McDonnell-Douglas/BAC F-4K/M Phantom II - Survivors

XT903 nears her end, RAF Leuchars, 11th March 2000; Des Brennan

While it appears from the list below that there are still a respectable number of surviving examples of the UK Phantom, note how many are gate guards or similar at RAF stations or other military establishments. In fact the Phantom force has suffered badly in that their disposal was intended to be by scrapping only, and not by disposal to civilians (including museums). A tiny number have managed to escape into civilian hands regardless, even with MoD efforts to put a stop to some sales after they had gone through! A mass cull of many remaining airframes in MoD hands was threatened in 2000 but stopped at the eleventh hour; since then, however, a number of airframes have been scrapped anyway. This has mostly been due to the establishments they were at being closed, or inspections finding excessive corrosion and upcoming structural failure. The reasons why the airframes have not been allowed to be sold in the usual manner are many but seem to have their basis in the terms of the original sale agreement and the American's wish that no Phantom spares make their way to any unfriendly nations still operating the type!

This particular survivors list is restricted to examples flown by the RAF and Royal Navy, or non-RAF/RN examples where the surviving examples are physically located in the UK now (a handful of airframes).