A total of 185 F-4 Phantoms were produced for and operated by the United Kingdom between 1968 and 1992. Between 1966 and 1969, 170 Phantoms were specially built for the UK, replacing the de Havilland Sea Vixen in the fleet air defence role for the Royal Navy, and the Hawker Hunter in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles in the Royal Air Force. Subsequently, when replaced by the SEPECAT Jaguar for close air support and reconnaissance, the Phantom replaced the English Electric Lightning as the UK's primary air defence interceptor. The Phantom was operated by the Royal Navy until 1978, when HMS Ark Royal, the only British ship capable of operating the aircraft, was decommissioned. Following this, the Royal Navy's Phantoms were turned over to the Royal Air Force. In 1984, a batch of 15 former United States Navy and United States Marine Corps Phantoms were obtained by the Royal Air Force to form an additional squadron. The Phantom began to be replaced by the air defence variant of the Panavia Tornado from 1987, and was finally withdrawn from service in 1992.
Basic specifications
Comparison of Phantom FG.1 with Sea Vixen and Lightning
List of surviving complete aircraft and aircraft sections
While the majority of UK Phantoms were ultimately scrapped, a number of complete examples survived after the type's final withdrawal in 1992, either preserved in museums, or for further use as static articles by other units. Additionally, a number of examples that were ultimately scrapped had sections preserved for display in museums. These surviving complete examples and preserved sections are listed.
Phantom bases
Accidents and incidents
Over the course of the Phantom's service with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, a total of 47 aircraft were lost to crashes, while another 8 were damaged and not repaired.
Phantom units
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
- Baker, A.D. (1998). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999: Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-13017-120-7.
- Gledhill, David (2012). The Phantom in Focus: A Navigator's Eye on Britain's Cold War Warrior. Stroud, UK: Fonthill Media. ISBN 978-1-78155-048-9.
- Gledhill, David (2017). Phantom in the Cold War: RAF Wildenrath, 1977–1992. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52670-408-5.
- Hobbs, David (1982). Aircraft of the Royal Navy since 1945. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN 978-0-90777-106-7.
- Hobbs, David (2013). British Aircraft Carriers: Design, Development & Service Histories. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-138-0.
- McLelland, Tim (2017). Britain's Cold War Fighters. London, UK: Fonthill. ISBN 978-1-78155-630-6.
