Interview with Tony Dixon on the F-4J(UK) Phantom

Tony Dixon is a former RAF Canberra and F-4 Phantom Navigator. In this interview, we, focus on his time flying the F-4J(UK) Phantom and how it differed to the FGR2 that was serving alongside it.
He also talks about the USAF equipment, the cockpit and how it faired in DACT.
Haynes McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom Manual - amzn.to/2DM35jI
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[@simtaylor61]

This is one of your best so far. This guy could tell you the differences between the US version (sort of) and the British version of the Phantom. You see lots and lots of WHAT the differences are generally, (The Spey vs the J79), but you never seem to be able to find WHAT THOSE DIFFERENCES MEANT TO PERFORMANCE. Here is a guy that knows and can tell you the good and the bad of BOTH sides of the Phantom equation

[@larrymiller1380]

I was with the F4s in Vietnam 68. 69 love the plane

[@timbarnes3581]

Engine must be turned to 10% by the air start unit before you hit igniter to start engine. Just thought I would clear that up since he wasn't sure if it was 10% or 15%. I was electrician's mate in various USMC F-4J squadrons during the 70's and had license to run engines for most of that time, since you had to run them for many maintenance item checks my shop was performed. I also had a high power license in one squadron (VMFA-312) to run the engine in full afterburner mode due to a lack of enough qualified engine mechanics in the squadron. But honestly I was scared shitless of it in afterburner. I only ran it one time with a pilot there to certify me. After that I always found a convenient excuse to get out of doing it. We very seldom had to run an engine in afterburner for maintenance checks anyways, and it was always the engine mechs who needed to do it for some problem or the other. Awesome plane and I loved working on them, BUT they were a maintenance nightmare as the plane took MANY many maintenance hours per flight hour to keep flying. I also worked on F-4Bs in one squadron. The main difference as I recall was the fire control radar. The Navy/Marine F-4J had AWG-10 fire control radar system which was superior to the F-4B model.

[@FlightSimMuseum]

Great info, thanks!

[@davidbrooks9707]

This chap has been one of your best...both technically and historically. Thank both you and him for a great video.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks David!

[@distortedreality4603]

One of the best yet! I would love to go for a pint with this fella, I could listen to him all day

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks :)

[@AdurianJ]

The Ja37 Viggen had a datalink to a digital map in 1979 when it entered service in the Swedish air force a few years later it got another datalink that could transmit data to other viggens first 2 then 4 viggens could cooperate that way. The UK had a Jaguar squadron on exchange in Sweden during the 80's and was extremely impressed with how the Viggens could coordiante themselves and hunt down attack aircraft. Sweden had used datalinks since hte early 60's with the J35B draken being the first, but that datalink didn't go to a map it only had a row of electronic text and could give stear commands so the aircraft was put in an optimum position to take over the attack with it's own radar or eyeballs !

[@MOPARdave999]

what a great guy! no edge to him at all.....the kind of guy you could listen to all day long and not feel stupid when asking a question!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Indeed, he is a very personable bloke.

[@bengello]

A very interesting interview...yes I could also have a beer with him and chat all day. Thanks for posting.

[@phillipgater9605]

Absolutely spot on and fantastic. Real words from a real guy!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Haynes McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom Manual - amzn.to/2DM35jI

[@marcallen7233]

👍 Another great interview. Tony’s flight helmet is awesome!

[@poppedweasel]

I have only recently discovered your channel and have already whiled away many enjoyable hours hearing these stories. Subscribed and shared amongst friends. Thankyou.

[@lisaburnett3368]

WOW. What wonderful memories. Thank you for your service Tony. God bless x

[@jeffskillman9275]

Great interview with so many stories and facts I have not heard before including the black tail authorisation! I remember spending a week at Wildenrath in 1981 as a cadet where I spent an afternoon with a JENGO working on Phantoms of 19 and 92 Squadron in a hangar. At the time there were many of their old Lightnings just sitting there, one overturned on its back awaiting their fate. I didn’t realise the rivalry between 74 and 56 Squadrons continued after the Battle of Barking Creek which was fascinating. Well documented at our RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre, 74 were based at Hornchurch with Spitfires whilst 56 were down the road at North Weald with Hurricanes. The first aircraft shot down by a Spitfire was a Hurricane. Thanks for sharing.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Jeff. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@paulyflyer8154]

The best I've watched. I could listen to him all day. Great job. Thank you😍

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheee mate.

[@andrewfranklin7773]

Great conversationalist. Great interview about a great aircraft. Thanks AI and Tony!

[@stewartbrown4394]

My old man was stationed at RAF Wattisham in the mid to late 80s. I used to love watching the Phantoms of 74 and 56 squadron. Awesome aircraft.

[@paulfowell5253]

I was there at the same time in the armament section. F4J/F4M Phantoms were my favourite aircraft of all those I worked on from 1980-2003.

[@PhantomLover007]

My absolute most favorite plane in the world. I remember reading in one of the aviation magazines where the phantom stationed in Agean had an iridescent paint job. The ones belonging to tiger squadron if I remember correctly. I would love to see pictures of those

[@gazof-the-north1980]

Yeh - I like the good old Phantom too

[@GARDENER42]

Just found this channel last night. Absolutely wonderful stuff & I'm surprised you don't have more subscribers.

[@jimbo658]

Really enjoyed that. Always look forward to your uploads.

[@Aircrewinterview]

jimbo658 Thanks very much :)

[@lylebrown5146]

As a retiree, I totally agree with "It's difficult slowing down." Your adult life has evolved around flight ops and that tempo. Hitting the brakes after all that is very different.

[@acballen2613]

Tony seems a humble genuine guy. Enjoyed the interview! New subscriber.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks!

[@trespire]

Nice sentiment from the ground crew at Goose Bay, painting the tail in black.

[@darrenhillman8396]

Great guy. Another interesting interview. Keep them coming!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers, Darren!

[@pradohealey3000]

Love these interviews

[@67tomcat]

Simply awesome- love this Series!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much :)

[@larvint]

Just to point out, when he talks about the conditions of the backseater you cut to a picture of the front seat, very interesting stories he had to tell though.

[@patthewoodboy]

I used to see Phantoms running down the Tiefi valley north of Lampeter in the early 70's , was on a horse and spotted one just in time to dismount , horse went mad as this awesome, noisey thing flew over :-)

[@davidbutterfield456]

One of my most favourite yet! Slightly biased I know as Chairman of BPAG. Please thank Tony for his time and we welcome him anytime

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers David, 490 is looking great thats for sure! I will do.

[@martentrudeau6948]

Great interview, very interesting, and a great guy.

[@IrishManJT]

Excellent interview. Very interesting.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers

[@simonrichardson5077]

Good video,thanks

[@Daniel-S1]

My experience of Tony was that he wasn't a very pleasant person, though it's possible I caught him on a bad day, that time in Akrotiri.

[@PhantomMark]

Tony should know my old friend Nigel P who used to run the dome sims at Coningsby, I had a go in the Tornado setup years back thanks to him :)

[@louwvandermerwe178]

My moms uncle was OC 74 squadron. Sailor Malan,

[@colderwar]

My girlfriends dad was the MOD civil service bloke who negotiated the purchase of the first batch of Phantoms from the USA. He knows absolutely nothing about fighter aircraft and can just about distinguish a Phantom from an Airbus :)))

[@boejiden5933]

Jesus

[@millerdp]

I suspect your comment about your girlfriend’s father was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I do appreciate it. I’m with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and work defense systems technical acquisition projects and I work very closely with the acquisition (contract) experts. Like your girlfriend’s father, they are critical to acquiring and effectively deploying (putting into operation) weapons systems. I’m not an acquisition expert and they are not (necessarily) specific technical experts, but together we get the job done…for the U.S. and the U.K. Thanks!

[@colderwar]

@@millerdp What an outstanding comment, thank you :))

[@thefrecklepuny]

Watching now. Looks good.

[@KPX-nl4nt]

I wonder which start cart they were using for the F-4J, a dash 60, dash 95 or something domestic?

[@vascoribeiro69]

Saw the 74th F-4J in the 87 Tigermeet. Damn, they were good!

[@paulwalker1086]

Always remember the first J landing ‘rather heavily’ at Wattisham. Maybe the J79 doesn’t idle quite like the RR Spey. More like someone turned off the hoover. Lol

[@pascalchauvet4230]

With the British engine the Phantom had more thrust, but was not faster. Did it have a marked superiority in climb and energy retention while dogfighting?

[@CaterhamMatt]

Such great and unique content, why don't you have more followers?!?!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much! Spread the word and hopefully we can increase our viewership :)

[@imrosebashir2797]

wow just discovered this channel...weekend sorted!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Imrose Bashir enjoy!

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Sir, I respect your experience, your bite the bit determination. I always 'wished' but got no further than a Canberra trainee cap at Newark - could not get in - realisation I was claustrophobic. Sad but very frightening as it's turned out.

[@20chocsaday]

I went in the back of a Vulcan mock up and decided I would not like to be locked up there with two other people. Maybe it would be different if we were working there.

[@ianclarke7547]

makes you want to relive your own life and do things different

[@NxGxTomaatti]

Phabulous interview!

[@iaindavitt702]

He is so wrong about the F4J Radar AWG10B I was on the initial training Programme at Westinghouse this RADAR was so superior to the AWG11B & 12 B that was fitted to the original RAF/ Navy F4'S as it was supplied as digital system and so much effective . I served on 74 Sqn form 1984 to 992 as a MCS Air RADAR Fitter. Rada

[@darrenhillman8396]

Any chance of doing an interview with Cliff Spink or Jake Jarron?

[@carlcheadle9503]

Not plaster of paris . more a type of expanding foam. Tony Usher painted the helmets SE FITTER Tell them about the first APC All the best Tony . regards Chiz

[@Tracks777]

I enjoyed your video :) Keep it up!

[@booneleon5295]

a trick : watch movies at flixzone. Been using them for watching a lot of movies these days.

[@casonkade9316]

@Boone Leon Yup, I've been watching on Flixzone for since december myself =)

[@Werry_Rang]

Watching this before getting the Phantom in Warthunder😂

[@Ryanmoviescollection]

wow

[@REAPER3382]

this is so cool.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Great to hear you enjoyed it.

[@ascarifx]

A clean F4 can pull up to 8G

[@nexpro6118]

Here comes all the people in the comment section claiming to have flown the phantom or another jet and or served with this dude before lol watch....I bet over 2 dozen will claim it

[@adamw2911]

I'm sure some are genuine. However, yes, there are always a few 'Walter Mittys' when it comes to claiming to have served.

[@nexpro6118]

@@adamw2911 a few are real I'm sure but the other 98% are not lol

[@billyrock8305]

Poor airframe.

[@damiangrouse4564]

The dreaded “honey do list”. Just retired and the commander…I mean…wife issues marching orders every morning. May be looking for a job soon.

[@davidgleinbach7316]

Introduction music is annoying, I almost clicked off glad I didn't.......ouie!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you stayed with us. Cheers.