Hawker Hunter T7 – XL591, 4FTS, RAF Valley (Red, White, Grey livery)

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 scale AA32715: Hawker Hunter T.Mk 7 of 4 FTS (Fighter Training School) based at RAF Valley on Anglesey, Wales in 1975. Limited Edition of only 1100 pieces Worldwide.

Length 7.75 inches Wingspan 5.75 inches

Hawker Hunter T7 XL591 first flew on 6th August 1958 and was delivered to the RAF the next month. XL591 had a rather colourful career which included spells with DFLS, DFCS, AFDS, and 4 FTS, then moving up to RAF Honington to serve with both 208 Sqn and 237 OCU at different points. This model depicts XL591 in the red and white training scheme it carried when flying as part of 4 FTS (Fighter Training School) at RAF Valley on Anglesey, Wales in 1975. Happily XL591 survives to this day, preserved at the Gatwick Aviation Museum. RAF Valley remains the centre of RAF fast jet training to this day, being home to most of the RAF’s Hawk fleet but remains proud of its time operating the Hunter, with a two seater aircraft remaining on base as a “gate guard” to this day.

The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary roles with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy until the early 1990s. The Hunter was also widely exported, serving with 21 other air forces; 50 years after its original introduction it is still used in active military training roles as an aggressor.

On 7 September 1953, the modified first prototype broke the world air speed record, achieving 727.63 mph (1,171.01 km/h). Overall, 1,972 Hunters were produced by Hawker Siddeley and under licence. In British service, the aircraft was replaced by the English Electric Lightning, the Hawker Siddeley Harrier and the McDonnell Douglas Phantom.