Raaf F4 Phantom

[willedoo]

Heard something a couple of weeks ago about the possibility of an ex RAAF F4E being available to the heritage centre at Amberly, if the money could be found. I was wondering if anyone has heard which one it is. From what I can figure out, there are really only 2 possible survivors, 69-7212 & 69-7216, both ex 1 Squadron. The fate of 69-7206 (1 Squadron) is a bit unclear, it was an instructional airframe at Nellis AFB & taken out to the range back in the nineties. It was supposed to be the only one left as an original F4E. Numbers 12 & 16 were never converted to drones & were located to the AMARG graveyard in Arizona. #16 was still listed there about a year ago & was to be preserved in Idaho or so the story goes. #12 was on the list in 2008 so may be still there as well.

 

Both 12 & 16 were Desert Storm veterans as F4G Wild Weasels & it's just lucky they never got their tails painted red when they were retired. The one available might be #12 if it still survives, or #16 if the plan to send it to Idaho was dropped. There's apparently already an F4G on display there. It may never happen, but it sure would be great to have an original RAAF Phantom in Australia.

 

Cheers, Willie.

 

 

 

[Spin]

Not sure of the tail no. but I seem to recall that the one that the RAAF broke and then spent a few man years putting back together, was still on strength somewhere in the States, might be appropriate to hand that over seeing as we more or less built it anyway:)

 

 

 

[red750]

They should be donated to aviation museums.

 

Peter.

 

 

[Spin]

Sad but true, unfortunately. Even if I can sort of follow the argument for not recycling them (hazard and economics), I was surprised to see that some of them still had their canopies and all were still on their undercarriage. When I see what Motoart can do with old bits of aeroplane, you'd have to think that some of these items could have been sold off to enthusiasts - I've got a bit of a thing for industrial chic (Memo to self, got to find an old airframe or two to plunder)

 

 

[willedoo]

Sad but true, unfortunately. Even if I can sort of follow the argument for not recycling them (hazard and economics), I was surprised to see that some of them still had their canopies and all were still on their undercarriage. When I see what Motoart can do with old bits of aeroplane, you'd have to think that some of these items could have been sold off to enthusiasts - I've got a bit of a thing for industrial chic (Memo to self, got to find an old airframe or two to plunder)

I have an idea it's something to do with the original deal with the US, the de-militarization & destruction of them. The engines that are not used as museum displays all have to be destroyed, from what I heard, as they're the same ones the Iranians have in their Tomcats. Snapped this one (A8-147) at Amberly a couple of weeks ago with the engines out, so I'd guess it got buried. Very sad to see.

Cheers, Willie.

 

 

 

[willedoo]

Not sure of the tail no. but I seem to recall that the one that the RAAF broke and then spent a few man years putting back together, was still on strength somewhere in the States, might be appropriate to hand that over seeing as we more or less built it anyway:)

Bit of a sad story there as well, Spin - they shot it in 2005. That was 6 Squadron's number 34 (69-7234). Almost 19,000 man hours went in to the rebuild to make it better than new. It went to the States, then to Ramstein in Germany & remained an F4E while it was there. After that, it went back to the States for F4G conversion like the others, then to Desert Storm (4 radar kills), then to the graveyard in 1991. It got it's red tail & QF conversion in 1999 & was destroyed as a target in July 2005. The final two ex RAAF QF conversions lasted until 2006. All up, 15 of ours were eventually converted from F-4G's to QF-4G's & destroyed as target drones. Not a good story, but I suppose some good came out of it.

 

Cheers, Willie.

 

69-7234 in it's target drone colours:

 

 

 

[dazza 38]

I have a mate who is still at Amberley, he now works for boeing.To cut a long story short.To cut them up was/is more expensive than burying them.They are toxic, I should know LOL.I got paid $10 K from Veteran Affairs for working on them for nearly 9 years.

 

 

[willedoo]

I have a mate who is still at Amberley, he now works for boeing.To cut a long story short.To cut them up was/is more expensive than burying them.They are toxic, I should know LOL.I got payed $10 K from Veteran Affairs for working on them for nearly 9 years.

They mentioned asbestos on one news brief, I guess it would be a lot more expensive to de-contaminate an F111 than to do a building.

 

Cheers, Willie.

 

 

[dazza 38]

They mentioned asbestos on one news brief, I guess it would be a lot more expensive to de-contaminate an F111 than to do a building.Cheers, Willie.

HI Willee, The F111 had a bit of Beryllium in it which is Toxic as well. ( My Compo was due to working in fuel tanks.)

 

 

[willedoo]

HI Willee, The F111 had a bit of Beryllium in it which is Toxic as well. ( My Compo was due to working in fuel tanks.)

Haven't heard of Beryllium, it doesn't sound very nice. I'm not sure of the number of F111's buried, but it would have to be a huge cost to de-tox them all, so I can see what you mean about the cost effectivness of digging a hole.

Cheers, Willie.