Thunder & Lightnings

McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II - Survivor XT863

FG.1 XT863 - Cliftongrade Ltd. (gate guard), Cowes, Isle of Wight

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Phantom FG.1 XT863 at Cowes, 2002; Max Kingsley-Jones

Displayed as an advert at the Cliftongrade scrap yard are the mortal remains of poor old XT863.

Originally entering service in 1969 with the FAA and 767 NAS, the aircraft moved to 892 NAS in 1972 and finished her naval career in 1978. Transferred to the RAF and serving with 111 and 43 Squadron, this was the aircraft that sported full colour roundels and a red/white/blue rudder during the early 1980 - the subject of many a model kit!

The airframe was transferred to Abingdon in 1989 for storage and was later scrapped. A small section of the nose survives and was put on display as an advert at the Cliftongrade scrapyard in the early 1990s, where it still remains today.

Information on this page current as of 10/06/2022, last updated by Jake

Find other photos of XT863 on the following sites:

Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net