British Phantom Aviation Group

British Phantom Aviation Group The British Phantom Aviation Group is a non-profit volunteer organisation dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of F4 Phantom aircraft in the UK.
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05/09/2026

Our thoughts are with the families of those of our Phantom community, lost today.

Blue skies.

TALES FROM THE TENT!A monthly round up of the ongoing work down at BPAG.XT597.The major news story for August has been t...
02/09/2026

TALES FROM THE TENT!
A monthly round up of the ongoing work down at BPAG.

XT597.
The major news story for August has been the restoration of the aircraft's hydraulic systems to operational condition for the first time in 32 years. By tapping into the hydraulic lines and connecting a hand pump, we are now able to operate various actuators individually without the need for electrical power.
This represents a significant milestone in the restoration process, allowing us to bring movement and functionality back to systems that have remained dormant for more than three decades.
This month's work has seen the right-hand outer wing successfully spread and folded under hydraulic power, the wing-fold lock pins engaged and disengaged, and both the inboard and outboard flaps operated hydraulically. It is highly likely that this is the first time in over 30 years that the outboard leading-edge flap has moved at all.
Amazingly, despite having sat dry and inactive for all that time, none of the actuators showed any signs of leaking when hydraulic pressure was applied. This achievement has been greatly assisted by the generous donation of several litres of hydraulic fluid, for which we are extremely grateful.
Many of you will also have noticed the considerable progress being made with the aircraft's paint preparation. While perhaps the least glamorous aspect of the restoration, it is undoubtedly one of the most important, providing the foundation for a high-quality and long-lasting finish as the aircraft continues its journey back to its former glory.

XT905
Work continues stripping both cockpits, removing everything that is not part of the aircraft's structure or wiring harness. While this is a painstaking and time-consuming process, the team has made excellent progress in recent months.
The work being carried out now is laying the foundations for the next phase of the restoration, and we are hopeful that by the end of the year we will be able to begin structural repairs and start bringing the cockpits back to their former condition.

ZE360
Activity on the 360`s restoration has been relatively quiet this month, with much of the team's effort and resources focused on XT597 during the recent spell of favourable weather.

It's always nice to see aircrew reunited with the aircraft that became such a fundamental part of their personal history...
01/09/2026

It's always nice to see aircrew reunited with the aircraft that became such a fundamental part of their personal history. That was certainly the case for Tony Wheeler, who caught up with XV490 at the recent BPAG Open Day. Here's hoping we can persuade Dave Gledhill to join us next year for a photo featuring the complete trio.

BPAG concluded its events calendar on Saturday with its second and final Open Day of the year. While the weather was les...
31/08/2026

BPAG concluded its events calendar on Saturday with its second and final Open Day of the year. While the weather was less than favourable this unfortunately meant the cockpits remained closed throughout the day. Those who attended reported thoroughly enjoying their visit and valued the opportunity to speak with the BPAG team about the group's ongoing preservation and restoration work.

We would like to extend a special thank you to the former Phantom aircrew and ground crew personnel who came along to support us, and in particular Mike Pugh-Davies, who put together an excellent PowerPoint presentation and delivered an engaging talk for visitors.
Additional thanks also go to our friends at the The Buccaneer Aviation Group for their support on the day and bringing along their cockpit.

Below is a selection of photographs from the day, with captions included where appropriate.

Just a reminder that our second batch of patches and pins listings are finishing today at 8pm GMT. Don`t miss out and bi...
30/08/2026

Just a reminder that our second batch of patches and pins listings are finishing today at 8pm GMT.

Don`t miss out and bid now by clicking the link below!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/officialbpag

Its a bit damp, but we are open.£5 entry fee on the door.
29/08/2026

Its a bit damp, but we are open.

£5 entry fee on the door.

With the weather forecast for this Saturday not looking too dry, we may have to play it by ear whether (no pun intended)...
28/08/2026

With the weather forecast for this Saturday not looking too dry, we may have to play it by ear whether (no pun intended) we can open up XT597 and XV490`s cockpits. If it`s the case that we can`t, then we will reduce the entry fee to £5 for all visitors.

We still have lots of things to view inside our hangar and our team are happy to talk you through the work completed so far and our future aims.

But let’s hope, fingers crossed, that the Met Office have got it wrong!

3 DAYS TO GO!Open Day Information Please take a moment to read through the information below, and don’t hesitate to get ...
26/08/2026

3 DAYS TO GO!

Open Day Information

Please take a moment to read through the information below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

Date and Time
Saturday 29th August, from 10:00am to 5:00pm

Location
Cotswold Airport (GL7 6BA), access via the North Gate

Admission Prices
Adults (16+): £10
Children (5–16): £5
BPAG Paid Members: £5
Under 5s: Free
(Admission price includes access to the cockpits of XV490 and XT597)

Enter our hangar where you can view the ongoing restoration of Phantom F-4J(UK) ZE360 and Phantom FGR.2 XT905, along with other components associated with our restoration work.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to access the cockpits of Phantom FG.1 XT597 and Phantom FGR.2 XV490. Please note that, for safety reasons, children under the age of 5 will not be permitted cockpit access.

Parking is available free of charge and is located adjacent to the hangar.

The nearest toilet facilities are a short walk away at the AV8 Café, located next to the Control Tower and the Boeing 747 at Cotswold Airport.

Our third and final batch of patch and pin listings will go live on BPAG’s eBay page this Thursday at 8:00pm.Don`t forge...
26/08/2026

Our third and final batch of patch and pin listings will go live on BPAG’s eBay page this Thursday at 8:00pm.

Don`t forget our second batch of listings will end this Sunday at 8:00pm so bid while you can!

Take a look at what’s available in this week’s selection, then visit our eBay store via the link below to place a cheeky bid and help support our ongoing restoration projects.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/officialbpag

Address

Cotswold Airport
Cirencester
GL76BA

Website

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