JULY 2016
Obtaining a Phantom is by no means an easy
task. The group could no longer rely on its Facebook
status and thus we had to be registered as a
company and apply for charity status. It was at this
point that Sam Thompson, still in active service in
the RAF, came into his own and took control of the
project, being the main driving force ever since.
In Autumn 2014 the Group’s bid to buy ‘Black
Mike’ was successful but, due to unforeseen
circumstances, as well as US legislation on the
transfer of arms, the group remained stuck in limbo
until the very beginning of 2016. Ultimately, Gary
Spoors of GJD Services agreed to pay for ‘Black
Mike’ along with the costs entailed with dismantling
the
aircraft
and
its
transportation
to
Bruntingthorpe. Gary is no stranger to such feats,
having dismantled, transported and reassembled
Vickers VC-10 XR808 'Bob' at the RAF Museum
Cosford. The Group’s agreement with Gary
envisages paying him back through fundraising,
membership, merchandising and open days.
This August will see Black Mike transported to
Bruntingthorpe with the help of many people. Once
she is there, an in-depth study will be undertaken
into her condition along with servicing and anti-
corrosion treatment. The Group is still very short of
many spare items and would use this opportunity to
ask any readers if they have any Phantom bits and
pieces which they would be willing to donate or
loan, as they would greatly assist progress on the
project over the coming years.
Spotter Magazine will be following the work on
Black Mike and we will be delighted to report
progress on this iconic aircraft in future issues.
For more information on the Group’s efforts, visit the
website:
http://www.bf4pag.co.uk
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