FRADU aircraft archive - Hawker Hunter - John Caie's photographs of RAF Lossiemouth deployments

"John Caie is an aviation enthusiast and he is a regular visitor to RAF Lossiemouth, one of the RAF's main Tornado bases.
He very kindly sent me some of his slides that show the various FRADU deployments that took place at Lossiemouth between 1986 and 1992.
They can be seen below."

John captured this group of seven FRADU aircraft on detachment at RAF Lossiemouth on a cloudy November 6th 1986. Also present were 4 Falcons from the FR Aviation fleet at Hurn. The featured FRADU aircraft are as follows: -

(1) Canberra TT.18 WJ636/842 opens the web-page, seen taxiing in after landing.

(2) Hunter GA.11 WT744/868 taxiing in. For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(3) Another Canberra, this time TT.18 WE122/845.

(4) Hunter GA.11 XF300/860 on approach to land at Lossiemouth. For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(5) T.8C WV396/879 photographed just after landing. If you require further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(6) A Hunter with firepower! This photo shows Hunter T.7 WV372/877 on final approach to land. All the FRADU T.8Cs and GA11s had their armament removed by Hawker when they were converted, but the Unit received three former RAF T.7s during the 1980s that had a single cannon still fitted. For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(7) The last photo shows T.8C XE665/876 rolling down the runway after yet another sortie.

(8) John photographed all five of the Hunters on final approach to Lossiemouth, two are included above and here are the other three Hunters, first T8C WV396/879...

(9) ...GA.11 WT744/868...

(10) ..and finally, XE665/876.

A wet RAF Lossiemouth saw the arrival of 5 Hunters from Yeovilton and 5 Falcons from Hurn on February 10th 1987.
The aircraft are as follows: -

(11) A T.8C to start with, XF289/875, painted in the classic light aircraft grey and red colour scheme. For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(12) GA.11 XF368/863 follows XF289 along the Lossiemouth runway after landing.

(13) Another day-glo Hunter - T.8C XF985/873, sporting several replacement camouflaged panels on the tail :)

(14) GA.11 XF368/863 features again.

(15) The last aircraft featured is GA.11 WV256/862, shown running along the soaked Lossiemouth runway.

Another deployment, this time with 4 FRADU Hunters and 4 Falcons. The photos show the following aircraft: -

(16) GA.11 XE685/861.

(17) T.8C XF994/873

(18) GA.11 XE689/864. For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(19) T.8C WV396/879. Returning to Lossiemouth after being part of the 1986 deployment shown above.

A considerable deployment arrived at RAF Lossiemouth on 21st February, with seven two-seat Hunters, five FRA Falcons and a single Canberra TT.18 WJ614. The following photos show some of the aircraft present: -

(20) The lone Canberra, TT.18 WJ614/846. This aircraft was one of the last to remain in FRADU service before eventual retirement in 1992.

(21) Five of the seven deployed Hunters are included on this page, the first is T.8C WV363/872. For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(22) Featured for the second time in this section is T.7 WV372/877.

(23) T.8C XF994 also makes its second appearance...

(24) ...as does T.8C XF289/875, now sporting the all-grey colour scheme that replaced the day earlier finish that was present in the February 1987 deployment.

(25) Also present on the 1987 deployment was T.8C XF985, now sporting the all grey colour scheme and a new nose number, "877", the same as T.7 WV372.
For further information on this aeroplane, click here.

(28) One of four Hunter T.7s to see service with the FRADU was XF310/869. This aircraft, after an illustrious career as a single seat aircraft was converted to a two-seater in 1959, and after service with the RAF joined FRADU in 1982. It is shown here on approach to Lossiemouth.

(29) Probably one of the last photos showing RAF and Royal Navy Hunters in the air together, following a pairs take-off

NOTE: All these photographs that appear on this page are © John Caie.
If you wish to use these photos for anything other then personal use you MUST first get his permission.


1. [© John Caie]	2. [© John Caie]	3. [© John Caie]
4. [© John Caie]	5. [© John Caie]	6. [© John Caie]
	7. [© John Caie]


11. [© John Caie]	12. [© John Caie]	13. [© John Caie]
14. [© John Caie]	15. [© John Caie]


16. [© John Caie]	17. [© John Caie]	18. [© John Caie]
	19. [© John Caie]


20. [© John Caie]	21. [© John Caie]	22. [© John Caie]
23. [© John Caie]	24. [© John Caie]	25. [© John Caie]