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RAF Jever 111 Sqn Formation Aeros Team passing through and being turned round by ASF on their way to an air display at Rygge, Norway - probably Fri 22May59. Thanks to research by David Watkins and Peter Latham we have learnt the following: Peter Latham says "I can find no trace of ever flying Hunter 6 'X' in 1959. My Jever flights in 1959 were: 6/7 May, Meteor 7 (pre show recce for Rygge); 9/11 May in Hunter 6 'R' was not Bitburg but Wiesbaden; 22/25 Hunter 6 'N' Show at Rygge via Jever; 6/7 June Hunter 6 'T' show at Jever. I did not begin using Hunter 6 'X' as my regular mount until 15 March 1960 and then only until I needed to maximise the size of the formation by using the Hunter T7." This is what Peter had to say about the silver Hunter trainer: "I first flew Hunter T7 'Z' on the return trip from a show over Lisbon on 11th June 1959, and I first lead the team with it on a rehearsal on 7th July 1959 with a Mr Blackburn, who was the Daily Express senior photographer, who used a portable panoramic camera to get some great pictures. The first show I lead with it, by then in black livery, was on 9th September for the SBAC Farnborough show and thereafter I used it on most displays and rehearsals." Pete wrote further: "I am trying to get a definitive answer to your question and should soon get replies from those with better memories than me. The photo of the T7 shows a black drop tank so I presume that it was ours or a borrowed one. I did not start leading with the T7 until August/September 1959 so it is likely that we did not go to the expense of painting it black until then. Leading with the T7 was not easy as the off-set seat and shape of the windscreen top frame made keeping the loop straight when the horizon was out of sight difficult. With a minimum of 14 aircraft for every display, and sometimes 18, the arrival loop and the final landing double loop had a frontage of 9 aircraft the same as Roger Topp's 22. If I twisted the loop it gave great pain to the outer wing men and would spoil the appearance of the formation. I had a vertical mounted slip and skid instrument fitted to the left of the gunsight but eventually overcame the problem by practice and concentration and had it removed. Subsequently Brian Mercer told David Watkins: "Brian thinks that it was on 22 May, while the aircraft were en-route to Rygge, Norway." Hunter T.7 Xl610 Z belonging to 111 Sqn which was first flown by Hugh Merewether on 12Nov58. Central Fuselage C/N 41H-695344. Delivered on 23Jan59 to No 111 Sqn. ('Z') at Wattisham Stn Flt. Crashed, hit ground at N. Kelsey; both pilots killed 7Jun62. (Thanks to Maurice Parker.) |
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