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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Folland Gnat
    Latest Model:Gnat T.1
    Last Military Serial:XR981 RAF
    Construction Number:FL578
    Compressed ID:Folland Gnat T.1 sn XR981 RAF cn FL...
    Latest Owner or Location:Royal Air Force

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    Dates

    Event

    1964

    Constructed as a Gnat T.1.

    28 February 1964

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n XR981.

    14 June 1975


    Photographer: Lewis Grant
    Notes: XR981 : HS (Folland) Gnat T.1 : RAF, CFS, Red ArrowsAt the 1975 Prestwick Air Show.

    3 March 1978

    Destroyed in a crash.
    At RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire -Struck ground whilst practising aerobatics, killing both crew. Crew was Flt. Lt. Stephen Edward Noble (pilot) and Wing. Commander. Dennis George Hazell AFC.The accident involving XR981 happened during pre-season practice, specifically while the team were practicing roll-backs at low altitude. The aircraft ended up inverted and neither occupant left the aircraft. One seat fired, but could not go anywhere. Steve Noble survived initially but died later that day.
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier was started by a contributor.
    An preliminary review of the submitted data is pending.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
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