A total of 185 F-4 Phantoms were produced and operated by the United Kingdom between 1968 and 1992. The Phantom was utilised by the Royal Navy as a replacement for the de Havilland Sea Vixen in the fleet air defence role, and initially procured to replace the Hawker Hunter in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles in the Royal Air Force. Subsequently, the Phantom was converted from its close air support and reconnaissance tasks to operate as an interceptor, replacing the English Electric Lightning. The Phantom operated in the Royal Navy until 1978, when HMS Ark Royal, the only British ship capable of operating the aircraft, was decommissioned. Following this, the Royal Navy's Phantoms were turned over to the Royal Air Force. The Phantom began to be replaced by the Panavia Tornado from 1987, and was finally withdrawn from service in 1992.
Variant | Powerplant | Speed (at 40,000 ft) | Ceiling | Range | Weight | Wingspan | Length | Height | Production total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Empty | Maximum | ||||||||||
FG.1 [1] | ![]() | 2 x Rolls-Royce Spey 201/203 low-bypass turbofan | 1,386 mph (2,231 km/h) | 57,200 ft (17,400 m) | 1,750 mi (2,820 km) | 31,000 lb (14,000 kg) | 58,000 lb (26,000 kg) | 38 ft 5 in (11.71 m) | 57 ft 7 in (17.55 m) | 16 ft 1 in (4.90 m) [lower-roman 1] | 52 |
FGR.2 [3] | ![]() | 2 x Rolls-Royce Spey 202/204 low-bypass turbofan | 118 | ||||||||
F.3 [4] | ![]() | 2 x General Electric J79-10B axial flow turbojet | 1,428 mph (2,298 km/h) | 64,700 ft (19,700 m) | 29,900 lb (13,600 kg) | 58 ft 3 in (17.75 m) | 15 ft 8 in (4.78 m) | 15 |
Aircraft | Powerplant | Thrust (each engine) | Speed (at 40,000 ft) | Ceiling | Range | Armament (air defence) | Avionics | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat | Maximum | ||||||||
Sea Vixen | ![]() | 2 x Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208 turbojets | 11,000 lbf (49 kN) | 700 mph (1,100 km/h) | 48,000 ft (15,000 m) | 600 mi (970 km) | 2,000 mi (3,200 km) | 4 x Firestreak or Red Top air to air missile (AAM) | GEC AI.18 X-band radar |
Lightning | ![]() | 2 x Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.301 turbojets | 12,690 lbf (56.4 kN) dry thrust 16,360 lbf (72.8 kN) | 1,500 mph (2,400 km/h) | 60,000 ft (18,000 m) | 800 mi (1,300 km) | 1,250 mi (2,010 km) | 2 x Firestreak or Red Top AAM 2 x 30mm ADEN cannon | Ferranti AI.23 X-band monopulse radar |
Phantom | ![]() | 2 x Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.203 turbofans | 12,140 lbf (54.0 kN) 20,515 lbf (91.26 kN) with afterburner | 1,386 mph (2,231 km/h) | 57,200 ft (17,400 m) | 1,000 mi (1,600 km) | 1,750 mi (2,820 km) | 4 x AIM-7 Sparrow or Skyflash AAMs 4 x AIM-9 Sidewinder short range AAM 1 x 20mm M61 cannon | Ferranti AN/AWG-11 X-band multi-mode radar |
While the majority of UK Phantoms were ultimately scrapped, a number of complete examples survived after the type's final withdrawal in 1992, either preserved in museums, or for further use as static articles by other units. Additionally, a number of examples that were ultimately scrapped had sections preserved for display in museums. These surviving complete examples and preserved sections are listed. [7]
Aircraft serial | Variant | First UK operator | Final UK operator | Fate | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
XT596 | YF-4K | Rolls-Royce | British Aerospace | Preserved (Yeovilton) | Oldest preserved UK Phantom [8] |
XT597 | F-4K | Ministry of Defence (Procurement Executive) | Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment | Preserved (Bentwaters) | Final UK Phantom to fly [9] Under restoration by BPAG [10] |
XT863 | F-4K | 700P Naval Air Squadron | No. 43 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Cowes) |
XT864 | F-4K | 700P Naval Air Squadron | No. 111 Squadron | Preserved (Lisburn) | |
XT891 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Coningsby) | Gate guardian |
XT899 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 19 Squadron | Preserved (Kbely) | |
XT903 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 56 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Cosford) |
XT905 | F-4M | No. 54 Squadron | No. 74 Squadron | Stored (Bentwaters) | |
XT914 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Wattisham) | |
XV399 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 56 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Vik) |
XV401 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Bentwaters) | |
XV402 | F-4M | No. 31 Squadron | No. 56 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved |
XV406 | F-4M | Ministry of Defence | No. 228 OCU | Preserved (Carlisle) | |
XV408 | F-4M | No. 6 Squadron | No. 92 Squadron | Preserved (Tangmere) | |
XV409 | F-4M | No. 228 OCU | No. 1435 Flight | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Stanley) |
XV415 | F-4M | No. 54 Squadron | No. 56 Squadron | Preserved (Boulmer) | Gate guardian |
XV424 | F-4M | No. 6 Squadron | No. 56 Squadron | Preserved (Hendon) | |
XV426 | F-4M | No. 31 Squadron | No. 56 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Norwich) |
XV460 | F-4M | No. 14 Squadron | No. 74 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Bentwaters) |
XV470 | F-4M | No. 2 Squadron | No. 56 Squadron | Stored (Akrotiri) | |
XV474 | F-4M | No. 17 Squadron | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Duxford) | First Phantom in air superiority grey [11] |
XV489 | F-4M | No. 2 Squadron | No. 92 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved |
XV490 | F-4M | No. 54 Squadron | No. 74 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Newark) |
XV497 | F-4M | No. 41 Squadron | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Bentwaters) | Final RAF Phantom to fly [12] |
XV581 | F-4K | No. 43 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Aberdeen) | |
XV582 | F-4K | No. 43 Squadron | No. 228 OCU | Preserved (Bruntingthorpe) | |
XV586 | F-4K | 892 Naval Air Squadron | No. 43 Squadron | Preserved (Yeovilton) | |
XV591 | F-4K | 892 Naval Air Squadron | No. 111 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Cosford) |
ZE350 | F-4J(UK) | No. 74 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Tunbridge Wells) | |
ZE352 | F-4J(UK) | No. 74 Squadron | Scrapped | Nose section preserved (Preston) | |
ZE359 | F-4J(UK) | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Duxford) | Preserved in US Navy livery [13] | |
ZE360 | F-4J(UK) | No. 74 Squadron | Preserved (Manston) | Formerly used for firefighting training Under restoration by BPAG [14] |
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