Folland Gnat XR538 at the 2008 Open days Royal Dutch Airforce.
Picture added on 26 June 2008
Comments:
Privately owned. Gnat T.1 XR538/G-RORI was the 35th production aircraft (construction no. FL549) built out of a total of 105 and first flew on 21st June 1963. After a short flight test schedule she was issued to No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley in Anglesey on 31st July 1963 coded "01". She had been a very well used airframe and prior to her sale by the Ministry of Defence she became airframe number 8621M at RAF Halton on 11th March 1979 after amassing 3648.35 flying hours and 11, 160 landings. She was used as a non-airborne vehicle for engine/airframe training of ground engineers. Whilst at Halton she was properly maintained and her records were kept up to date. When put on the civil register as G-RORI she wore an overall black scheme for some time and was fitted with 2 live Folland Mk.4 ejection seats and a smoke system. She returned to her 4 FTS colours and was operated by Delta Jets for some time. This aircraft is now based at North Weald.
Gnat T.1 XR538/G-RORI was the 35th production aircraft (construction no. FL549) built out of a total of 105 and first flew on 21st June 1963. After a short flight test schedule she was issued to No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley in Anglesey on 31st July 1963 coded "01".
She had been a very well used airframe and prior to her sale by the Ministry of Defence she became airframe number 8621M at RAF Halton on 11th March 1979 after amassing 3648.35 flying hours and 11, 160 landings. She was used as a non-airborne vehicle for engine/airframe training of ground engineers. Whilst at Halton she was properly maintained and her records were kept up to date. When put on the civil register as G-RORI she wore an overall black scheme for some time and was fitted with 2 live Folland Mk.4 ejection seats and a smoke system. She returned to her 4 FTS colours and was operated by Delta Jets for some time. This aircraft is now based at North Weald.
Added by Peter John Langsdale on 26 June 2008.