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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BLAST FROM THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
[Pre-Hunter Era] [Post-Hunter Era] [Future-Hunter Era]
"FRADU AIRCRAFT FROM THE PRE-HUNTER ERA"
 

[Unknown]
[© Damien Burke]
[Unknown]
 
Since the Air Direction School was formed in RNAS Yeovilton's control tower in 1941, it has utilised a varied collection of aircraft types to assist with the training. These have included Mosquitos, Sea Hornets, Sea Venoms, Sea Furies, Meteors, Sea Hawks, Sea Vampires and Meteors. Of the three aircraft shown in the photographs above, the Sea Hawk is the only survivor, it is preserved in Hampshire.

There is an ex-FRU Meteor TT.20 survivor kept in the Fleet Air Arm Museum storage facility at RNAS Yeovilton.
The Sea Hawks and Meteors served in tandem with two other additional aircraft types, the Supermarine Scimitar and Sea Vixen. The Sea Hawk's live with FRU drew to a close in 1969, and the decision to replace them with the Hawker Hunter got a welcoming reception. The Meteors were replaced with Canberras and the Scimitars and Vixens with more Hunters.
"NOW THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP ..."
 

[© Alan Simpson]
 

The aircraft photographed above is Alan Simpson's DH Sea Venom FAW Mk22 ECM XG629, being transported from its former owner's the Jet Aviation Preservation Group premises at Long Marston airfield to its new home.
He is currently restoring the aircraft hopefully to functioning static condition, and is documenting its history, and would like to hear from service personnel that served at the following units: -

  • Anyone from 893 Squadron whilst it was based at Merryfield (1957), Yeovilton (1959)

  • NARIU Lee on Solent in 1963 RAF Watton in 1964

  • Airwork staff from F.R.U at Yeovilton in 1970

He is also seeking information on the PT170 Radio ADF Equipment and the APR9 equipment that was positioned in the aircraft. So if you can help contact Alan at alansimpson112@hotmail.com, now!
"FRADU AIRCRAFT IN THE POST-HUNTER ERA"
 

[© Philip Shean]
 
Here is the scene from a day during May 1995 when the last four FRADU Hunters were retired from service in favour of the BAe Hawk.
It shows two Hawk aircraft with Hunter GA.11 XF300/860, and three T.8C's XF358/870, XF994/873 and WV396/879
The Hunters took off and proceeded to carry out a four-ship flypast over the base on their way to RAF Shawbury for storage pending a decision on their future. It was a pity that I wasn't there to see them leave ...I did have a good reason, I was in school at the time :)

 

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I am always seeking for new material of anything FRADU. So if you know of anything then don't hesitate to e-mail me here even if you don't have a scanner!

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© Pages by Mark Russell, 1998-2007