HAWK - It was announced during Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to the country that the Sultanate of Oman has ordered eight Hawk 128 AJT Advanced Jet Trainers and twelve Typhoons together with BAE Systems support to the Royal Air Force of Oman. Hawk sales have now reached 998 so, with company demonstrators, the magic 1000 has been exceeded. Oman already operates the Hawk two seat 103 and the single seat 203.
HARRIER - Harrier TMk2 XW269, restored to its original pointed nose configuration by Jet Art, is on display at the Airworld Aviation Museum at Caernarfon Airport, north Wales.
KESTREL - XS695, the eighth Kestrel FGAMk1, is being restored at the RAF Museum, Cosford.
HUNTER - Hunter FMk6 XG194, which led the world record 22 aircraft loop
by the 111 Squadron aerobatic team, has been restored at the Wattisham
Airfield Museum. In its Black Arrow colour scheme it is to be
‘unveiled’ by Roger Topp, former CO of 111 and aerobatic team leader.
SEA FURY -
Hoot Gibson’s ‘September Fury’ and Dennis Sanders’s T.20 ‘Dreadnought’
Sea Furies finished second and third in the 2012 Reno ‘Unlimited Gold’
race to Steve Hinton’s P-51D ‘Strega’ which won the final at 477.523
mph. Gibson achieved 456.746 mph and Sanders 417.246 mph although he
had achieved 443.764 mph in a heat. All these aircraft are heavily
modified with tuned engines. For instance ‘Strega’s’ Merlin is said to
develop 3,600 hp and ‘Dreadnaught’ has a 4,000+ hp Pratt & Whitney
R-4360 Wasp Major. Google Reno air races for videos of these aircraft
in action.
TEMPEST - Tempest II MW404 is to be restored to flying condition in the
USA by new owner Chris Miller. It will be powered by a Wright R-3350.
MW404 also served with the Indian Air Force as HA557. It was recovered
from India with several other derelict airframes but none has yet been
made airworthy.
HURRICANE - The Alpine Fighter Collection (Wanaka, NZ) Hurricane Mk1 P3351 has been sold to a European buyer.