Just Jane - Gallery & History

One of only two active Avro Lancaster bombers in Europe, NX611 Just Jane a B.VII - has a varied and interesting history and although currently taxyable, will be the focus of a resoration to flight project in the future as G-ASXX...

 

A brief history of Avro Lancaster NX611 Just Jane and Royal Air Force East Kirkby (callsign SILKSHEEN).

For a look at the aircraft's paint schemes since 1945 please see HERE.

The rural county of Lincolnshire is dotted with many disused airfields and memorials dedicated to those lost in defence of their country during the Second World War; indeed a brief perusal of any map will reveal numerous familiar place names from where mighty Lancaster bombers once operated. One such place name will bring a smile to the faces of many an aviation enthusiast or Bomber Command Veteran - East Kirkby. Located on a flat fen just on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds and only a 15 minute drive east of the operational RAF station at Coningsby, the resident museum acts as a living memorial to the fallen of Bomber Command, with a particular focus on one family’s loss.

Christopher Whitton Panton enlisted in the Royal Air Force in June 1942, having previously been a member of the RAF Volunteer Reserve. By August 1943 Chris was serving as a Flight Engineer with 433 (Porcupine) Squadron RCAF at Skipton-on-Swale; his fellow crew comprised of Pilot Christian Nielsen, Bomb Aimer Leo Millward, Navigator Don Awrey, Wireless Operator 'Harry' Cooper, Rear Gunner 'Moe' McLaughlin and Air Gunner J Thompson.

                                                           Christopher W. Panton

The Nielsen crew were on the operations roster for the night of 30^th/31^st March 1944, the target being revealed as Nuremburg. This one night proved to be a disaster for Bomber Command - in fact it turned out to be the Command’s heaviest single raid loss of the war. That night was a full moon and normally it would have been a stand down period for the Squadrons, but the raid had been planned on the basis of an earlier weather forecast indicating there would be a protective blanket of high cloud on the outward flight, along with a clear target area. A weather reconnaissance Mosquito returned from the route with the news the weather was far from ideal, in fact the only cloud present was over the target area and there was a strong headwind. Despite this news, the raid was to continue…. German night-fighters pounced on the bomber stream as it approached the Belgian border; 82 bombers were shot down well before the target area with a further 14 lost on the return journey home.

Chris was the Flight Engineer on board Halifax III HX272 'Nielson’s Nuthouse'. Just 19 years old, Chris was only hours away from completing his 30th sortie and first tour of Operations when the Halifax was intercepted by a Luftwaffe Me110G over Friessen, near Bamberg, Germany. HX272 was the 77^th aircraft shot down on this dreadful night, machine gun fire hit the petrol tank in the aircraft’s wing and the Halifax was quickly ablaze. The Captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft but in the few seconds between the order being given and the crew acting on it, another burst hit an empty fuel tank causing an explosion; the Halifax went into an uncontrollable dive. Three crew members survived; one was able to exit via a turret and two others were blown through the side of the aircraft when it exploded at around 15,000 ft.

The crew of HX272 comprised of:

P/O N Christian RCAF (PoW)
F/S W F Frost RCAF (KIA)
P/O C W Panton RAFVR (KIA)
P/O D MacLawrey DFC RCAF (KIA)
W/O2 L V Millward RCAF (KIA)
W/O1 H Cooper RCAF (PoW)
Sgt J S Thompson RCAF (KIA)
W/O2 J G McLaughlan RCAF (PoW)

P/O MacLawrey was an extra crew member flying as second pilot.

95 bombers and 697 aircrew were lost in total on this raid - 64 Lancasters and 31 Halifaxes; 11.9 per cent of the force dispatched. A further ten aircraft crashed on return to the United Kingdom or were written off and seventy more bombers sustained battle damage. Note: 545 Airmen were Killed in Action or Missing, with a further 152 becoming Prisoners of War.

Between entering RAF service in 1941 and the end of WWII 7377 Lancasters were built. These went on to fly 156,192 missions, dropping 608,612 tons of bombs – more than all other British heavy bombers combined, but at a dreadful human cost - 21,750 airmen were killed on operations in the Lancaster. Losing Chris naturally left a lasting impression on his younger brothers, Fred aged 13 and Harold aged 10 ½. This tragic event was to later bring together two families, the Pantons and the Chattertons; two names that will forever be associated with the Lancaster in Lincolnshire - for an aviation enthusiast or historian it’s a fascinating yet moving story covering over 70 years, but more of this later...

The Lancaster that was to eventually become Just Jane was built as NX611 at the Longbridge works by Austin Motors in April 1945. The third aircraft off the line as part of an order for 150 Lancaster B.VIIs destined to join the RAF’s 30 Squadron strong TIGER FORCE for operations in the Far East against the Japanese.

Following the Japanese surrender the TIGER FORCE was disbanded and the newly built Lancasters were consigned to storage at the RAF Maintenance Unit, Llandow, Glamorgan. NX611 remained here until April 1952, when she was sold for a reputed £50,000 as part of a batch of 54 Lancasters to the French Government. Under a Western Union agreement, the French Navy (L’Aeronavale) was to supplement RAF patrols of the Atlantic and Mediterranean shipping lanes. NX611 was converted to Maritime Reconnaissance standard by Avro’s at Woodford and collected by a French ferry crew on 30th May 1952. By now painted midnight blue and coded WU15, further modifications included the removal of the mid upper turret, the fitting of an airborne lifeboat and the provision of ASV radar.

For the next ten years WU15 served with a number of Flotilles (Squadrons) operating from bases in Brittany and Morocco. In November 1962 WU15 underwent an overhaul and was repainted white prior to service in New Caledonia, a French Island around 1000 miles east of Australia. The ferry route was via Malta, Istanbul, Tehran, Karachi, New Delhi, Calcutta, Phnom-Penh, Singapore, Djakarta, Bali, Darwin and Townsville. Although total flying time was 60 hours, the journey actually took 23 days as a 50 hour inspection was carried out during a seven day stop at Phnom-Penh.

WU15 was operated by Escadrille de Servitude 9S from Noumeau, one of three Lancasters carrying out patrols, ASR, communications and liaison duties across a wide area of the south Pacific. Interestingly, during her time with the French WU15 also participated on bombing raids over Indo-China, a role not far removed from her original purpose.

After two years of service the three Lancasters at Noumeau were withdrawn due to high maintenance costs and a shortage of spares. Meanwhile, 13,000 miles away in the UK, the Historic Aircraft Preservation Society (HAPS) had enquired about the possibility of acquiring one of these Lancasters for preservation. After a lengthy wait without any response, the French authorities contacted the society - not only did they offer to donate a Lancaster, but they would also deliver it as far as Australia or New Zealand. Hasty arrangements were made by HAPS and in August 1964, WU15 touched down in Australia at Bankstown, near Sydney. Before WU15 could be returned to the UK she needed a thorough overhaul followed by a test flight. At least £10,000 was required and financial aid was kindly provided by the RAF, the RAAF, the Hawker Siddeley Group, Shell Petroleum and Qantas (who loaned vital radio equipment for the flight to the UK). Funds were also donated by holidaymakers on Sydney’s beaches and from aviation enthusiasts around the globe.

Following the required overhaul and test flight, WU15 was repositioned to Mascot, also near Sydney, in readiness for the lengthy flight to the UK. Although still carrying the white paint scheme, roundel and badges from French service the registration was changed to G-ASXX. A 400 gallon fuel tank was installed in the bomb bay, adding to the usual 2,154 gallon wing tank capacity.

On 25th April G-ASXX took off from Mascot and started her 12,000 mile journey to the UK via Coolangatta then Amberley, Darwin, Changi, Butterworth (escorted on departure by an RAF Victor and Canberra plus RAAF Sabres), Calcutta, Karachi, Bahrain, Akrotiri, Istres and finally Biggin Hill. After 19 days and 70 hours of flying time, on 13th May 1965, the Lancaster arrived safely at Biggin Hill – fittingly her crew comprised of serving or retired RAAF members, many of whom had served as Lancaster aircrew during the war.

By this point total air time from new was 2411 hours. The Air Registration Board promptly grounded G-ASXX; the number of flying hours allowed for one engine and propeller had expired, so restoration work commenced. All parts were carefully examined and where necessary restored to an airworthy condition. The white paint was stripped back to bare metal and a RAF night bomber black & camouflage scheme was applied. The original RAF serial NX611 was reapplied and the code letters HA-P added; an authentic WWII Lancaster unit code (218 Squadron) that also represented the owners, the Historic Aircraft Preservation Society. 

The Lancaster was subsequently named 'Guy Gibson' and after two years of hard work her first post re-certification flight took place on 6th May 1967. It was however the second flight, the following day that would be best remembered. The no.2 engine failed to feather resulting in the engine over speeding at 3,200 rpm. The fire warning lights came on and the extinguisher had to be operated before the engine was cut. The no.3 generator also became unserviceable, the intercom was dead and the port wing flap developed a two inch droop in flight. Forty three minutes after take-off the aircraft safely landed back at Biggin Hill, albeit on three engines. The next air test was also not without drama due to a complete hydraulic failure after take-off, the emergency air supply had to be engaged to blow down the flaps and undercarriage. A detailed examination was performed by Field’s and Hawker Siddeley engineers and an uneventful 30 minute test flight was undertaken on 17th May. On 19th-20th May NX611 flew to RAF Scampton for the 24th Anniversary of the Dams Raid. A number of the original 'Dambuster' crews were onboard and were welcomed to Scampton by none other than Sir Barnes Wallis, the inventor of UPKEEP, the bouncing bomb.

  

Above: NX611 in French L’Aeronavale service as WU-15. 

Above: L'Aeronavale Lancasters on patrol. Below: G-ASXX seen on arrival at Biggin Hill, May 1965 and later repainted and coded HA-P, possibly pictured at RAF Scampton in May 1967.

Above: G-ASXX during stop-over at at RAAF Butterworth, during transit to UK. Two images of NX611, now camouflaged and coded YF-C, on the gate at RAF Scampton.

Above: NX611 fresh out of the RAF Scampton paint shop.



The RAF’s Lancaster, PA474 was by now airworthy and as a result HAPS were unable to find enough sponsors to keep NX611 flying. Prohibitive costs at an estimated £2000-£3000 per hour finally resulted in HAPS handing over its assets to Reflectaire Ltd, which in turn was given notice to leave Biggin Hill. Since her return to the UK NX611 had only flown 14 times, piloted by Neil Williams with Eric Hughes assisting as navigator.

The 30th March saw NX611 relocated to the former USAAF airfield at Lavenham in Suffolk. Shortly afterwards the code letters HA-P were replaced by GL-C in honour of Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC DSO DFC who had recently visited the airfield, performing a taxi run in NX611 whilst there.

Attempts to lease the airfield were in vain so once again NX611 was forced to move, this time to Hullavington in Wiltshire on 7th February 1970. Richard Todd, the actor who played Guy Gibson in the 1953 film 'The Dambusters' was onboard recording commentary for a TV programme. Once at Hullavington a re-paint was in order and an inspection was carried out by Rolls Royce and Hawker Siddeley. A fault was found in the starboard inner engine, resulting in the engine being removed and repaired by a specialist engine company. An X-ray of the airframe revealed only one fault – a small crack in an engine bearer. This was not a significant problem and after undercarriage retraction tests and engine runs NX611 was cleared on a special certificate of airworthiness for one three hour flight. On 26th June 1970 NX611 took off from Hullavington for her very last flight – to Squires Gate Airport, Blackpool, where an aviation museum was being planned with the Lancaster as the main attraction. A former 617 Squadron bomb aimer, Ron Valentine, sat in the Lancaster’s nose as a passenger. He was treated to a low level, high speed run over Lake Bala in North Wales, one of the lakes used in training by the original Dambusters, with the whole flight lasting one hour twenty minutes.

It was hoped to maintain NX611 in flying condition but in the end this was not achievable. During October 1971 the guns were removed (deemed a security risk) by a specialist from the BAC’s factory at nearby Warton. The museum attracted much interest, however revenue was not sufficient and liquidation followed. NX611 was put up for auction, as lot 63, on 29th April 1972 but was withdrawn because she failed to draw enough interest and bids were too low. However two days later she was sold privately to a bidder, the Rt. Hon Lord Lilford of Nateby, who hoped to keep her in Britain. The engines had been run up for the auction and there were hopes that it might still fly again. However, having stood out for two years in Blackpool's salty sea air, without care, events had to move quickly to prevent her from ending up as scrap.

It is at this point that Fred and Harold Panton make a return to the story…the brothers had been seeking a way to commemorate their brother’s memory and also honour all those that lost their lives serving with Bomber Command during WWII. An advertisement was shown to Fred detailing an auction at Squires Gate, including a certain Lancaster…

The day of the auction arrived and the Lancaster failed to meet its reserve price. Fred had made the long journey to Squires Gate and returned home despondent, with his dream just out of reach. Eventually the name of the buyer was released and the brothers made contact, explaining their interest and asking for first refusal should NX611 ever become available for sale again. Lord Lilford had brought the aircraft with the intention of keeping her flying, however when he discovered her airworthiness certificate had expired, and that the cost of restoration to a suitable standard for re-certification was prohibitive NX611 was put up for sale again. Fred put in an offer which was accepted. A way now had to be found of moving the Lancaster to East Kirkby. Through local Air Training Corps contacts an introduction was made to Sqn Ldr Willis, the Station Commander of RAF Scampton. A deal was eventually brokered where the RAF would dismantle NX611 and transport her to Scampton, where she would act as the airfield’s gate guard for a five year period. Whilst there a team of RAF Engineers would restore the condition of her fabric and at the end of the five year term the RAF would deliver and re-assemble her to the Panton’s property.

A meeting was arranged with the seller’s agent to conclude the purchase. Business proceeded smoothly and after some discussions Fred inadvertently revealed the deal he had struck with the RAF. To his dismay Fred was told "if they’ll do that for you, then they can do it for us". The sale was off. The deal was to be re-negotiated with reluctant RAF Officers who had understood and supported Fred’s motives behind the purchase. Eventually it was agreed the Lancaster would still be moved to Scampton for Lord Lilford, but it would have to serve as the gate guard for ten years instead of the original term of five years. The task of dismantling NX611 and moving her to Scampton took until the spring of 1974 to complete. During April she was re-assembled and secured into position near the gate by concrete and steel supports onto which the axles of her main undercarriage and tail wheel would be attached.

East Kirkby originally functioned as a decoy airfield and its wooden Whitley bombers were targeted on several occasions by the Luftwaffe, however construction of the airfield proper began in 1942. Located 11 miles north of Boston and directly south of the A155 Coningsby to Spilsby Road, it became one of the county’s most southerly bomber bases. Built as a heavy bomber station with a trio of paved runways and three large T2 hangars, the station was completed during August 1943 and allocated to 5 Group; 57 Squadron and its Lancasters arrived from RAF Scampton during August and 630 Squadron formed here from B Flt of 57 Squadron in November; Both Squadrons stayed for the duration of the war with the the last operational sortie being flown on 25th April 1945 against the SS Barracks at Berchtesgaden.



At 01:45 hours on the 4^th March 1945 a Luftwaffe JU-88 intruder aircraft joined the circuit, moments after four Lancasters had landed safely following a raid on Ladburgen. With a ‘scram’ order issued to any remaining aircraft in the area and the runway lighting switched off, the JU-88 was left with no airborne targets and decided to strafe the base with canon and machine gun fire, hitting the Motor Transport section and the 57 Sqn briefing room, where sadly five personnel were severely wounded, one subsequently dying of his injuries.

The following are the know casualties of the raid:

F/O A.Healey RAF (Died later of his wounds)

F/O G.E. Pine RAF (Seriously Injured)

F/S Cleghorn RAF (Seriously Injured)

F/L D. Fiffield RAF (Seriously Injured)

On 17th April 1945, 57 Squadron Lancaster PB630 N-Nan was being bombed up in preparation for a Group raid against railway yards at Cham in south eastern Germany. A fire broke out and as the station fire tender arrived two 1000lb high explosive bombs detonated, killing two men instantly. As more rescue workers arrived further bombs exploded nearby, killing two more and setting alight three Lancasters. Further explosions rocked the station as more bombs exploded and the flames spread to other aircraft. Six Lancasters were totally destroyed and a further 14 damaged, almost the entire strength of 57 Squadron. Due to the extensive damage the airfield suffered, it was to be a week before operations resumed, just in time for the final operations of the war. This incident also resulted in nearby Hagnaby Grange being wrecked. East Kirkby's worst night of aircraft losses was 21st June 1944 when 11 aircraft were lost in an attack against Wesseling. In total, 212 operations were carried out the airfield, from which 121 Lancasters failed to return. Another 29 were lost in operational accidents.

On 20th July 1945, 460 Squadron arrived from Binbrook. Originally destined to be part of the TIGER FORCE destined for operations in the Far East, it disbanded during October 1945. August saw 57 Squadron become the first unit to be equipped with three of the new Avro Lincoln for service trials. The Squadron disbanded in November, reforming the next day at Elsham Wolds. 460 Squadron had disbanded during October and East Kirkby was closed to flying by the end of the year.

The airfield was re-activated during August 1947 for use by a detachment of Mosquitos from Coningsby based 139 Squadron. East Kirkby ceased flying once again in February 1948 and it was placed under Care & Maintenance. During the 1950s the airfield was designated as a reserve airfield for the USAF and its basic facilities were improved. The Cold War resulted in runway 08-26 being lengthened at the 26 end by 1266 yards and in June 1954 RAF East Kirkby re-opened with C-47s from Strategic Air Command Air Rescue operating from here until 1958, when the airfield was handed back to the RAF and once again declared inactive. The Ministry of Defence finally disposed of the site in April 1970.

Squadrons based at East Kirkby

Personnel based at East Kirkby Killed in Action

As detailed above, a number of non-aircrew station personnel also lost their lives during the same period.

By early 1983 the Lancaster’s ten year period at Scampton was coming to an end and Lord Lilford was ready to sell her. The purchase price had risen however, now to a six figure sum. Fred and Harold were faced with a very difficult decision, there was a lot of heart searching but it was realised this was a one-time only opportunity to obtain the Lancaster. An offer was made and accepted – by September 1983 NX611 was finally the property of the Panton brothers. It later transpired that during the re-negotiations between Lord Lilford and the RAF ten years previously, the RAF had instructed that the Pantons were to have first refusal. NX611 remained at Scampton for a further four years until July 1987, to allow her new home to be prepared for her arrival. Dismantling and re-assembly took 13 weeks by a team of 11 men from RAF Abingdon. It was now 16 years since Fred had first seen NX611 at Squires Gate but the arrival of the Lancaster at East Kirkby airfield was the start of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. Fred and Harold’s long held wish to commemorate their fallen brother and Bomber Command colleagues had arrived.

During 1990 NX611 was surveyed and found to be in excellent condition with both the airframe and engines appearing sound. The name Just Jane was applied to the port side, inspired by a popular 1940s newspaper comic strip character. The title City of Sheffield is carried on the starboard side in honour of the City’s steel works that provided many parts for the Lancaster, its Merlin engines and the weapons it would carry.

Just Jane wouldn’t be taxiing today without the hard working engineering team comprising Ian Hickling and Roy Jarmain. In December 1993 the decision was taken to restore one of the four Rolls Royce Merlin engines; Ian and Roy, ex-RAF engineers, were recruited to carry out the task. The restoration project began on 10th January 1994 – 728 man hours later and at a cost of £7,000 number three engine was finally ready to run for the public.

Word spread quickly of developments at East Kirkby; the sight and sound of a 'live' Lancaster brought praise from many appreciative Bomber Command veterans who valued this link to the past. A few months later the second engine was successfully restored and started. The gathered crowds were thrilled to hear the sound of a flying Lancaster heading in their direction, and PA474 from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flew over to salute its new neighbour.

The pilot of PA474 was Mike Chatterton; Son of the late John Chatterton, a WWII Lancaster pilot who completed 31 Operations with 44 Squadron, including eight to Berlin and the disastrous Nuremberg raid discussed above. John went on to fly with 57 & 630 Squadrons at East Kirkby. He had been a regular visitor to the museum and in fact he was born in 1920 at Hagnaby Grange, alongside the farmland that would later become East Kirkby airfield. As a child John would have walked across the farmland on his route to school. The two men wholeheartedly supported the Panton brothers and their endeavours with the Lancaster. Could John and Mike be the only father & son team that have flown and Captained Lancaster bombers?

Despite nine busy years flying PA474 with the BBMF Mike managed to find the time to pilot the early taxi runs at East Kirkby and is in fact now one of a small select group who regularly assist with these popular events. How many other pilots at the end of the 20th century could claim to have handled two different Lancasters on the same Day?!

Following the success of running Just Jane on two engines, it was time for another exciting step to be taken – a short taxi run on three engines. Saturday 22nd April 1995 was the day chosen to celebrate Just Jane's 50th birthday – and the first public taxy run.

Talking of the first trial run on 24th March 1995, Mike Chatterton says "I can still clearly remember the look on Fred and Harold’s faces when I released the brakes and for the first time in more than twenty years NX611 rolled forward, about 30 feet, under her own power".

Mike’s father was also present for the occasion and had flown from East Kirkby exactly 50 years before. As noted above, John Chatterton was also flying on the fateful Nuremberg raid and 433 Squadron records indicate that John’s aircraft was in the bomber stream less than one minute ahead of the Halifax in which Chris was flying. John’s tail gunner would probably have witnessed the explosion that ripped apart the Halifax. The Panton and Chatterton families have a history covering 70 years, and are an integral part of the history of East Kirkby and Just Jane.

The fourth engine was restored and started easily on 13th July 1995 – East Kirkby now had an operational Lancaster representing the wartime era. It had taken just 13 months, albeit 13 months of hard work, to turn a static airframe into a living memorial to the 55,573 fallen members of Bomber Command.

A recent statement from the Panton Family indicated their desire to return NX611 to flight. Obviously this will be a major project that will not be rushed. Once all the Merlin engines have been overhauled to flight status and all the necessary parts have been sourced we can hopefully expect a very positive announcement…

The author was kindly invited to sit in on a taxy run, the price of which is quite affordable and a "must do" for any aviation enthusiast. For further information, or to book a taxy ride, please Click Here.

Climb up the steep red ladder and through the rear crew access hatch on the starboard side and once inside the fuselage your eyes are drawn to the right and the steepness of the climb up to the cockpit. You next note all the obstacles in your way including the rear spar and dreaded main spar further forward…how wartime crew dressed in inner and outer flying suits with a Mae West life jacket and parachute harness on top managed to operate in this claustrophobic and dark environment defies belief.

It would appear the Lancaster was designed to:

A. Carry a bomb load

B. Carry equipment to facilitate delivery of the bomb load

C. Carry the crew (almost as an afterthought) to fly the aircraft to deliver the bomb load.

A taxy ride presents more than just a visual experience, it’s a real assault on the senses; first you notice that distinctive "old aircraft smell" shortly to be joined by the odour of high octane fuel and engine oil. Strong vibrations shake the airframe as the four Merlin engines each run to 1200 rpm, a simply glorious sound!

As you taxy you notice the audience waving and hundreds of cameras pointed in your direction; the veterans and their families seem to stand out from the crowd as you edge slowly forward….

Once the run is finished you’re offered the opportunity to sit in the pilot’s seat. As you look out over the wings or gingerly move the rudder pedals and control column, your thoughts drift to all those that have sat here before you. The vulnerability of the crew is especially obvious; taking a moment to look around you think of the trauma experienced by young aircrew in these aircraft, along with the sacrifice many made and I’m not ashamed to admit that it was a very emotional experience.

Avro Lancaster B.VII NX611 (G-ASXX) Specifications

Engines: Four Rolls-Royce Merlin 24 engines (1640Hp each)

Dimensions:
Span 102ft
Length 69ft, 11 3/4in
Height 20ft 6in
Wing area 1300sqft

Weights:
Tare 37,330lbs
Maximum all up 72,000lbs
Maximum landing 60,000lbs
Maximum bomb load 18,000lbs
Maximum specialist bomb load 22,000lb (Grand Slam)

Performance:
Maximum speed 275mph at 15,000ft
Cruising speed 200mph at 15,000ft
Service ceiling 25,000ft

Range 2,350 miles with 7,000lbs bomb load

 L’Aeronavale Lancasters

As already mentioned above, under a Western Union agreement, 58 Lancasters were converted to Maritime Reconnaissance standard by Avro’s at Woodford and then transferred to the French Navy (L’Aeronavale) to supplement Royal Air Force patrols of the Atlantic and Mediterranean shipping lanes.

Of particular interest to readers may be the batch of 21 Mk.VII Lancasters (i.e. Just Jane).

NX611 was converted to Maritime Reconnaissance standard by Avro’s at Woodford and collected by a French ferry crew on 30th May 1952. Painted midnight blue and coded WU-15, further modifications included the removal of the mid upper turret, the fitting of an airborne lifeboat and the installation of ASV radar.

NX611 delivered June 1952 as WU15; Flottilles 10F, 24F, 25F, Escadrilles 9s, 52S, 55.
NX613 delivered December 1951 as WU01; Forttille 2F, Escradille 10S.

NX615 delivered May 1952 as WU12; Units unknown.

NX616 delivered September 1952 as WU22; Forttille 11F, Escadrille 4S, 23S.

NX619 delivered May 1952 as WU11; Units unknown.

NX620 delivered August 1952 as WU20; Flottille 23F, Escardrille 10S.

NX621 delivered July 1952 as WU19; Flottille 11F, Escadrille 25S.

NX622 delivered June 1952 as WU16; Flottille 24F, 25F, Escadrille 9S.

NX623 delivered June 1952 as WU14; Flottille 10F, 25F, Escadrille 4S, 55S.

NX627 delivered April 1952 as WU09; Escadrille 10S, 52S, 55S.

NX639 delivered October 1953; Units unknown.

NX633 delivered May 1952 as WU10; Escadrille 55S.

NX664 delivered August 1952 as WU21; Flottille 11F, 24F, 25F, Escadrille 9S, 52S, 55S. Cockpit section on display at St.Mande, France.

NX665 delivered June 1952 as WU13, Flottille 10F, 25F, Escadrille 9S, 62S, 55S, 58S. Aircraft on static display at Western Springs, New Zealand.

NX666 delivered March 1952 as WU05; Flottille 2F, Escadrille 10S.

NX667 delivered September 1952 as WU23; Flottille 10F, 24F, 25F.

NX668 delivered October 1952 as WU24; Escadrille 10S, 55S.

NX669 delivered August 1952 as WU18; Flottille 23F, 25F, Escadrille 10S.

NX703 delivered March 1952 as WU08; Flottille 2F, 23F, Escadrille 55S.

NX723 delivered September 1953; Units unknown.

NX758 delivered October 1953; Units unknown.

These highly recommended titles are available from the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre's on-line store; please click on the cover pictures for more details.