Hawker Hunter - Survivor ZZ190 (ex G-HHAE, G-BXNZ, J-4066)
F.58 ZZ190 - Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd. (flyer), RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire
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Hunter F.58 ZZ190 at RAF Fairford, 17th July 2023; Jake Wallace
J-4066 was built as an F.58 for the Swiss Air Force and first flew on 22nd August 1958, being delivered to Essen via Dubendorf a month later. She entered service on 7th October 1959. She was modified to incorporate Sidewinder capability in 1964, and in 1980 underwent the Hunter 80 mods, losing Sidewinder but gaining radar warning receivers, chaff and flare dispensers and BL755 cluster bomb capability. In 1982, she was further modified to be able to fire AGM-65 Maverick missiles. She was retired on 6th December 1994, and in July 1995 was flown to the Association Aviatec in Creully, France.
The Old Flying Machine Company soon took an interest in the various ex-Swiss Hunters, and in late 1997 acquired the airframe, carrying out some basic work to enable it to be ferried (by the late Mark Hanna) to Kemble in January 1998 as G-BXNZ. She then spent some time with Delta Jets being fully restored, and in early June 1999 she flew out to join Hawker Hunter Aviation's (HHA) Hunter fleet based at RAF Scampton.
In December 2002 she was re-registered as G-HHAE, and was operated under COMA (Civil Owned Military Aircraft) regulations. Re-registered with the military serial of ZZ190 in January 2007, she continues to be owned and maintained by HHA but flown by FRA pilots on defence simulation and trial taskings. HHA has been awarded AvP67 status to undertake this kind of work on behalf of the MoD. She was grounded in the late 2010s for major maintenance but had returned to the air by early 2022 - when she was relocated to RAF Leeming due to the closure of RAF Scampton.
She continues to fly on a regular basis, though in October 2024 suffered a minor mishap on landing at Leeming, resulting in her taking the arrestor barrier. Damage was minor and she returned to the air just a few weeks later.
The Old Flying Machine Company soon took an interest in the various ex-Swiss Hunters, and in late 1997 acquired the airframe, carrying out some basic work to enable it to be ferried (by the late Mark Hanna) to Kemble in January 1998 as G-BXNZ. She then spent some time with Delta Jets being fully restored, and in early June 1999 she flew out to join Hawker Hunter Aviation's (HHA) Hunter fleet based at RAF Scampton.
In December 2002 she was re-registered as G-HHAE, and was operated under COMA (Civil Owned Military Aircraft) regulations. Re-registered with the military serial of ZZ190 in January 2007, she continues to be owned and maintained by HHA but flown by FRA pilots on defence simulation and trial taskings. HHA has been awarded AvP67 status to undertake this kind of work on behalf of the MoD. She was grounded in the late 2010s for major maintenance but had returned to the air by early 2022 - when she was relocated to RAF Leeming due to the closure of RAF Scampton.
She continues to fly on a regular basis, though in October 2024 suffered a minor mishap on landing at Leeming, resulting in her taking the arrestor barrier. Damage was minor and she returned to the air just a few weeks later.
Information on this page current as of 07/11/2024, last updated by Damien |
Find other photos of ZZ190 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net