Hawker Hunter - Survivor XL600 (ex G-RAXA, G-VETA)
T.7 XL600 - Jet Aircraft Museum (restoration to fly), Ontario, Canada
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Hunter T.7 XL600 at RNAS Yeovilton, 9th July 2011; Damien Burke
XL600 was built as a T.7 and first flown on 7th October 1958. Delivered to 65(F) Squadron the next month, she also served with the Wattisham Station Flight (during which time the second pilot was killed when his ejector seat came loose during a slow roll ejecting him without warning) and No. 4 FTS, ending her career with 16 Squadron. Returned to the air in civilian life (and a decidedly civilian paint scheme), G-VETA was based at Bournemouth Airport for some time and after a spectacular outing at Fighter Meet 96, in company with the sadly lost G-HHUN, she hasn't been seen at many public displays.
Since sold to Gordon Hannam (who was happy that the serial could stand for Gordon's Very Expensive Toy Aeroplane!) it was then based at Kemble with Delta Jets until 2004, when she was acquired by Gower Jets and flown out of North Weald and Cranwell, she was sold once again in 2005 to Skyblue Aviation. After that she changed hands again and was briefly flown by Team Viper before ending up with Midair Squadron in August 2013. She was sadly repainted into Midair's bland overall silver corporate colours and flew until 2014 when she was grounded for a major inspection. Midair then folded before work was finished and she was put up for auction, being purchased by Canada's Jet Aircraft Museum.
They transported her to Ontario in May 2016 with the intention of returning her to flight for the 2017 airshow season but work has taken rather longer than expected and she has yet to get back into the air. The Museum is interested in hearing from any aircraft techs, particularly with Hunter experience, to assist with the work.
Since sold to Gordon Hannam (who was happy that the serial could stand for Gordon's Very Expensive Toy Aeroplane!) it was then based at Kemble with Delta Jets until 2004, when she was acquired by Gower Jets and flown out of North Weald and Cranwell, she was sold once again in 2005 to Skyblue Aviation. After that she changed hands again and was briefly flown by Team Viper before ending up with Midair Squadron in August 2013. She was sadly repainted into Midair's bland overall silver corporate colours and flew until 2014 when she was grounded for a major inspection. Midair then folded before work was finished and she was put up for auction, being purchased by Canada's Jet Aircraft Museum.
They transported her to Ontario in May 2016 with the intention of returning her to flight for the 2017 airshow season but work has taken rather longer than expected and she has yet to get back into the air. The Museum is interested in hearing from any aircraft techs, particularly with Hunter experience, to assist with the work.
Information on this page current as of 11/04/2021, last updated by Damien |
Find other photos of XL600 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net