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No 98 SQUADRON AIRCRAFT HISTORIES
By kind permission of the Authors of
RAF Hunters in Germany
Airframe Number Sqn Letter Arrived Departed Destination
Hunter F.4s        
WT742 A Mon 25 Apr 1955 Tue 9 Apr 1957 2Dec55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 13Jan56. Category 4 Damage Hawker Aviation Limited
WT747 B Mon 25 Apr 55 Fri 12 Apr 57 10Nov55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 6Jan56. To 5MU
WT777 F Fri 15 Mar 57 Mon 15 Jul 57 From 4Sqn. To 5MU.
WT802 P Thu 12 May 55 Tue 9 Jul 57 1st Flt 24Mar55 by M Anderson from Avions Fairey.   Delvd 20Apr55 to 98Sqn. 5Dec55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 11Jan56. Finally to 5MU. [Click to see.]
WV267   Fri 22 Mar 57 (From 93Sqn) Wed 3 Jul 57 To 5MU.
WV316   Fri 15 Mar 57 (From 4Sqn) Wed 10 Jul 57 To 5MU.
WV364   Fri 12 Apr 57 (From 93Sqn) Mon 15 Jul 57 Loaned from 118Sqn while mods. To 5MU.
WV368   Wed 7 Sep 55 (From 93Sqn) Tue 4 Oct 55 On loan from Oldenburg pool while mods. To 4Sqn.
WV373   Wed 7 Sep 55 Tue 4 Oct 55 On loan from Oldenburg pool while mods. To 118Sqn.
WV389 L Fri 14 Dec 56 Fri 26 Jul 57 Replaced XE669. Civ Wkg Prty N Weald then 229OCU/RS-26.
WW647 C Thu 21 Apr 55 (Del by 4Sqn) Wed 10 Jul 57 26Aug55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 1Oct55. 5MU
WW648 D Tue 19 Apr 55 Fri 22 Mar 57 30Dec55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 6Feb56. 229OCU
WW649 E Fri 15 Apr 55 Wed 10 Jul 57 16Nov55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 6Jan56. 5MU. (Click to see?)
WW650 F Tue 19 Apr 55 Fri 22 Mar 57 15Oct55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 10Nov55. 222 Sqn
WW651   Thu 21 Apr 1955 Wed 3 Oct 1956 Category 4 Damage
WW652 G Tue 19 Apr 55 Fri 29 Mar 57 20Sep55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 18Oct55. To 222Sqn.
WW653   Thu 21 Apr 55 (By 118Sqn) Mon 8 Apr 57 9Sep55 to gun mods BACK 30sEP55. (To 118Sqn for 1 day 3Oct55). To 5MU. (Click to see).
WW654 L Thu 21 Apr 55 (Del by 4Sqn) Wed 7 Mar 56 WW654 which was delivered to the RAF at 5 MU at Kemble on 28Mar55.   It arrived on 98 Sqn on 21Apr55 as L.   It was recalled to Lynham on 26Aug55 for modifications to incorporate full power controls, DME, Green Salad and armament mods.  It returned to 98 Sqn on 4Nov55.   On 7Mar56 it suffered what was initially Cat 3 R damage from ammunition belt links at APC Sylt.   This was one of the reasons why "Sabrinas", or link collector bulges were added to the Hunter. It was re-categorised to Cat4R Fly (flyable and repairable) on 8Mar56 and sent to 32MU 18Jul56, 26Aug55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 4Nov55. then sent to 19MU St Athan for repair work from 1Aug to 5Oct56.   It was moved back to 19 MU at St Athan via 5 MU at Kemble on 8Mar58 until 8Oct59.   It was declared Non-Effective Stock and struck-off charge.   It was repurchased by HSA in 1961 and converted to a GA Mk.11.   It was then delivered to the FAA at Lossiemouth on 04Sep62 with No.738 Sqn. FAA until the Squadron disbanded in 1970.   It was then placed in storage.   It was sent to FRADU in the early 1970's and was assigned the call-sign 833/VL.   Between 1975 and 1980 it was used extensively as the lead aircraft for the Blue Herons, flown by the team leader Derek Morter.   The aircraft was given the all-grey re-spray in 1984 but was withdrawn from use in late 1986.   On 11Feb87 the wings and front fuselage of WW654 were delivered by road to Culdrose along with the rear fuselage of GA.11 XF368.   After the rear fuselage left Culdrose and then returned in March, a composite airframe was assembled in Apr87.   The aircraft, now christened 'A2754', was re-sprayed a few months later and given a new call-sign - 834/DD to avoid confusion with WT711/DD833.   In Mar93, WW654 was withdrawn from use and moved to 820 Sqn FAA hangar for storage.   It was sold to Harry Pounds and moved to Portsmouth by road on 15Dec93.   In 1998 the aircraft was sold to another private owner and after restoration in Sussex it was mounted on a pole in Oving, West Sussex, UK; close to the entrance of the former Royal Naval Air Station Ford, to represent its previous life as an active airfield.   It underwent a complete repaint during the summer of 2003. [Click to see]
WW655 M Thu 21 Apr 55 Mon 15 Jul 57 23Nov55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 13Jan56. To 5MU.
WW656 N Wed 20 Apr 55 Mon 8 Apr 57 Delivered to RAF 30Mar55 to 5MU, 20Apr55 to 98Sqn as N, 15Nov55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 6Jan56.[See History] To 5MU Scrapped Dunsfold Aug64.
WW658 O Wed 20 Apr 55 Mon 8 Apr 57 Delivered to the RAF at 33MU on 6Apr55 and then issued to 98Sqn.   10Nov55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 6Jan56.   To Civ Wkg Prty Leconfield then to 229OCU as RS-5 and finally was scrapped after a total of 609 hrs 40 mins at Dunsfold in Jun64.   Click to see picture.
WW661 Q Thu 21 Apr 55 Wed 3 Oct 56 5Sep55 to gun firing modifications 33MU Lyneham back 28Sep55. Bird strike at Sylt Cat3R/4R to UK for repair 16Oct56.
XE667 Z Fri 15 Mar 57 (From 4Sqn) Tue 9 Jul 57 To 5MU.
XE669 L Mon 23 Jul 56 Tue 4 Dec 56 Category 5 Damage write off. Dave Young killed when ejecting.   [Click to see report in Flight Comment.]   [Click to see report in 4 Sqn F540.]
XE675   Fri 25 Nov 55 Wed 18 Jan 56 Loaned from Oldenburg pool while mods. To 93Sqn.
XE684   Fri 29 Aug 55 Mon 3 Oct 55 Loan from Oldenburg pool while mods. To 4Sqn.
XE685 A Fri 26 Aug 55 Tue 17 Jan 56 Delivered to RAF 18Jul55 to 33MU.   To Oldenburg pool then to 98 Sqn, Jever on 26Aug55.   On 17Jan56 to 93 Sqn as B, Jever.   3May56 CAT 4 damage.   [For some unexplained reason, not mentioned in 93 Sqn F540 for 3May56 (Click to see).   However, it might be Birdy Biggs aircraft which was Cat 3 on 12Apr56 that may have been regraded to Cat 4 on 4May56?   [Click to see full report.]   Re-Purchased by HSA, 1960.   Conv. to GA Mk.11.   Del 6May63, 764 Sqn FAA, Lossiemouth.   Used for air warfare instructor training and conversion flights.   Loaned to HSA in 66 and involved in practice bombing trials.   It was fitted with four practice bomb carriers under the front fuselage and one under each pylon, this would enable it to carry eight 25lb bombs.  Once the trials were over the jet was returned to Lossiemouth, again as (693/LM).   Stored Kemble late 66.   Early 67, issued to a new Unit, the Yeovilton Stn. Flt., and was given the call-sign (708/VL).   Returned to 764 Sqn FAA at Lossiemouth, for a third time, coded (694/LM) until 72.   Moved to Yeovilton joining the Air Direction Training Unit (ADTU) 73.   Coded (731/VL), but as a result of the FRU/ADTU merger it became part of the FRADU fleet as aircraft (861/VL).   It remained at Yeovilton with the FRADU, until 94 when it was retired.   Sold at auction to Barry Pover, and registered to the Lightning Flying Club as G-GAII.   Later incorporated into the Classic Jet Aircraft Company, XE685 made frequent airshow appearances between 95 and 98.   In 99 she was flown to St Mawgan and placed in store, and a year later was delivered to North Weald for its new owner where it was maintained by The Jet Centre.   Flown back to Exeter in June 2000 and placed in store by the Hunter Flying Club and again offered for sale.   During 2002, XE685 was acquired by a consortium led by two former Hunter pilots.   A restoration programme was begun to bring it back to flying condition.   Eddie McCullagh reports after a visit to Kemble Open Day 2006, that Roger Lycett-Smith, ex-98 Sqn groundcrew, showed him this Hunter that had been on 98 Sqn.   It had later gone to the Navy and been modified to a GA11.   It is now privately owned and Eddie met the owner who was equally interested to meet Eddie.   He isn't sure how much longer he can afford to fly it with the rising cost of fuel which has doubled in price since he bought the aircraft.   He told Eddie it cost about £1,000 to fill it up which Eddie suspected included drop tanks.   The aircraft has now done about 8,000 hours and is still going strong.   Eddie checked his log book when he returned home and found that all the flights he had done were in 55, the year 98 Sqn got the Hunter.
XE687 G Fri 22 Mar 57 (From 93Sqn) Thu 25 Jul 57 To 5MU.
XE707   Fri 22 Mar 57 (From 93Sqn) Thu 18 Jul 57 To 5MU.
XE718 A Wed 27 Mar 57 Fri 17 Jul 57 From 93 Sqn. To 5MU
XF996   Thu 3 Jan 57 Sat 25 Jul 57 To 229OCU.
LOANED AIRCRAFT WHILE SQN UNDERGOING MODS.  
WV364   Mon 14 Nov 55 Wed 18 Jan 56 To 118Sqn.
WV368   Wed 7 Sep 55 Tue 4 Oct 55 To 4Sqn.
WV373   Wed 7 Sep 55 Tue 4 Oct 55 To 118Sqn.
XE675   Fri 25 Nov 55 Wed 18 Jan 56 To 93Sqn. as E.
XE684   Mon 29 Aug 55 Mon 3 Oct 55 To 4Sqn.
XE685   Mon 29 Aug 55 Tue 17 Jan 56 To Code 'A'.
        Like 118 Sqdn (qv), Hunters were waiting for them when they arrived at Jever 19.4.55 and the ORB reports the first aircraft was available 26.4.55 with a further three by 29.4.55.   This is why the codes allocated initially are in a nice sequential serial number order, because they were all delivered/waiting at the same time: i.e. codes 'A' to 'G' and 'L' to 'O'. A 'new' aircraft, WT802, arrived from the UK 12.5.55 to take the complement up to the standard fourteen aircraft, it became 'P'. The only omissions would appear to be WW653 which might be 'H', 'I', 'J' or 'K'.   The next major event for the unit was the gun firing modifications that were performed at 33MU Lyneham. The ORB makes some dates known and the individual record cards show the others.   The ORB reports seven aircraft in the UK on modifications at 26.11.55 (I make it six!). It appears that the deliveries of, at least, WW647 and WW654 were carried out by 4 Sqdn and WW653 (3.20) by 118 Sqdn. Returns to the squadron referred to in the ORB were: one 29.12.55, two 2.1.56 and two 11.1.56, these all being unassignable in the table above. The ORB also refers to 'replacements' being allocated, two circa 26.8.55 (presumably XE684 and XE685), two 6.9.55 (presumably WV368 and WV373) and XE675 from Oldenburg pool 25.11.55 but no mention of WV364 14.11.55. These were only temporary loans while the squadron aircraft were undergoing modifications, these are listed separately above, it is doubtful if they received squadron markings or codes. They were progressively returned in late 1955/early 1956 . WW654 was damaged by ammunition links at Sylt 7.3.56, originally Cat3 it was then re-cat as Cat4R(Flyable) 8.3.56 but not returned to 32MU until 18.7.56 and then Hawker for repair. Replacement was presumably XE669 from 5MU 23.7 and although no code is known for it, presumably it was 'L'? Another problem would appear to be the former loaned aircraft XE685, which has been quoted as coded 'A', if so it presumably replaced WT742 as 'A' but why and when and what happened to WT742? WW661 (code?) suffered a Cat3 birdstrike at Sylt 3.10.56 recat as Cat4 5.10.56 and to UK 16.10.56 for repair. Another transfer out around this time was XE685 'A' which moved to 93 Sqdn 17.10.56, thereby 'solving' the overlap problem with WT742 as 'A'. 1956 ended with a crash to XE669 'L?' 4.12.56 with replacement WV389 arriving 14.12.56 from the UK (to become 'L'?). A new allocation from the UK on 3.1.57 was XF996 (code not known but I suspect a new allocation). In March and April 1957 no fewer than eight aircraft arrived, first arrivals were three former 4 Sqdn aircraft 15.3 (WT777 'F', XE667 and WV316) followed by five former 93 Sqdn aircraft: three 22.3 (XE687 'G', WV267 and XE707), and one each on 27.3 (XE718 'A') and 12.4 (WV364). Although XE667 has been quoted as 98 Sqdn 'Z', I suspect that 'Z' was its former 4 Sqdn code. These were the latest modification state aircraft and replaced older aircraft with 98 Sqdn. Returns to the UK were: WT742/A, WT747/B, WW648/D, WW650/F, WW652/G, WW653/?, WW656/N and WW658/O. So I suspect that XE667, WV316, WV267, XE707 and WV364 shared codes 'B', 'D', 'N', 'O' and one other.   The ORB reports the final disposal of aircraft to the UK as: four 9.7, three 11.7, four 12.7 and three 18.7.57.   
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Vampire FB.5        
VV219 Q Fri 9Mar51 Wed 19Sep51 Init eq, Cat 3R.
VV225 S Fri 9Mar51 Thu 21Jun51 Init eq, Cat 3R.
VV445 R Mon 4May53 Mon 31Aug53 2TAF CS.
VV466 T Fri 18Apr52 Tue 1Sep53 To 112Sqn as T.
VV569 R Fri 9Mar51 Sat 29Sep51 Init eq, Cat 4R.
VV639 E Tue 29Jul52 Tue 1Dec53 22Oct52 Cat 3R, Ret 29Feb53, Fri 28Aug53 to 118 Sqn as A, returned 19Nov53 to 98Sqn, back to 118Sqn as L.
VZ261 B Wed 13Aug52 Fri 28Aug53 To 130 Sqn.
VZ301 N Fri 9Mar51 Tue 30Oct51 Init eq, Cat 3R.
VZ317   Thu 19Nov53 Tue 22Dec53 To 145Sqn.
VZ323 G Fri 9Mar51 Thu 2Aug51 Init eq, Cat 3R.
VZ344 O Mon 13Aug51 Fri 28Aug53 To 112Sqn.
VZ346   Mon 10Aug53 Wed 23Jun54 To 10MU.
VZ812 L Fri 9Mar51 Thu 29May52 Init eq, Cat 4R.
WA129 N Tue 29Jul52 Tue 11Aug53 To 130Sqn as F.
WA143 K Fri 9Mar51 Fri 12Oct51 Init eq, Crashed.
WA144 M Wed 2Jul52 Mon 14Sep53 To 112Sqn as T.
WA149 P Fri 8Jun51 Fri 18Jan52 Init eq, Cat4R.
WA174 J Fri 9Mar51 Tue 22Jul52 Init eq, Cat 3R.
WA181   Wed 2Jul52 Mon 11Aug52 Cat 4R.
WA201 A Fri 13Mar53 Mon 26Oct53 To 130 Sqn.
WA203 P Wed 9Apr52 Mon 26Oct53 To 130 Sqn.
WA221   Mon 29Oct51 Tue 1Jul52 Cat3R.
WA253   Fri 13Mar53 Tue 11Aug53 To 130 Sqn.
WA344 H Fri 25Apr52 Thu 30Jul53 Cat 3R.
WA346 S Thu 3Apr52 Tue 11Aug53 To 130 Sqn.
WA367 C? Wed 17Oct51 Sat 23Aug52 Tue 30Oct51 Cat 3R, returned 1Dec51, Crashed.
WA375   Thu 3Apr52 Mon 21Jul52 To 266Sqn as C.
WA391   Thu 31May51 Tue 10Nov53 Init eq, Sat 23Jun51 to 14Sqn, 6Jun53 back to 98Sqn, to 130Sqn.
WA396 O? Fri 8Jun51 Sat 11Aug51 Init eq, To 118Sqn.
WA417 G Mon 7Apr52 Thu 24Sep53 To 112 Sqn as S.
WA443 G Thu 19Nov53 Wed 23Jun54 To 12MU.
WE834 C or L Tue 23Oct51 Wed 25Feb53 Crashed killing Sgt Nichael Uphill flicked in when firing RP on Fassberg ranges.
WE841 D Fri 23Nov51 Fri 26Jun53 Crashed.
WG832 F and H Wed 2Apr52 Thu 28Aug55 Fri 28Aug53 to 118Sqn, back 19Nov53 as H, finally to 5MU.
WG844 L Fri 8Feb52 Tue 6Oct53 To 112Sqn as V.
Vampire T.11        
WZ514 T Mon 2 Nov 53 Tue 17 Apr 56 To Marshalls.
XH357   Mon 28 May 56 Mon 15 Jul 57 To 10MU.
Venom FB.1        
WE270   Thu 18Jun53 Thu 7Jan54 To 22MU.
WE351 Y Fri 14Aug53 Thu 12May55 To 29MU.
WE365 M Thu 14May53 Wed 27Oct54 Crashed.
WE366 N Tue 11Aug53 Thu 7Jul55 To 29MU.
WE370   Wed 26Aug53 Mon 21Dec53 Cat4R.
WE372 A Tue 11Aug53 Mon 31May54 Crashed.
WE373 L Wed 26Aug53 Wed 27Apr55 To 29MU.
WE374   Fri 14Aug53 Thu24Jun54 Cat5C.
WE375   Wed 26Aug53 Thu 7Jul55 To 29MU. [Click to see photo].
WE377 S Fri 7Aug53 Mon 1Nov54 Cat4R.
WE378 E Fri 14Aug53 Fri 8Jul55 To 29MU.
WE380 B Tue 11Aug53 Mon 18Jul55 To 48MU.
WE385   Tue 11Aug53 Fri 13May55 Crashed.
WE422 F Fri 29Jan54 Mon 16May55 To 27MU.
WE438 Q Wed 3Mar54 Fri 22Apr55 To 27MU.
WE450   Wed 20Jan54 Mon 16May55 To 22MU.
WE468   Wed 28Jul54 Thu 12May55 To 22MU.
WE470   Tue 29Dec53 Thu 12May55 To 22MU.
WE476   Thu 31Dec53 Wed 3Mar54 To 14Sqn.
WK412 Z Wed 28Jul54 Tue 10May55 To 27MU.
WK483   Wed 9Jun54 Fri 22Apr55 To 22MU.
Meteor T.7        
WA730   Fri 8Oct54 Fri4Feb55 Cat4R.
WF813   Thu 19Apr51 Tue 1Dec53 Cat4R.
WL472   Mon 20Jun55/TD> Thu 23Jun55/TD> To 96Sqn.
Tiger Moth        
NM120   54 Feb 55  
Oxford        
W6569   Sat 6Apr46 Sun 24Nov47 MU.