FRADU HUNTER PHOTO GALLERY
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[Hunter GA.11's "830" to "838"] [Royal Navy Hunter T.8M's]
[Hunter GA.11's "860" to "868"] [Blue Herons display team]
[Hunter T.8C's "869 to "880"] [Blasts from the past]
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MORE BLUE HERONS & FRADU FORMATIONS
RAF Mildenhall - 1979 RNAS Lee-on Solent - 1980 RNAS Yeovilton - 1980
Blue Herons resurrected Blue Herons past, present & future FRADU formations
BLUE HERONS AT MILDENHALL 1979
 

[© Mike Hall]
[© Mike Hall]
 
The Blue Herons are photographed here at Mildenhall's air fete in 1979. The aircraft used by the team that day were WW654/833, WT804/831, XE682/835 and WT806/838, with a further GA.11 WV256/862 also present as the 'spare' aircraft.
THE BLUE HERONS @ LEE-ON-SOLENT - 1980
 

[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]
 
Three photos of the Blue Herons taken at RNAS Lee-On-Solent's Air Day in 1980.
The aircraft used for the performance were WW654/833 leading, WT804/831 as No.2, XF368/863 as No.3 and WT804 bringing up the rear as No.4 aircraft.
THE BLUE HERONS @ YEOVILTON 1980 AD
 

[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]

[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]
 
Here are five photos of the Herons taken at Yeovilton's 1980 Air Day, a season that proved to be the team's last.
The first two images show the Blue Herons team leader Derek Morter in the cockpit of WT806/838, the lead aircraft for the performance, with WT804/831 (No.2) following out behind. The other two aircraft used that day were XF368/863 and WV267/836.
THE BLUE HERONS RESURRECTED
 

[© Richard Cole]
[© Richard Cole]
[© Richard Cole]
 
The first and last Blue Herons display that I had ever seen, not that I remember it very well as I was only four at the time :)
The date is Saturday 26th July, and the scene is RNAS Yeovilton's Air Day 1986 wherethe Blue Herons were specially resurrected for two appearances, the Yeovilton and Culdrose Shows. This team contained one of the original 1975 Blue Herons team members, Godfrey Cornish Underwood, who was promoted to leader for the show, flying GA.11 WV256/862.
The remaining three team members were No.2 Mike Sharp, flying WT806/838, No.3 Brian Grant piloting XF301/834 and No.4 Martin Holloway who was flying WW654/833. All were all former Blue Heron team members.
In fact this was the only show that saw them, as the Culdrose event was rained off.
MORE ON THEIR COMEBACK PERFORMANCE
 

[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]
[© Hugh Trevor]
 
Three further photos taken at Yeovilton 1986, showing the aircraft in the box and coming in for their textbook formation landing, the typical signature to a Blue Herons performance.
BLUE HERONS PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
 

[© Royal Navy]
[© author]
[© author]
 

Here are three shots of various members of Blue Herons, all in front of GA.11's that were used by the team.
The first of the three was taken in 1977 and shows the Shell UK Oil Trophy that the team was awarded for the best overall performance at the silver Jubilee Air Tattoo at Greenham Common. It shows from left: Brian Grant No.3, Godfrey Cornish-Underwood No.2, Captain H.J. Abrahams RN O.C. H.M.S. Heron, Derek Morter - No.1 and Leader. and Pierre Cadoret No.4.

The middle shows the part of the team today taken at RNAS Yeovilton's Air Day in July 2000.
From left Godfrey Cornish-Underwood, Derek Morter and Brian Grant, who flew the GA.11 behind in the flying display.

The last shows two prospective new members if the Blue Herons were ever resurrected :)
In front of Godfrey are his two sons, Edward and David, or as his handle "Jabba." A third future member was taking the photograph :)
"FRADU FORMATIONS"
 
1.
[© David O'Brien]		 2.
[via Derek Morter]		 3.
[Unknown]
4.
[via Derek Morter]		 5.
[© Peter R. March]		 6.
[© Peter R. March]		 7.
[© Soms Avn Euth.]
 
Some shots of other FRADU aircraft formations. From left as follows: -
1. TT18 WH887 in formation with XE707/865 and WT744/868 over Portland Bill in Dorset.
2. T.22 WH803 with GA.11s WT744/868" and XE685/861 on either wing.
3. T.8C WT722 awaiting her turn to break away from the camera-ship, after GA.11s XE689/864 and XE707/865.
4. The Blue Herons rolling over RNAS Yeovilton ... and Concorde! The aircraft used for this sortie were GA.11's WW654/833, XE682/835, WT804/831 and WT806/838. Note if you enlarge it the number of Canberras on the ramp!
5. Canberra T.22 WT510 leads with a Sea Harrier on one wing and Hunter GA.11 XF368/863 on the other.
6. Coming in for a four ship pass; WW654/833, WT744/868, XE707/865 and lastly in the older style scheme WT723/866 at RNAS Yeovilton's 1984 Air Day.
7. Four GA.11's come in for a pass over RNAS Yeovilton.

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