps in a years time we could organise a BPAG GB with the winner receiving a tour of the aircraft and facilities at Cotswolds?
  10. In recognition of the 30th Anniversary of the Gulf War One earlier this year, I completed this in-flight diorama a day or so ago. Revell 1/48 scale kit, base from Coastal Kits. Thanks for looking.
  11. With the current Covid restrictions partly lifted and the urgent need to relocate ZE360 out of the old Fire Training School at Manston before it closes, the British Phantom Aviation Group are pleased to report that the relocation to a hanger area at Manston Airport was successfully completed over the weekend of the 24th and 25th April 2021. Here below are a selection of photos from the weekend but if you wish to know more information and see more photos, please click either one of the links below for the BPAG Facebook page or the ZE360 Restoration blog on the 74(F) Tiger Squadron Association Website. https://www.facebook.com/BPAGofficial http://74sqdn.tk/ze360-restoration-blog/
  12. Thank you all. No WIP I`m afraid, it was just a matter of building the u/c and then using superglue to put it in place. Nothing to difficult at all.
×
×
  • Create New...