On Wednesday 21st August members of the Hawker Association made the journey to Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum Airfield to celebrate 50 years of HAWK.

Sqd. Leader (Ret’ d) John Sharpe welcomed HA members to the collection

The main address was given by Colin Wilson and then Chris Hodson brought the year of 1974 into perspective with other world events. This was then followed by Chris Roberts talk on Hawk stories, developments and successes.

The original, silent, Dunsfold flight test film was shown as a backdrop to the occasion covering the first fights.

The afternoon saw the public viewing of a painting “First of the Many” by Paul Couper.

 The painting was specially commissioned to commemorate 50th Anniversary of HAWK first flight. 50 limited edition prints have also been produced - One for each year!

A 50-year birthday cake was soon consumed by members.

Amongst the audience was Duncan Simpson’s son, John and his family, Andy Jones and his wife (second pilot to fly XX154) and the last crew to fly XX154 Dave Southgate from ETPS and Gp. Capt (Ret’ d) Glenn Littlejohns. Also present in the audience were several people that witnessed the first flight on that summers evening at 19:20 hrs on the 21st August 1974 at Dunsfold.

XX154 was initially parked outside BDAC hangers for people to view and then was towed to the airfield for a demonstration 11 mins engine run “piloted” by Chris Hodson – Supporting HA ground crew were Paul Rash, Andy Green, Tim Hall, Dave Collingridge, David Hodson and Amanda Sutherland.

The weather was kind to us all and the day was a fitting tribute to all members of the Hawk Team past and present.

Perhaps Ken Batstone last verse of a yule tide Ode to the project “HS1182” is fitting.

 As 1970 draws to a close, can we with confidence suppose

That in a few years' time, perhaps, in spite of tailplane, wings and flaps,

The "Project" plane will leave the ground and climb and dive and fly around,

Then sell to countries far and wide, so all of us can say with pride:

"I worked on that"?