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 , 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 The Phantom began to be replaced by the air defence variant of the Panavia Tornado from 1987, and was finally withdrawn from service in 1992.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 variantsVariant designationImagePowerplantSpeed (at 40,000 ft)CeilingRangeWeightWingspanLengthHeightProduction totalUSUKEmptyMaximumF-4KFG.12 x Rolls-Royce Spey 201/203 low-bypass turbofan 52F-4MFGR.22 x Rolls-Royce Spey 202/204 low-bypass turbofan118F-4J(UK)F.32 x General Electric J79-10B axial flow turbojet15

UK Phantom orders

The UK's Phantoms were ordered in a total of four batches. The bulk were ordered between 1964 and 1966, and encompassed the F-4Ks and F-4Ms ordered specially for the Fleet Air Arm and RAF, including four prototypes and two pre-production models, plus a total of 53 airframes that were ultimately cancelled. The final batch was the 15 F-4J(UK) aircraft obtained in 1983.Martin 2012, p. 32-33 VariantOrder dateSubsequentlycancelledSep 1964Jul 1965Oct 1966Sep 1983YF-4K2rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 XT595-XT596YF-4Mrowspan=2 2rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 XT852-XT853F-4K22035rowspan=2 7XT597-XT598XT857-XT876XV565-XV571XV572-XV592XV604-XV610XV604-XV610F-4Mrowspan=2 38124rowspan=2 46XT891-XT928XV393-XV442XV460-XV501XV520-XV551XT915-XT928XV520-XV551F-4J(UK)rowspan=2 rowspan=2 rowspan=2 15rowspan=2 ZE350-ZE364 Within the range of military serial registrations assigned to the Phantom, there are a number of serial numbers missing, primarily within the XV range. None of these serial numbers were assigned to any UK military aircraft. XV593-XV603 – the F-4K range of XV serials runs from XV572-XV592 (the second batch of production models) and then XV604-XV610 (the cancelled batch of seven airframes). XV443-XV459 and XV502-XV519 – the F-4M range of XV serials includes two gaps in the second production order.

Timeline of Phantom operations

The Phantom was operated by the Fleet Air Arm and RAF for 25 years between 1968 and 1992; 700P NAS operated the Phantom for just twelve months during its operational evaluation period, while No. 64 (R) Squadron, the RAF's Operational Conversion Unit, utilised the type from August 1968 to January 1991. The A&AEE had a single Phantom permanently on strength from 1970; this was finally withdrawn in January 1994, becoming the last Spey-powered Phantom to fly.

Unit1960s1970s1980s1990s686970717273747576777879808182838485868788899091929394A&AEEcolspan=2 colspan=25 700P Naval Air Squadroncolspan=2 colspan=25 767 Naval Air Squadroncolspan=4 colspan=22 892 Naval Air Squadroncolspan=10 colspan=16 No. 2 Squadroncolspan=2 colspan=7 colspan=18 No. 6 Squadroncolspan=6 colspan=20 No. 14 Squadroncolspan=2 colspan=6 colspan=19 No. 17 Squadroncolspan=2 colspan=6 colspan=19 No. 19 Squadroncolspan=9 colspan=16 colspan=2 No. 23 Squadroncolspan=7 colspan=14 colspan=6 No. 29 Squadroncolspan=7 colspan=13 colspan=7 No. 31 Squadroncolspan=3 colspan=5 colspan=19 No. 41 Squadroncolspan=4 colspan=6 colspan=17 No. 43 Squadroncolspan=21 colspan=5 No. 54 Squadroncolspan=6 colspan=20 No. 56 Squadroncolspan=8 colspan=17 colspan=2 No. 64 (R) Squadroncolspan=24 colspan=3 No. 74 Squadroncolspan=16 colspan=9 colspan=2 No. 92 Squadroncolspan=9 colspan=15 colspan=3 No. 111 Squadroncolspan=6 colspan=17 colspan=4 No. 1435 Flightcolspan=20 colspan=5 colspan=2 Phantom Training Flightcolspan=4 colspan=7 colspan=12 colspan=2 colspan=2

External weapons and other stores The Phantom had a total of nine weapons stations, with two under each wing, one under the fuselage, and four along the side of the fuselage (see diagram), with the aircraft ultimately rated to carry up to of external stores. UK Phantoms could be fitted with a range of both air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance stores in varying quantities through the use of different adapters fitted to its weapon stations:Martin 2012, p.80-89 Stations 1, 5 and 9 were plumbed to allow the carriage of external fuel tanksMartin 2012, p.80 Stations 2 and 8 were each capable of being fitted with a pair of LAU-7/A missile rails for the carriage of AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles Stations 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9 could each be fitted with a Carrier Bomb Triple Ejector (CBTE) to allow the carriage of up to three weapons per station Stations 3, 4, 6 and 7 were semi-recessed ejector stations for the carriage of AIM-7 Sparrow or GEC Skyflash missiles

NameTypeNotesWeapons stations987654321GunSUU-23/AGun podUtilised in air-to-air and air-to-ground rolesAir-to-Air weaponsAIM-7E SparrowSARH air-to-air missileSkyflashDevelopment of Sparrow with inverse monopulse seekerAIM-9 SidewinderIR air-to-air missileInitially fitted with AIM-9G before upgrading to AIM-9LAir-to-Ground weaponsMC Mk13 1000lb bombGeneral-purpose bombM2 540lb bombBL755Cluster bombMatra Type 116 rocket podRocket podFor carriage of SNEB 68mm rocket projectileMicrocell No.7 rocket podFor carriage of RP2 2-inch rocket projectileSpecial weaponsB43 variable yield thermonuclear bombTactical nuclear weaponVariable yield of 70 kilotons to 1 megatonB57 variable yield nuclear bombVariable yield of 5 kilotons to 20 kilotonsReconnaissanceEMI podReconnaissance podContained side-looking radar, infrared linescan and multiple camerasLS-93 Night FlashContained camera with night flash capability; installed in 370 gallon fuel tankKB-18A Strike cameraFuel tanks600 gallon external tankFuel tankSargent Fletcher 370 gallon external tank987654321

Comparison of Phantom FG.1 with Sea Vixen and Lightning +Comparison of Sea Vixen FAW.2,Hobbs 1992, p. 20. Lightning F.6 and Phantom FG.1AircraftPowerplantThrust (each engine)Speed (at 40,000 ft)CeilingRangeArmament (air defence)AvionicsCombatMaximumSea Vixen2 x Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208 turbojets 4 x Firestreak or Red Top air to air missile (AAM)GEC AI.18 X-band radarLightning2 x Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.301 turbojets dry thrust with afterburner2 x Firestreak or Red Top AAM2 x 30mm ADEN cannonFerranti AI.23 X-band monopulse radarPhantom2 x Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.203 turbofans with afterburner4 x AIM-7 Sparrow or Skyflash AAM4 x AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMFerranti AN/AWG-11 X-band multi-mode fire control system F-4J airframes selected for conversion to F-4J(UK) In 1982, the UK government took the decision to procure an additional squadron of Phantoms, going on to select a number of used F-4J airframes stored at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center in Arizona.Rawlings 1985, p.33 A total of 15 airframes were purchased although, over the course of the procurement process, 19 were selected, with four ultimately not being used for various reasons; three of these were subsequently upgraded to F-4S standard for continued service in the US Navy, while the fourth was lost at sea during a ferry flight as an underslung helicopter load. Of the fifteen airframes ultimately selected for the RAF, seven had previously seen active service in Vietnam.

BuNo NumberUnited States serviceFateRAF serialUSNUSMCVietnamcombat?153768VF-101 NATCTo RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE350153773VF-171 VF-84 VF-31 VF-74VMFA-122To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE351153783VF-121 VX-4VMFA-333To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE352153785VF-121VMFA-334 VMFA-232 VMFAT-101To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE353153795VX-4 VF-121 VF-213 NATCTo RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE354153803VF-121To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE355153824VF-101 VF-21Upgraded to F-4S153850VF-31 VF-101 VF-33 VF-102 VF-103VMFAT-101To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE356153892VF-101 NATCTo RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE357155510VF-102 VF-103To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE358155529VF-33 VF-31 VF-171VMFA-112To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE359155574VF-31 VF-41 VF-103To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE360155734VF-92VMFA-235To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE361155755VF-154 VF-121 VF-92To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE362155784VF-92 VF-114 VF-121VMFA-232Upgraded to F-4S155841VF-103 VF-31VMFAT-101Lost during transport155849VF-121Upgraded to F-4S155868VF-84 VF-171VMFA-312To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE363155894VF-142VMFA-212 VMFAT-101To RAF as F-4J(UK)ZE364

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.

Aircraft serialVariantFirst UK operatorFinal UK operatorFateNotesXT596YF-4KRolls-RoyceBritish AerospacePreserved (Yeovilton)Oldest preserved UK PhantomXT597F-4KMinistry of Defence(Procurement Executive)Aeroplane and ArmamentExperimental EstablishmentPreserved (Kemble)Final UK Phantom to flyUnder restoration by BPAGXT863F-4K700P Naval Air SquadronNo. 43 SquadronScrappedNose section stored (Cowes)XT864F-4K700P Naval Air SquadronNo. 111 SquadronPreserved (Lisburn)XT891F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 74 SquadronPreserved (Coningsby)Gate guardianXT895F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 74 SquadronScrappedNose section preservedXT899F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 19 SquadronPreserved (Kbely)XT903F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 56 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Cosford)XT905F-4MNo. 54 SquadronNo. 74 SquadronPreserved (Kemble)Under restoration by BPAGXT914F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 74 SquadronPreserved (Wattisham)XV399F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 56 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Vik)XV401F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 74 SquadronPreserved (Bentwaters)XV402F-4MNo. 31 SquadronNo. 56 SquadronScrappedNose section preservedXV406F-4MMinistry of DefenceNo. 228 OCUPreserved (Carlisle)XV408F-4MNo. 6 SquadronNo. 92 SquadronPreserved (Tangmere)XV409F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 1435 FlightScrappedNose section preserved (Stanley)XV415F-4MNo. 54 SquadronNo. 56 SquadronPreserved (Boulmer)Gate guardianXV419F-4MNo. 54 SquadronNo. 19 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Ruthin)XV424F-4MNo. 6 SquadronNo. 56 SquadronPreserved (Hendon)XV426F-4MNo. 31 SquadronNo. 56 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Norwich)XV460F-4MNo. 14 SquadronNo. 74 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Bentwaters)XV470F-4MNo. 2 SquadronNo. 56 SquadronStored (Akrotiri)XV474F-4MNo. 17 SquadronNo. 74 SquadronPreserved (Duxford)First Phantom in air superiority greyXV489F-4MNo. 2 SquadronNo. 92 SquadronScrappedNose section preservedXV490F-4MNo. 54 SquadronNo. 74 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Newark)XV497F-4MNo. 41 SquadronNo. 74 SquadronPreserved (Flixton)Final RAF Phantom to flyXV499F-4MNo. 228 OCUNo. 74 SquadronScrappedNose section stored (St Athan)XV581F-4KNo. 43 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Stafford)XV582F-4KNo. 43 SquadronNo. 228 OCUPreserved (St Athan)XV586F-4K892 Naval Air SquadronNo. 43 SquadronPreserved (Yeovilton)XV591F-4K892 Naval Air SquadronNo. 111 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Cosford)ZE350F-4J(UK)No. 74 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Adelaide)Preserved in US Navy liveryZE352F-4J(UK)No. 74 SquadronScrappedNose section preserved (Preston)ZE359F-4J(UK)No. 74 SquadronPreserved (Duxford)Preserved in US Navy liveryZE360F-4J(UK)No. 74 SquadronPreserved (Kemble)Formerly used for firefighting trainingUnder restoration by BPAG

Phantom bases

United KingdomMartin 2012, p. 26Hobbs 1992, p. 38.