Question about the Phantom FGR2

[DrumBum]

hi all,

 

I am halfway through building the Revell 1/48 FGR2 and have 2 questions that I cannot solve.

 

1. The periscope. This build will be in the barley grey markings with a white tail circa 1991 in the Falklands. I have found an old picture of the same tail number without a periscope however some sister ships in the Falklands are pictured with a periscope in the same year. Would my build, XV466 have had the periscope retro fitted at this stage? 

 

2. The kit comes with the large center tank however I cannot find any photos of an F-4 in the Falklands carrying this tank, only photos showing the external gun. I would have thought that the F-4 in the Falklands would have carried the center tank given the lack of alternate divert fields around the area but maybe they only ever carried a gun?

 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated, regards

Edited June 13, 2021 by DrumBum
spelling

[stever219]

A very quick and dirty web trawl gives an image of XV466 in 1453 Flight colours and fitted with the periscope. 

 

Other images from from the same period show ‘466 and other aircraft of the Flight with either the gun pod or an empty centre-line station.

Edited June 13, 2021 by stever219

[jenko]

It's rare to see a RAF Phantom with a centre line tank. 

 

The Vulcan canon is a standard fit for the Falklands.

 

Here's one I made earlier as they say ....

 

 

 

HTH

 

Dick

[Julien]

Rare but they were seen

 

[Phone Phixer]

I was down the Falklands on 23 Sqn as was, May-Sep 1988. Standard fit was loaded 4x4 plus gun. The only time a CL tank was fitted was for ferry flights to/from the UK.

Seeing as the closest place to divert to was not very friendly, it was not needed. Plus with only 4 Phantoms down there, as much weaponry that could be carried, was. You can't shoot anything down with a CL tank!

 

Yes, by 1991, all Phantoms had the TESS periscope fitted.

 

Rob.

[DougC]

Centreline tank (600gal I think) was standard fit for Northern QRA (43 & 111 Sqns) based at Leuchars. They needed all the range / endurance they could get for those long intercepts up in the Iceland-Faeroes Gap.

[PLC1966]

24 minutes ago, DougC said:

Centreline tank (600gal I think) was standard fit for Northern QRA (43 & 111 Sqns) based at Leuchars. They needed all the range / endurance they could get for those long intercepts up in the Iceland-Faeroes Gap.

Full of Irn-Bru I take it ?

[PLC1966]

I have a feeling the TESS may have been removed when Jets went to Saints ?

[Jabba]

1 minute ago, PLC1966 said:

I have a feeling the TESS may have been removed when Jets went to Saints ?

Certainly was never saw one there in the 3 yrs I was at the place.

[PLC1966]

2 minutes ago, Jabba said:

Certainly was never saw one there in the 3 yrs I was at the place.

You must be right then chap.  I can remember seeing the odd TESS in the A/C bins in the HES27 at Wildenrath, and generally they were bits waiting to be fitted or refitted to A/C at the appropriate time.  

[DrumBum]

On 6/13/2021 at 1:12 PM, stever219 said:

A very quick and dirty web trawl gives an image of XV466 in 1453 Flight colours and fitted with the periscope. 

 

Other images from from the same period show ‘466 and other aircraft of the Flight with either the gun pod or an empty centre-line station.

I managed to find several pics of 466 with the white tail but all from the right side and cannot see the periscope.

[DrumBum]

On 6/13/2021 at 1:20 PM, jenko said:

It's rare to see a RAF Phantom with a centre line tank. 

 

The Vulcan canon is a standard fit for the Falklands.

 

Here's one I made earlier as they say ....

 

 

 

HTH

 

Dick

very nice build and a great reference for my build. cheers

On 6/13/2021 at 4:43 PM, Phone Phixer said:

I was down the Falklands on 23 Sqn as was, May-Sep 1988. Standard fit was loaded 4x4 plus gun. The only time a CL tank was fitted was for ferry flights to/from the UK.

Seeing as the closest place to divert to was not very friendly, it was not needed. Plus with only 4 Phantoms down there, as much weaponry that could be carried, was. You can't shoot anything down with a CL tank!

 

Yes, by 1991, all Phantoms had the TESS periscope fitted.

 

Rob.

thanks for the insight.

[Scooby]

On 6/13/2021 at 5:43 PM, Phone Phixer said:

I was down the Falklands on 23 Sqn as was, May-Sep 1988. Standard fit was loaded 4x4 plus gun. The only time a CL tank was fitted was for ferry flights to/from the UK.

Seeing as the closest place to divert to was not very friendly, it was not needed. Plus with only 4 Phantoms down there, as much weaponry that could be carried, was. You can't shoot anything down with a CL tank!

 

Yes, by 1991, all Phantoms had the TESS periscope fitted.

 

Rob.

Did you serve on Phantoms in the UK? My cousin, who followed the same career path as me, except in the RAF and not the RCAF, served in a Phantom squadron in Scotland.

[Phone Phixer]

20 hours ago, Scooby said:

Did you serve on Phantoms in the UK? My cousin, who followed the same career path as me, except in the RAF and not the RCAF, served in a Phantom squadron in Scotland.

Hi there. No, I did a tour on 19(F) Sqn at Wildenrath in Germany. When I finished there, the Tornado F3 was taking over in the UK. The only place left for Phantoms was Wattisham. I didn't want to go there.

[RedhillPhil]

On 6/14/2021 at 9:53 AM, DougC said:

Centreline tank (600gal I think) was standard fit for Northern QRA (43 & 111 Sqns) based at Leuchars. They needed all the range / endurance they could get for those long intercepts up in the Iceland-Faeroes Gap.

But, but, 43 and 111 used FG1s and as built they weren't plumbed up for the gun. They were probably eventually modified.

[Hook]

Centrelines were fitted when deploying to Akrotiri as well. 

[Duncan B]

On 6/17/2021 at 11:05 PM, RedhillPhil said:

But, but, 43 and 111 used FG1s and as built they weren't plumbed up for the gun. They were probably eventually modified.

They were modified to carry the SUU starting in the late mid '70's for 43 Sqn and on arrival into RAF service for the ex 892 Sqn aircraft.

 

Duncan B

[PLC1966]

On 6/16/2021 at 1:48 AM, Phone Phixer said:

The only place left for Phantoms was Wattisham. I didn't want to go there.

Nor did Eric Bradley if you can remember the story.....but it was a long time ago....it was a different world.

[Des]

On 6/14/2021 at 9:53 AM, DougC said:

Centreline tank (600gal I think) was standard fit for Northern QRA (43 & 111 Sqns) based at Leuchars. They needed all the range / endurance they could get for those long intercepts up in the Iceland-Faeroes Gap.

Three tanks , Four Sidewinder and Four Skyflash in 'Delta Fit' as Roger Hoefling would inform the crowds most Battle of Britain Airshow days as one or more of the 'Q' aircraft were launched.

 

Sometimes actually for real with at least one year two going out early afternoon to relieve a pair that had gone up earlier in the day to shadow a 'May' as I recall being announced shortly after their return.

[JohnT]

29 minutes ago, Des said:

 

 

Sometimes actually for real with at least one year two going out early afternoon to relieve a pair that had gone up earlier in the day to shadow a 'May' as I recall being announced shortly after their return.

indeed. I recall one Leuchars show when half way through a display routine the display pilot pulled away not long after starting and the crowd were advised that the Q aircraft was going to work for real. I remember thinking let’s hope it’s not for too real !

[DrumBum]

1 hour ago, Des said:

Three tanks , Four Sidewinder and Four Skyflash in 'Delta Fit' as Roger Hoefling would inform the crowds most Battle of Britain Airshow days as one or more of the 'Q' aircraft were launched.

 

Sometimes actually for real with at least one year two going out early afternoon to relieve a pair that had gone up earlier in the day to shadow a 'May' as I recall being announced shortly after their return.

Im guessing that would put the F-4 up towards its max operating weight? 

[Des]

2 hours ago, DrumBum said:

Im guessing that would put the F-4 up towards its max operating weight? 

Recall that amidst much noise and breathing fire that they did not exactly leap into the air , rather a steady shallow climb and turn away to the north-east usually.

[exdraken]

2 hours ago, DrumBum said:

Im guessing that would put the F-4 up towards its max operating weight? 

I'd assume you could still add some bombs to the inner pylons... not hot and high after all!

[stever219]

1 hour ago, exdraken said:

I'd assume you could still add some bombs to the inner pylons... not hot and high after all!

Not if you’ve already got four Sidewinders on ‘em you can’t and no QRA interceptor is going to carry bombs in any event.

[exdraken]

4 hours ago, stever219 said:

Not if you’ve already got four Sidewinders on ‘em you can’t and no QRA interceptor is going to carry bombs in any event.

I was referring to the above maxed out weight related load out, not QRA specifics...

 

And remember, also un the RAF originally the F-4 was used for sitting Nuclear Alert.... but different story of course!