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last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Warbirds, Replicas and Nostalgic photos in here please.
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buzzer

last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by buzzer » Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:53 pm

As noted by my very good friend malf. . 22 years ago to this day we were stood atop the hedge, at one of our local spotting fields that was RAF St Mawgan.We were there to witness the final British Phantom deployment.74sqn where there with either 4 or 6 ( i can't remember) machines to preform CAP sorties over the airfield and to see of any attacking bogeys! In this case played by 100 sqn Hawks. . We arrived early hoping to catch the Phantoms depart to preform there CAP sortie... but after much scanning of the VAS pan.. no sign of them.. Humm. Was the tip of we had been given ?wrong? ( remember this was long before the days of the Internet or mobile phones. Everything Was word of mouth back then! ! )
Feeling a little disappointed we thought we'd best stick it out for a bit. After over an hours wait.... A distant sound of a jet was heard.. and at very low level a hawk popped up over the tree line to run in as if to attack the hangars and control tower.!.. At this point....All Hell broke loss!! From nowhere the Phantoms came screaming down from out of the clouds, burners ablaze. .. and going like the clappers! ! :Wow: with several hawks buzzing around trying thre hardest to shack of the mighty Phantoms. . It was a site we well never forget. .. :thumbs:
After several minutes of all this goings on the Attackers and defenders all broke in to the pattern, landed, parked up that was that.
They departed out later the same day to do it all again, but some how it wasn't as spectacular the second time round.
lost most of the photos of all the goings on years ago. But did manage to find some. There not so good but I'll stick them up anyway..would love to hear from anyone else that was there to witness it. Either inside the fence or from out.
Oh how we miss them days.. and you youngsters don't no what you missed.
P.s. sorry for the long post. Image
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And I seem to remember these were some of the other movements of the day.ImageImageImageImage
Last edited by buzzer on Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Ian in Leeds
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by Ian in Leeds » Tue Sep 30, 2014 7:17 pm

Great pics and account of what sounds a great spectacle

Cheers

Ian in Leeds

lhrlima
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by lhrlima » Wed Oct 01, 2014 5:04 am

Superb story and excellent photos! :thumbs: Thanks for posting. :clap:

Steve.

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EGDGZTCW
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by EGDGZTCW » Wed Oct 01, 2014 6:38 am

Wonderful, wonderful days....great photo's thanks

KeithS
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by KeithS » Wed Oct 01, 2014 7:30 am

Great memories.....esspecially Phantoms turning up after the Hawks have attacked.

bigcrow
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by bigcrow » Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:24 am

Great stuff. As said many times before but those really were the days..

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TeeJay
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by TeeJay » Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:42 pm

Lovely set Buzzer. And the story really sets the scene :thumbs:
Thanks for posting
Trev

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phantomflyers
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by phantomflyers » Wed Oct 01, 2014 5:16 pm

Great post , yes were great days also experienced the same at Wattisham with elder joust and other exercises Phantoms defending the airfield just great :thumbs: :clap: :thumb:

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Reaper02
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Re: The last RAF Phantom deployment.. 22 years ago. !!

Post by Reaper02 » Wed Oct 01, 2014 5:17 pm

Nice pics and liked the story behind it even more, thanks for sharing!

Regards, Edwin
www.final-approach.nl

buzzer

Re: last RAF Phantom deployment.22 years ago. MORE ADDED

Post by buzzer » Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:47 pm

Well thanks everyone for the replies ;)
After seeing the positive response, thought I would have a look see if I could find anymore photos.. and I did. :thumb: also had a chat with Malf about it and he remembers abit more of the days events than I did!
So not only did we have the airfield attack by the 100 sqn Hawks (which had night dtopped and departed from Culdrose that morning) in the afternoon we were treated to a rather more high speed attack by French AF Mirage 2000s! In 2 waves 3 in one and 4 in the next :Wow:
Also just down the coast is the radar site at RAF porthreth. This was attacked by FAF Alpha Jets !
Think these night stopped at Chivenor??
The Phantoms had a harder time fighting of the Mirages! In among all this were other visiting types. A VC-10 popped in for fuel a couple of Buccaneers, Jaguars and the Comet from boscombe along with one of there Canberras plus i think it was four T17 from 360 sqn.FRADU hunters and FRA Falcon 20s. All in all malf seems to remember logging 65 visiting aircraft that day :clap:
And then to finish it of. The VC-10 that popped in for fuel went OTT with a Victor both trailing the Phantom on the hoses! !
What a day.. yeap.. They really were good times.
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Ratrace
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Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by Ratrace » Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:10 pm

Glory days...thanks for sharing.

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TeeJay
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Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by TeeJay » Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:02 am

Brilliant additions to the thread :thumbs:
Thanks buzzer.
Just a quick question... Is the Comet in pic2 of the update, the airframe that is now at Bruntingthorpe?
All the best
Trev

buzzer

Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by buzzer » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:17 am

TeeJay wrote:Brilliant additions to the thread :thumbs:
Thanks buzzer.
Just a quick question... Is the Comet in pic2 of the update, the airframe that is now at Bruntingthorpe?
All the best
Trev
Yeap.. It sure is ;) she would be a regular in for fuel at St Mawgan.

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TeeJay
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Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by TeeJay » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:29 am

Nice :thumbs:
Thanks for that Buzzer.
Be good to see her taxiing again, hopefully next year :thumb:
Trev

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Rich H
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Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by Rich H » Fri Oct 03, 2014 11:58 am

Great post, Buzzer.

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EGDGZTCW
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Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by EGDGZTCW » Fri Oct 03, 2014 12:08 pm

....... more please !

buzzer

Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by buzzer » Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:14 pm

EGDGZTCW wrote:....... more please !
Thanks once again all ;)
I'll dig out the snaps from our trip it St mawgan for "Ample train" next if you like? ?

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Re: last RAF Phantom deployment. 22 years ago! MORE ADDED

Post by venom » Fri Oct 03, 2014 1:42 pm

lovely photos
thanks for sharing
colin

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