Phantom F4k ballast rounds

[Fat fingers]

Hi all,

I used to work on raf phantoms, and they were always fitted with sparrow ballast rounds on the front two missile stations. My question is did the faa phantoms have the same fit? And if so what colour would they be.

Regards Bill 

[Dazza]

To the best of my knowledge, no, FAA FG.1s didn't fly with AIM-7 ballast rounds. I've just been through my entire FAA image archive and I don't have a single image of an FAA FG.1 fitted with them...

 

-Daz

[iainpeden]

In Richard Ward's books "Phantom Squadrons of the RAF and RN" there is a picture of XT596 in basic RN markings with ballast rounds in a dark colour., probably blue. However it was a test a/c at Boscombe and was also carrying a "Flight Refuelling store on a modified pylon" (port wing outer pylon)

[Fat fingers]

Thanks chaps.

[alhenderson]

I read that the ballast rounds were required to maintain centre of gravity.  If that's the case surely they'd have been needed in FAA service as well?  Or were CofG problems caused by changes made to the FG.1s for RAF service?

 

Al.

[Tim Wright]

Hello. 
 

a little late perhaps but I flew with 894NAS F4Ks on the last 3 commissions ‘77-‘78.

 

we definitely had ballast Aim7s on the forward stations unless the Cof G was further forward because of wingorsnance. The dummy’s were a mid metallic blue.

 

Tim Wright

[tony.t]

The RAF needed them on FGR.2s because of the No.7 fuel cell in the tail. 

Interested in why the Ks used them, unless RAF exchange pilots during the latter years introduced them out of habit and these were of benefit during the post-catapult launch?  Curious. 

 

Tony 

 

 

[71chally]

8 hours ago, tony.t said:

The RAF needed them on FGR.2s because of the No.7 fuel cell in the tail. 

 

Tony 

 

 

RAF FG.1s also used the ballast rounds.

I'm aware of the extra fuel cell thing on FGR.2s, but that doesn't always seem to be the overriding reason as to why they were fitted, or not.

 

They do seem to have been a rare fit on Royal Navy FG.1s, but possibly due to what Tim says above, certain ordnance layouts required it?

 

Even odder is the asymmetric use of ballast rounds, seen on both Navy and RAF Phantoms.

 

 

[Des]

On 11/17/2019 at 3:58 PM, iainpeden said:

In Richard Ward's books "Phantom Squadrons of the RAF and RN" there is a picture of XT596 in basic RN markings with ballast rounds in a dark colour., probably blue. However it was a test a/c at Boscombe and was also carrying a "Flight Refuelling store on a modified pylon" (port wing outer pylon)

 

Checked Double Ugly's British Phantoms - The Phantom FG.Mk.1 and FGR.Mk.2 in Royal Navy and RAF Service - 1966-1978 by Patrick Martin with much the same result and no photos of any in service Royal Navy FG.1 carrying them although the text does state that both services commonly used them.

[tony.t]

The only time I've seen them on F-4Ks is when they're also fitted with the Wing tanks (RAF equivalent Charlie fit), which was for ferry flights only (?) 

 

The other interesting thing is that Spey Phantoms were subsonic-only during the later years. The vari-ramps were disabled (and, if I heard correctly, were fixed with internal bracing bits of wood.)

 

Tony

[Scout712]

That is a Vers interesting point I've never heard before. That would place severe limitations on an BVR fighter.

 

Michael