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
), before it got even smaller. Nose at Welshpool
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
Now that has made my evening 
). Here's the missing one......
