Hawker Hunter - Survivor XJ639 (composite with XF358)
F.6A XJ639 - Blue Lagoon Diving & Leisure Centre (submerged), Womersley, Yorkshire
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Hunter F.6A XJ639 at Womersley, 2nd August 2008; Kelly & Daniel Taylor
XJ639 first flew on 18th December 1956 and was delivered to 33 MU in March 1957. She served with 2 and 4 Squadrons, 229 OCU, 1 TWU, and finished her career with the Handling Squadron at RAF Cranwell.
Disposed of in 1995 to Everett Aero where she ended up dismantled and in open store at their facility near Ipswich. In 1998 she was sold to the Jet Centre at North Weald who intended to use her in a restoration; however, by 2001 she had been transported to Classic Jets at Exeter instead and spent more years in open storage. Due to all the time spent outside over the years, the airframe did not fair well, and any chance of restoring her to flight was probably put paid to by this, which is a shame as she had relatively low hours. In May 2006 she was sold - on eBay - to the Blue Lagoon Diving & Leisure Centre in Yorkshire, XJ639 was transported there and put together with the tail section from XF358 before being submerged for use as a bit of diving scenery. She wasn't in the best condition prior to being submerged, with most of the cockpit interior missing, no engine, no nose cone, and various other bits gone.
In early 2019, the fin of XJ639 was found without a rudder and a few panels missing. However, a rudder has been sourced and it is now on a display stand at The 4 Squadron Collection.
Disposed of in 1995 to Everett Aero where she ended up dismantled and in open store at their facility near Ipswich. In 1998 she was sold to the Jet Centre at North Weald who intended to use her in a restoration; however, by 2001 she had been transported to Classic Jets at Exeter instead and spent more years in open storage. Due to all the time spent outside over the years, the airframe did not fair well, and any chance of restoring her to flight was probably put paid to by this, which is a shame as she had relatively low hours. In May 2006 she was sold - on eBay - to the Blue Lagoon Diving & Leisure Centre in Yorkshire, XJ639 was transported there and put together with the tail section from XF358 before being submerged for use as a bit of diving scenery. She wasn't in the best condition prior to being submerged, with most of the cockpit interior missing, no engine, no nose cone, and various other bits gone.
In early 2019, the fin of XJ639 was found without a rudder and a few panels missing. However, a rudder has been sourced and it is now on a display stand at The 4 Squadron Collection.
Information on this page current as of 09/01/2022, last updated by Jake |
Find other photos of XJ639 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net