Restored Royal Navy F-4 Phantom photos.

[Deano353]

Hi guys if this is the wrong place I'll take it down but I happened to find an actual F-4   Phantom today I was driving and asked my girlfriend if the Ulster Aviation Society was nearby and it was so we stopped by and as it happened a tour was about to start and we were allowed to join. This was a gate guardian in Scotland but it was brought to Northern Ireland by ferry a few years ago and painted in her original Navy colours. It's being restored to almost flying condition by retired Phantom engineers the landing gear works, refuelling probe, flaps, the whole aircraft will work once finished with the exception of flying they would get it flying but it's simply too much of an expense they can't afford as its all run by donations. They have a Buccaneer, Canberra Bomber, Puma, Wessex, Vampire, Tucano, and loads more it's not a big exhibition but it's still good so it's well worth a visit if you are ever in Northern Ireland. Anyway thought I'd share that and enjoy the photos I'll try and see if I'm allowed closer next time to get better photos if any one is interested. One thing I didn't know was the RAF/ RN Phantoms were overhauled and or upgraded in Lisburn I was talking to an engineer today who is the head of the engineers restoring the Phantom.

And there's the Buccaneer as well I never thought about posting them here until just now so I don't have the best photos but I hope you enjoy them. With regards to the Buccaneer I forgot just how big it was I'm not tall 5'8" but not too short lol but I had to stand on my tiptoes to reach the underside of the wing, I just can't imagine something this big landing on a ship. Also the tour guide mentioned a Buccaneer crash landed on the Newtonards Rd in Belfast in 1972 after a faulty sensor told the ground crew fuelling it that the tanks were full but they weren't and the aircraft which was flying from what is now the George Best airport ran out of fuel on the landing approach and the pilot and Navigator didn't eject they put it down onto a road instead of letting it crash and it wrecked about 50 cars and stopped in an empty car park don't know if there were ground casualties I forgot to ask but one of the crew hurt his back so badly he never flew again. Another piece of information was that the Buccaneer in the photo flew the shortest flight ever for a Buccaneer lasting 80 seconds so short the landing gear wasn't retracted as there wasn't time can't recall where it flew from and to but it was here in Northern Ireland somewhere when it was being donated to the collection, the collection has moved a few times. Again former engineers of the Buccaneer are restoring this, a lot more frontline aircraft were made here and maintained than I ever knew. Anyway I hope you enjoy the photos and information. 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Deano353

[Irish 251]

The Ulster Aviation Society has a YouTube channel which may be of interest. https://www.youtube.com/c/UlsterAviationSociety/videos

 

The RAF Phantoms were at one time maintained at No. 23 Maintenance Unit at RAF Aldergrove and some were delivered there before service entry, if I am not mistaken.  The Buccaneer's final flight was from Aldergrove to Langford Lodge, which is only a couple of miles away as the crow flies.  The UAS collection was originally housed there prior to the move to the Long Kesh site.

[Deano353]

Here's the other photos I got as well might as well post the as well. 

Can't remember what this one is called but it's absolutely massive wing span bigger than the Phantom.

The RAF wanted 20k for the Wessex apparently but they couldn't afford it and 2 years later they bought this off eBay or 9k I kid you not lol.

The Puma was called the trembling triple two as apparently there was an odd vibration in this specific helicopter that the pilots and engineers couldn't fix and the French company that produced it Aerospatle I think I spelled that right but probably not had it back 3 times and couldn't fix it so they just referred to it as the dodgy Puma just what you want to hear when you have to fly it lol.

These were all I had they have plans for the V1 but the guide didn't know what that was at thia time. I should have posted these in the initial post but here they are anyway.

[Deano353]

4 minutes ago, Irish 251 said:

The Buccaneer's final flight was from Aldergrove to Langford Lodge, which is only a couple of miles away as the crow flies.  The UAS collection was originally housed there prior to the move to the Long Kesh site.

That must be it yes I couldn'tremember what the places were the guy said but that must be it. That is for the channel link. The hangars here where the collection is housed is an old factory where the Short Sterling was made.

[petetasker]

Love to visit this place - worth it just for the Phantom and Buccaneer. Maybe one day. Thanks for adding the photos

[busnproplinerfan]

I've never seen an F-4 look so good. But then I only seen two in person up close. The paint is beautiful, nicer than most show cars. It's nice to know it's potentionally flyable. I wonder if it could be powered up and run once in awhile. Not many left I think. I know F-4A number 13 is for sale and was being made airworthy.

[Deano353]

Ah the Phantom doesn't have engines inside it as it was a gate guardian when it was retired in Scotland I'm not sure if there are plans to install them but they're still working on restoring it so maybe one day. They said the Buccaneer is in all but flying condition as they maintain it so I assume it could with enough money fly.

[Hook]

17 hours ago, Deano353 said:

Can't remember what this one is called

That's a Gannet. So ugly it's beautiful again! 

 

Nice photo's, thanks for posting them. 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Our Ned]

Thanks for posting the photos.  According to https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/55097 the Buccaneer which landed in a Belfast street didn't actually arrive in Newtownards Road, but in another street not far away - some scary photos in some of the links given on that page.

[Whitewolf]

That F4 looks absolutely great. I'm assuming the engines will be re-fitted at somepoint

[bentwaters81tfw]

The F-4 fleet were withdrawn subject to Strategic Defence regulations. Outside of IWM and RAFM (Government departments) they are not permitted to have engines fitted. Not even to taxi.

The remaining flyable F-4 in USA needed an act of Congress to fly.

[Deano353]

2 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

The remaining flyable F-4 in USA needed an act of Congress to fly.

That's a shame, would this be the case with other aircraft or is this specific to the Phantom?

[Deano353]

2 hours ago, Our Ned said:

the Buccaneer which landed in a Belfast street didn't actually arrive in Newtownards Road, but in another street not far away

Yeah I looked myself online the story I was told was not quite the same, the Castlereagh Rd is where it came down it's very close about 5 mins drive I read one of the seats landed on the roof of a garage and somehow no fatalities which is extremely lucky.

Edited August 6, 2021 by Deano353
Auto correct

[bentwaters81tfw]

Phantom Specific.

Further red tape and paperwork surrounds all other retired NATO aircraft that were capable of delivering Instant Sunshine.

Even our F-84F which is approaching 70 years old needed this documentation.

[Deano353]

11 minutes ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

 approaching 70 years old needed this documentation.

That's mental there's a Wildcat that is being restored and they can't get the plans, I was told despite the age the aircraft plans are still not available. 

[Deano353]

@petetasker it's free it's funded by donations and this place is small so you can get back to the city for a few pints after relatively quickly.

[Bertie McBoatface]

That looks a lovely collection. I could happily spend a weekend there. Thanks @Deano353

[Deano353]

It's very good they're apparently getting a Tornado GR4 in the near future according to their website. 

[Bertie McBoatface]

2 minutes ago, Deano353 said:

It's very good they're apparently getting a Tornado GR4 in the near future according to their website. 

 

Well that's spoiled it. Horrible nasty complicated things!

[Black Knight]

3 hours ago, Deano353 said:

Yeah I looked myself online the story I was told was not quite the same, the Castlereagh Rd is where it came down it's very close about 5 mins drive I read one of the seats landed on the roof of a garage and somehow no fatalities which is extremely lucky.

It came down on a greenway off the Beersbridge Road, just about opposite Hyndford Street.

Not the Connswater Greenway which is modern. The park it came down in was once part of the old railways, but its now been well built over.

The Bucc slid along the park until it hit an office block, demolishing the front and injuring 3 people

It wasn't the seat which came down on the petrol station canopy but one of the crew.

I was there that day and witnessed the flame-out, the ejections and saw it going down into the park. I ran to get to the park but by the time I reached it the RUC already had a cordon in place. But I did help gather up the crew man's parachute

Your guide was waaaay out. Other than the 3 injuries, one crew got back injuries from the ejection (usual injury from an ejection, but he did fly again), the other got a twisted ankle from the landing. No cars were damaged nor destroyed except a couple outside the office block, no other public hurt.

It was later determined that a fuel transfer valve had been fitted wrongly. Sabotage was reckoned.

[Deano353]

@Black Knight I see I'm getting different information about the same story but if you were there I'll take your word. Im surprised it's not a more well known story.

[Black Knight]

The Bucc came down quietly. Even its crash was not noisy. There was just a big rumbly bang when it hit the office block. But, N.I. in 1972 we were used to much louder bangs of terrorist bombs. Even as I ran to the scene, I was about 400 yards from it when I first saw it,  shoppers were going about their business, a man getting petrol in that station didn't even notice when the crewman landed on the canopy. Even years later locals never knew of the crash.

As for 'deciding' the school or the park - thats nonsense. The Bucc would have had to nose dive in to hit the school. The pilot had a choice of about 3 or 4 clear places to belly in.

[Deano353]

@Black Knight People didn't notice a plane crash lol that has to be unique to Belfast to be fair yeah the place had bigger issues at the time. What's with the deciding the school or park? That a thing that's said about the crash?

[Anthony in NZ]

Great photos, especially the Phantom ones!  If you ever get back I would love some photo's of the cockpits, rear one mostly.

But thanks very much for posting these!

 

Cheers Anthony

[Deano353]

2 hours ago, Anthony in NZ said:

Great photos, especially the Phantom ones!  If you ever get back I would love some photo's of the cockpits, rear one mostly.

But thanks very much for posting these!

 

Cheers Anthony

I think I'll possibly be back in a few weeks I'll see what I can do, some aircraft have access and some don't but I'll certainly ask man.