THE FRADU CANBERRAS |
ENGLISH ELECTRIC CANBERRA TT.18 WJ574 - '844' |
WJ574's service history
English Electric Canberra WJ574 was built as a B.2 bomber by Handley Page Ltd at Radlett for the Royal Air Force. The aeroplane was declared ready for collection on 4th June 1953, and its first posting was to RAF 540 Sqn at RAF Wyton airfield in Cambridgeshire. This Unit's role was Photo Reconnaissance (PR), but due to production delays with the Canberra PR.3s, a small number of B.2 airframes were loaned to provide crew training and limited PR sorties with a specially fitted forward facing F.95 camera. The aeroplane's next documented movement is on 5th December 1969, when the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) purchased WJ574 from the Royal Air Force for possible re-sale. The aeroplane took on the B-class registration G27-182 and was ferried to Salmesbury and placed in open store, patiently waiting for a new owner. WJ574 was subsequently converted to a TT.18 aircraft and sold to the Royal Navy. It was delivered to the Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit (FRADU) at RNAS Yeovilton in October 1974, and began its Fleet Air Arm service as aeroplane '844'. Aside from one period receiving modifications at RAF St Athan (August 1976-March 1977), WJ574 was a busy member of the FRADU fleet at Yeovilton for the next four years. WJ574 left RAF St Athan's storage facility in February 1991 for overhaul and return to service, and the aeroplane was back in use at Yeovilton a few months later. It then served out the rest of its Fleet Air Arm career as the Canberra's life with FRADU drew to a complete close in November 1992. WJ574 was ferried to T&EE (Test and Evaluation Establishment) Llanbedr airfield for storage on 3rd December 1992, and was placed up for disposal via tender in September 1993. |
[© Mike Freer] [© Robin A. Walker] [© Lindsay Peacock] | ||
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WJ574's civilian life WJ574 was purchased by US-based Tom Foscue, and was registered as N77844 for the ferry trip to its new home. It departed the UK on 5th May 1994 and made California its new home. The aeroplane remained airworthy for the rest of the decade, and received an avionics upgrade at Van Nuys airfield in 2000. A few years later, the aeroplane was reportedly sold to Aero Group Inc. at Tulsa and operating on trials work on behalf of the United States military. Today, WJ574 is currently in open store at Melbourne International Airport in Florida, USA. The aeroplane has not flown for some time, and suffered damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when Jet Provost Mk.5A N316HC was pushed into its right wing. Unfortunately, it is reported that the aeroplane has accrued a high number of unpaid parking fees, and attempts to contact the owners have proved impossible. It however remained intact and in 2011, and was acquired by Valiant Air Command, based at Space Coast Regional Airport in Florida. The airframe was partily dismantled and moved by road to its new home. - December 2020 Links |
[© via Ian Haskell] [© Valiant Air Command] | ||
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