One of my favourite types is the classic Hawker Hunter, and having seen more than a few over the years, with lots of different locations and colour schemes, I thought I'd share these with you. Some have moved, some have not, some have gone completely. But there are some historic aircraft, when you know it just looks right......you can't get enough of them. This theory will now be tested, with 101 (no, not Dalmations).....Hunter pics.
They are in absolutely NO order at all. Pick your favourite scheme.......
First off, a little selection of operational ones, when the RAF/RN still had some knocking about.
XL602 at Yeovilton 1993. This is the only flying shot I have of a Hunter operating with a British Armed Force

XL564 at Boscombe Down 1990, crashed at BD during 1998

XF310 at Boscombe Down 1990, on loan from RN to MoD at the time. Now privately owned in Australia

XE601 at Boscombe Down 1990, in her original colours. Now privately flies out of Istres, France

XL563, XE601 and XL564 (I think) together at Boscombe Down 1992.....how many times do you see that ?

J-4029 Swiss AF at Boscombe Down 1992, with the old Army Lynx team, name anyone ?

XF967 at Finningley 1992, now privately owned in South Africa.

XL563 at Finningley 1992, now at FAST museum, Farnborough.....I know, more Raspberry Ripple.....(mmm, ice cream)


XL586 at Biggin Hill 1989, now at Wickford

XL614 at wet Mildenhall 1988, crashed in USA 2003

WV318 at Biggin Hill 1988, still flying privately out of Cranfield (I think)

WV363, at Yeovilton 1988, crashed Hebridies 15/02/1992

A good way to end this section......5 x RN Hunters at Yeovilton their home in 1993

Now, the rest are a right old mixture of statics and flyers over the last 25 years.......enjoy.
E-421 at Brooklands 1991, when it was still in a spurious RAF scheme

The first one......WB188 (original) at Cosford 1989, now on loan at Tangmere

Q-10 ex-Qatari AF at Elvington 1992, now painted in Dutch AF as N-268

WT651 at Newark Museum 1992

ET-272 (sort-of) composite at Biggin Hill 1989, now in similar pose at Bournemouth-Hurn

XG254 at Weybourne 1991, now at Flixton Museum

G-BOOM (ET-274) at Yeovilton 1993, now in Jordan with Historic Flight as 800

WT612 at Newton 1999

XF509 at Marfleet 1999, now at Fort Paull

XL621 at Brooklands Museum 1999, now at Dunsfold......I know, more RR


E-421 again, at Brooklands Museum 1999, now in more authentic Danish colours

XF527 at Halton

721 (J-4025) at RIAT 1999, now in Jordan with Historic Flight

J-4103 at El Toro show USA 1996, no idea where it's based

XF314 (E-412) at Tangmere Museum 1999, now at Brooklands Museum (I think)

3 x twin-sticks at Biggin Hill 1999......not sure about the serials, XL573 / XL602 perhaps ?

XF995 at Kemble 2001, still flying based at Scampton

XL612 at Kemble 2001, now at Swansea Airport. This was the last public appearance by MoD Hunter, flying straight back to BD into retirement

WV318 again, at Kemble 2001, (still) still flying out of Cranfield

XJ615 (XF375) at Kemble 2001, now based at Leeuwarden, Netherlands at N-321

WB188 (imposter) at Kemble 2001.....hands-up, actually don't know the real identity of this one.........HELP !!


J-2001 (??) at Kemble 2001......was based in Switzerland, now in USA as N325AX

E-402 at Bournemouth-Hurn 2001, now at Paintballing Centre, Ashbourne, Ireland (as yer do....)

J-4201 at RIAT 2001, based at Sion, Switzerland

J-4015 at RIAT 2001, based at St. Stephen, Switzerland

XF516 at Kemble 2001, crashed off coast of Wales 1/6/2003

WT723 at RIAT 2001, based at St. Athan

XF515 at RIAT 2001, based at Leeuwarden, Netherlands as N-294

RIAT 2001, 5 x flying Hunters in sunshine......nothing more to add

WT569 at Kenfig Hill, Wales 2001......please, paint it

....like that. XG164 at Wellington 2002, now at Davidstow Museum

XF321 dismantled at Exeter Airport 2002 (yep, RR


XJ639 / WT699 at Exeter Airport 2002, both now at Womerley Diving Centre......one went in (XJ), one stayed out (WT)

XL568 at Cosford 2002, now inside, suspended, and repainted in silver

N-138 preserved at Leeuwarden, Netherlands 1994

(most of) ID-26 at Koksijde, Belgium 1994, now at Beauvechain (still dismantled)

ID-123 preserved at Koksijde, Belgium......in better health

ID-44 at Savigny-Les-Beaune Museum, France 1994

XE601 again, at Yeovilton 1994

XL591 at Gatwick Museum 2006

XL623 at Woking 2004......only interesting thing there

WV383 at FAST Museum Farnborough 2004.......trivia quiz question : please name the colour scheme


WT680 at Fleet Hargate 2004

XE683 (E-409) at Norwich Museum 2004

N-315 at Long Marston 1997, now at Netherley, Scotland

WT804 grazing at Moreton-In-Marsh 1997, having a cow identity crisis

WV276 at Duxford 1997, now at museum in Germany in a much less interesting scheme.....shame

XL587 at Duxford 1997, now at Scampton

XE668 at Predannack 1999, now in even less pieces at paintball park Marksbury

XE689 and friend at North Weald 2000, now at Kemble

XF526 at Birlingham 2000......beautiful location. The farmer/owner chatted to us in his tractor while we took piccies.....surreal

XG210 at Beck Row 2000......no point mentioning the colours

(E-424) at Doncaster Museum 2003

XF324 at Bruntingthorpe 2003, now privately owned.......somewhere else (don't know)

E-423 at Lasham 2000.....completely no idea where this one is now, hopefully not scrapped

J-4022 and friend at RIAT 1994 from photobus, last Swiss appearance.......one of my favourite moments, there was a BEAR sat right behind

J-4022/5/30 Pat Suisse at RIAT 1994.......nuff said

XE677 at Biggin Hill 1994, crashed near Dunsfold 5/6/1988

WT720 (E-408) at Sealand 1998, now in same pose at North Scarle

XK149 at Bruntingthorpe 1998, reduced to nose privately owned Calhoun, Georgia USA

XL603 at Bruntingthorpe 1998, now at Richmond, Wisconsin USA

J-4072 at Speyer Museum, Germany 1997

XF418 at Hermeskeil Museum, Germany 1997

XG225 at Cosford base 2002, now in museum

WN904 at Waterbeach, now at Sywell Museum

XX467 at Kemble 2002, now at Bruntingthorpe

WV396 at Valley 2004

XL618 at Caernarfon Museum 2004 (nice backdrop), now at Gutersloh, Germany

XG254 again, at Flixton Museum 2004

FR.10 composite (too long to explain) at Long Marston 2004, now at East Midlands Aeropark

XL578 (back end of XG290) at Kemble 2006, current location : dunno

XL586 again, at Kemble 2006, now at Wickford

XL592 and shy friend, at Kemble 2006, now privately owned Maidenhead

WT806 at Shoreham College 2008, now at Bruntingthorpe

XE624 at Metheringham 2008, now at Wickenby

XL577 at RIAT 2008, now in Jordan

WV318 again again, at RIAT 2009, yep based at Cranfield

G-PSST (XF947) + gatecrashing Spitfire at Biggin Hill 2010 the last big show there, based at St. Athan

WV372 at RIAT 2011, crashed Shoreham 22/8/15.........RIP the 11

J-4206 at RIAT 2011, based in Switzerland.........enter the tiger

Hunters x 5 at RIAT 2011.........yum

ZZ190/1 (J-4066/58) at RIAT 2011, operated for the MoD, based at Scampton

XE665 at Goodwood 2014, now at Kemble

XF375 at Old Sarum Museum 2014.......perfick

WB188 (XF300...imposter no.2) at Melksham 2015

Finally, to finish, my 2 favourites.........
WT660 at 'Cullen' Scotland 1998....really it was 5 miles away on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Took 3 hours to find it. Worth it.
I found a grumpy little man banging away on a Merlin engine in a shed, and I knew I'd found the right place. Now at Inverness Museum

XE601 and XL612 (?) arriving at RIAT, don't know which year, don't care........nice Raspberry Ripple x 2


PHEW !! How's the numb bum feeling ? C + C welcome as always.
Happy snapping chaps,
Rupe