Spanish F-4 Phantoms on the Bardenas Reales under fire from EdA EF-18Ms.

We were on our way to the Bardenas Reales, Europe's largest desert and a significant bombing range used by the Spanish Air Force. Ground targets on this range include some EdA Phantoms, which I hoped to photograph. 

Regarding these beautiful jets, it would seem rude not to start with a Spanish Airforce RF-4C Phantom seen on a better day and before we discover the destiny of the F-4 Phantom targets. 

What follows is a little sad if you were a fond lover of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom.

CR12-55/12-64 RF-4C Phantom EdA departing the 1996 International Air Tattoo held at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. 

CR12-55/12-64 RF-4C Phantom EdA pouring on the power.

CR12-55/12-64 RF-4C Phantom departing for its home base at Torrejon de Ardoz. By 2002, it would become one of the preserved RF-4Cs at Torrejon.

So now we can look at the Bardenas Reales firing and bombing range and the EF-18Ms giving 'hell' to the ground targets.

The Bardenas Reales is a semiarid nature reserve. In fact, Europe's most immense Desert or 'Bad Lands, ' covers an area of 42500 hectares. It is an excellent destination for its Flora and Fauna, travelling on sand-compacted tracks in a highly weathered landscape. 

With its exceptional Biological importance and highest levels of environmental protection, the last thing you might imagine is a firing and bombing range at its centre.

For the unexpected, the first inkling is the signs.  

  

I have travelled to the Navarra region for many years, photographing the wildlife.

The Spanish Air Force units use the range nearly daily. We have seen Eurofighters, AV-8s, and F-18s, and during the 2015 NATO exercise 'Trident Juncture,' many NATO aircraft were to be seen firing at the targets. Most USAFE units, including Phantoms, A-10s, and F-16s, have bombed it.

CR.12-50/12-59 RF-4C Phantom EdA. 

CR.12-41 RF-4C Phantom EdA.

C.14-17/14-11 Mirage F.1M EdA. (Nearly dead but not quite).

CR.12-50/12-59 RF-4C Phantom with a target tank beyond. 

Ancient armoured personnel carriers rusting in the landscape.

The group of six Phantoms lie North of the dummy runway.

In no particular order:- C.12-04/122-02, C.12-09/12-06, C.12-14/122-07, C12-23/12-18,c.12-30/122-15, and C.12-40/12-32.

 

The rear F-4Cs with what looks like a bomb casing in the gypsum.

Closer view of the front three in the group.

View the runway and the 6xF-4C, 1xRF-4C, and the lone Mirage F-1M.

Shortly after this photo, we had to leave the immediate area for safety reasons.

Sadly, we were stuck looking towards the sun, but it was exciting and noisy when 3x Ala 15 EF-18Ms, fully armed, arrived from their Zaragoza airbase.

 

C.15-14/15-01 EF-18M Ala 15, with its Nato Tiger tail and live weapons.

C.15-14/15-01 EF-18M Ala 15, bomb away.

C.15-24/15-11 follows up with its nose-mounted 20mm Gatling gun working hard.

C.15-14/15-01 returns using the M61A2 Vulcan gun.

C.15-24/15-01 climbs from a staggeringly low flight and rolls over. The inert bomblet hooking device is seen underneath.

Heading for the target.

C.15-14/15-01 follows C.15-24/15-11.

C.15-30/15-17 EF-18M EdA climbing for the dive.

It's all over. With the jets departing for their home base, a Griffon Vulture passed through the now silent desert. 

Are some 12 F-4Cs and 1RF-4C listed as stored here? 

I need to find out where they are if they are on the Bardenas...

Spanish Air Force RF-4C Phantoms visited RAF Honnington in June 1993 during an exchange visit with 13 Sqn RAF. To see more, use the link below.

https://legendarymilavia.blogspot.com/2019/08/spanish-f-4cs-arrive-at-honington-and.html

Thank you for taking the time.