They Shall Not Fly

Station History THEY SHALL NOT FLY!

Flt Lt Sarah Hindley, Ops Flt

The story of the aircraft at Halton that don’t fly… Being the former home of No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton has hosted huge numbers of aircraft over the years for ground training purposes. Over time, a few have been chosen to act as gate-guards or for other purposes…

Hawker Hunter XF527

The aircraft most visible to stn pers and passersby is the Hawker Hunter Mk 6 XF527 positioned outside SHQ and pictured celebrating the seasons in past years. The last Hunter in production by Armstrong Whitworth, this airframe was in service at many RAF stations recognisable only to those long in the tooth, including Lintonon-Ouse, Church Fenton, Binbrook, Brawdy and Laarbruch. This Hunter came to Halton in 1981 as one of many hydraulic system trainers. Later, the Station Commander requested a Hunter gate-guard, so the airframe trainees spent 2 months refurbishing XF527 and it was placed in its current position outside SHQ on 26 June 1986.

Jet Provosts

There are also 2 Jet Provost T Mk 5a aircraft at the airfield, particularly fitting as the airfield has been home to countless Jet Provosts (JPs) for many years of maintenance training.

Jet Provost XW303

Jet Provost XW303 is positioned on the airfield alongside the Halton to Weston Turville road, set up as a horse jump with wings removed and lying on the grass surface. Delivered to the RAF in March 1970, XW303 served at Linton-onOuse and Church Fenton for many years. It came to Halton in October 1991 as a maintenance training airframe. After a spell at Cosford it returned to Halton in March 2006 as a replacement for a previous JP horse jump.

This jump was one of 50 varied obstacles at an annual fundraising event, the ‘Vale of Aylesbury Sponsored Ride’, with XW303 being the highlight for many riders!

Jet Provost XW364

More recently, another JP Mk 5a, XW364 arrived at the airfield in November 2012. A complete fuselage but without an engine, its purpose was for use in leadership training and fire/crash/ disaster exercises. It had also seen service at Linton-onOuse as well as Cranwell, last flying in April 1989. After time at the School of Technical Training, Cosford, XW364 moved to Halton in November 2012 as a ground instructional airframe. Both JPs also serve a secondary purpose – a visual reminder that this big area of grass is an airfield. On a clear day you can see the airframes from 3-4 miles away! Both JPs arrived with ejection seats fitted. For safety reasons these were removed and the explosive charges taken out; one seat still sits in Ops Flt, much to the delight of the occasional Air Cadet/school/ Scout visit!

JP, XW303, set up as a horse jump.