SEPECAT Jaguar - Survivor XZ389 (8946M)
GR.1 XZ389 - Ulster Aviation Society, Long Kesh, Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Jaguar GR.1 XZ389 at RAF Cosford, 11th June 2023; Jake Wallace
XZ389 was delivered to the RAF in 1977, carrying out her first flight on the 7th of May that year.
After retiring, she was transferred to the SoTT at Halton where she was used for training RAF apprentices, under the serial 8946M. XZ389 then found her way to RAF Cosford, still being used for the same purposes. Although hidden away most of the time, she would make an occasional appearance at their airshows in the static park.
After spending many years at Cosford, it was announced in June 2023 that she is going to be auctioned off alongside two other Jaguar airframes within the next handful of months.
During the latter part of 2023, an unknown buyer acquired the airframe, and so work began to dismantle the aircraft. However, during the process the buyer decided they no longer wanted the aircraft, and so work ceased. Also around the same time, the Ulster Aviation Society in Northern Ireland was successful in acquiring Jaguar XX967, but since XZ389 was already party dismantled, RAF Cosford offered it to UAS instead of XX967. So sooner enough, UAS was on-site at Cosford continuing the dismantling of XZ389.
Happily, by the 19th of November, XZ389 had touched down in Northern Ireland, where she was then pushed into one of their hangars to be reassembled over the following weeks and months.
After retiring, she was transferred to the SoTT at Halton where she was used for training RAF apprentices, under the serial 8946M. XZ389 then found her way to RAF Cosford, still being used for the same purposes. Although hidden away most of the time, she would make an occasional appearance at their airshows in the static park.
After spending many years at Cosford, it was announced in June 2023 that she is going to be auctioned off alongside two other Jaguar airframes within the next handful of months.
During the latter part of 2023, an unknown buyer acquired the airframe, and so work began to dismantle the aircraft. However, during the process the buyer decided they no longer wanted the aircraft, and so work ceased. Also around the same time, the Ulster Aviation Society in Northern Ireland was successful in acquiring Jaguar XX967, but since XZ389 was already party dismantled, RAF Cosford offered it to UAS instead of XX967. So sooner enough, UAS was on-site at Cosford continuing the dismantling of XZ389.
Happily, by the 19th of November, XZ389 had touched down in Northern Ireland, where she was then pushed into one of their hangars to be reassembled over the following weeks and months.
Information on this page current as of 19/11/2023, last updated by Jake |
Find other photos of XZ389 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net