THE Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum has a new gate guard in the form of a Hawker Hunter XF357.
The aeroplane has been given pride of plane at the museum following a year of restoration.
The jet, which was built in 1955 and flew its first test flight in August of that year, has received a complete overhaul and is now back to its original RAF Boscombe Down red and white colour scheme.
The Hunter was transferred to RAF Boscombe Down in 1967 to E Squadron for Test Pilot training. In February 1982 the aircraft was delivered to RAF Cranwell for ground instructional use, and was retired in 1991. After some years in disrepair, Boscombe Down Aviation Collection acquired the jet in 2007.
The museum team have worked tirelessly on the project, at one point having to let out around ten years of rainwater which had welled up in the fuselage. For more information call 01722 323636 or go along to the museum.
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