In late 1951 it was decided to form a FRU(Fleet Requirements Unit) to be based at Hurn.This unit would employ civilian pilots using Fleet Air Arm aircraft to provide (initially) target aircraft for the training of RN radar operators.The new unit was to be called Airwork Services FRU(Hurn).
In August 1952 the first aircraft(Sea Mosquitoes) began arriving at Hurn.These were replaced in 1953 by Sea Hornets.
Over the next decade the unit's duties were expanded to include target towing and all other aspects of fleet requirement tasks,eventually covering not just the UK but the Mediterranean Fleet as well.
A wide variety of aircraft types were used over the years--Fireflies,Attackers,Seahawks(the most numerous type to be employed),Scimitars,Hunters,Canberras,and in the early days Dragonfly helicopters.
By 1967 the FRU was the only remaining unit of it's type and was very fully employed.However 5 years later in 1972 the FRU was amalgamated with the Air Direction Training Unit at Yeovilton,all the aircaft leaving Hurn by the 25th of November .The new unit ,initially known as FRADTU,later became FRADU(Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit.
Below is list of all aircraft known to have served with the FRU whilst at HURN.
Much of the information below comes from a series of articles that appeared in some 27 years ago in the British Aviation Review.Other information from my own records.. Some additions/amendments from Mike Phipp(April 2005)
AIRWORK FLEET REQUIREMENTS UNIT(HURN)
Aircraft Used
Arrival dates are delivery dates to Hurn,or if marked * are first sighting at
Hurn .Departure date followed by a + sign indicates that the a/c in question was
known to have still been at Hurn on the date given,and left some time after that.Some
aircraft were not in use ,or present, continuously between the dates shown.Aircraft
were often away for prolonged periods for modification,overhaul etc.
The mass exodus of Hunters and Canberras in November '72 was the
move to Yeovilton for operation by FRADTU
Codes in Brackets ( --) were allocated but not worn
MOSQUITO PR.16
Serial:code: Arrived Departed / Fate
MM342 17-10-52 30-9-53 to Lossiemouth
RF985 10-8-52(approx) after 7-53 SOC at Lossiemouth by 6-54
SEA MOSQUITO TR.33
RG175 10-8-52 12-52+
TW227 14-8-52 27-1-53+
TW236 24-10-52* 3-9-53+
TW239 unconfirmed
TW243 15-8-52 13-4-53+
TW245 Unconfirmed
TW246 Unconfirmed
TW249 14-8-52 1-7-53+
TW252 15-8-52 3-2-53+
TW253 26-8-52 Crash landed Hurn 18-02-53
TW255 1-9-53* 1-7-53+
TW256 26-1-53* Crash landed Hurn April 53
TW278 Unconfirmed
TW292 16-9-52* 27-2-53+
TW294 15-8-52 15-4-53+
SEA HORNET F.20
TT196 4-3-54 w/u 18-7-55.dep by road by 6-6-56
TT212 10-6-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
TT213 28-4-53 10-2-55+
VR840 8-5-53* w/u after 10-54 at Hurn
VR842 11-5-55 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VR843 17-9-53* w/u by 27-6-55 and b/u at Hurn
VR864 15-2-55 w/u 13-10-55 ,dep by road by 6-6-56
VZ711 15-2-55 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
WE238 14-9-55 w/u 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
WE239 6-10-54 14-9-55
SEA HORNET NF.21
VV430 2-3-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VV432 16-3-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VV433 19-2-53* 1-4-54
VV435 11-2-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VV436 27-5-53* 1-2-54+
VW949 18-3-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VW950 5-3-53 17-9-53
VW969 4-5-53 20-7-54
VW979 8-9-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VZ672 11-3-53 dep by Dec 1953
VZ676 12-2-53 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VZ677 15-2-54 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VZ682 9-4-54 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
VZ691 16-7-54 w/u by 13-10-55,dep by road by 6-6-56
SEA FURY FB.11
TF956 7-4-60 15-5-62
TF990 2-9-60 w/u 28-2-61+, b/u at Hurn,remains dep by road 4-5-61
VR930 13-11-59 14-12-61
VR936 O31 26-1-56 23-9-59
VW557 O32 26-10-55 b/u at Hurn by 28-10-57and dep by road same date
VW583 O28 26-9-57 11-4-60
VX620 O25 17-10-55 b/u at Hurn by 30-4-58,dep by road same date
VX621 O26 17-10-55 w/u 4-11-57 and b/u,dep by road 9-1-58
VX638 O30 25-10-55 b/u at Hurn after landing accident 3-5-57,dep by road 11-7-57
VX642 O27 14-10-55 w/u 17-5-57 and b/u at Hurn.dep by road 13-11-57
VX653 O32 15-10-57 31-3-60
VX663 O29 18-10-55 w/u 26-2-58 and b/u at Hurn,dep by road 21-5-58
WE708 Noted 7/58 (unconfirmed report)
WE709 O25 22-4-58 15-5-61
WE728 O27 6-11-57 5-5-60
WE736 O31 25-10-55 Cr on take off at RNAS Abbotsinch 17-1-56
WG596 13-4-60 7-9-61
WG599 14-4-60 16-8-61
WJ224 O30 13-5-57 17-11-59
WJ226 23-9-59 dep by road 16-5-62
WJ228 Noted 11-59
WJ231 24-3-60 10-5-62
WJ244 7-10-57 10-5-60
WJ288 O29 20-3-58 9-5-61
WN474 O29 17-10-55 b/u at Hurn by 4-10-57,dep by road same date(Other reports say this
was del to RCN in 52
ATTACKER FB.2
WK337 O36 6-12-55 20-2-57
WK342 O34 8-11-55 12-2-57
WP285 O38 18-1-56 6-2-57
WP297 O35 29-11-55 w/u at Hurn by 12-56,dep by road 15-3-57
WZ286 O33 1-11-55 26-2-57
WZ291 O37 17-1-56 13-2-57
SEAHAWK F.1
WF144 O33 18-2-57 w/u 31-1-58,dep by road 10-2-58
WF150 25-9-57 16-6-58
WF161 O34 26-8-57 18-6-58
WF176 O34 13-2-57 Cr landing Hurn 9-8-57,dep by road 27-8-57
WF191 O35 27-11-56 10-10-57
WF217 7-1-58 18-6-58
WF218 O36 13-1-57 31-10-57
WF220 O37 19-2-57 Cr landing Hurn 21-11-57,dep by road 8-1-58
WF225 O38 22-1-57 w/u and dep by road 4-6-58
WF229 O39 8-2-57 6-8-58
WF234 25-9-57 16-6-58
WF235 Reported as present 4-58.However WF235 cr at Lossiemouth 12-10-54
WM905 O40 27-11-56 10-7-58
SEAHAWK FB.3/FB.5
WF287 4-4-60 28-6-60
WF296 O38 30-4-58 3-2-60
WM906 O34 3-6-58 28-6-60
WM928 20-11-59 3-2-60
WM931 O39 5-1-59 11-10-61
WM934 25-1-60 26-3-62
WM936 O35 4-6-58 4-11-60
WM942 O35 10-10-60 7-9-63
WM961 25-1-60 11-9-61
WM969 O39,O36 24-6-58 14-5-64
WM972 O37 3-6-58 cr at RAF Aldergrove 12-11-59
WM983 5-9-58 29-7-59
WM987 (O36)30-6-59 23-9-59
WM993 O34 3-6-58 22-2-62
WN108 O33 4-6-58 1-8-63
WN117 3-5-60 31-2-62
SEAHAWK FGA.4/FGA.6
WV792 O35 21-9-62 5-9-67
WV798 O25 7-6-61 20-5-67
WV825 O34 16-8-62 27-3-68
WV828 O37 13-4-62 4-3-68
WV831 O32 15-3-62 6-6-67
WV855 O38 18-4-62 Missing over Channel 18-2-64 cr S of IoW
WV865 O38 5-3-64 14-3-67
WV919 (O33)8-2-62 Cr Bristol Channel off Weston Super Mare 25-7-62
XE330 O28 17-10-61 13-3-67
XE334 O36 23-3-63 5-12-67
SEAHAWK FGA.6
XE339 (O27)10-5-65 20-2-69
XE369 O29 26-10-61 29-11-67
XE380 O31 22-3-62 1-3-67
XE390 (O39) 24-11-65 18-2-69 - last Seahawk in RN service
XE392 O33 31-7-63 21-11-66
XE399 O27 29-8-61 31-10-66
XE459 O30 14-12-61 Cr 12-11-65 nr Hawley Lake nr Cove,Hampshire
XE489 O26 17-7-61 20-5-67
FIREFLY FR.4/TT.4
TW722 O57 5-9-57 9-12-58
TW723 11-12-57 9-12-58
TW739 O57 15-3-57 Damaged landing Hurn 26-7-57,b/u and left by road 5-9-57
VG957 O41 4-2-57 13-2-58
VG965 O44 7-3-57 Destroyed in mid-air collision with VG967 15-11-57.
VG967 (O42) 25-2-57 see above- collision was off Flamborough Head
VG974 4-2-57 25-2-57
VG993 O43 25-2-57 9-12-58
VH127 O56 20-3-57 19-12-58
VH132 11-12-57 11-2-58
DRAGONFLY HR.3
VZ965 30-5-61 20-7-61
WG719 7-8-59 2-5-61
WG724 921 22-9-58 20-8-59
METEOR T.7
WL332 (O44)(O45) 3-6-67 12-2-69
WL350 O44,844 18-1-62 cr Bulbarrow Hill,Dorset 13-2-69
WS103 -844 7-3-69 8-1-71
METEOR NF.11/TT.20
WD610 860 29-5-59 9-12-62
WD649 O43,843 5-6-58 3-2-70
WD652 O42,840 30-5-58 4-3-71
WD657 O41,O42 5-5-59 24-1-64
WD780 O44,(841)3-11-58 26-3-71
WD785 (O28),846 18-4-67 16-12-69
WM151 17-1-64 16-12-66
WM159 O40,840 24-4-61 10-12-69
WM242 O42,842 2-12-65 1-5-70
WM255 (O26),845 67* 19-2-71
WM260 O26 18-2-67 25-3-68
WM292 O41,841 22-5-58 4-6-69
SCIMITAR F.1
XD214 O30,830 17-10-66 damaged landing Yeovilton 28-5-69
XD219 2-3-67 6-3-67
XD225 (O29) 21-11-66 8-1-69
XD227 (O36)(836)6-2-67 30-7-69
XD232 O31,831 11-1-67 5-12-69
XD234 O24,834 7-4-67 20-1-71
XD235 O32,832 11-11-66 16-3-70
XD236 O38 15-12-66 Cr St Catherines Pt,IoW 26-6-68
XD241 838 15-11-68 2-12-70
XD244 3-9-70 12-2-71
XD246 O35 28-6-66 20-8-68
XD267 835 1-12-65 dep by road 16-10-69
XD317 O33,833 3-11-66 4-8-69
XD322 839 11-12-68 2-12-70
XD327 6-4-67 dep by road 14-6-68 b/u 8-68
XD333 837 3-11-67 20-1-71
HUNTER F.4/T.8C
WT799 839 24-7-70 13-10-72
WV363 BY801 11-12-69 26-8-70
HUNTER F.4/GA.11
WT711 837 2-8-71 20-10-72
WT804 (836)831 30-7-69 20-10-72
WT806 838
WV267 (833)836 28-3-69 23-10-72
WV382 830 27-3-69 20-10-72
XE668 (835)832 31-7-69 20-10-72
XE682 (831)835 11-9-69 20-10-72
XE707 833 2-12-69 13-10-72
XE716 (831)834 27-1-70 13-10-72
CANBERRA B.2/TT.18
WK123 840 15-9-69 29-11-72 Last FRU a/c to leave Hurn
WK126 843 2-11-70 24-11-72
WK142 847 12-9-69 27-6-72
WJ866 849 11-1-71 24-11-72
WJ874 12-11-69 19-3-71
WH887 844 4-2-72 24-11-72
WJ636 842 3-10-69 24-11-72
WJ717 841 30-9-69 25-8-72