Thanks to the Dave Taylor and Neil & Heather (Lakes Lightnings Collection) the former owners who have provided me with several photos and much of the following information which I've also cross referenced with the Air Ministry Form 78 kindly provided by the RAF Museum.
If you have any further info, memories or photos of the aircraft in service please get in touch.
Built by Hawker Aircraft at Kingston and assembled at Dunsfold. 41H/695339. According to Profile Publications 167 'Hawker Hunter Two Seaters' XL609 was one of the last of the original batch of 45 Tmk7 aircraft built for the RAF.
01/12/1958 First Flight (flown by David Lockspeiser)
16/12/1958 Aw/Cn (Awaiting Collection)
23/12/1958 d/d 5 MU (Maintenance Unit) RAF Kemble
27/1/1959 to 56 Squadron as ‘Q’ at Waterbeach
From the 56 Squadron History website:
Mar 59: "The Hunter T.7 has been utilised considerably throughout the month and it is hoped to use it with good effect for gunnery dual instruction at Acklington."
01/11/1960 to 49 MU for SRIM
From late 1960 56 Squadron reequippped with the English Electric Lightning.
15/3/1961 Presume return to 56 Sqn at Waterbeach
From the 56 Squadron History website:
“In 1963, the Squadron was selected as the official Fighter Command Formation Aerobatics team. The Firebirds performed at a number of venues that year, including the 25th Paris International Air Show. The Squadron's Hunter T.7 was also used as an solo act”
1/4/1965 to Hawker Siddley Aircraft at Dunsfold for mods. XL609 was to be the last of six aircraft modified to T.mk.7A standard (IFIS instruments in common with Lightning and Buccaneer) but this was cancelled. Thanks to David Griffin for sharing his research on the subject and to everyone else who helped confirm by checking log book entries and so on.
9/11/1966 to 5 MU for temporary storage
7/2/1967 to 4 FTS RAF Valley
4 Flying Training School used the Hunter T7 and F6 to accommodate pilots that were too tall for the RAF’s then current Gnat advanced trainer. 4 FTS also trained pilots from other commonwealth countries. I believe XL609 also flew formation aerobatic displays as part of 'The Dragons'
19/8/1968 to 60 MU Leconfield for mods
26/9/1968 to 4 FTS
20/1/1970 D/A (Damage Assessment?) Cat3R
12/2/1970 ROS by 60 MU
25/3/1970 to 4 FTS
1/7/1971 to 5 MU for Surface Finishing
29/7/1971 4 FTS
8/8/1972 5 MU for Surface Finishing
5/9/72 to 4 FTS
Mal Grosse, a former instructor shared the following about XL609 on the 'Hawker Hunter Appreciation Society' page on Facebook:
"Flew it 51 times during my tour as an instructor at RAF Valley, 72-76. On 4/12/74, en route Brawdy to Valley, I had a bird strike and jettisoned the UWTs. On 26/11/75, I flew a photo sortie with a Granada TV cameraman. Good 4 years! Just over 2000 hours on the Hunter"
15/8/1978 to 5 MU
28/2/1979 to 4 FTS
7/8/1979 to 237 OCU (Buccaneers) RAF Honington. This was around the time of several accidents on the Buccaneer fleet (caused by airframe fatigue) and the associated grounding of the type which saw increased use of the Hunter.
14/3/1980 ADA CAT3R
14/4/1980 to 237 OCU
2/7/1980 to 216 Squadron
1/8/1980 to 12 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth
More pilot memories, this time from Alasdair Beaton via Facebook:
"A wonderful aircraft. I flew her when I was a QFI at 4FTS Valley and also back in 12 Sqn where the Hunter T7A was the dual pilot checking aircraft for the Buccaneer. We also used the T7A as the bounce for our Buccaneer attack formations. In all, it was a really great fun aircraft to fly."
25/6/1981 to 5 MU for Surface Finishing
There is no record in any of the notes or forms of XL609 flying with 15 Squadron, however at least one photo around this time shows her with 'XV' titles on the fin.
22/7/1981 to 12 Squadron (as ‘YF’ by 5/1984)
XX/7/1983 Transferred from 1 Group to 18 Group
21/8/1984 to 208 Squadron
25/2/1985 to 12 Squadron
23/7/1985 8866M
25/7/1985 ADA CAT5 (BDR)
1993 b/u Lossie
Scrap to George William's Yard, Elgin
1997 South Yorkshire Air Museum, Firbeck
2001 Boscombe Down
2005 Yarmouth, IoW
28/12/2011 Cockpitmania, Devon
March 2012 Lakes Lightnings Collectio, Cumbria.
11/2025 Returned to Cockpitmania, Devon
16/12/2025 Current owner. Located on private premesis in South Wales for restoration but likely to be based in the East Midlands once complete.