[rdfb2]

just found this one to add.

[Riding With The Angels]

I know the Javelin and Canberra were scrapped before the memorial building was enlarged to fit the Hurricane in. I don't recall a Phantom being there between tho. Thats very interesting. It is also one of a handfull of F-4J(UK) models supplied after a detachment was sent to the Falklands of the standard FGR-2 model. These were ex mothballed USN versions with the GE engine and avionics and not as fast as the Spey engined Brit versions. I remember one being by the fence alongside the road to Birchington and another on the fire dump just after the Tigers disbanded with them. They were the only squadron equipped with the F-4J(UK) and one of them now resides
 in the USAF museum at Duxford now restored into USN livery.

[rdfb2]

[


taken about 1986 by the spitfie museum






these planes all spent some time outside the spitfire museum where the car park is today, all pictures were taken in the 1980 s on our visits to the museum.

[WildWeasel]

That Gold Radome is interesting.... From experience I would say that you are right to suspect its some kind of Optical system most likley FLIR
When I worked on this kind of stuff it was usually fitted to "Research" aircraft based at RAE Boscombe Down...These planes would not normally be sent anywhere the general Public would see them or be able to take photo's
Generally older aircraft....In the mid 80's we did some work with a Hunter !
Had to fit a bracket for the pilot to stow a pair of Night vision Goggles in the cockpit when not fitted to his helmet...No-one bothered to brief us about something called the Ejection Line.. If the Pilot had to punch out with the Goggles stowed where we put the bracket it would have removed a rather important part of his anatomy on the way out.......

Happy days !!

WW

[Riding With The Angels]

I have always puzzled over the coppery coloured radome on 'P'.

Ive seen the same sort of thing on Hercules transports goldie coloured looked like a bay window it was for Sideways looking IR or SLIR that could be somekind of FLIR.

WW will know.

I know what you mean but they appear usually to have been in the upper surface grey on grey painted examples or black on the camo ones. A grey on can be seen on the other Firebirds example and a black one on the camo example. It appears that the Fighting Cocks example has the same coppery coloured radome as the first Firebirds example. Perhaps it was just a variation on a theme but I have not seen it illustrated elsewhere (and I have a few books on the F-4  ;))

[Paul]

I have always puzzled over the coppery coloured radome on 'P'.

Ive seen the same sort of thing on Hercules transports goldie coloured looked like a bay window it was for Sideways looking IR or SLIR that could be somekind of FLIR.

WW will know.

[Riding With The Angels]

I have always puzzled over the coppery coloured radome on 'P'.

[Riding With The Angels]

A nostalgia trip of scanned pics (hence quality) - oh and a Phantom!













[IMG
]http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/RidingWithTheAngels/file%202/Manston86008.jpg[/img]

[Paul]

Ive been told that when they renewed part of the runway in the early 70's they built tunnels
with trapdoors that come out underneath the appron so special forces were able to get under
an Aircraft without being seen.
The idea was to divert hijacked flights there.
Dont know how true it is ???