the RAF allowed a fly in to Wattisham on the 7th sept 1991, I flew there with some friends in a Cessna 182, another pilot taxied into the tail of my AC while I was parked up, caused all sorts of problem for us getting home again, apart from that we enjoyed a great day there, I have a great photo of me sat in the cockpit of a former RAF phantom they even let me wear an RAF helmet for the Photo, I felt as cool as can be ;-) . these Phantoms were assembled there to be scrapped.
That was my favorite airplane when I was a kid, it’s still a beautiful airplane. I wish it was still in service, I wish I could buy one and park it on my front lawn along with an F14 tomcat, I would be a very happy man.
Awesome brings back memories of my time in the RAF on the flight line during the cold war years, watching this lot take off QRA style with FULL BURNERS! The RAF now sadly is a mere shadow of its past massive force. Makes me upset to see how many of our bases are now ploughed under to make unwanted homes that will end up derelict??? I am British and proud of it! If someone attacked our little island now a few Typhoons and a few American aircraft wont stop them :(((
When my wife and I got married in 1977 we bought a house in Sudbury and Wattisham was our local RAF base, we used to spend hours sitting on the back road watching the Phantoms and exercises that happened there, depending on the wind the final approach used to start over our house so we saw them often and visitors as well.
As a lad in the mid-70's , I used to watch the F-4 Ds ('D' for dirty!) from Bentwaters/Woodbridgw 81st TFW from the fields on the Farm we stayed at during school holidays. Awesome aircraft & when the A-10s replaced them at the twin base wasn't the same. Thank you for this video and bringing back some wonderful memories, particularly of that engine noise and crackle, as they passed low overhead.
I remember back in the old days (being from Stowmarket) plane spotting at RAF Wattisham and seeing the Lightning's from 111 Squadron or 56 Squadron on QRA, seeing them start up, straight on to the runway, getting airborne half down the runway staying level with it until the end then going vertical until they disappeared. Knowing that they were intercepting some Soviet Tu-16 'Badger' over the North Sea, What memories and to this day the Lightning is close to my heart. Sad to say we moved to Australia just as they started to get the Phantoms.
spent some time on the Phantom as an armourer at RAF Conningsby in the early 70s on 54 squadron and loved it .Then to Wattisham 111 squadron lightnings .Those were the days
Thank you for posting this. I remember that evening well. I'd taken in Wattisham during a cycle training ride during the day, expecting that to be the last I saw 74 Squadron, and indeed the Phantom, which had been a familiar sight in the area for so long. However, in the evening I saw the formation depicted in this video from home, about 15 miles away. There was a fair amount of medium-level cloud, and as they passed over one aircraft was missing. As I watched, it dropped out of the cloud with full reheat to rejoin the formation. In the circumstances, it was quite a poignant moment. Never been quite the same on the Essex / Suffolk border without them. Thanks again.
I'm from Stowmarket, we went plane spotting at RAF Wattisham all the time well before moving to Australia now I only see the odd F/A-18A Hornet or F/A-18F super Hornet flying around as they are all based up north. But we do see the C-130's C-17's and KC-40's down in Melbourne
I remember getting the old camouflage phantoms in at St Athan where they came to us in the painters hangar B2 at Pickeston and we resprayed them kn this scheme, happy days, beautiful aircraft, proud to have served.
I remember my step father was stationed there in72-74 on 111 sqdn, we lived in Gt Briccett and I went to ringshall primary school, I loved the lightening and was fortunate enough to sit in one a good few times, good days
Dad was on the Lightnings, 29 sqn I think but, as a resident Vulcan Q holder, he used to look after the Tin Triangles when they dropped in on Bolthole, I had cockpit and bomb bay tours on quite a few. We lived in Stowmarket for a year, then in quarters. Left for Saints in 70 or 71
You Brits have managed to restore all sorts of jets to airworthy status for airship purposes, most impressively . When is a Spey powered Phantom going to happen?
For the same reason that the Lightning cannot fly in the UK (Current examples in SA) - it is regarded that the maintenance schedule is too stringent for CAA approval for permit to fly authorisation!
I was based at Wattisham and used to work occassionally from the old dispersol for 74sqn. I never realised that the Base had only been close for 6 years as an RAF Station. I was there under Teeny Weeny Airways, as I Army Storeman. I arrived in (8 and left in late 2000. No doubt its cahnged alot since then as the Army are very good at ruining old Airfields.
I attended Fighting Torque in 2007 in my GT3 and was doing 160mph down that runway. It was an Apache base then but such a fascinating place and full of history. Great video.
I think I'm right in saying they used to taxi the Phantom with canopy up as the air con was useless and cockpit reached cooker temps otherwise? Never see it nowadays.
I remember being 19 in Scotland and seeing an raf f4 going high over my head around 1987 and being very jealous of the pilot. I never signed up for the air force but it all seemed very cool and still does.
The first time I saw a phantom up close was at the RAF leauchers airshow and I think it was in either 74 or 75 and I was smitten.👍🙏😁. Ps, I'm sorry bi can't spell for toffee and and my tablets autocorrect keeps switching aff.
Thats excellent Graham. It was an exciting plane to watch and film. Only wish I had had better equipment in 1992 but hey that's 30 years ago now. That vantage point is still there but not the same without the Phantoms. I hope you enjoyed the rest of the video and brought back memories.
Big smokey beasts. Shame they are all piled up as scrap but I did however look after ‘Black Mike’, an old 111sqn jet that was used as static display until few years ago.
Arthur Daily you will be pleased to know that 'Black Mike' now resides in B3 hanger on Picketston site at St Athan, in the loving care of the South Wales Aviation Museum (SWAM) 😎
What a great aircraft. But by the 1990s, without a serious modernization & service life extension program (SLEP) they would be useless and a financial blackhole preventing funds from going to future aircraft and overall readiness. Nonetheless, from the late 60s to early 90s, the RAF and RN purchase of the F-4 was a wise and cost-effective decision.
the f4. i wonder why it was retired as it's replacement the Tonka toy didn't seem as capable. these I'm also assuming from their colours and the like were the ex rn models? the omega replaced with something RAF based?
No these are all original RAF FGR2s at this point. 74 squadron had the ex US Navy F-4Js from about 1983 to 1990 then they were replaced by the FGR2s. Both 56 and 74 finished in 1992 using that model. The ex RN aircraft were FG1s which were used by 43 and 111 squadrons at Leuchars. The FG1s were never operated by the Wattisham squadrons.
Too bad they could not have uograded these jets to keep them in service until typhoon arrived, like the Turks and the Greeks have done with with their F-4's.
Remember them literally being taxied to the end of the site, the titanium and encypition materials, armament removed all fluids drained then smashed for scrap by JCBs!
Thanks Stuart. Yes I have two others you may be interested in "RAF Wattisham - 15th September 1990" and "RAF Wattisham - Last year of the Phantoms in 1992". All taken in the final years of the Phantom in the UK.
I was air frames tech on these, or that was my posh title anyway. A lot of us have hearing difficulty now in one way shape or form, so it was not as glamorous as it seems to the cabbages.
Mark Norville You are right. I flew the morane saulnier 760 for a year ...I have hearing problems due to the turbomeca «marbore» jet engines. I imagine all those mechanics working around Phamtoms. cheers
Stood underneath one in the hangar at Wittering,never realised they were that big.Impressed then and now.Lovely film,thanks.
the RAF allowed a fly in to Wattisham on the 7th sept 1991, I flew there with some friends in a Cessna 182, another pilot taxied into the tail of my AC while I was parked up, caused all sorts of problem for us getting home again, apart from that we enjoyed a great day there, I have a great photo of me sat in the cockpit of a former RAF phantom they even let me wear an RAF helmet for the Photo, I felt as cool as can be ;-) . these Phantoms were assembled there to be scrapped.
That was my favorite airplane when I was a kid, it’s still a beautiful airplane. I wish it was still in service, I wish I could buy one and park it on my front lawn along with an F14 tomcat, I would be a very happy man.
Absolutely love the Phantom. The look and the name. PHANTOM
Awesome brings back memories of my time in the RAF on the flight line during the cold war years, watching this lot take off QRA style with FULL BURNERS! The RAF now sadly is a mere shadow of its past massive force. Makes me upset to see how many of our bases are now ploughed under to make unwanted homes that will end up derelict??? I am British and proud of it! If someone attacked our little island now a few Typhoons and a few American aircraft wont stop them :(((
When my wife and I got married in 1977 we bought a house in Sudbury and Wattisham was our local RAF base, we used to spend hours sitting on the back road watching the Phantoms and exercises that happened there, depending on the wind the final approach used to start over our house so we saw them often and visitors as well.
Cracking video. Used to live about 5 miles from Wattisham, used to cycle up and watch the Phantoms as a young boy.
As a lad in the mid-70's , I used to watch the F-4 Ds ('D' for dirty!) from Bentwaters/Woodbridgw 81st TFW from the fields on the Farm we stayed at during school holidays. Awesome aircraft & when the A-10s replaced them at the twin base wasn't the same. Thank you for this video and bringing back some wonderful memories, particularly of that engine noise and crackle, as they passed low overhead.
I remember back in the old days (being from Stowmarket) plane spotting at RAF Wattisham and seeing the Lightning's from 111 Squadron or 56 Squadron on QRA, seeing them start up, straight on to the runway, getting airborne half down the runway staying level with it until the end then going vertical until they disappeared. Knowing that they were intercepting some Soviet Tu-16 'Badger' over the North Sea, What memories and to this day the Lightning is close to my heart. Sad to say we moved to Australia just as they started to get the Phantoms.
spent some time on the Phantom as an armourer at RAF Conningsby in the early 70s on 54 squadron and loved it .Then to Wattisham 111 squadron lightnings .Those were the days
Lived a few miles away. Many time spent at crash gate 1 watching them land great days.
I fell in love with this aircraft many years ago!
Thank you for posting this. I remember that evening well. I'd taken in Wattisham during a cycle training ride during the day, expecting that to be the last I saw 74 Squadron, and indeed the Phantom, which had been a familiar sight in the area for so long. However, in the evening I saw the formation depicted in this video from home, about 15 miles away. There was a fair amount of medium-level cloud, and as they passed over one aircraft was missing. As I watched, it dropped out of the cloud with full reheat to rejoin the formation. In the circumstances, it was quite a poignant moment. Never been quite the same on the Essex / Suffolk border without them. Thanks again.
You are welcome. It was the end of an era - especially for both the Phantom and Wattisham
I'm from Stowmarket, we went plane spotting at RAF Wattisham all the time well before moving to Australia now I only see the odd F/A-18A Hornet or F/A-18F super Hornet flying around as they are all based up north. But we do see the C-130's C-17's and KC-40's down in Melbourne
One of my all time favorites, particularly the yank wild weasel version with the long nose.
I remember RAF Wattisham I was there from 1973 to 1976 my first posting on joining the RAF. 2 years on refuelling flight. Brilliant.
Brings back many happy memories.
I remember getting the old camouflage phantoms in at St Athan where they came to us in the painters hangar B2 at Pickeston and we resprayed them kn this scheme, happy days, beautiful aircraft, proud to have served.
I worked in 7C taking the speedbrakes apart 🙂
Phabulous Phantom Phorever.
Phantom display jet with aux tanks in pairs landing..well caught!!
We lived next door to Wattisham the planes flew over our house this brings back memmories
That formation T/O and landings are so so cool!
Phantastic ! Thanks for sharing 👊👊
Great video of great planes!!
I remember my step father was stationed there in72-74 on 111 sqdn, we lived in Gt Briccett and I went to ringshall primary school, I loved the lightening and was fortunate enough to sit in one a good few times, good days
Dad was on the Lightnings, 29 sqn I think but, as a resident Vulcan Q holder, he used to look after the Tin Triangles when they dropped in on Bolthole, I had cockpit and bomb bay tours on quite a few. We lived in Stowmarket for a year, then in quarters. Left for Saints in 70 or 71
You Brits have managed to restore all sorts of jets to airworthy status for airship purposes, most impressively . When is a Spey powered Phantom going to happen?
For the same reason that the Lightning cannot fly in the UK (Current examples in SA) - it is regarded that the maintenance schedule is too stringent for CAA approval for permit to fly authorisation!
I was based at Wattisham and used to work occassionally from the old dispersol for 74sqn. I never realised that the Base had only been close for 6 years as an RAF Station. I was there under Teeny Weeny Airways, as I Army Storeman. I arrived in (8 and left in late 2000. No doubt its cahnged alot since then as the Army are very good at ruining old Airfields.
The Phantom was the most badass jet fighter ever produced, keep them flying!
Still the baddest looking, from the front, Fighter ever made.
Nice to see the old F4 from the past in 74 Squadron colours. Wish the CAA would let someone restore and an F4 as you can in the US.
I saw a photo of them, same colors, wings and engines removed stack in a pile of 10 or more. Very sad too see. :-(
I drove the Shotley shuttle bus at Wattisham 89-90. Proper job.
My favourite jet when I was a kid along with the vulcan. They were very loud compared to modern jets.
Had a raf phantom at manston doing circuits last day in service
I attended Fighting Torque in 2007 in my GT3 and was doing 160mph down that runway. It was an Apache base then but such a fascinating place and full of history. Great video.
The only jet to have the gun removed and then replaced!
I think I'm right in saying they used to taxi the Phantom with canopy up as the air con was useless and cockpit reached cooker temps otherwise? Never see it nowadays.
aww, I'm a kid in leuchars again :)
The f4 phantom will still remain one of the best fighter jet. That ever made.
What a trade...at least in fuel consumption. one Phantom equals a whole Hawk squadron...
I remember being 19 in Scotland and seeing an raf f4 going high over my head around 1987 and being very jealous of the pilot. I never signed up for the air force but it all seemed very cool and still does.
I often used to go watch the Black tails at Wattisham. A sad day when they closed it down
Remember seeing a pair of them from the QRA shed at Leeming burn up the runway no long before their retirement.
My all time favourite jet fighter.
The first time I saw a phantom up close was at the RAF leauchers airshow and I think it was in either 74 or 75 and I was smitten.👍🙏😁. Ps, I'm sorry bi can't spell for toffee and and my tablets autocorrect keeps switching aff.
Happy times!
Oh the memories !!..Anyone got a link for when the RAF Phantoms disbanded in Germany January 1992...
That’s me at 4.20 nearest camera landing the phantom
Thats excellent Graham. It was an exciting plane to watch and film. Only wish I had had better equipment in 1992 but hey that's 30 years ago now. That vantage point is still there but not the same without the Phantoms. I hope you enjoyed the rest of the video and brought back memories.
Ah many a happy day spent at Wattisham.. The exercise days were the best though..
Wonder how many squadrons /
bases / personnel
the RAF have downsized since this footage.
There are some things in the world that are louder than Double Ugly with the blowers lit. Not many things, but some things.
Hawks in the air defence role?
Big smokey beasts. Shame they are all piled up as scrap but I did however look after ‘Black Mike’, an old 111sqn jet that was used as static display until few years ago.
Arthur Daily you will be pleased to know that 'Black Mike' now resides in B3 hanger on Picketston site at St Athan, in the loving care of the South Wales Aviation Museum (SWAM) 😎
We need another Awn to wear the 74 tiger suits
What a great aircraft. But by the 1990s, without a serious modernization & service life extension program (SLEP) they would be useless and a financial blackhole preventing funds from going to future aircraft and overall readiness. Nonetheless, from the late 60s to early 90s, the RAF and RN purchase of the F-4 was a wise and cost-effective decision.
It was the worst of all options.. The 1st & by far Best option was TSR2, which the Yanks & Britt Traitors colluded to destroy.
My first posting was 29 sqn fgr2's out of conningsby
Mine was 54sqn 1970 to 72 ...
the f4. i wonder why it was retired as it's replacement the Tonka toy didn't seem as capable. these I'm also assuming from their colours and the like were the ex rn models? the omega replaced with something RAF based?
No these are all original RAF FGR2s at this point. 74 squadron had the ex US Navy F-4Js from about 1983 to 1990 then they were replaced by the FGR2s. Both 56 and 74 finished in 1992 using that model. The ex RN aircraft were FG1s which were used by 43 and 111 squadrons at Leuchars. The FG1s were never operated by the Wattisham squadrons.
What would you rather pilot against a S400 SAM a phantom or a raptor?
That's why they are retired!
George Washington a Typhoon with a few ARM’s, got the teeth to hit back lol.....
Too bad they could not have uograded these jets to keep them in service until typhoon arrived, like the Turks and the Greeks have done with with their F-4's.
👍👍👍👍👍
Remember them literally being taxied to the end of the site, the titanium and encypition materials, armament removed all fluids drained then smashed for scrap by JCBs!
Awesome video..you got anymore??
Thanks Stuart. Yes I have two others you may be interested in "RAF Wattisham - 15th September 1990" and "RAF Wattisham - Last year of the Phantoms in 1992". All taken in the final years of the Phantom in the UK.
Please share as I have lots of home video's of the phantoms just finding time posting them at the moment...great video!!!
Yes they are already on CZcams
I was air frames tech on these, or that was my posh title anyway. A lot of us have hearing difficulty now in one way shape or form, so it was not as glamorous as it seems to the cabbages.
Mark Norville You are right. I flew the morane saulnier 760 for a year ...I have hearing problems due to the turbomeca «marbore» jet engines. I imagine all those mechanics working around Phamtoms. cheers
Sorry, pressed the thumbsdown by accident.
Yes we had them in Australia on loan until our F111 arrived ...A joke for us deaf Cootes... Why do farts smell for the benefit of the deaf.cheers 😂
Astircalix
8
@@astircalix4126 Mechanics? Mechanics? A mechanic fixes cars. We are engineers or technicians.
Un pack 20 F4phanton para fuerza aérea Argentina saludos
Eeeeeee it makes the hair on the soles of your feet stand on end .
FANTASTIC HISTORIC FOOTAGE .....F4 RULE