Big Toy day dreaming (Private F4 Phantom)

[Streetrod]

Whilst day dreaming about owning a P51 Mustang I came across this daydream, I had no idea you could actually own one of these, check this out:

http://www.platinumfightersales.com/inventory/?/li...

[Dr Jekyll]

There is a private one in the UK, but the owners haven't flown it and won't until/unless they get some work for it.

[Streetrod]

Surely having one of these sitting around and not flying must have a detrimental effect on the plane itself?

[dukeboy749r]

Wow, to think this was the level of 'plane a 'mere' 14 years after the end of WW2. Incredible.

And that they (Phantoms) went on to have a fairly long service life (when compared to the Spitfire).

[Streetrod]

What is very cool is that this plane flew at 904 mph at 125 feet back in 1961

[Eric Mc]

Dr Jekyll said:

There is a private one in the UK, but the owners haven't flown it and won't until/unless they get some work for it.

Who owns it?
Where is it based?
Which particular Phantom?

As far as I am aware there are no flyable Phantoms in the UK and I doubt there ever will be.

[aeropilot]

Eric Mc said:

Dr Jekyll said:

There is a private one in the UK, but the owners haven't flown it and won't until/unless they get some work for it.

Who owns it?
Where is it based?
Which particular Phantom?

The poster was probably thinking of the ex-Luftwaffe F4 owned by HHA at Scampton. HHA bought 2 x ex-GAF F4's some time ago, one as a spares ship and the other was basically a flyer.
However, from what I remember seeing posted before, the one that is at Scampton is the spares ship, and was never destined to be the flyer, and I think the flyer is still in storage in Germany.
HHA operate their aircraft on the mil register under MOD contract, so if there was a suitable contract for the F-4, there would not be a problem of one flying in the UK.....

However, I think the chances of getting a MOD contract for them to use their Buccaneer, Su-22 or F-4 hasn't yet been forthcoming and probably never will be. The Bucc costs 5 x times the amount per flying hour than the Hunters, the F-4 probably the same, if not more, so that's why the chances of the Bucc, F4 or even the Su-22 ever flying in UK are very slim.

The only currently airworthy civilian owned and operated F-4 Phantom in the world is this one, owned/operated by the Collings Foundation in the USA.

Edited by aeropilot on Friday 5th June 18:19

[LimaDelta]

dukeboy749r said:

Wow, to think this was the level of 'plane a 'mere' 14 years after the end of WW2. Incredible.

If you like that, the first flight of the Vulcan was only 11 1/2(!) years after the first flight of the Lancaster.

[aeropilot]

LimaDelta said:

dukeboy749r said:

Wow, to think this was the level of 'plane a 'mere' 14 years after the end of WW2. Incredible.

If you like that, the first flight of the Vulcan was only 11 1/2(!) years after the first flight of the Lancaster.

And designed by the same person.

[Simpo Two]

aeropilot said:

And designed by the same person.

Shoulda done the Vulcan first

[Dr Jekyll]

aeropilot said:

The poster was probably thinking of the ex-Luftwaffe F4 owned by HHA at Scampton. HHA bought 2 x ex-GAF F4's some time ago, one as a spares ship and the other was basically a flyer.

Exactly

[aeropilot]

Dr Jekyll said:

aeropilot said:

The poster was probably thinking of the ex-Luftwaffe F4 owned by HHA at Scampton. HHA bought 2 x ex-GAF F4's some time ago, one as a spares ship and the other was basically a flyer.

Exactly

But, the spares ship at Scampton will never fly because of the condition of it, and the 'flyer' still in Germany will never fly because the Americans won't allow it.
So, to say there is an airworthy F4 in the UK is not really true.

[Dr Jekyll]

aeropilot said:

But, the spares ship at Scampton will never fly because of the condition of it, and the 'flyer' still in Germany will never fly because the Americans won't allow it.
So, to say there is an airworthy F4 in the UK is not really true.

But I didn't say it was airworthy, just that it was privately owned. I said specifically that it hasn't flown and won't unless the owners get a contract for it.

Eric just got all aggressive again for some reason, I'm sure he knew I was referring to HHA.

[aeropilot]

Dr Jekyll said:

aeropilot said:

But, the spares ship at Scampton will never fly because of the condition of it, and the 'flyer' still in Germany will never fly because the Americans won't allow it.
So, to say there is an airworthy F4 in the UK is not really true.

But I didn't say it was airworthy, just that it was privately owned. I said specifically that it hasn't flown and won't unless the owners get a contract for it.

But its not the first privately owned one in the UK either, as that was the ex-RAF one acquired by the Hanna's for OFMC, with the intention of flying it......it was even maintained in an airworthy state and taxiied by Mark for a while until he was killed in the Buchon crash in Spain.
OFMC donated it to IWM afterwards.
But the one at Scampton won't ever fly regardless of HHA contract or not as its the 'spares' aircraft, and IIRC has had its spars cut as per USA instructions to all former Phantom airforces. Its also got no engines either.

[Dr Jekyll]

Dr Jekyll said:

There is a private one in the UK, but the owners haven't flown it and won't until/unless they get some work for it.

I didn't say it was the first one ever. Just stressing that yes, it's possible to own an F4 privately, even in the UK.

[MB140]

aeropilot said:

Dr Jekyll said:

aeropilot said:

But, the spares ship at Scampton will never fly because of the condition of it, and the 'flyer' still in Germany will never fly because the Americans won't allow it.
So, to say there is an airworthy F4 in the UK is not really true.

But I didn't say it was airworthy, just that it was privately owned. I said specifically that it hasn't flown and won't unless the owners get a contract for it.

But its not the first privately owned one in the UK either, as that was the ex-RAF one acquired by the Hanna's for OFMC, with the intention of flying it......it was even maintained in an airworthy state and taxiied by Mark for a while until he was killed in the Buchon crash in Spain.
OFMC donated it to IWM afterwards.
But the one at Scampton won't ever fly regardless of HHA contract or not as its the 'spares' aircraft, and IIRC has had its spars cut as per USA instructions to all former Phantom airforces. Its also got no engines either.

Aero pilot you are spot on. I know the guys at HHA and have seen and photo’d the said aircraft. You are right part of the contract to bring it to the U.K. was for the main spar to be made beyond repairable. It is entirely to be used as spares for the f4 in Germany. If the one in Germany is ever relocated to the U.K. then the US have mandated the spar is to be cut up on that one too.

[AlexC1981]

What a fascinating website. I'll have the 1937 Lockheed 12A please. It's a third of the price of the Phantom and has room to lie down.

[RM]

Eric Mc said:

Dr Jekyll said:

There is a private one in the UK, but the owners haven't flown it and won't until/unless they get some work for it.

Who owns it?
Where is it based?
Which particular Phantom?

As far as I am aware there are no flyable Phantoms in the UK and I doubt there ever will be.

What about Black Mike?

[LimaDelta]

AlexC1981 said:

What a fascinating website. I'll have the 1937 Lockheed 12A please. It's a third of the price of the Phantom and has room to lie down.

Personally, I've always liked the idea of a C130 camper conversion.

[Eric Mc]

I love those pre-war Lockheeds. A Lockheed 12 was at one of the recent Farnborough air shows and I was amazed at how snarly the engine noise was. It was like hearing two Harvards flying in formation.