Last RAF Phantom flight?

[Nigel Bunker]

Does anybody know which was the last RAF Phantom to fly operationally? My guess is it was an FGR.2 of 74 Squadron out of Wattisham in September/October 1992, butI cannot find details of which aircraft.

 

I am asking as I would like to make a small diorama using Fujimi Phantoms showing the YF-4M XT853 and the last FGR.2 to fly beside it.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Nigel

[tc2324]

The last formation flypast by 74 was on 1st October 92 when they disbanded and then information can get a bit sketchy as to which actual airframe was the very last to fly.

 

I had heard that some airframes were kept at readiness at Shawbury just in case the Tonka F-3`s couldn`t cut it at altitude, but no idea if that`s true or not.

 

My advise for your dio, (unless someone on here comes up with the goods), is just to go with a 74 FGR.2 machine as I don`t feel you can go much wrong with that. 

[Dave Fleming]

The last UK F4 was the AAEE operated FG1 XT597

Edited July 13, 2017 by Dave Fleming

[Dave Fleming]

XV497 was the last Squadron aircraft (and FGR2) to land.

 

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2002/xv497/xv497.htm

 

 

Edited July 13, 2017 by Dave Fleming

[bar side]

I wonder what date XV474 arrived at Duxford.  Must have been one of the last flights. Probably not as late as 31st October though.

[Dave Fleming]

9 hours ago, bar side said:

I wonder what date XV474 arrived at Duxford.  Must have been one of the last flights. Probably not as late as 31st October though.

 

Interesting, according to this it was 1st November, making IT the last!

 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Nl8rAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT287&lpg=PT287&dq=xv474+duxford+arrival&source=bl&ots=6hFkSy8Za9&sig=tul77cu5bEROp3PGOSwv5S_h5UA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiU09j2so3VAhXhL8AKHfGTDtkQ6AEIWzAJ#v=onepage&q=xv474 duxford arrival&f=false

 

How many Phantoms flew the last flight? 😀😀😀

[bentwaters81tfw]

XV497 made the last flight from Wattisham to Coningsby on 31 Oct 92 in company with XV460. 497 was the last to land, and was the last official RAF Phantom flight.

497 is currently on display at BCWM until our own XV401 is restored to display standard.

http://www.bcwm.org.uk/museum-aircraft/

There are currently five Phantoms at Bentwaters including XT597 from A&AEE

[Dave Fleming]

Yeah, nothing else corroborates that 1st Nov date for 474. Moist other sources get ve a date mid October

[Lord Riot]

On 16/07/2017 at 10:05, bentwaters81tfw said:

XV497 made the last flight from Wattisham to Coningsby on 31 Oct 92 in company with XV460. 497 was the last to land, and was the last official RAF Phantom flight.

497 is currently on display at BCWM until our own XV401 is restored to display standard.

http://www.bcwm.org.uk/museum-aircraft/

There are currently five Phantoms at Bentwaters including XT597 from A&AEE

What a fantastic museum! I never knew this existed. Damn good show on restoring these fabulous types. I need to go there.

 

Any plans to acquire more aircraft? A Canberra perhaps? 

[bentwaters81tfw]

No plans on a Canberra. We hope to acquire more USAF types deployed to the base. It's a red tape exercise, so it's difficult to say.

[bar side]

1 hour ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

No plans on a Canberra. We hope to acquire more USAF types deployed to the base. It's a red tape exercise, so it's difficult to say.

That would be very cool.  F-100 at Flixton always looks great but it would be good to see one at Bentwaters.  Not sure if many F-111s survived (thinking more Lakenheath & Upper Heyford) but that would give the A-10 competition for size.