PhanCon returned to Andravida Air Base in May 2026, giving participants unprecedented access to Greece’s operational F-4E AUP Phantom II fleet and the personnel who keep it flying.
The European Phantom Conference (PhanCon) returned once again to Greece in May 2026 for its latest edition. The event brought aviation enthusiasts from around the world to Andravida Air Base for an exceptionally rare look at one of the last operational F-4 Phantom II fleets anywhere in the world.
The event was hosted by the Hellenic Air Force, which showcased the assets associated with 338 Mira of the 117 Combat Wing, and sponsored by the Phantom II society, with its European Liason Coert Van Breda in charge of the organization. Our friend and aviation photographer Jerry McGrath had a chance to attend PhanCon 2026 at Andravida, where he captured some great photos of the remaining Hellenic F-4Es and the work behind the scenes to keep them operational.
The Phantom Conference
The original Phantom Conference was an event sponsored by the F-4 Phantom II Society once a year for a worldwide gathering of F-4 enthusiasts. The last of these events was held in 2016 shortly before the QF-4’s retirement from service in the United States Air Force.
In July 2022, the event was moved to Europe and specifically to Greece, where five new editions were held so far. PhanCon 2026 thus continued a tradition that has become increasingly significant as active Phantom operators become fewer each year.
The event is dedicated to the preservation of the history and the heritage of the F-4 Phantom II fighter jet. The group reunites aviators, maintenance personnel, photographers, modelers, and all the enthusiasts with or without direct experience on the Phantom, which each year get the occasion to share experiences, meet friends again and admire the F-4 together.
This year the PhanCon unofficially kicked off a day earlier deep in the heart of the Peloponnese Mountains, in a valley formed by the Vouraikos River. The area is famously used for low altitude training.
McGrath told us:
“Individuals gathered from around the world (Japan, EU, United States and a healthy contingent of Greek fans!) to listen and wait as the F-4E roared through the canyon at low level, delighting the gathered attendees! Time was spent catching up with old friends and making new friends, all with a deep love of the Phantom.”
Day 1
The next day, the group moved to Andravida, home to the 117 Combat Wing and the Air Tactics Center, for the first official day of the Phantom Conference. McGrath told us:
“Official kick off happened with participants being treated to a bounty of swag (Coins, Patches and more!) to start PhanCon off with some administrative conversation and more comradery, many of us not having seen each other since the last PhanCon, before heading into the base for 2 days of Spooky Hijinx.”
The day started with a visit to 338 Mira’s Squadron House, exploring the collected memorabilia of the Phantom and the squadron. The participants then moved to the flight line to witness the first two takeoffs of the day, with a pair of F-4E AUPs thundering down the runway, roaring into the sky and accelerating out of view.
Unlike many aviation events of this genre, PhanCon is notable for providing insight into day-to-day squadron operations rather than focusing solely on photography opportunities. In fact, McGrath continued:
“As an operational tour, we were treated not just to the flights of the F-4E, but the day to day care and maintenance. We were shown how the Phantom is stored and prepped for flight, before breaking for a glorious Greek lunch, courtesy of the Swing. Moussaka and Souvlaki on the menu and a little celebration as well. Presentation of a new book by Keith Snyder was made on Lone Star Phantoms, available for pick up, and master organizer Coert Van Breda was celebrated by his daughters for his devotion and dedication for reviving PhanCon and keeping it going in Greece.”
Similarly to the morning, the afternoon saw both a mix of flight operations and tours to the base. This saw a pair of Phantoms demonstrating attack profiles over the base and a visit to maintenance facilities, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how Greece continues to sustain a fleet that first entered service decades ago.
McGrath recounted:
“Returning to the base saw an afternoon launch… and ATTACK! A pair of F-4s launched and simulated an attack on the squadron house, dazzling the attendees, as the Rhinos vaped overhead pulling out from their ground attacks. Moving on, we received a tour of their light maintenance facilities with a Phantom having recently flown and undergoing some routine checks, and on to the crown of the night: sunset photos with the Demo jet and a night departure (BURNERS!).”
The Demo jet has been applied a special livery, featuring a Phantom’s Spook over the Greek flag on the tail, while a the cannon’s fairing has been applied a “175,338 Spooky Hours” writing. The livery is completed by decorated external fuel tanks with the writing “Phear the Spooks.”
Here is how McGrath described the shoot:
“We gathered as the F-4 Demo Jet powered up, taking photos of the start-up and listening to those sweet J79s whirl to life. Soon it taxied out and we chased it down the taxiway (literally running after the jet) to its reposition. With the sun in the background and air-stairs available, memories and shots were made (no doubt many have already made their rounds). Big thank you to Rich Cooper and Steven Comber for herding the cats and setting this perfect shot up. Finishing the night…. A pair of Rhinos taxied out at dark, roaring to life with nothing but their afterburners to be seen charging down the runways!”
Day 2
The second day of the Phantom Conference started with another visit to the maintenance facilities, this time to see more in-depth work on the aircraft which has served Greece already for over 50 years. PhanCon’s attendees were able to observe aircraft in various stages of maintenance, including examples with engines removed and major structural components exposed, as well as the maintenance of the engines.
McGrath said:
“We were back, and heading to Phantom Phixers, heavy depot work by the skilled crews at the base! A tour of the engine shop, where the J79s are maintained and stored, along with conversation with personnel as they worked delighted many of the attendees, while others moved to the depot hanger, where two aircraft were in the midst of deeper phixing. We had the opportunity to take deep looks with panels off, engines out, wings separated as repairs and day to day stresses were patched up, the planes made ready to take to the air for years more worth of service.”
One particularly noteworthy highlight of the visit to the maintenance section was the appearance of another aircraft being prepared for return to service.
“To our surprise… a new tail number! 71756 was nearing completion and hoping to fly soon!”
However, the real highlight of PhanCon 2026 was yet to come, and took all the attendees by surprise: a rare six-ship Phantom flypast. Here is how our friend described it:
“Rounding the base in the bus, we repositioned for the surprise of the event: six, you heard me right, six F-4s to take off and overfly the base! Watching the planes roll out, stage and roar down was something that brings back memories. Many there had never seen a 4-ship, much less a 6-ship come to life, and it manifested before us! Six Phantoms in a Vic formation (6 was tucked in) passed over the base at low level, roaring through, drowning out the cheers from the onlookers. They swung wide and came back for a second pass, this time breaking off one at a time with burners for recovery.”
Notably, both the Phantoms with the smokier engines were place exactly at the center of the formation. The leader of the six-ship flight was the specially colored Demo jet.
After lunch, the group had a good conversation with the Squadron Commander. He addressed the group at large and had many individual conversations with the attendees, explaining what the F-4 means to Greece and to the Squadron.
McGrath added:
“Andy Mueller also presented [the Commander] with his own personal Geoffrey and a patch from Giraffes on Tour, a remarkable charity benefiting Great Ormond Street Hospital. Andy had previously flown Geoffrey on one of his flights, as had 338 Mira on an F-4E. Theo was so moved, he put the patch on almost immediately!”
Concluding the event, another evening photoshoot was organized for the launch of two F-4s, with once again the Demo Jet being part of the flight.
“As the event started winding down, we had one more setup with Rich’s and Steven’s help, an evening flight with more afterburners. A portion of us moved down the runway as twilight blanketed the base. Two F-4s, the Demo Jet being one, taxied out and roared to life, providing a beautiful shot of full burners to seal up the event.”
Once again, at the end of the event, all the participants took home some great memories of the two-day immersion in the life of some of the last Phantoms in the world. With the service life of the F-4E AUP in the Hellenic Air Force coming to an end soon, events such as PhanCon have become increasingly valuable not only for enthusiasts but also for documenting one of military aviation’s most iconic aircraft before it eventually leaves operational service.
McGrath summed up the experience:
“It is a unique experience to see the base in full operational mode. This is not a spotters day, where things are put away and carte blanche access is allowed. This is the Hellenic Air Force, at its best, keeping these massive beasts in the sky and in very real ways, allowing us a glimpse into their day to day lives. Simply…. Phantastic.”
Thanks again to Jerry McGrath for the photos he sent us and the help he provided in the preparation of this article. Make sure to follow him on Instagram for more!
