This video was so enjoyable and brought back many fond memories. I recovered F4s for the USMC using the same AM2 matting and arresting gear you all used in the Falklands. Thanks phor the splendid videos!
Hello! For some reason this video popped into my feed and by great coincidence, I was an engineer at General Instrument on Long Island, NY and was assigned to handle the integration of the ALR-66 Radar Warning System (RWR) for 74 Squadron at Wattisham! I spent a year at the Trusthouse on the A12 in Ipswich! It was 1985-1986, I am looking for my old passport, I do remember I had just left Jordan where we installed a similar system on AH-1S helicopters that the US sold to the Jordanian Air Force, went back to Long Island for supplies and circuit boards and headed to Wattisham. I had 2 other engineers from GI with me and we contracted with Lear Siegler for help with electricians and sheet metal mechanics and performed all of the modifications at Wattisham. I'll never forget the hangar we were working out of when the weather was getting cold, one of our guys asked why it was so breezy even with the hangar doors shut...then we noticed the bowling ball sized holes in the corner of the hangar. The Chief Tech assigned to us, was a Scotsman (he referred to us as colonials!), informed us the Germans put those holes in the wall. It was in that hangar that a Battle of Britain mass was held as well. We were also assigned a couple of crazy young RAF techs to train and assist in installation of the system. Let's see...Dave was from Nottingham, Frankie (total nutter) was a Geordie and Simon....well he was Simon. Bob Kubik, from GI was extremely important to this project. I wish I knew where all of the photos I took were and my notebooks on each airframe. For each installation, I documented everything we did up until training, test and hand-off. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and working with the staff of 74 Sq. If I do find any memorabilia amongst all the boxes of things I have squirrelled away, I will be sure to let you know.
It's LITERALLY making me feel like vomiting seeing the pics of ZE360 at the fire dump at Manston. I visited RAF Wattisham in )I think 1991, one of the most enjoyable Air Cadet annual camps that I attended during my 7 years as a cadet, and 74 Sqn were there at the time......I came Oh so close to getting a back seat ride, but sadly not close enough. I'm so glad to see that you are restoring this beauty!
Wonderful series of videos... Ex Flt Systems techie who spent 2.5 years at Wattisham and worked over at 74 Sqn multiple times as well as working on the kit in the bay over at EES. One minor comment, i think it was ZE358 which crashed in wales. Went on the crash guard and the whole episode still haunts me... Seeing the tail section out in a Welsh field, as well as knowing tjw aircrew died in the crash. Found their names on tje wall at the national arboretum a few years ago. Keep up the good work. Will be sharing with my ex buddies and on the RAF Wattisham facebook group.
I saw ZE360 (with two others, one being ZE357"N" and the "R" ) on 1987 Tigermeet at Montijo AB Portugal (23jun to 30jun). The first time I saw a Phantom. What a fantastic display!
While with VF103, I would have been involved if installing the J79-10B engines in this bird in 1978 before the 78-79 Med Cruise on the USS Saratoga. There was a issue with some of the engines were the turbines where miss matched and the engines flamed out on the cat shot. VF 103 almost loss a bird due to one of these flame outs.
Great video, thanks! I was stationed at RAF Wattisham 1986 - 1988 in ATC and duties included Runway Caravan Controller. I remember the contrast between the F-4J and F-4M operations. I travelled out to RAF Akrotiri with 74 Sqn on an APC. I also know Manston well. I was stationed at RAF Manston from 1979 - 1982 on my first tour! I must find time to visit the Museum soon. Cheers 🥂.
Most interesting ! This is the type information that we never get to know - Thanks big buddy ! Enjoyed the video , and always liked watching the F - 4 Phantom II PS: we a fortunate enough to have a F -15 c Eagle in our little home town . Very proud display and a Special story behind it all . DeBary , Florida . Thanks again sir .
this is mega , ive seen her sitting on the apron at Manston for a long while im glad shes off to be loved , beautiful aircraft and so very important shes restored , ill be off on a trip to the west country to see her in all her glory again
Amazing video. It just appeared on my feed. I spent the 80s visiting my Nan in Nedging Tye dreaming of seeing more Phantoms fly! I used to walk up to the fence and try and see them. Such interesting stories and pictures, thank you 👍
fanatstic video i noticed at frame time 7:39 F4 serial 153783 (ZE352) which was the original Vandy 1 from VX-4 & 155539 the second Vandy 1 has just been removed fom storage at AMARG & being restored for future display at Castle Air Museum,again great vid
Again as someone who is unschooled in British air force history I find it incredible that we purchased a squadrons worth of fighters that saw their failings exposed two decades before over N Vietnam.
I feel you`re mistaking tactics for the aircrafts ability. A bit like using a spoon to cut steak. As mentioned in the video, logistics of having a type with commonality with the rest of the fleet and infrastructure were one of the main reasons for the choice. Secondly, the type of job the aircraft had to do as part of the UK`s air defence was a lot different to the way the aircraft was used in Vietnam.
The visual ID rules of engagement initials poor missiles hurt the Phantom in Vietnam. But by the 80's the missiles the Low vis paint and the J79-10B engine had greatly improved the Phantoms abilities.
Great video. I remember seeing 360 at biggin hill air show. Even got to sit in a 56 squadron f4. As a cadet I used to fly chipmunks down at manston and at the time a f4 j was outside the museum. I don’t think it was 360 though. I heard of its fate and even wrote to the staton commander saying it should stay as a gate guard rather than be sent to the fire dump. Keep up the good work
Great video indeed. I have a question, when I was on 431MU in Germany we had an intact Phantom on the Battle Damage school. It was never used for its intended purpose. Do you know what its fate was once the MU closed? What was its tail code. I can remember it sitting in a rubber hanger in near pristine condition.
The F4J was the version we should have had all along for the navy. Adapted for small carriers with the extended nose wheel leg. The F4E/RF4E for the RAF. The bastardised F4K & F4M were political solutions. Overpriced oddballs.
This video was so enjoyable and brought back many fond memories. I recovered F4s for the USMC using the same AM2 matting and arresting gear you all used in the Falklands. Thanks phor the splendid videos!
Hello! For some reason this video popped into my feed and by great coincidence, I was an engineer at General Instrument on Long Island, NY and was assigned to handle the integration of the ALR-66 Radar Warning System (RWR) for 74 Squadron at Wattisham! I spent a year at the Trusthouse on the A12 in Ipswich! It was 1985-1986, I am looking for my old passport, I do remember I had just left Jordan where we installed a similar system on AH-1S helicopters that the US sold to the Jordanian Air Force, went back to Long Island for supplies and circuit boards and headed to Wattisham. I had 2 other engineers from GI with me and we contracted with Lear Siegler for help with electricians and sheet metal mechanics and performed all of the modifications at Wattisham. I'll never forget the hangar we were working out of when the weather was getting cold, one of our guys asked why it was so breezy even with the hangar doors shut...then we noticed the bowling ball sized holes in the corner of the hangar. The Chief Tech assigned to us, was a Scotsman (he referred to us as colonials!), informed us the Germans put those holes in the wall. It was in that hangar that a Battle of Britain mass was held as well. We were also assigned a couple of crazy young RAF techs to train and assist in installation of the system. Let's see...Dave was from Nottingham, Frankie (total nutter) was a Geordie and Simon....well he was Simon. Bob Kubik, from GI was extremely important to this project. I wish I knew where all of the photos I took were and my notebooks on each airframe. For each installation, I documented everything we did up until training, test and hand-off. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and working with the staff of 74 Sq. If I do find any memorabilia amongst all the boxes of things I have squirrelled away, I will be sure to let you know.
Outstanding video. The Georgia Air National Guard took me up in an F-4D in May of 1986.
This was an unforgettable experience....
It's LITERALLY making me feel like vomiting seeing the pics of ZE360 at the fire dump at Manston. I visited RAF Wattisham in )I think 1991, one of the most enjoyable Air Cadet annual camps that I attended during my 7 years as a cadet, and 74 Sqn were there at the time......I came Oh so close to getting a back seat ride, but sadly not close enough. I'm so glad to see that you are restoring this beauty!
Wonderful series of videos... Ex Flt Systems techie who spent 2.5 years at Wattisham and worked over at 74 Sqn multiple times as well as working on the kit in the bay over at EES. One minor comment, i think it was ZE358 which crashed in wales. Went on the crash guard and the whole episode still haunts me... Seeing the tail section out in a Welsh field, as well as knowing tjw aircrew died in the crash. Found their names on tje wall at the national arboretum a few years ago.
Keep up the good work. Will be sharing with my ex buddies and on the RAF Wattisham facebook group.
Great video. Absolutely fascinating.
I saw ZE360 (with two others, one being ZE357"N" and the "R" ) on 1987 Tigermeet at Montijo AB Portugal (23jun to 30jun). The first time I saw a Phantom. What a fantastic display!
Perhaps with the latest news on the Status of RAF aircraft inventory. We need another shopping trip to the boneyard.
While with VF103, I would have been involved if installing the J79-10B engines in this bird in 1978 before the 78-79 Med Cruise on the USS Saratoga. There was a issue with some of the engines were the turbines where miss matched and the engines flamed out on the cat shot. VF 103 almost loss a bird due to one of these flame outs.
Great video, thanks! I was stationed at RAF Wattisham 1986 - 1988 in ATC and duties included Runway Caravan Controller. I remember the contrast between the F-4J and F-4M operations. I travelled out to RAF Akrotiri with 74 Sqn on an APC. I also know Manston well. I was stationed at RAF Manston from 1979 - 1982 on my first tour! I must find time to visit the Museum soon. Cheers 🥂.
Most interesting ! This is the type information that we never get to know -
Thanks big buddy ! Enjoyed the video , and always liked watching the F - 4 Phantom II
PS: we a fortunate enough to have a F -15 c Eagle in our little home town . Very proud display and a
Special story behind it all . DeBary , Florida . Thanks again sir .
this is mega , ive seen her sitting on the apron at Manston for a long while im glad shes off to be loved , beautiful aircraft and so very important shes restored , ill be off on a trip to the west country to see her in all her glory again
Amazing video. It just appeared on my feed. I spent the 80s visiting my Nan in Nedging Tye dreaming of seeing more Phantoms fly! I used to walk up to the fence and try and see them. Such interesting stories and pictures, thank you 👍
Excellent video very well presented and informative keep up the great work guys 👍
fanatstic video i noticed at frame time 7:39 F4 serial 153783 (ZE352) which was the original Vandy 1 from VX-4 & 155539 the second Vandy 1 has just been removed fom storage at AMARG & being restored for future display at Castle Air Museum,again great vid
Again as someone who is unschooled in British air force history I find it incredible that we purchased a squadrons worth of fighters that saw their failings exposed two decades before over N Vietnam.
I feel you`re mistaking tactics for the aircrafts ability. A bit like using a spoon to cut steak. As mentioned in the video, logistics of having a type with commonality with the rest of the fleet and infrastructure were one of the main reasons for the choice. Secondly, the type of job the aircraft had to do as part of the UK`s air defence was a lot different to the way the aircraft was used in Vietnam.
@@tc-ww8ui Appreciate your reply and perhaps I am indeed showing my ignorance hence my qualifying my comment at the start. 👍
Because Britain was unable to make anything better.
The visual ID rules of engagement initials poor missiles hurt the Phantom in Vietnam. But by the 80's the missiles the Low vis paint and the J79-10B engine had greatly improved the Phantoms abilities.
She was certainly a great jet. Andy Nailard
An excellent video, well produced and presented.🍺🍺👍
Great video, was the crash mentioned not ZE358, stated as ZE357?
Great video. I remember seeing 360 at biggin hill air show. Even got to sit in a 56 squadron f4. As a cadet I used to fly chipmunks down at manston and at the time a f4 j was outside the museum. I don’t think it was 360 though. I heard of its fate and even wrote to the staton commander saying it should stay as a gate guard rather than be sent to the fire dump. Keep up the good work
As a ex Jag jock i enjoyed this
Great video indeed. I have a question, when I was on 431MU in Germany we had an intact Phantom on the Battle Damage school. It was never used for its intended purpose. Do you know what its fate was once the MU closed? What was its tail code. I can remember it sitting in a rubber hanger in near pristine condition.
10:59 - you mention Navigator Jerry Uren. Did he go through Henlow OCTU, approx Nov '78 to Feb '79?
British straight body - Spey power - cool to see .
Any idea of the paint code for the tail?
ZEFREE60 CLASSIC🤣🤣🤣
The F4J was the version we should have had all along for the navy. Adapted for small carriers with the extended nose wheel leg. The F4E/RF4E for the RAF. The bastardised F4K & F4M were political solutions. Overpriced oddballs.
Very informative enjoyed this.many thanks a brilliant work you are doing
Yeah I'm pretty sure the beefy McDonald Douglas F4 phantom will meet a 5-year service contract lol