Meteor , Sea Vixen & Hunter

[Fris B. Fairing]

Are there any ex Meteor, Sea Vixen or Hunter drivers reading this forum? The Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra, Australia has Meteor F8 WA880, Meteor TT20 WD647, Sea Vixen XJ490 and the nose section of Sea Vixen XJ607 and Hunter F4 XF311. Has anyone flown them?
Cheers
We've got all of the Hunter, not just the nose!

[ 13 January 2002: Message edited by: Fris B. Fairing ]</p>

[henry crun]

I flew WD648, any prize for getting close ?
<img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Flatus Veteranus]

According to Chaz Bowyer's book (Postwar Military Aircraft 2 - Gloster Meteor), WA 880 was NOT issued to No 77 Sqn RAAF, as I was expecting, but to No 245 Sqn RAF. It was almost certainly based at Horsham St Faith (now Norwich Airport) in the early '50s, and may have been among the 16 F8s of 245 Sqn modified for AAR trials. Any traces of a probe installation FrisB? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

PS WD647 was, before conversion to TT20, a NF11 on 264 Sqn. Where was 264 Sqn?

[ 14 January 2002: Message edited by: Flatus Veteranus ]</p>

[Fris B. Fairing]

Henry
Sorry no prize, just my envy!

Flat
Confirming WA880 was not issued to 77 Sqn RAAF but that hasn't stopped us painting it to represent A77-721 which was the first RAAF Meteor lost in combat. It also set several records in connection with the use of its ejection seat. WA880 was issued initially to 257 Sqn RAF. It later served with 500/43/222 Sqns before going to the TT flight in Singapore. By the time QAM got it she was just a shell so there is no evidence of a probe (or much else for that matter).

TT20 WD647 was with 264 Sqn at Linton-on-Ouse (Code S)

Cheers

[OldBonaMate]

Hi FBF

I flew Metoers during training and subsequently Hunters and though I recognised the serials you mentioned, alas I had not flown any of them.
However, Hunter F4 XF311 was delivered 10 January 1956 to No 5 MU, subsequently ended up with No 130(F) Sqn ('V'); it then became Ground Instructional Airframe (GIA) A2566 with(?) HMS Condor, Arbroath. Transferred as GIA to Singapore 31 January 1970. Information courtesy of "Hawker Hunter - Biography of a Thoroughbred" by Francis K Mason.
Hope this helps.
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[Fris B. Fairing]

OBM

Thanks for that info on the Hunter.

Cheers