Thunder & Lightnings

Hawker Hunter - Survivor XF994 (ex G-CGHU)

T.8C XF994 - Classic British Jets Collection, Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire

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Hunter T.8C XF994 at Boscombe Down, 18th April 2007; Boscombe Down Aviation Collection

Hunter XF994 was built as an F.4 and began her life with the RAF in July 1956, serving with 66(F) Squadron and the AFDS before ending her active career with 229 OCU at RAF Chivenor. Retired to storage, she was bought back by Hawkers in 1962 and converted to a T.8C for the RN, re-entering active service with 759 NAS at RNAS Brawdy in 1963. By 1969 she had moved to RNAS Yeovilton and was used by the Naval Flying Standards Flight/Station Flight, spent some time in storage at Kemble and by late 1980 had returned to Yeovilton and become part of FRADU. Retired in 1995, XF994 carried out the last contracted task by a Navy Hunter on 17th February 1995, and also took part in the 'goodbye Hunters' flypast in May the same year.

She retired to storage at Shawbury, during 1998 the aircraft was taken by road to Boscombe Down for restoration to flying condition.
However the plan did not go ahead and after a period of ground instructional use with the Apprentices School, XF994 was moved to the on-site Museum in 2001. XF994 was sold and moved to Exeter before later moving to RAF Scampton with Hawker Hunter Aviation (HHA). She was given the registration G-CGHU, making it look promising she could return to the air again. Sadly, she never did, and is currently stored outside at HHA's facility in Scampton alongside three other Hunter airframes also in storage and used for spares.

Due to the closure of RAF Scampton, HHA decided to dispose of Hunter airframes they have used for spares throughout the past several years, including XF994.
In May 2023, XF994 was relocated to Bruntingthorpe where she can currently be seen sitting on her belly awaiting some TLC.

Information on this page current as of 12/08/2023, last updated by Jake

Find other photos of XF994 on the following sites:

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