Thunder & Lightnings

Hawker Hunter - Survivor XX467 (G-TVII, ex 836, 70-617, XL605)

T.7 XX467 - Newark Air Museum, Winthorpe Show Ground, Nottinghamshire

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Hunter T.7 XX467 at Newark Air Museum, 31st March 2021; Damien Burke

Built as T.7 XL605 in 1958, she served with 92 Squadron - the Blue Diamonds - leading the team. Also serving with 66 Squadron and 229 OCU, in 1966 she was returned to Hawkers and converted to unofficial 'T.70' spec and loaned to the Royal Saudi Air Force for jet conversion training as 70-617. Presented to the Royal Jordanian Air Force in 1968 (serialled 836), she came home in 1974 having been swapped for an ex-RAF FR.10.

Refurbished at Dunsfold, she returned to the RAF under a new serial - XX467 - and served with 229 OCU and the TWU, retiring to ground duties in 1983. Sold in 1997, a full restoration to airworthy condition was begun by Delta Jets at Kemble and she was put on the civil register as G-TVII. However this proved to be more protracted than the owner expected and the aircraft was placed into storage before moving by road to Exeter.

The restoration gradually continued after further storage but work once again halted and she was sold to Dave Thomas and moved to Bruntingthorpe. Dave reassembled her and a restoration to taxiing condition began but the state of the cockpit wiring put paid to her chances and as of early May 2017 she moved on to become the latest exhibit at the Newark Air Museum. As you can see she's assembled from a variety of parts! It's looking likely that she will be returned to her Blue Diamonds colours as XL605 in due course.

Information on this page current as of 25/10/2021, last updated by Jake

Find other photos of XX467 on the following sites:

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