Did this Hunter fly with red stars?

Once painted in Black Arrows colours she is destined to stay exactly where she is! The Black Arrows were based at Wattisham for a good period and she is back home. Without the vision of Wattisham she would be still rotting and souvenired at North Luffenham.

Why would Wattisham want the Harrier ?

Taken by my Dad at Coltishall in the 80s. It was quite dark in that hangar.

John

Nice one! Many thanks for posting it John.

Regards

Simon

Taken by my Dad at Coltishall in the 80s. It was quite dark in that hangar.

John

re;

once painted in black Arrows colours where is she destined for? Be nice if they could save the Harrier.

The aircraft in Mark12’s photo is XF386 a groundbound BDRT airframe at Coltishall which ended it’s days as DD says at Otterburn Ranges. For a picture of her just before scrap scroll down the following page

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?p=1701321

Interestingly the Otterburn photo seems to show XF386 back in (faded) DSG/Dark Green:

Would it have been repainted after the time with the BDRT? Or were the ‘Soviet’ colour paints not permanent or perhaps just weathered away?

Simon

I believe its quite close to the start of her repaint -I will enquire!

Are there any recent external pics of ‘194?

No the grip came from myself via a trade done a few years ago -it had no identifying marks. I hasten to add Air Commodore Roger Topp has been to see her recently!

That’s superb work! Maybe Tangmeres’ grip was reunited with it?

It took a number of years to find a group interested in saving the Hunter and the goodwill of the RAF in recognising in a timely manner that it was the right thing to do ! Here is the result of Ben Bennett’s hard work in the cockpit!

I have a sneaking suspicion that Rocketeer bought it from me.

Rocketeer?

Could be Andy.
Also worth noting is that WT723, the PR.11 that flies with Team Viper, is marked up as ‘XG194’ as it appeared when flown by Sqn Ldr Roger Topp of 111 Squadron ‘Black Arrows’, this I believe from the other thread is how the real XG194 at Watttisham will be restored as – hence DBs post #7.

194?

I had a control column top from a Hunter that I sold at Shoreham Aerojumble about seven years ago. It had a tie-on label which just said ‘194’. From this aircraft??

I remember the number clearly as it was part of the number plate from my first car….an Austin A35.

The aircraft in Mark12’s photo is XF386 a groundbound BDRT airframe at Coltishall which ended it’s days as DD says at Otterburn Ranges. For a picture of her just before scrap scroll down the following page

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?p=1701321

I have to say I’ve never seen the ‘aggressor’ Hunter in Mark12’s photo before. It looks great!

What it’s serial, and are there any colour photos knocking around?

Simon

This is not actually one of my shots, but I have a crisp original print from a source long forgotten…as not a Spitfire.

Serial. Make of it what you will.

Mark

It looks like Mk6 XF386, which ended up on the Otterburn Ranges.

DD

I have to say I’ve never seen the ‘aggressor’ Hunter in Mark12’s photo before. It looks great!

What it’s serial, and are there any colour photos knocking around?

Simon

I haven’t read through all the linked threads so it may have been mentioned before but I believe the mock-up ‘Soviet’ Hunter was used to train ‘reception committee’ ground-crew in the event of a pilot defecting to the west; procedures needed to be worked-out for dealing with unfamiliar, possibly live, weapons and ejector-seats and presumably to negotiate with a, possibly non-English speaking, pilot in the cockpit.

Thanks for the full and informative replies folks!:)

As David has said restoration is going very well ! photos taken some time ago, so I assume it has progressed ….

Keith 🙂