Thunder & Lightnings

McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II - Walkaround Photos

Cockpits

FGR.2 XV424 at Hendon. Pilot's office! Stepping back a bit for a slightly different angle. Looking left towards the side consoles. Now onto the navigator's position. The small window between the two positions seems a laughable attempt at giving the back seater any forward view! Navigator's side console. Canopies both hinge from the rear. Finally a look at the ejection seat tops and canopy interiors.

Nose

FG.1 XT596 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Lots of useful info here for diorama modellers. The FG.1's extendable nose gear leg is shown off well, but note that the oleos have jackets added around them to take the strain off the exhibit. FGR.2 XV474 at Duxford. Closeup of the intake splitter plate and how it's held away from the nose itself. XV474 again, general view of the nose. Head-on - XV474 once more. XV474 again. XV424 at Hendon showing ladder placement. A peek down XV424's port intake towards that big Spey engine. Back to XT596 for her port side.

Wings

FGR.2 XV474 at Duxford; port twin Sidewinder rails. F-4J(UK) ZE359's inboard pylon for comparison. FGR.2 XV424 at Hendon showing off two AIM-9B Sidewinders. XV424's outboard pylon for comparison, showing the normal RAF load of a drop tank attached to this pylon. ZE359 again. The outboard pylon is shown here with a triple bomb carrier unit installed. FG.1 XT597 at Boscombe; extended port airbrake. ZE359's port airbrake for comparison. As you can see they differ only in minor details such as the placement of data plates. This one also has the safety strut installed to stop the brake moving. XV474 again, showing the port flap feeling a bit down. XV474's starboard flap. Note warning triangles for the ejector release units for the Skyflash missiles. XT597's starboard airbrake. XV474's outer wing. Not the best of photos I'm afraid. XV424's inner wing. The outer portion is folded as you can see. XV424 again, looking down on the starboard inner pylon. XV474's starboard inner pylon for comparison. Back to XV424 for a look at the SUU-23/A gun pod housing a GAU-4/A 20mm rotary cannon as well as the rear portion of a Skyflash missile in its recess.

Undercarriage

FGR.2 XV474 at Duxford. The FGR.2 nose gear is simpler than that of the FG.1, and has only one oleo section. FGR.2 XV424 at Hendon. XV474 again, head-on. The forward door on the FGR.2 is also simpler, with a single light and aerial. XV474 showing the angle of the links between upper and lower leg. XV424 showing off wiring and the landing light mounting. As with the FG.1 at Yeovilton, the oleo is jacketed to help take the strain off the gear.

Tail

Suction relief door, shown slightly open here on XV474, and the fire access hole. Missing on F-4J(UK)s, they were painted on because of their usefulness as a station-keeping datum. XV474's port tail. Lower down on XV474, and a big solid arrestor hook that contrasts nicely with the emergency-only hook on aircraft such as the Lightning! XT597 at Boscombe, with a look up the noisy bit. XT597 again, starboard engine this time. Back to XV474 for a closeup of the tailcone, which covers the brakechute. Fuel dump above at the base of the fin. General view of XV474's starboard tail. F-4J(UK) ZE359's port J.79 - rather different from a Spey. ZE359's starboard J.79.