‘Big-Cat’ Two-Seater Now Prowls Newark Air Museum

After a brief period of negotiation the trustees of the Newark Air Museum have completed the purchase of SEPECAT Jaguar T2A XX829 from Everett Aero of Sproughton, Suffolk.

On Wednesday 21st March 2012 the airframe was delivered to the museum’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire, which is close to the border with Lincolnshire by a team from Everett Aero. As part of the purchase agreement the wings and tail surfaces were refitted to the aircraft by the Everett Aero personnel.

This acquisition represents the first ‘complete’ military airframe to join the collection since the addition of the Saab Viggen in 2006. The museum has spent a long time investigating the addition of a ‘modern’ two seat inline fast jet trainer to its collection and the Jaguar T2A fulfils this aim and is in line with two aspects of the museum’s stated Collecting Policy of acquiring:

“Aircraft used in a Training role; and those Aircraft which show the development of the Jet Fighter / Bomber from the Post War period!”

The airframe comes complete with external pylons / tanks; crew ladders; intake blanks and almost fully fitted front and rear cockpits, however it currently lacks ejector seats. Once reassembled it is believed that XX829 will eventually be displayed on the museum’s Southfield Site.

XX829 flew for the first time on 28th November 1974 and was allocated to 54 Squadron in December of the same year. XX829 served with other notable Jaguar squadrons including: 6 Squadron; 226 OCU; and 16(R) Squadron; before being retired to storage at RAF Shawbury in March 2001. The aircraft has a particular poignancy for the museum’s Acquisitions Officer David Hibbert, who helped maintain the aircraft when it served with 54 Squadron in 1980.