Reference

After a dormancy of 13 years, No. 74 (Fighter) Squadron was reformed at RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, on 19 October 1984, with ex-US Navy McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom IIs (designated as the F-4J(UK) in RAF service).[13] These were purchased by the RAF as a stop-gap measure to replace those of No. 23 (F) Squadron that had been sent to the Falklands after the war.[30] The 15 F-4Js cost $125 million, and underwent a full rework at the Naval Air Rework Facility at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego.[30] Here they received the ability to use the Skyflash air-to-air missile, their radar was upgraded, and were brought up to a spec similar to the more definitive F-4S; they were also sprayed in a distinct duck egg blue colour.[30] The F-4J(UK)s were then ferried across the Atlantic in three different batches supported by Vickers VC10s, with the last group arriving on 5 January 1985.[6] Late April and early May 1985 saw 'the Tigers' participate in their first major exercise; Exercise Priory, which sought to test UK air defences.[31][32][33] July 1985 saw a deployment out to RAF Akrotiri to undergo an Armament Practice Camp (APC); which also saw them carry out dissimilar air combat training (DACT) with Grumman F-14A Tomcats of VF-41 and VF-84 (from USS Nimitz).[34] The squadron's operational capability was declared on 31 December 1985.[35]

While officially designated the F-4J(UK), these Phantoms would simply be referred to as the 'F-4J' or just 'J' by those that flew and worked on them. The date was August 30, 1984, and 74 (Fighter) Squadron had a new 'big cat' on its flight line. Once the engines had been shut down, the jets were quickly put to use.

Declared operational on 31st December 1985, 74 flew this mark of Phantom until it was retired and replaced by the Spey-engined FGR2. 74 disbanded again in October 1992, this time as the last Phantom operator in the Royal Air Force - but stood up again immediately at RAF Valley with the BAe Hawk which it flew until September 22nd 2000 in the ...