cherisy Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Just a quick question. Other than the FGR 1 and 2s used for air defence , Did any of the UK based strike sqns ever rely on air to air refueling? I'm aware that this was unlikely in Germany . I know there are a few ex phantom types here that may be able to put me straight. I'm looking to do the Airfix kit as a 6 sqn aircraft. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Hello Cherisy, at least No. 6 Squadron used Air-to-air re-fueling when they flew to Singapore. And there was an another squadron before them who demonstrated that such a long ferry flight was possible; probably 54 Squadron... Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony.t Posted February 24, 2020 Share Posted February 24, 2020 I remember seeing a lot of early 1970s pics of the Coningsby-based FGR.2 strike squadrons on deployment to Akrotiri, Cyprus, and the liklihood is they relied on aerial refuelling. IIRC that would have been No.6 & No.54 Squadrons. Not sure the OCU or recce unit, No.41, did that but others know more. Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted February 24, 2020 Author Share Posted February 24, 2020 Thanks guys that's helped as I was planning on a 6 sqn aircraft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 There are some very nice photos of 6 Squadron's FGR.2s in Patrick Martin's book "British Phantoms" with original camouflage and three coloured roundels. Few beautiful shots also in Air Enthusiast 1974 showing Phantoms RAF Tengah (Singapore). I'm planning one myself. Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 different squadron but there's a few shots on the net of 54 Squadron Phantoms refuelling from Victors for their 1970 Singapore detachment. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205018940 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainpeden Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 The F-4J(UK)s of 74 would have used AAR on a regular basis; as former USN a/c they used "our" system of probe and drogue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 14 hours ago, Antti_K said: There are some very nice photos of 6 Squadron's FGR.2s in Patrick Martin's book "British Phantoms" with original camouflage and three coloured roundels. Few beautiful shots also in Air Enthusiast 1974 showing Phantoms RAF Tengah (Singapore). I'm planning one myself. Cheers, Antti Got to love proper roundals and that can opener badge ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 5 hours ago, 71chally said: different squadron but there's a few shots on the net of 54 Squadron Phantoms refuelling from Victors for their 1970 Singapore detachment. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205018940 Are those white Sergeant Fletcher tanks I see ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Can opener badge, two coloured Sargent Fletcher -tanks, strike camera and center-line tank: all visible in 6 Squadron Phantoms at Tengah. And Victor tankers in the background... Cheers, Antti 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, cherisy said: Are those white Sergeant Fletcher tanks I see ? The early 54 Sqn jets did have the white tanks. I'm not sure if it was down to a mixing up up of RAF & RN tanks as some RN Phantoms had odd coloured tanks early on. If you do a quick Google search of '54 Sqn Phantom' you will see a few shots showing the white tanks. The wing pylons were often in white aswel. Edit; note the wing tanks are different colours on the different sides in that IWM picture. Edited February 25, 2020 by 71chally 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 As an extra bit of info the early dk. green / dk. grey FGR 2's inner wing pylons were white with aluminium / silver painted leading edges, and not grey, as some sources say. HTH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBayKid Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 On 2/25/2020 at 2:33 AM, iainpeden said: The F-4J(UK)s of 74 would have used AAR on a regular basis; as former USN a/c they used "our" system of probe and drogue. That’s the only system an F-4J was capable of using. The USAF versions had a boom receptacle on the spine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherisy Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 On 2/26/2020 at 12:11 PM, Starfighter said: As an extra bit of info the early dk. green / dk. grey FGR 2's inner wing pylons were white with aluminium / silver painted leading edges, and not grey, as some sources say. HTH Silver not grey. Thats great thanks. I nearly ended up following the " some sources" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 9 minutes ago, cherisy said: Silver not grey. Thats great thanks. I nearly ended up following the " some sources" Couraguard to be precise. John 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antti_K Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 What John just said: Corogard -paint. And if you look closely on the photos you can see exactly the same areas painted with Corogard as in USN F-4Js (those aluminium coloured wing leading edges, vertical stabilator leading edge and intakes). Those areas look slightly darker in British Phantoms (FG.1 and FGR.2) than other camouflaged areas as colored Corogard was used. This "rule" applies to original American paint work. Take a look at this photo and pay close attention to the vertical stabilator leading edge between the cooling air intake and the red anti-collision light: More (and better) photos in Martin's Phantom book. Cheers, Antti 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainpeden Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 And that is one of the rare photo flash equipped wing tanks (I think), with some interesting zapping as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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