#61
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From UrbanGhostsmedia website
"Like a handful of other surviving ex-RAF F-4 Phantoms, the future of aircraft XV470 hangs in the balance. Wearing the faded colours of No. 56 Squadron, the sun-bleached airframe was retired to RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus back in the ’90s as a battle damage repair (BDR) training airframe, but two decades later the Phantom appears gaunt but otherwise un-hacked." The missing radome in Kevins pic would support this article, several good pictures on the website. As an old Phantom Phixer, it makes me sad...
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Ray Respect the Paper, RESPECT IT! GET OFF MY LAWN! |
#62
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Sorry Kev, but I've no knowledge of the Phantom, or the VC10 for that matter, but Akrotiri always did have it's secrets. During the Turkish invasion a whole squadron of Centurion tanks appeared out of nowhere. They certainly weren't flown in, and no one remembers them being flown out either. There's a lotta big sheds dotted around. P'raps they're still there?
Even back in '78 Akrotiri was a bit of an enigma. All sorts of "visiting" aircraft of many nations would fly from there, but (apart from the unmentionable U2) the only "resident" aircraft were the air/sea rescue helicopters. Mostly Wessex, but there were also a couple of Whirlwinds still operational. They would often recruit a few scuba divers to dump in the Med, fly away, and then try to find us to effect a rescue. It was always called RAF Akrotiri (probably still is) but with R Sigs, RAOC, REME, and RM units based there, us Pongos outnumbered the Penguins ten to one. Every year at their AGM the Cpls Club committee proposed compulsory membership for all permanent staff Cpls, but every year we vetoed this and wouldn't allow it unless they let our L/cpls in. (The RAF don't have L/cpls. They call them Leading Aircraftmen). Same thing happened every year. The AGM was the only time we ever used the club. Danged place wasn't big enough to get us all in. For all my 30+ years service, Akrotiri provided most of my fondest memories. On a later posting to Episkopi, most of my leisure time was spent down the road in Akrotiri Sub Aqua Club. Oh happy days.
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Keep on snippin' ... Johnny |
#63
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Thanks John for the tales
Although I never went to the area, I knew a couple of people who did and have heard lots of stories about Akrotiri!
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The SD40 is 55 now! |
#64
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Thanks Ray.
Info appreciated. Very interesting!
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The SD40 is 55 now! |
#65
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In order to keep this thread alive, here's another plane
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PAPERENGINEER Designs in progress: -C-2A Greyhound -Br.1050 Alize Last edited by rickstef; 07-29-2015 at 08:38 AM. |
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#66
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Oops double post
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PAPERENGINEER Designs in progress: -C-2A Greyhound -Br.1050 Alize Last edited by paperengineer; 07-28-2015 at 11:41 AM. Reason: double post |
#67
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The picture is missing.
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Carlos |
#68
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Thats to confound the "right clickers"!
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The SD40 is 55 now! |
#69
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Dun 'elp the "non-right clickers" niver.
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#70
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Here it is.
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PAPERENGINEER Designs in progress: -C-2A Greyhound -Br.1050 Alize |
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