February 13, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Hello again,
I’m hoping for some assistance with yet another photo plea, this time for former Royal Navy Hawker Hunter T.8 WT745!
This airframe in question began service with the Fleet Air Arm at RNAS Yeovilton in 1960 with RN 766 Sqn as ‘947’, moving onto Heron Flight and then later up to 764 NAS as ‘688/LM’ in February 1965.
However, the period of service I am particularly interested in (surprise surprise!) is when it served with the Air Direction Training Unit (ADTU), and later FRADU at RNAS Yeovilton.
It was transferred there in July 1970 and was operated as aircraft ‘742’ and ‘745’ on ADTU sorties, and continued using the latter call-sign following the creation of FRADU in December 1972, until it was withdrawn and ferried to 5MU Kemble in January 1973 for long term store.
It was then held there, donating its rear fuselage to (or possibly swapping with?) ex-4FTS T.7 XL565, until it was moved by road to RAF Shawbury in November 1982.
It later had spells at RAF Coltishall and RAF St Athan as an instructional airframe before being sold to the USA for use in a composite restoration project.
Can I enquire whether any Key forum members captured WT745 either in service at Yeovilton or mothballed at Kemble?
In fact, does anyone have any images of the stored Fleet Air Arm Hunters at 5MU from its heyday in the 70s? 🙂
I realise its a long-shot with WT745, due to the short time window spent in service, but I am always hopeful!
Kind regards, and thanks for your time…