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F-4 Phantom countdown in
wintry Wittmund, Germany
Almost 40 years to the day of their first flight,
Luftwaffe F-4 Phantoms are still flying daily missions, but only from
the Ost-Frisian airbase of Wittmund.
A mere dozen out of 175 F-4F’s are
still operational as their retirement date of June 30th 2013
is getting closer every day.
The local Jagdgruppe 71 “Richthofen” was the first operational F-4F unit
in the Luftwaffe in 1974 and it will close the book on the mighty smoker
this summer.
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38+10 is
painted up in its original Norm 72 green camouflage scheme
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38+33 in a
Norm 81
two -tone gray scheme
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As
the F-4 Phantom II model turns 60 in May (first flight on 27 May 1958), six nations
worldwide still have the F-4 Phantom II in operational service (Germany,
Greece, Turkey, Iran, Japan and South Korea). It is amazing to see these
air forces are still flying an aircraft that was built in the sixties
and seventies and became obsolete by the nineties.
But for aircraft enthusiast and photographers, their successors, such
as F-16s or Eurofighters are hardly as interesting as this large
titanium clad fighter, with its robust look, sturdy undercarriage, thick
wings that hold anything you want and two giant smokers in the back.
With winter slowly retreating from Europe, one last opportunity was
taken mid-March to shoot some F-4 Phantom II's in winter light and in a scenic
winter setting, with just a little snow added.
The day started at nine
with two QRA birds taking to the skies for their daily rounds. A handful
photographers only had to wait an hour or so until their day out was
rewarded with two F-4 Phantom II's in ‘sonderlackierung’ (special colour scheme), a
retro seventies and eighties scheme. Aircraft no. 38+10 is painted up in
its original Norm 72 green camouflage scheme, while 38+33 is done up in
Norm 81, a two-tone gray introduced in the eighties.
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Retro pair
lining up
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For a low
approach |
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Both took off in the direction of the North Sea for a photo shoot, only
to return to Wittmund for a single low and slow pass, continuing on a
planned visit to Neuburg. The commander of JG 74 at Neuburg, Col.
Andreas Pfeiffer, was about to take his last operational flight and his
son, Lt. Alexander Pfeiffer - who is also a jet pilot in the Luftwaffe -
was going to fly alongside in one of the special colour F-4
Phantom II’s from
Wittmund. They flew together before in 2012 and since then, Lt. Pfeiffer
has been in Laage for transition training on the Eurofighter. But for
this special day, he flew in an F-4 Phantom II to Bavaria to join his father in a
farewell flight (see picture, credit
Flugzeugforum).
Throughout the day we were treated with six F-4 flights, which
represents half of the operational fleet. Several performed touch and
go’s, (even so by the QRA machines, which is highly unusual for them to
do so) and five returned to Wittmund.
The sixth, 38+33, remained overnight in Neuburg. Two Eurofighters made appearances as well, these twin-stick machines
were from Laage. Undoubtedly they had former F-4
Phantom II pilots at the controls,
making approaches to Wittmund in anticipation of their return to the
base in June as Eurofighter pilots. To see any Phantom-flying in the
final months becomes a hit-and-miss game, since less and less crews are
available. However Col. Gerhard Roubal of JG 71 is determined to make
the final appearance of the F-4 Phantom II for the general public on 29
June 2013 a festival to remember.
The open house at Wittmund should
include a farewell flights with no less than four special colour F-4s
and a flying display of brand new JG 71 Eurofighters as well. Europe’s
aviation photographers are welcomed the day before, on Friday 28 June,
for a spotter day farewell. The F-4 Phantom II will be sorely missed in German skies
and this classic jet, its pilots and maintainers deserve a deep bow for
40 years of continuous service.
Wittmund - 12 March 2013
38+37 F-4F JG 71 QRA 09:06-10:43
38+48 F-4F JG 71 QRA 09:06-10:46
38+10 F-4F JG 71 Sp c/s 10:22-18:30 (Norm 72)
38+33 F-4F JG 71 Sp c/s 10:22-next day (Norm 81)
38+24 F-4F JG 71 13:57-15:04
38+64 F-4F JG 71 13:57-15:10 "Goldene HPO" marks
30+77 EF2000T JG 73 t/g 10:25
30+67 EF2000T JG 73 t/g 10:45
45+60 Tornado IDS(T) AG 51 t/g 14:11
Inventory of JG 71 “Richthofen” – March 2013
37+01, 37+22, 37+48, 37+92, 38+10, 38+33,
38+24, 38+28, 38+37, 38+48, 38+62, 38+64
(37+01 was in Jever for a special Phly-out paintjob)
Information for Phantom Pharewell 2013:
http://www.phantom-pharewell.de/
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