WT619

WT619 first flew on 28 July 1954, an early production Hunter F.1. On 13 September 1954 it was delivered to No. 43 Squadron at RAF Leuchars in Fife. Like many early Hunters, its front-line career was brief.

On 22 November 1957, barely three years after delivery, it was reduced to ground instruction as 7525M. The RAF Museum later acquired it and lent it to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. It was displayed there for many years, a 2006 photograph showing it in the Manchester galleries. When the Manchester air and space collection fell out of favour around 2013, the RAF Museum took the Hunter back. It also spent periods in RAF Museum storage at Stafford and Cosford.

In October 2019 the RAF Museum placed it on loan with the Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, and it arrived on 28 October. The move brought it back to the east coast of Scotland, across the Tay from its old base at Leuchars. At Montrose some skin panels were taken off to expose the internal structure. Visitors can see how a 1950s jet fighter was built under the skin.

Displayed in Burke's Shed 1b, about 160 m from the main museum, with some skin panels removed to show the structure beneath.