IWM Duxford

The odd looking partial airframe of Handley Page Victor B1A XH648. The Victor has been the subject of extensive restoration and has very recently been moved out of the conservation area into the hangar here. In the coming months it will be joined by the outer wing sections and the tail fin and tailplane.

This is the sole B1 variant to survive. Victor XH648 was originally built as a B1 model. Its first flight was on 27 November 1959 and it was delivered to No.57 Squadron at RAF Honington on 21 December that year. In October 1960, it returned to Handley Page at Radlett, Hertfordshire for conversion to a B1A status. After 4 years with 15 Squadron and 1 year with 55 Squadron it was converted by Handley Page into a two-point tanker, making it a B (K) IA model. This involved the fitting of Mark 20B refueling pods under each wing. After ten years with 55 Squadron at RAF Marham was transferred to 57 Squadron, also based at RAF Marham, where it supported the Squadron’s final year as a Mark I tanker squadron. It was retired to Duxford on 2 June 1976.

XH648 will look amazing when it is fully put back together and will ultimately go inside the main Airspace hangar but a clear photo of the airframe will not be possible so this is the best just now that is possible.

BAe Harrier GR3 XZ133 hangs from the ceiling with its undercarriage down. The Harrier is a single-seat RAF close support/reconnaissance/fighter aircraft with vertical/short takeoff and landing capability.

XZ133 served with No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron of the RAF in the Falklands War, 1982. It flew at least nine sorties between 2 & 14 June 1982, operating from HMS Hermes & the temporary forward airstrip at Port San Carlos. It carried out attacks with 1000 lb bombs, cluster bombs & rockets against Argentine positions near Stanley, on Mounts Harriet, Longdon & Tumbledown & on Sapper Hill. Beyond is a de Havilland Comet 4 airliner G-APBD in BOAC livery. The Comet 4 was considered the definitive series, having a longer range, higher cruising speed and higher maximum takeoff weight. These improvements were possible largely because of Avon engines, with twice the thrust of the Comet 1's Ghost engines.

Sepecat Jaguar GR1 XX108 is the first production single seat airframe. It never entered RAF service as it was used by DETO Boscombe Down as test bed from November 1972 until July 1999 when it was transferred to Bae Systems as Adour engine development aircraft. It was a joint British and French project that originally saw it as an advanced trainer but the role was quickly changed. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk.102 turbofans.

The Harrier and Jaguar together.

This is a Airco DH-9 built in 1918 by Waring and Gillow Ltd as a two man bomber but never entered RAF service, instead it went to India and stored at the Imperial Fort and Royal Palace Bikaner. And there it and two others stayed until rediscovered in a maharaja's elephant stable in India. In 2000 two were returned to the UK and this D5649 was bought by the museum and restored to its former glory. The other airframe E8894 has been restored to flying condition by the Historic Aircraft Company at Duxford.

English Electric Canberra B2 WH725 hangs from the ceiling in the Airspace hangar. First flown in May 1953, WH725 entered service first with 15 Sqn at RAF Coningsby and later transferred to 50 Sqn at RAF Binbrook, moving to RAF Upwood with the squadron when they switched station.

It was eventually struck off charge in 1972 and moved to the then-Imperial War Museum store at Duxford. It has been refurbished in her 50 Sqn guise and is now on permanent static display at Duxford - for some years outside, but now undercover, hanging from the ceiling in the Airspace hangar.

The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s.

Quite a variety of bombers in this photo, the Canberra, Vulcan, TSR2, Lancaster, Mosquito and Sunderland.

Another design which is so well known, that of the Avro Vulcan and this is XJ824. XJ824 was delivered to the RAF on 16th May 1961, entering service with 27 Squadron. In February 1963 she moved to 9 Squadron and then 230 OCU later in the year. She went on to serve with the Cottesmore, Waddington, and Akrotiri Wings before moving to 35 Squadron in January 1975. She returned to 230 OCU in February 1977, and her last two frontline bouts were with 44 Squadron and 101 Squadron, during which she was the last Vulcan to be worked on at Bitteswell. She was retired in early 1982 and chosen for preservation at the IWM, being flown into Duxford on 13th March 1982.

So many large airframes vie for space within the hangar. The Vulcan flew into Duxford on the 13th March 1982 just over 20 years after it entered service in May 1961.

With so many very large airframes in this building it will be interesting to see where they will put the Victor when it is ready to come in.

English Electric Lightning XM135 was the second of the production Lightnings and was built in 1959 and is powered by 2 Rolls-Royce Avon 301 afterburning turbojets. It is a famous airframe for an unexpected reason...... In 1966, an RAF engineer, Wing Commander 'Taff' Holden, accidentally flew the aircraft. While carrying out a ground test, he inadvertently activated the aircraft's afterburners, and was forced to take off. He was able to land it safely. It wears the markings of 74 Squadron.

Westland Whirlwind HAS7 XK936 was built in 1957 by the Westland Aircraft Company at Yeovil. It is the British version of the Sikorsky S55. Early versions were under powered so Westland redesigned it and gave it the Alvis Leonides Major engine. It transformed the helicopter.

The redesign allowed it to be used as a submarine detector and attacker with a torpedo being carried. This airframe was used in Air Sea Rescue operations as well as anti submarine duties.

This rather poor shot is the best I could get of the Tornado unfortunately. GR1 ZA465 saw active service during the first Gulf War with 16 Squadron, it flew the highest number of RAF Tornado bombing missions during the war.

Short Sunderland mkV ML796. This airframe was built in 1945 and is the first of the mk V. It is powered by 4 Pratt & Whitney R-1838 Twin Wasp radial engines, has a wingspan of 142 feet and a crew of 9-11. The opening just below the underside of the main wing allows bombs to be pushed out on rails visible on the underside of the wing.

The keel profile of this flying boat is clearly visible. Note the front gun turret.

The size of the main wing of the Short Sunderland. The length of the fuselage is 85 feet.

The Sunderland is painted in the RAF Coastal Command white livery.

I did not make a note of what this engine is.

Rolls-Royce Gnome H1400-2 turboshaft as used by the Westland Seaking helicopter. Armstrong-Siddeley Double-Mamba turboprop as fitted to the Fairey Gannet.

The Rolls-Royce RB.80 Conway was the first turbofan engine to enter service. Development started at Rolls-Royce in the 1940s, but the design was used only briefly, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, before other turbofan designs replaced it. However, the Conway engine was used in versions of the Handley Page Victor, Vickers VC10, Boeing 707-420 and Douglas DC-8-40. The name "Conway" is the English spelling of the River Conwy, in Wales, in keeping with Rolls' use of river names for its gas turbine engines.

The Avro Anson was developed in the mid 1930's as a multi-role aircraft but later used as an aircrew trainer. This airframe was built at Newton Heath, Manchester in late 1938 and sent to the Ferry Pilots Pool. When the Air Transport Auxilary was established in February 1940 it was transferred to that and remained with them throughout the War. It was bought for civilian use in July 1950 until December 1962.

V3388 is an Airspeed AS40 Oxford mkI built by AVRO in 1940. The design was developed in the mid 1930's as an advanced trainer. It is powered by a pair of Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX radial engines.

V3388 was sold after the war to the Boulton Paul Aircraft Company for general communications flying until 1960.

The twin tail pipes of TSR2 airframe XR222 where the two Bristol Siddeley B.Ol.22R Olympus Mk.320 afterburning turbojet engines would have propelled this lost cause to Mach 2.15.

The story of the TSR2, Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance, Mach 2, is well known but it was over due, way over budget and way better than anything the USA could produce and they conspired against it and it was cancelled in 1965.

The other surviving airframe, XR220, is at the RAF Museum, Cosford. In the distance can be seen Spitfire F24, the final variant of the Spitfire. VN485 was built in 1947 and is powered by a Rolls Royce Griffon 61 engine. All its service was carried out in Hong Kong first with the RAF then being transferred to the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force in May 1952. It remained with the HKAAF until struck off charge in September 1955.

This was the fourth TSR-2 on the production line but unlike its three predecessors was not completed. Following cancellation, the aircraft was lent to the Cranfield Institute of Technology to be used in connection with postgraduate teaching. The Ministry of Defence gave it to the Imperial War Museum in 1977, then it was moved to Duxford in March 1978.

Possibly the most successful product to emege from the Westland factory at Yeovil is the Wessex. It served for forty years from 1961and its standard duties included anti-submarine operations and search and rescue, but they were also very well suited in the general 'workhorse' transport role. XS863 is a HAS1 variant and entered service in 1965 and served onboard numerous ships included HMS Hermes. It last flew on 8th December 1980.

Hanging from the roof is a De Havilland Dove 6 G-ALFU. It was designed as a short haul airliner which first flew on 25 September 1945. 544 were built between 1946 and 1967. It was powered by a pair of de Havilland Gipsy Queen 70 Mk.3 engines. It had a crew of two and could carry eight passengers.

A general view looking down the door separating the two parts of the main hangar.

TG528 is a Handley page Hastings C1A transport aircraft, it was used for troop movement and freight transport. This airframe was built in 1948 and took part in, amongst others, the Berlin Airlift. It has a wing span of 113 feet and is powered by 4 Bristol Hercules 106 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engines.

The Hastings carries the livery of RAF Transport Command and the type came out of RAF service in 1977

This is F3556 and it is the only RE.8 in existence. It was built by the Royal Aircraft Factory in October 1918 and shipped in a crate to France on 11th November 1918. With the War over it returned to the UK still crated and went into storage. The IWM received the airframe in 1935 and went on display in London. It was damaged by a German bomb in 1943/44 but repaired in 1949. It has been at Duxford since 1974. It was powered by a Royal Aircraft Factory 4a air-cooled V12 engine.

This is an Avro Canada CF-100 mk 4B. It is a long range interceptor/fighter with a crew of two. It is powered by a pair of Avro Canada Orenda 11 turbojets. It has a wingspan of 52 feet.

Westland Lysander IIIa and the Airspeed AS40 Oxford.

The Westland Lysander IIIA is V9300 built in 1940 and is a Second World War British army co-operation and liaison aircraft. It is powered by a Bristol Mercury XX radial engine. V9300 has been restored as V9673, the aircraft flown by Hugh Verity a former fighter pilot who later flew clandestine missions for the SOE taking in and bringing out operatives.

The Lysander had a very short take off and landing ability as much favoured by the pilots on SOE operations. They were powered by a Bristol Mercury XX 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine.

Hanging from the ceiling is a De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth two seat trainer. This airframe N 6635 is a composite made up of parts from several other airframes. On the ground is fairey Swordfish mkIII NF370 built in 1944 but in February 1945 it was tarnsferred to the RAF and operated by No. 119 Squadron, which was given the task of patrolling the North Sea in search of German torpedo boats and midget submarines. It has been at the Imperial War Museum Duxford since 1986. In 1998, a restoration project began that returned the airframe to an airworthy condition, although it was fitted with a non-functional Pegasus engine.

The mighty Avro Lancaster, this is KB889 and it is a Canadian built example. It was built in 1945 by the Victory Aircraft Company in Ontario and came to the UK in January 1945. It does not carry any form of nose art (usually on the opposite side of the cockpit) and did not fly any operational sorties as it returned to Canada in June 1945.

In November 1951 it was converted for Maritime Reconnaissance and Rescue duties. After 1959 it was further converted to Maritime Patrol service. In 1964 it was sent for scrap but was bought and saved, resold in 1968 when it was planned to be restored. A further sale saw the Lancaster come to the UK in 1984 and the IWM bought it in 1986. It has been restored to wartime condition using unspecified parts from an Avro Lincoln.

De Havilland Mosquito TA719 was originally built as a B mk35 in late 1945.Around 1952/53 it was converted to a TT35 for target towing duties and given a yellow and black striped underside. It was up for disposal in March 1963 and was sold on and registered for civilian use. This airframe was used in the film "633 Squadron" and was made up as HJ898. The IWM received the heavily cannibalised Mosquito in 1978.

The Concorde is G_AXDN, pre-production airframe 101. It was built at the British Aircraft Corporation Ltd facility at Bristol Filton and first flew on 17th December 1971. It clocked up 574 hours and 49 minutes of flight time with 273 flights of which the final one was on 20th August 1977 when it flew from Filton to Duxford for display. During its 5 1/2 years of testing it reached its highest altitude of 63,700 feet, became the fastest of ALL the Concorde airframes with a maximum of Mach 2.23 or 1,450mph, both on 26th March 1974. It achieved 387 hours of supersonic flying with 217 above Mach 1 and 170 above Mach 2.