Oldest jet

[Dr Jekyll]

What is the oldest currently airworthy jet? Anyone know?

[DH106]

Airliners or military also?

I want to leap in here with the last 'potentially' airworthy Comet based at Bruntingthorpe....... but that's been with the MOD all it's life so not sure if it counts as an airliner. First flew 26/09/63

Failing that, I guess it would have to be one of those 707's still operating round Africa or Iran. Unless one of the old Soviet block countries still have a Tu104 airworthy.

[jimgriff]

The oldest military jets still in service anywhere in the world are the Meteor 7 1/2's at Chalgrove used by Martin Baker for testing ejection seats.

see:

www.ejectorseats.co.uk/chalgrove_meteors.htm

[ORAC]

Not currently airworthy, but due to fly within the next year, Bell P-59 Airacomet, 42-108777 (http://www.air-and-space.com/Bell%20P-59%20Airacomet.htm), is being restored to airworthy condition at Chino. Built 1942.

http://www.air-and-space.com/20060521%20Chino/DSC_5952%20YP-59A%2042-108777%

[hunterxf382]

How about Gloster Meteor F8 VZ467 "Winston" - currently still flying in Australia with the Temora Museum? Built in 1949 and only retired from RAF Service in 1982! Operated by several civilian owners in the UK prior to being shipped to Australia and reflown in 2001.
Flypast magazine did some research a few years ago and concluded that this aircraft had a place in history as the world's oldest flying jet aircraft (ie still flying)........
And as a footnote - I used to work on it at RAF Brawdy up until it's sad retirement..... :sad:

[The SSK]

Browsing through JP Fleets (not the whole book, just some of the obvious suspects), I turned up four 1964 airframes - all different manufacturers - in Congo and Ghana:
9Q-CPI Caravelle Waltair
9Q-CRG B727 Hewa Bora
9Q-CSJ 1-11 ITAB
9G-MKC DC8 MK Airlines

[HZ123]

But an entry alone does not mean the a/c is still flying and it may have not flown for some time.