While returning from the National Archives the other day, I saw a Hunter on the roof of a self-storge facility somewhere, possibly just off the A40, not far from Wembley. Bright and shiny, obviously not been there long at all. I think the serial no was WT555.
Is it real or plastic? And why there? (and what is the strange silver beastie I half saw in Woking a while ago – an Iskra?)
Adrian
By: mike currill - 3rd September 2004 at 11:23
When they were dimantling her she was in cam paint though I don’t know which squadron(s) she served with.
By: adrian_gray - 3rd September 2004 at 10:51
Buccaneer leaking hydraulic fluid in a bar……. So all my suspicions as to cocktails are spot on! 😮
Seriously, thanks, folks! I’ll claim “spotted-it-just-as-the-trafic-lights-changed-itis” as to how I mistook a Hunter T7 for an Iskra – it was far enough off, in incongruous surroundings, and I only saw it for a second or two… That’s my backside shot off in combat, then!
Adrian
P.S. WT555 looked to have all it’s panels on, and be mighty well polished the other day – let’s hope that, if it really has been refurbished and is only up there occasionally, it will be in fair condition and end up properly preserved….
By: topgun regect - 3rd September 2004 at 00:38
I myself have seen WT555 perched on the Vanguard roof, it looks as though one or two panels have diappeared off it though
By: mike currill - 2nd September 2004 at 22:28
WT 555 was a long term resident on the roof of the Vanguard building at the side of the A40. I remember driving past every day and seeing her in various stages of disassembly and wondering what they were planning to do with her. Now I know, they were sending her away for renovation.
By: MarkG - 2nd September 2004 at 22:18
…the Woking a/c is Hunter T.7 XL623 – I believe this is the last T.7 built. Not sure who currently owns it but it was first put there by an adjacent leisure/entertainment centre.
XL623 was originally put on the pole by the adjacent “The Planets” leisure complex (now re-named “The Big Apple”) when they had a ‘space’ theme to the place. They also had Buccaneer XX895 on the bar inside and the cockpit section of Hunter FGA.78 QA12 in the kids play area.
With the change of theme and name the Bucc was removed (at great expense – their hand was forced when it started leaking hydraulic fluid!), the Hunter nose was walled up in a storage room and the T.7 on the stick is now owned by Woking Borough Council.
By: Charlielima5 - 2nd September 2004 at 20:56
I could not get into Damian’s site to see what it says about these a/c, but the Woking a/c is Hunter T.7 XL623 – I believe this is the last T.7 built. Not sure who currently owns it but it was first put there by an adjacent leisure/entertainment centre. Hunter WT555 is a very historic a/c being the 1st production F.1 – it was displayed at RAFM Cosford some years ago but as it was owned by the MoD it eventually went for auction. I was involved in efforts to buy it for Brooklands Museum but unfortunately our reasonable budget was not enough to prevent it being sold to a wealthier private individual. It is periodically displayed on the warehouse roof but never for long due to planning laws and possibly complaints from the local police that it distracts passing motorists!
By: adrian_gray - 2nd September 2004 at 18:03
Cor, that was fast! Thanks, Mike!
Now what the blank is an airframe of that importance doing on a roof!
Adrian
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September 2, 2004 at 5:49 pm