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Brough Phantom


iainpeden

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Had a talk by an ex Phantom nav a few weeks ago. He showed a photo of an F-4 in flight with the wings folded. Pilot forgot to deploy them. It flew back and landed safely. He also related a story from Col Richard Graham, noted SR-71 jockey and author, about his time on Phantoms. A new C.O. rocked up one day (one of these I'm here to create an impression types). He noticed the red indicator pins on the F-4s, and thought they looked untidy. He ordered some airmen to file them flush! I'll wait until I see Richard Graham again and ask. He has promised to give us a talk on his Vietnam F-4 experiences.

f-4folded.gif

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2 hours ago, Jabba said:

 

We used to apply Orange paint at St Athan, but after the first time that the pins were moved down to show that the wings were locked, the paint was removed. So the picture above is reasonably accurate.

Yes, the paint used to scrape off so we had to reapply it with a hairy stick from time to time too.

 

I wonder if the aircrew stuck with that F-4E or decided to get a taxi home instead? I can't imagine what it would be like to try to turn that thing around in that configuration never mind trying to descend at a reasonable rate.

 

Duncan B

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9 hours ago, Duncan B said:

Yes, the paint used to scrape off so we had to reapply it with a hairy stick from time to time too.

 

I wonder if the aircrew stuck with that F-4E or decided to get a taxi home instead? I can't imagine what it would be like to try to turn that thing around in that configuration never mind trying to descend at a reasonable rate.

 

Duncan B

The crew landed the F-4E OK Duncan after they had got rid of the tanks and restored a bit of trim.  When visiting crews from the squadron told us at Leuchars about it, nobody believed them and thought they were "line shooting" so they sent some photos down :-  

gxsmRBK.jpg

 

znZXQ9N.jpg

 

Locking pins were quite visible,  rear shot of a 43 FG.1 from the Eng Ops Office where the locks were not fitted, hyd pressure bled off and everything went all "floppy".  Indicator pins

visible outboard of the ailerons :-

 

Y7PmYTD.jpg

Note also the width of the fin tip PWR (comments have been made ref this in the 

Airfix kit)

 

HTH

 

Dennis

 

 

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Look at the angle of those outer wing panels, gulp!! Well done those men for getting that back on the ground in one piece.

 

You had a great view out of your Office Dennis, thanks for sharing the photo of the 57th FIS F-4E (always was a favourite of mine).

 

Duncan B

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Cracking pics Dennis, many thanks for posting those, I have never seen any other than the underside shot.

 

I notice the indicator pins seem to be visible even on the spread wing side, do they retract when the wing is spread and locked?

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2 hours ago, 71chally said:

Cracking pics Dennis, many thanks for posting those, I have never seen any other than the underside shot.

 

I notice the indicator pins seem to be visible even on the spread wing side, do they retract when the wing is spread and locked?

Irrespective of the system used, hydraulic auto or manual (screwdriver and speedy brace), the indicator pins were always the first to show on initial unlock and the last to retract when the outer mainplanes were locked down.

 

Attached is for the F-4E but the FGR.2 was similar if not the same.  The FG.1 was hydraulic but the locking mechanism was similar in principal :-  (locking indicator was referred to as a "flag")

 

DQfIp62.jpg 

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  • 3 years later...
On 20/11/2017 at 18:44, iainpeden said:

but retains high viz roundals on the fuselage and a full colour, square, fin flash. However the underwing markings are red/blue only, but the serial continues onto the outer wing panel. 


Sorry to dig up an old thread, but did it have the newer roundels above the wing or did it retain the red/white/blue ones? 
 

Best Regards 

 

Ben

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2 hours ago, Ben Hartmann said:


Sorry to dig up an old thread, but did it have the newer roundels above the wing or did it retain the red/white/blue ones? 
 

Best Regards 

 

Ben


I may have answered my own question. Looks to me like Red & Blue, 95% sure!!

 

Photo credit to “John” on Flickr

 


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