29 July 1964 Hunter

On Wednesday morning of 29 July 1964, a number of Hawker Hunters from the at Soesterberg based 325 Squadron flew for a training mission to the Vliehorst range. Just after Hunter F.mk.6 with serial number N-280 headed home, the engine caught fire. The fire was extinguished during flight, but above the city of Lemmer the engine stopped. Pilot Lt. Col. Folmer decided that he would try to reach Leeuwarden Air Base in a 35 km. long gliding flight. He managed to reach Leeuwarden Air Base and even managed to put the Hunter on the runway. But due to lacking braking power, the Hunter couldn’t stop in time and left the runway ploughing through a meadow, through gates and over a ditch before coming to a stop. Pilot Folmer got out without injuries, but the Hunter was so heavily damaged that it was written off.