Latest Updates

Now that XT905 and XT597 have safely arrived at Cotswold Airport and the disassembly of ZE360 progressing nicely, it is time to turn our attention to the long term arrangements at the airfield and our plans for the future. We are therefore pleased to announce our intention to establish the UK Phantom Heritage Centre, which will be our combined HQ, workspace, visitor centre and museum at Cotswold Airport. However, the very nature of aircraft restoration and the space and facilities it requires to be done successfully means that this will be an expensive undertaking.

We have therefore today launched a crowdfunding campaign in order the support the work needed to get the project rolling and you can find details of the proposed plan and how you can help here- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/uk-phantom-heritage-centre

We realise that what we are proposing is ambitious but we hope you will agree with us that it is worthwhile. We are in a position to make a significant contribution to the preservation of the UK’s aviation history. With the success of our previous projects, the BPAG have proven that we have the skills, knowledge and motivation to make it happen, but this time around we need the finances. We therefore ask you to consider donating to this campaign and as a result help to secure a future for our projects and keep the history and memories of these iconic aircraft- and the people who flew and maintained them- alive. Not just for all the current generations but also for those yet to come.

Thank you.

We really are honoured to have the most amazing set of supporters  at the BPAG. In what is turning out to be a great week for donations, we have received this rear canopy which is in excellent condition. It was donated by a chap called Steve Donald, who coincidentially took the incredible picture of XV589’s final moments, which is arguably the most famous UK Phantom picture of all time.

Steve is a life long Phantom fan and we are incredibly grateful to him for his kind and generous contribution to the UK Phantom preservation cause.

We were delighted to recently receive a most welcome donation from Charles Ross, who is Chairman of the Lightning Association. Cockpit instruments are high on our priority list, so this will be a valuable boost to the ongoing restoration process. A number of these are particularly notable as they date right back to the very earliest days of the F-4K programme.

We would like to give our sincerest thanks to Charles and the Lightning Association for their generosity and also take this opportunity to ask any of you out there who may have any Lightning parts tucked away that are surplus to requirements, to contact them via their Facebook page- www.facebook.com/XR724 or website www.lightning.org.uk as they will be most gratefully received.

It is with a great deal of pleasure (and not a little relief) that we can confirm that XT597 and XT905 have now both arrived safely at their new home at Cotswold Airport, Gloucestershire. 905 has been there for the last three weeks, having arrived on the afternoon of 29^th May and finally was joined by 597 on Wednesday. 

The safe arrival of these aircraft at Cotswold Airport marks the beginning of a new chapter for the BPAG and is the first step toward a bright new future. Thank you to all our members and volunteers who freely gave their time and effort to help make this happen and please feel free to join us in celebrating this achievement and congratulating everyone involved on a job well done.