The excellent HAL Museum in Bangalore shows the history of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the Indian aircraft manufacturer. On display is the first production HAL Ajeet, with serial E1083. The Ajeet is a development of the Folland Gnat, which was produced by HAL under license.

Now painted in Finnish air force colours.

First flown in August 1962, XP503 spent its active career with 4 FTS before returning to Hawker Siddeley for trials at Bitteswell in 1969. Retired to instructional use at Halton as 8568M by 1977, it was acquired by Phoenix Aviation at Bruntingthorpe in the mid-1990s before sale to an owner in Palo Alto, CA in 2000 and registration as N503KC

at 424 ATC

Sqdn Ldr I C H Dick, DFC Delivered to the RAF as XR993 in 1964. To the Royal Navy at Culdrose for use as ground trainer A2678 in 1979. To the USA in 1987 and registered as N3XR. Destroyed in a fatal crash at Bossier City in 1991 after it ran out of fuel.

ex RAF XP538

Despite expensive enquiries I have not been able to determine the authenticity of this unusual paint job. Pima's site states that these are RAF test colours from 1961 at Dunsfold but I think it more likely that the colours were simply inherited from the previous private owner who had the aircraft painted like this, perhaps to look like an Indian Gnat/Ajeet. Pima's Head of Collections was very helpful in correspondence, but we were not able to resolve this question. What we do know is that the aircraft was used by the A&AEE, Bristol Siddeley Engines and the RAE before becoming a ground trainer.

incorrectly listed with c/n XP548 in the FAA database. Chino resident since 2019.