Fleet Requirements Unit

[2] Airwork Limited, referred to as Airwork Services Limited from 1957 for defence support work, secured a contract in September 1952 with the Royal Navy, to operate the Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU) at Hurn Airport, situated on the edge of Hurn village, 4 miles (6 km) north of Bournemouth.

[1] For example, this included target towing for gunnery purposes,[4] and not only for UK based destroyers and frigates, but also eventually required to support training for the Mediterranean based Fleet,[5] following the disbandment of 728 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Hal Far (HMS Falcon), on Malta, in 1967, which had previously provided Fleet Requirement support for that area.

Modifications for FRU work included a Harley Light being fitted into the nose of the port underwing fuel tank and each aircraft received a distinctive all-over gloss black paint scheme.

The following year saw the last of the Sea Fury leave Hurn and from this point the FRU operated solely with jet aircraft.

[7] In December 1970 the unit started to operate a detachment of de Havilland Sea Vixen a twin-engine, twin boom-tailed, two-seat, carrier-based fighter aircraft at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron),[1] sited a few miles north of Yeovil, in Somerset.

Gloster Meteor TT.20, 040, WM159, of the Airwork FRU, at Bournemouth Hurn Airport, in 1967.
Hawker Sea Hawk aircraft, of the Airwork FRU, at Bournemouth (Hurn) Airport in 1967
English Electric Canberra TT.18, 841, WJ717, of the FRU