Airforces phantoms at andravida

he McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom

II ruled the skies of Western Europe

for decades following its introduction

in the mid-1960s. Hundreds of examples in

fighter, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance

variants equipped dozens of squadrons of the

Hellenic Air Force, Luftwaffe, Royal Air Force

and Royal Navy, Spanish Air Force, Turkish

Air Force and the US Air Forces in Europe.

The final Hellenic Air Force (HAF, or Ellinikí

Polemikí Aeroporía) Phantom squadron is 338

Mira ‘Ares’ (the Greek god of war), based at

Andravida air base near the west coast of the

Peloponnese peninsula. The squadron is part

of 117 Pterix Mahis (117th Combat Wing).

‘Ares’ received the first Greek Phantoms in

1974 under the Peace Icarus programme.

That year, McDonnell Douglas delivered the

first of 38 new aircraft for 338 Mira ‘Ares’

and 339 Mira ‘Aias’ (Ajax) at Andravida.

Another 18 examples, plus eight recce-

configured RF-4Es followed between 1978

and 1980, to equip 110 Pterix Mahis at

Larissa air base (home of 337 and 348 Mira).

While these were all new-build aircraft, the

third and fourth delivery batches comprised

second-hand jets. In 1991, the US Air Force

transferred 28 F-4Es to the two Larissa

squadrons, followed by 27 ex-Luftwaffe RF-4Es.

In total, the HAF received 119 aircraft.

Phinal squadron

The HAF retired the RF-4E when 348

Mira was disbanded in May 2017 (see

Greek recce Rhinos retire, July 2017, p36-

38). This marked the end of the Phantom

era at Larissa – 337 Mira gave up its

F-4Es in favour of F-16s in 2005.

The demise of the RF-4E wasn’t a bombshell

• the airframes were old and had never been
  updated with modern systems. However, the
  end of 339 Mira in October last year was more

surprising (see 339 Mira ‘Aias’ disbands

at Andravida, January, p7). The end of the

‘nine-ers’ came quickly and some feared

that 338 Mira might follow a similar fate.

Lt Col Kappos Alexandros, commander of

338 Mira, does not share these worries. He

said: “The General Staff decided to disband

339 because putting the whole Phantom

fleet under the umbrella of one squadron

would be more efficient and would not

change the way we conduct operations.”

While the two squadrons have now merged,

the spirit of 339 Mira is still present at the

base. Patches of 339 Mira are still widely

worn on flight overalls, while paintings

referring to the unit still decorate squadron

buildings. Moving 338’s operations from

the eastern side of the base to the former

339 buildings on the western side has

contributed to keeping the spirit alive.

Prior to the two squadrons’ merger, 338 was

tasked primarily with air-to-ground and 339

with air defence. “Now we are a multi-role

squadron,” explained Lt Col Alexandros. “All

‘RHINOS’‘RHINOS’

ANDRAVIDA

‘RHINOS’‘RHINOS’

ANDRAVIDA

AT

The^ glory

days

of^ the

F-4^ in

Europe

are^ now

over,

and^

in^ Greece

only

one^

squadron

remains.

Gert Kromhout

speaks

to^ the

Phantom

drivers

of^338

Mira.

T

Left: Despite the jet’s age, the cockpit of the

Phantom remains a sought-after position for HAF

combat pilots. It’s common for Greek fi ghter crew

to remain on the same type throughout their

careers. All photos Gert Kromhout unless stated

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #369 DECEMBER 2018 // 95