GA.11 WB188 at Kemble, 22nd July 2001; author	GA.11 WT711 at Coventry Airport, 31st May 2003; author

Stored at RAF Shawbury for some time after retirement, CJAC purchased her in early 2001 and made her ready for a ferry flight to Exter. On 13th February she was flown into Exeter and in no time at all had been brought back to full airworthiness and painted up as the Hunter prototype - WB188 - complete with smooth nose. Only the dog-toothed leading edges and arrestor hook give her away! She's seen her taking off at Kemble during the Hawker Hunter 50th Anniversary Air Day. Information current as of 01/08/2006.

Air Atlantique (part of Atlantic Airlines) own this particular Hunter, which is unlikely to return to the air though it's in fairly good condition. There had been rumours that it could be placed on the gate at Coventry Airport (also owned by Atlantic Airlines). Sounds like a good plan to me! In fact, why not go for a local trio and add a Sea Hawk and nightfighter Meteor as well? This Hunter is normally only viewable if you pay for a tour of Air Atlantique's setup at Coventry - 35 quid which includes a flight in one of their historic aircraft (Prentice, Rapide, Twin Pioneer or Dakota), heartily recommended if you want a good day out. She's pictured here during the 2003 airshow, which hopefully won't be the last one they hold despite development at the airport.

GA.11 WT806 at Shoreham, 30th August 2003; author	GA.11 WV382 at Long Marston, September 26th 1999; author

WT806 looks to be in rather good nick! First flown in 1955 as an F.4, she suffered an overtrimming incident that maxed out her G meter while in service with 14 Squadron and had to be returned to Hawkers for a thorough strip-down and rebuild. Later converted to a GA.11 she served with FRADU and was part of the Blue Herons display team. Retired to storage at RAF Shawbury, and now instructional use at Northbrook College in Shoreham. Information current as of 30/08/2003.

Last of the Hunter trio at Long Marston is this ex-FRADU GA.11. In surprisingly good condition, about the only sign of deterioration is the colour of the paintwork. Over a year after my first visit though there was no sign of any change in the aircraft's condition - the tarpaulin was even in exactly the same place - hmmm...

GA.11 WW654 at Ford, 28th December 2002; author	GA.11 XE668 at Predannack, August 1999; Andy Lewis

An ex-FRADU GA.11, WW654 belongs to the owner of what was once RNAS Ford and has now been pole-mounted near the entrance to the former station (follow the road from Arundel to Ford and keep on going out of the village). WW654 looks to be in pretty decent nick and was cleaned and given a new canopy before going on display, though sadly wasn't repainted - having spent a few years up on this pole in all weathers it was looking even worse but was happily repainted in 2003. WW654 was for some time resident in Harry Pounds' scrapyard in Portsmouth, so has survived a less than ideal retirement fairly well.

Used for training fire crews at RNAS Predannack is poor old XE668. She's in quite a state, with many bits missing including the canopy, ejector seat, wingtips, wing leading edges and a good chunk of the rear fuselage burnt away. Not likely to ever be preserved, this is a Hunter gradually dying a painful death.

GA.11 XE685 at Kemble, 18th June 2006; author	GA.11 XE689 at RNAS Yeovilton, 15th July 2000; author

Built as an F.4 in 1955, XE685 served with 93 and 98 Squadrons at RAF Jever before being bought back by Hawkers in 1960 and converted to a GA.11 for the Fleet Air Arm. Re-entering active service in 1963 with 764 NAS at Lossiemouth, XE685 was used for air warfare instructor training and conversion flights. During 1966 the aircraft was loaned back to Hawkers and was involved in practice bombing trials. It was fitted with four practice bomb carriers under the front fuselage and one under each pylon. This would enable the aircraft to carry eight 25lb bombs. Once the trials were over the jet was returned to service including time with the Yeovilton Station Flight as well as 764 NAS once again. Joining the Air Direction Training Unit (ADTU) in 1973, the aircraft later became part of FRADU (the merger of FRU/ADTU). XE685 then spent most of the next twenty years serving at Yeovilton, as aircraft '861' with FRADU, until 1994 when it was retired from service. Sold to the Lightning Flying Club and registered as G-GAII, XE685 was seen on the airshow circuit between 1995 and 1998 before being put into storage in 1999. After a period in which she changed hands several times, XE685 took to the air once again in February 2006 and is seen here at her first public display in more than 10 years - at the 2006 Kemble Air Day. Information current as of 01/08/2006.

GA.11 XE689, in common with sister-ship XE685, still proudly wears her FRADU colours and is based with Classic Jets at Exeter. She's seen here on her take-off roll, shortly about to display before the crowds at 2000's Yeovilton Air Day.

GA.11 XF301 at Chino, 21st June 2002; Chris Thorn	PR.11 WT723 at Yeovilton, 21st September 2002; author

One of the first batch of Hunters to go to private owners in the US, XF301 was shipped over in bits and slowly reassembled. It is owned by Dr. Garrett Moscos who has approval to display it at airshows and is based at Chino. While a GA.11, Garrett has modified it somewhat - with a standard nose cone instead of Harley light, dummy cannon barrels in uncovered gunports, Sabrinas and a tailcone from a T.7 or 8 complete with working brake-chute. He has also modified the engine starter so that he can use cartridge for effect or compressed air. Sadly she lost her grey/white FAA scheme before being sold, but the overall grey has weathered well and she has not needed to be repainted since retirement from FRADU!

After a sale to a US buyer fell through, WT723 (originally built as an F.4) was purchased by Belgium-based Classic Fighters who are operating it on the airshow circuit in Europe. Test flights were made in June 1999 and show appearances have been made in Holland and Belgium, with a single UK appearance in 2000 (static at Yeovilton sadly). While currently at Exeter, Classic Fighters have opened their new base at Weelde and WT723 will be based there in the future. She's seen here making what is I think only second display appearance in the UK, during the 2002 Yeovilton Air Day (she also flew at the 50th Anniversary Air Day at Kemble in 2001). WT723 is now the only remaining flyable example of the PR.11, and after a period of storage is now being returned to fully airworthy status. Information current as of 01/08/2006.