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Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

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ForestRanger
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Location: Norfolk

Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by ForestRanger » Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:42 pm

I am currently looking for information regarding a F-4 that crashed in Thetford Forest in the 1970s. I believe it was a USAF F-4D based at Lakenheath.

I have spent a while searching online and putting together information from several different places and I think that the aircraft was 66-7480 and the incident happened on the 24 August 1976 but can't find anything definite to say that this was the aircraft that ended up in the forest. Is anyone one able to confirm this or shed anymore light onto this?

Ideally I would like to find some form of document to confirm the date, aircraft and location and tie them all together. Any help or advice on where to locate any further information would be greatly received and/or I would love to hear any details from anyone who knows of the incident.

Thanks in advance for your help.

rh226
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by rh226 » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:56 pm

Cheers, Bob

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Nighthawke
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by Nighthawke » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:01 pm

If you click on the serial in the tags section of that page there is an interesting letter from the forestry people.

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ForestRanger
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Location: Norfolk

Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by ForestRanger » Mon Jul 17, 2017 5:13 am

Thank you for the links to the photos definitely very interesting. I did come across these while searching for info, about all I could find though. Is there any USAF records available online that would confirm this?

graham luxton
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by graham luxton » Mon Jul 17, 2017 7:47 pm

Assigned to the 494th TFS Red fin stripe.

Davem245
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by Davem245 » Mon Jul 17, 2017 7:56 pm

On a side note, I once met the RIO of the said aircraft on a flight from Boise Idaho to Salt lake city, who is now a Lawyer in Reno, being a small commuter aircraft we were sat at the back and we struck up conversation and he discussed his time at Lakenheath and how he enjoyed apart from the ejection event he had to undertake on that day. He left the AF at the end of his tour.

DAVEM

mushbuster
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by mushbuster » Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:43 pm

An F-4 is reported crashed on the date mentioned (the pilot is listed as Capt. M. Krenek), however ejection history reports an F-4 crashing after take off from Lakenheath and causing a forest fire on 7 July 1976, pilot and nav both ejected no names given. Are you sure of the date?

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ForestRanger
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by ForestRanger » Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:23 am

I'm not sure on the date the info I have is purely from internet searches, hence why I am trying to confirm the dates, aircraft etc. I know the crash site location and would really like to be able to tie down the aircraft and date with the crash site. There doesn't seem to be much information online regarding the crash?

Thanks for all the information received so far, hopefully I can confirm the details and will keep looking for information.

PORTPHANTOM
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by PORTPHANTOM » Tue Jul 18, 2017 6:28 pm

Aircraft took off from 06 crossed, road, ice cream van and queue! then they punched out and drifted to golf course. The jet crashed down the forest track beloved of photographers near some houses. Can get copy of newspaper report from public records at Bury and Eastern Daily press. You can get a colour shot of jet from MAP. Have never established what caused the crash. Was a big fire due to that years drought. Can look up my cuttings if need be put thats pretty much it from them and folk who were there that day

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ForestRanger
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by ForestRanger » Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:12 pm

Thank you for the information

Julie123
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by Julie123 » Sun Feb 03, 2019 2:03 am

ForestRanger wrote:
Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:42 pm
I am currently looking for information regarding a F-4 that crashed in Thetford Forest in the 1970s. I believe it was a USAF F-4D based at Lakenheath.

I have spent a while searching online and putting together information from several different places and I think that the aircraft was 66-7480 and the incident happened on the 24 August 1976 but can't find anything definite to say that this was the aircraft that ended up in the forest. Is anyone one able to confirm this or shed anymore light onto this?

Ideally I would like to find some form of document to confirm the date, aircraft and location and tie them all together. Any help or advice on where to locate any further information would be greatly received and/or I would love to hear any details from anyone who knows of the incident.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi my name is Julie prior and I was 12 years old at the time of the accident and staying in a house close to where part of the engine crashed my sisters called emergency services that day as they saw the pullout eject out of the plane I think it was on the 7/71976

Julie123
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by Julie123 » Sat Oct 05, 2019 1:48 am

Hi I have just found some information that the date was the 24/08/1876 not as I thought 07/07

Vulcan74
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Re: Lakenheath F-4D Crash 1976

Post by Vulcan74 » Sat Oct 12, 2019 8:57 am

Julle123

I didn't know they were flying phantoms in 1876!!!

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