(Image: Andrew Haynes; F-4 Phantom XT905 in storage at Bentwaters airfield, Suffolk)
Take a look at RAF North Luffenham, now St George’s Barracks, on Google Earth and you’ll see a neglected McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom jet parked near the end of the former Runway 26. The ageing frame has since moved on, but the imagery has yet to update.
In May 2013 the Phantom FGR.2 (F-4M), serial number XT905, was disposed of to Everett Aero and moved to the company’s premises on the former military airfield at Bentwaters in Suffolk. Pictured here in a dismantled state several months after the move, XT905 reportedly remains in storage at the Everett Aero facility, presumably poised for restoration or spares use for one of the company’s other retired F-4s.
More than two decades after her final flight, Phantom XT905 remains in the faded colours of her final operator, No. 74 ‘Tiger’ Squadron. During her flying career the US-built jet also served with Nos. 17, 29 and 31 squadrons, and 228 OCU, the Phantom operational conversion unit. Disaster almost struck when a nose wheel failure caused her to land without it in 1981. But the damage was repaired and the Phantom again took to the skies.
(Image: Andrew Haynes; disassembled and missing its rear canopy, Phantom XT905 appears relatively undamaged)
When the last FGR.2 model jets were struck off charge in the early 1990s, XT905 escaped being broken up for scrap in the Phantom graveyard at RAF Wattisham. But her future looked equally bleak after she was disposed of to former Bomber Command station North Luffenham in Rutland, England.
There, she was reportedly used to help train military personnel in the disarming of explosives. The abandoned runways at North Luffenham clearly reveal the scars of exploding ordnance, and the Phantom’s fate seemed all but sealed. Thankfully XT905 avoided destruction and remained in reasonably sound condition, despite being cannibalised over time.
(Image: via Google Earth; ordnance craters on the abandoned runways of RAF Luffenham)
The Thunder and Lightnings website wrote in 2004: “She’s now engineless and the outer portion of her starboard wing is also missing. Her flaps hang loose in the wind too. Her canopies were held shut by strops for some years but since this photo was taken she’s lost her rear canopy and the cockpits are now pretty gutted. Other than that and some minor damage elsewhere, she appears to be fairly sound – certainly worthy of preservation once she ceases to be of use.”
Hopefully that may now happen. These more recent images reveal the rear canopy is still missing, but the aircraft’s skin seems to be in reasonable order. On the same former airfield site is the excellent Bentwaters Cold War Museum, which has its own complete Phantom airframe and another FGR.2 cockpit. The group is also in the process of restoring another former 74 Squadron Phantom, XV401, which is owned by the museum. Perhaps Phantom XT905 will help complete the line-up.
(This article has been updated to note that Phantom XV401 is owned by the Cold War Museum. The other F-4 airframe and cockpit are on temporary loan.)
Related: Specially Painted F-4 ‘Tiger’ Phantom Fighter Meets the Axe
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