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ZE356 was not repainted and retained it`s US scheme, ZE352 however was. 👍

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.......` 😆

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. 🙃

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

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

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.

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)

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.

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?

I have no idea.

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.

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/

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.

Update to follow..............😉

Built for a friend, XT905 take off diorama when serving back in her heyday with 228 OCU. 1/48 Revell kit, base from Coastal Kits. Thanks for looking.

With the auctions over and model displays sent to the winning bidders, I can now safely post and share these images of my recent Phantom builds without contravening any forum rules or regs. Using a section panel from the real XV411 as a display base, I built the following models to raise funds for the ZE360 Restoration. Using the Revell 1/48 kit, 2 Sqn and 92 Sqn builds were created showing the earlier camo design and latter air defence grey. A certificate of authenticity was also supplied by the British Phantom Aviation Group. XV411 shared the burn area with ZE360 at Manston and has now been scrapped making these some of the last surviving sections of the aircraft. Thanks for looking.

Yesterday, 22nd February saw the 30th anniversary of ZE360`s delivery flight from RAF Wattisham to Manston where she would take on the new role as a training aid at the resident fire training school. The year was 1991 and the world`s attention was focused on Operation Desert Storm and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The retirement of the RAF`s unique F-4J(UK) Phantom fleet was to therefore come and go relatively un-noticed. The F-4J’s were being systematically dispersed to take up secondary roles, such as battle damage repair or fire training duties at various RAF airfields. The aircrews delivering them made the most of these ‘trips’ and many of the aircraft were in a clean configuration so they could attempt one final Mach 2 run. ZE360 was no different. On the morning of the 22nd February 1991, pilot Ian Hargreaves and navigator Ray Jones departed RAF Wattisham, climbed out over The Wash and then headed into the North Sea. Once 35 nautical miles offshore, the nose was pointed south and full power applied. If it wasn’t for an intake ramp going out of phase causing the right engine to surge at approximately Mach 1.96, it’s safe to say 360 would have successfully achieved the aim of travelling at twice the speed of sound as planned. However, with little fuel remaining and lots of altitude to lose, all that remained were some rather tight turning aerobatics, eventually registering a respectable 8 on the G meter. In a fitting end for an aircraft designed for Naval operations (especially considering the aircraft’s previous life in service with the US Navy`s Atlantic Fleet) ZE360 landed at Manston making a cable engagement. The aircraft then self-cleared before folding the outer wings and taxiing to the designated dispersal. With the aircrew catching a lift home to Wattisham in a 22 Sqn Sea King, ZE360 was left in the hands of a team of Wattisham's ASF engineers who prepared her for her final duties while still in RAF service. In this anniversary year, after 30 years of decay at Manston, we are looking forward to the aircraft finally departing again, heading for Kemble, Gloucestershire, to begin the restoration process which will be the start of a much brighter future for this extremely rare aircraft.

It`s a Hasegawa 1/48 J kit, base from Coastal Kits.

Longtime no what if post from me....... So lets imagine it`s 1987 and I`ve just been told that it`s ZE352`s 20th Anniversary of her very first flight and she is going to be this years display Phantom and she needs a special paint scheme. Now knowing she was the famous `Black Bunny` in her previous life with the the US Navy, this is the scheme I would of come up with. ...... and before anyone says anything, I deliberately left the NAVY wording off as that may have been possibly a step too far for the Airforce to have Navy plastered in big white letters over one of their jets...! Thanks for looking.

For many of us, including the Restoration Team, 2020 was certainly the year that wasn`t. If the pandemic had not taken hold, we would probably be reporting that the team had safely relocated ZE360 to pastures new by now. However, despite the long periods of inactivity at the beginning of the year, by the start of summer work had restarted to try and catch up with the schedule. as we now approach the end of the year, we felt that this is a good opportunity to remind you all of some of the more significant achievements that took place during a difficult 2020. 1. Main Undercarriage and nose wheels replaced 2. Outer wings removed 3. Ailerons and speed brakes removed 4. Relocated from the grass field and onto a concrete hardstand 5. Centre Line fuel tank removed 6. Tailcone and Stabilator removed 7. Engine Doors lowered and J79 engines disconnected 8. Fuel pipework disassembled and removed 9. Aircraft re-positioned onto the disused burn area ready for final dismantle We must also mention the number of panels, screws and fasteners that were also removed so that the work noted above could proceed. No-one was counting let’s just say it was a lot, as well as being painfully difficult and definitely tedious work at times. Of course, none of this could have been achieved without the ongoing assistance of the British Phantom Aviation Group’s team of volunteers who all gave up their time to work on these tasks. Their help is always greatly appreciated and quite frankly, the work undertaken thus far could not have been completed without them. Of course, as with most organisations, there are always `back room staff` whose job it is to make sure the other elements of such projects run without a hitch. These tasks can range from logistics, fundraising, marketing and PR as well as certain individuals who work on specialist items like the electronics or restoring `hardware` and other parts of airframe in their own time. While things have not gone entirely to schedule this year, this group of individuals have made sure that this rare airframe is finishing 2020 with a much brighter future than when she went into it and we should all look forward to what will be, no doubt, a significant New Year for Phantom F-4J(UK) ZE360, when she moves to her new home at Kemble in 2021. For more information or if you feel you may be able to help the restoration team in some way, click on the links below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/bf4pag http://74sqdn.tk/ze360-restoration-page/

Thank you all for the kind comments. 😀

My tally from the year that wasn`t........... 1/24 Scale 1/32 Scale 1/48 Scale

Thank you all for the comments. 😀