canberraman

Great shots Leigh as ever in what I found was a museum with tricky light and often congested exhibits. You did very well in the circumstances! Mark

Magnificent photots from a bygone age and the scans and post processing are of the very highest quality. Thanks for sharing. Mark

What a fabulous event to attend Leigh that has been captured perfectly with your selection of images. Great to see so many Chippies and the appearance of the 3 in service Portuguese examples was a real bonus. I'm annoyed I never went now. Two weeks ago the weather forecast for last Saturday looked grim so I never bothered obtaining a ticket. When will I ever learn about long range forecasts!? Mark

A thing of beauty. Lovely build and cracking paint gob - well done! Mark

What a fabulous and truly memorable experience Leigh! I wonder how it compares to the Hurricane that you flew in a few years back? At this rate you'll have sampled all the WWII fighter classics. How about a Mustang next? Lovely pictures from the Smith clam too! Jealous? Not half! Mark

A lovely build of what is a challenging kit to complete. In fact anything by Mach 2 is a test of a modeller's skill and patience but you have definitely succeeded. Just one small observation if I may. The Mach 2 kit is of the standard VC-10 or RAF C.1 and K.2 but ZA147 is of the longer fuselage 'Super VC-10' K.3 variant. ZA147 was in fact the last VC10 to fly and I now own one of her doors in my man cave! I guess it wouldn't be too difficult to change the serial and code to one of 101's K.2s which were ZA140 -144. Well done on a fine model. Mark

Thanks for the kind words! And to answer your question WH779 eventually became 'BP' and WT509 'BR' with 39 Sqn. Mark

While researching 543 Sqn Valiant and Victor images for the 7th instalment in my Britmodeller RAF Wyton series, I uncovered this Comet C.2 photo taken at Wyton on an unknown date. It represents XK671, which was a support and training aircraft used by 51 Sqn at Wyton following transfer from 216 Sqn. After retirement from RAF service in 1975, this aircraft named ‘Perseus’ was donated to the Imperial War Museum. Image courtesy S Hill/Planeslides. Thanks for looking! Mark

Many thanks Leigh, it was truly a labour of love! Kind regards,, Mark

Back in 2020, I provided a series of 6 photo essays for Britmodeller covering RAF Wyton and its flying units from 1980-1995. I can now supply a 7th instalment concerning 543 Squadron’s residence at the station from 1955 up to their disbandment in 1974. Please note that none of the photos in this report were taken by me. I have purchased them for my own personal collection through various online retailers, but credit is given where applicable. From the late 1950s and into the mid-1970s, RAF Wyton was home to the RAF’s strategic reconnaissance force. This comprised 58 Sqn flying Canberra PR7/9s for photo recce and surveying; 51 Sqn with a mixed bag of Canberras, Comets and Nimrods for ELINT gathering; and 543 Sqn flying first Valiants, and then Victors, on a range of recce tasks that I will outline beneath. The Vickers Valiant was the first of the V-bombers to enter service with the RAF. So important was the long-range reconnaissance role regarded, that the second squadron to receive the new type was to specialise in the PR role. Thus No 543 Sqn reformed at RAF Gaydon on 1 June 1955, was declared operational on the Valiant in September that year, and moved to Wyton in November - the first aircraft arriving on November 16th. By March 1956 the squadron had eight aircraft on strength. The Valiants were specially fitted for high level photo reconnaissance and carried a day mission crate of twelve F49/F52 cameras. They were also later equipped for radar reconnaissance with Yellow Aster H2S radar. In its PR role, the Valiant was produced in two variants: eleven were B(PR).1s while fourteen had an additional tanker role with a single hose-drum unit in the rear fuselage as B(PR)K.1s. Fuel capacity in the latter was increased by the installation of a 525-gallon tank in the forward bomb bay and two fuel bags between the rear tanks and the transfer tank. In common with the pure bomber variant, the PR versions sometimes flew with two 1,500-gal underwing tanks. Of the B(PR)K.1 conversions, only four served with the tanker units (207 and 214), which did not use them in the PR role. Ten were operated by 543 Squadron at various times, but not in the tanking role. Much of 543 Squadron’s work in the Valiant era remains classified and, during operations, ‘targets’ were highly compartmentalised so that each crew had little idea of what others were doing. The priority role of the unit was to survey the entry routes into Warsaw Pact countries that would be used by the V-bomber force. While 543 Squadron’s primary remit was strategic photographic and radar reconnaissance, its Valiants conducted invaluable surveys, both planned and in response to disasters. The unit also performed maritime reconnaissance, identifying and tracking Soviet vessels at the height of the Cold War. Valiant B(PR)1 WP223 seen at a RAF Wyton Battle of Britain at home airshow on 13 September 1963. Credit Aviation Photo Company 543 Sqn Valiant B(PR)K1 WZ394 at a Wyton open day in the early 1960s. Note the 58 Sqn Canberras in the background. Credit Aviation Photo Company The RAF Wyton strategic reconnaissance force crest that adorned the nose of several 543 Sqn Victors including XL165 as seen here at the RAF Upper Heyford Open House on 14 June 1969. During 1964, investigations revealed rear wing spar cracking and fatigue problems throughout the Valiant fleet. Of 543’s eight Valiants on strength then, inspection in October identified only two aircraft as safe, and the unit ceased Valiant operations on January 26, 1965. Unlike most other Valiant squadrons 543 was not disbanded and its crew began converting to Victors prior to the squadron reequipping with new B(SR)2 variant. Victor B(SR)2 XL230 was the first delivery to 543 at Wyton arriving on 19 May 1965. The Victor B(SR)2s were far more capable aircraft than the Valiants they replaced. Their roles extended to the following main functions: Photographic reconnaissance; radar reconnaissance; maritime radar reconnaissance; and air sampling. In this latter role, several aircraft were fitted with particle sampling equipment on the front of their underwing fuel tanks. These ‘sniffers’ were used to collect atomic dust particles to allow the analysis of foreign nuclear tests. Towards the end of their service career, it became clear that the Victor’s photo recce task could be carried out equally well and more cost effectively by the PR Canberra squadrons (13, 39 and 58). The camera crates were removed from the Victors in 1970, and radar and maritime reconnaissance work came into much more prominence. With the build up of the planned 23 strong Victor K.2 force, it became necessary for most of the remaining Victor B,2 bombers and B(SR)2s to be programmed for conversion to tankers. And to meet the continuing need for both maritime reconnaissance and ‘air sniffing’ roles, 27 Squadron reformed in December 1973 equipped with the Vulcan B.2(MRR and based at RAF Scampton. Victor B(SR)2 XL165 captained by Wg Cdr R.F Mudge (OC 543 Sqn) flew 543 Sqn’s last operational sortie on May 23rd, 1974. This was a Maritime Radar Reconnaissance flight over the Norwegian Sea for a duration of 4h:15m. On 24 May 1974, 543 Sqn disbanded, but the 3 final “Air Sampling” modified aircraft – XH674, XL165 and XL193, remained at RAF Wyton and were assigned to the RAF Wyton Victor Flight for a further 10 months of service. The aircraft were then deployed to Lima, Peru, on September 1974 under Operation VELLUM, to air sample the French Nuclear tests. Victor B(SR)2 XM718 was a partially modified recce variant. It is seen here wearing the high gloss finish and D type roundels of the late 1960s. Credit S Hill/Planeslides. A November 1972 image of Victor B(SR)2 XL161 at Wyton. Note this aircraft is equipped with the ‘sniffing’ pods on the front of the underwing tanks. XL165 seen at RAF Coltishall’s Battle of Britain air display on 15 September 1973. XH674 on the 543 Sqn pans at Wyton in 1974. Credit Aviation Photo Company Another view of XM718 at Wyton in 1974, by now wearing toned-down matt camouflage and red/blue national markings. Credit Aviation Photo Company I hope this article and photos has been of interest. Comments and corrections always welcome!

Rather lovely! A rarely seen model and even scarcer in that Qinetiq scheme. Well done!

A beautiful build of a type rarely seen in model form - well done, it looks exquisite! Mark

And here's another one I uncovered in my collection for completeness. Its 99 Sqn C-17A ZZ177 wearing the RAF 100 tail marks. Mark

My, my, you were brave Leigh! I doubt my camera will leave its bag before March! Lovely, crisp photos in what is not the easiest of shooting environments. Mark

Here's a recent photo of mine. Mark