FRADU's Hawker Hunter aeroplanes

WW654's service history

WW654 was built by Hawker Aircraft (Blackpool) Ltd as a Hunter Mk.4 for the Royal Air Force. It was received by the RAF at 5MU (Maintenance Unit) at Kemble, where it was prepared for service. Its first squadron posting was to RAF Jever in West Germany, where it was flown as part of RAF 98(F) Sqn's fleet of Hunters. It remained in mainland Europe until November 1957, when it returned to the UK to join 229OCU (Operational Conversion Unit) at RAF Chivenor in Devon. WW654 was employed on training duties until it was withdrawn and placed in store in 1961.

WW654 was one of 40 Hunter F.4s transferred to the Royal Navy, and Hawkers was contracted to overhaul and convert the aeroplanes to GA.11 standard, Following the completion of the work at Kingston-upon-Thames and flight testing from Dunsfold, WW654 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm at RNAS Lossiemouth in September 1962, and joined its first and ultimately last Squadron, 738 NAS (Navy Air Squadron) later that month. Operated as aeroplane '650' with a 'LM' shore code applied on its tail fin, WW654 was in use until a move to Shorts Brothers at Belfast in June 1963. It was operated from Belfast for the next two years, until a move to 5MU Kemble on 1st July 1965 for long-term store and modernisation. It remained 'mothballed' at Kemble until November 1974, when it was returned to Shorts for further modernisation in preparation for a return to service.

WW654 joined the FRADU (Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Training Unit) at RNAS Yeovilton on 30th June 1975, where it was assigned the call-sign and fleet number '833' and the shore code 'VL'. For the next five years, WW654 was used extensively as the lead aeroplane for the FRADU's display team Blue Herons, flown by the team leader Derek Morter, and also spent time at 5MU Kemble receiving maintenance (February 1977) and paint refinishes (May 1979 and May 1980). In May 1981 WW654 was again at Kemble receiving modernisation work, before returning to the fleet in April 1982 where it flew with FRADU for the next two years.
On 6th April 1984, the aeroplane was ferried to RAF St Athan, where it was re-finished in the new standard dark sea grey colours for the FRADU fleet.
It returned to Yeovilton on 2nd May 1984 and immediately re-introduced into the fleet.

On February 11th 1987, the wings and front fuselage of WW654 were delivered by road to RNAS Culdrose along with the rear fuselage of GA.11 XF368.
A composite airframe was assembled two months later and the aircraft, now assigned the maintenance serial 'A2754' was refinished into extra dark sea grey and white colours soon after and was given the new fleet number '834' and shore code 'DD' (Dummy Deck), ready for its new role with the School of Aircraft Handling (SAH).
In March 1993 WW654 was withdrawn from use and moved to 820NAS' hangar for storage and future disposal.

WW654's civilian life

WW654 was acquired by Harry Pounds, and it moved to Portsmouth by road on 15th December 1993. It was placed in store for the next five years until it moved into new ownership in 1998 with Peter Hague. Following a period of restoration at Tangmere in West Sussex, WW654 was mounted on a pole and positioned close to the entrance of the former Navy Air Station RNAS Ford, to represent its previous life as an active airfield.
It underwent a complete refinish during the summer of 2003 and remains on guard today, proudly sporting its RNAS Culdrose colours.