Thunder & Lightnings

Hawker Hunter - Survivor ZU-AVC (ex 3D-HUN, J-4059)

F.58 ZU-AVC - Ron Wheeldon (runner), Wonderboom National Airport, Pretoria, South Africa

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Hunter F.58 ZU-AVC at height over South Africa, ; Ron Wheeldon

Owned by Ron Wheeldon is, ZU-AVC (ex J-4059)

J-4059 first flew in June 1959 and served with the Swiss Air Force for 35 years before retirement.

Ron, a long-time fan of the Hunter having had one possibly save his life by carrying out a strike against terrorists when he was in the Zimbabwean Army, actually originally tried to procure this aircraft for the SAAF Museum, but when they decided they didn't want it, was offered the aircraft himself - and said yes, of course! Arriving in South Africa in 1996, she was based mainly at Thunder City in Cape Town with a handful of other Hunters and Classic Jets. She was flown briefly before being grounded by the SA CAA, and before then certified by the Swaziland CAA as 3D-HUN, she took to the air again and was eventually certified by the SA CAA under her current ID of ZU-AVC.

It is a little unknown as to ZU-AVC's current condition but was last noted in 2019 as still being in full operational order, but has not taken to the skies for some time.

Information on this page current as of 24/11/2022, last updated by Jake

Find other photos of ZU-AVC on the following sites:

Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net