UPDATED RAF Wyton 1980-1995 Pt 6 - Wrecks and Relics

[canberraman]

In this, the sixth and final instalment of the review of the aircraft and squadrons assigned to RAF Wyton from 1980-1995, I will examine those airframes either preserved on base, scrapped, or disposed of at the end of their military service from 1991 onward. 

 

The drawdown of Canberra operations began in earnest in December 1991 following 100 Sqn’s conversion to the BAe Hawk. 231 OCU wound up their aircrew conversion role in April 1993, followed in October 1994 by the disbandment of 360 Sqn. 39 Sqn relocated to RAF Marham in December 1993 taking with them their 5 active PR.9s, plus 3 x T.4s and 2 x PR.7s handed down from 231 OCU and 360 sqn upon their deactivations. According to my researches, some 26 Canberras were scrapped on base at RAF Wyton from 1992 onward, until the final example was broken up in 2006.  Two intact and airworthy examples were sold to private owners, three nose sections were saved and acquired by private collectors, and one airframe was scrapped off site. 

It is also of interest to note that at one time there were three Canberra gate guards on display at RAF Wyton together with a Comet C.2R also present on the airfield. Unfortunately, a misguided change of RAF Policy in 1989 meant that henceforth there would be only one gate guard per station. Sadly, the unique ex 51 Sqn Canberra B.6 (mod) WT305 was scrapped on site. Canberra PR.7 was acquired by the Gatwick Aviation Museum, leaving just PR.9 XH170 extant. Former 51 Sqn Comet C.2R XK697, which had been on loan to the local Air Scouts since 1973, was also scrapped on site in 1987. 

There is a story of triumph and tragedy concerning the two Canberras that were sold in airworthy condition at the end of their RAF service: Ex 100 Sqn Canberra TT.18 WJ680/CT was placed in open storage at RAF Wyton until sold in 1992 to Ron Mitchell. In 1994, WJ680 by now registered on the British Civil Register G-BURM, and assigned to the Canberra TT18 Display Team, performed its first civil display at Duxford. Subsequently Temora Aviation Museum in Australia acquired the aircraft in May 2001. Upon acquisition, the Museum repainted the aircraft to represent those flown by the Royal Australian Air Force 2 Squadron during the Vietnam conflict. The aircraft is maintained in an airworthy condition and remains the only English Electric Canberra flying in Australia. Canberra T.17A WJ607/EB, formerly assigned to 360 Squadron, had been de-commissioned and registered G-BVWU on the British Civil Register on 22/12/94. It was brought to South Africa to join the fleet of classic warbirds at Thunder City, based at Cape Town International Airport and registered ZU-AUE on August 25, 1995. Tragically on 30 September 1995, the aircraft took off from Cape Town International on a test flight up the west coast. In the vicinity of Yzerfontein, the aircraft turned inland and suddenly spun in leaving a crater in the ground; nothing of the aircraft remained. Although the two crew members were wearing parachutes, there appeared to be no time to eject.

Former Wyton based Canberras that continued in service, or were preserved in full or in part from 1989 on. 

 

Ex 360 Sqn Canberra T.17 WH664 seen withdrawn from use at Wyton in Dec 1991. It was scrapped in situ by July 1992. The blue ‘X’ applied to the nose, signified those airframes withdrawn from use and awaiting subsequent scrapping. 

 

T.17A WF890/EJ as she appeared in July 1993. Scrapped entirely by March 1995.

 

T.17 WK111/EA on site at Wyton and dismantled during 1995. The nose section was obtained by a private collector at Witherton but has evidently since been scrapped.

 

Former 100 Sqn Canberra B.2 (WJ567)/CC seen at Wyton in November 1991.

 

Finless ex 100 Sqn TT.18 WH718/CW awaiting final disposal at Wyton in June 1992.

 

TT.18 WH981/CN photographed at Wyton in May 1992. This aircraft was unusual in being the only example withdrawn from service and earmarked for scrapping, but not disposed of onsite. It was purchased by a scrap dealer at Stock, Essex and transported there for subsequent scrapping in 1995.

 

Ex 100 Sqn PR.7 WT538/CJ in April 1991 ahead of being broken up later that year.

 

TT.18 (WK127)/FO had been consigned to Battle Damage Repair Training (BDRT) at the end of its service with 100 Sqn in Feb 1989. It was subsequently scrapped on site in September 1993.  

 

PR.7 WT519/CH.  This airframe was the last to be broken up at Wyton, surviving as a hulk on the north side of airfield until final scrapping and disposal on 14 Feb 2006. 

 

Although of somewhat poor quality, this rare shot from July 1984 depicts former 13 Sqn PR.7 WJ817 then in use for BDRT.

 

At the time this photo was taken in Aug 1992, WJ817 - by now coded FU, had been relegated to the Wyton Station Fire Section. It was destroyed completely by March 1995. 

 

Former Wyton Gate Guard, ex 13 Sqn PR.7 WH773. This airframe was cared for and maintained for many years by the locally based 2331 (St Ives) ATC Sqn. Following the changed RAF Gate guard policy restricting each station to just one gate guard, WH773 was sold in 1990 to the Gatwick Aviation Museum.

 

Another former Wyton gate guard, Canberra B.6 (mod) WT305. This unique survivor, operated by 51 Sqn until its retirement from active duty in 1976, was unceremoniously destroyed on site in October 1989 following the gate guard policy change. It is seen here looking pristine in August 1981. 

 

Ex 51 Sqn Comet C.2 was preserved at Wyton at the end of its flying days in 1973. It was loaned to the Wyton Air Scouts before being scrapped in September 1987.

 

The nose of scrapped T.17A WH646/EG was obtained and preserved by the Midland Air Museum at Coventry in 1995 and is seen there in this photo from 2006. 

 

Another of the three nose sections saved from former Wyton based Canberras. Ex 231 OCU B.2T WE113 - now on display at the excellent Tangmere Air Museum, and until 2011, owned by a private collector in Woodhurst, Cambs. 

 

Upon retirement from RAF service, ex 100 Sqn TT.18 WJ680/CT was registered on the UK Civil Register as G-BURM, and flew for several display seasons in the UK by the Canberra TT18 Display Team before being exported to Australia. It is seen here at RAF Marham on 23 June 1996.

 

The sole survivor. Gate Guard PR.9 XH170 as she appeared in 2017; the only tangible reminder of RAF Wyton’s illustrious history as the ‘home of the Canberra’. 

 

Thanks very much for looking in, and for all the comments and ‘likes’ on the series so far. Scanning and cleaning slides that are often 30 or more years old is a slow and laborious process, but one that I have found very rewarding during my convalescence. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as I have preparing it. Special thanks to Alpha Delta 210 for the ongoing encouragement and support, and to Jabba for the additional material on the 51 Sqn Nimrods. 

 

Mark
 

Edited April 25, 2020 by canberraman

[Timbo88]

Such a sad end to the lovely Wyton Canberra fleet, and a sad but inevitable end to this great set of posts.

Out of curiosity, does any one know why some of the ground instructional airframes had the codes prefixed F? Was this official, or the work of mischievous individuals?

[canberraman]

1 minute ago, Timbo88 said:

Such a sad end to the lovely Wyton Canberra fleet, and a sad but inevitable end to this great set of posts.

Out of curiosity, does any one know why some of the ground instructional airframes had the codes prefixed F? Was this official, or the work of mischievous individuals?

Hi Timbo

Good question!  The coding system across the station went from AA-EP for the active duty squadrons. I would surmise that the F prefix codes had been assigned for the ground instructional airframes. However, it would also appear that someone might have been mischievous by using just FO and FU!  

 

Mark

[Timbo88]

That's what I was thinking, seems a bit odd just those two 'codes' were used. 

Thanks for the great pictures throughout the posts. Such a hard working and adaptable aircraft deserves huge credit, as does its designer, Teddy Petter.

[Alpha Delta 210]

Thanks again for another wonderful (if sad) collection of images. 

 

I have really looked forward to each installment.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post the images and describe them in such detail.

[Jabba]

Some more interesting Photos Mark. I used to walk past the 13 Sqn aircraft every day to get to No3 Hangar. I am sure that something in the back of my mind is that 51 Sqn used to carry out anti det servicing on the Comet. Yes it was a big loss when the MOD (or whoever) decided that only one gate guardian per station. Was there not a Bloodhound missile there at one time? Even the PR9 that is there looks in a sad state compared to how it used to look in your other photos.

[canberraman]

Just now, Jabba said:

Some more interesting Photos Mark. I used to walk past the 13 Sqn aircraft every day to get to No3 Hangar. I am sure that something in the back of my mind is that 51 Sqn used to carry out anti det servicing on the Comet. Yes it was a big loss when the MOD (or whoever) decided that only one gate guardian per station. Was there not a Bloodhound missile there at one time? Even the PR9 that is there looks in a sad state compared to how it used to look in your other photos.

Thanks Jabba. Yes there was a Bloodhound missile amidst the 3 Canberra gate guards and its nose is just visible above the picture of WH773. I don't think the prospects for the long term preservation of the PR9 are great given that JFC are the main users of the site these days and in view of what's happened to the Marham Victor. 

 

Thanks again for your photos and inputs to this series.

 

Mark

[theplasticsurgeon]

4 hours ago, canberraman said:

 

Another former Wyton gate guard, Canberra B.6 (mod) WT305.

 

This one was gate-guard when I went there in 1977.  Somewhere, I've got a photo of all the cadets lined up in front of her.

 

4 hours ago, canberraman said:

Ex 51 Sqn Comet C.2 was preserved at Wyton at the end of its flying days in 1973.

This was another mystery abandoned out on the field, for which we were unable to find any explanation.

 

Also they had a couple of Chipmunks for cadet Air-Ex flights.

There was a JP5 tucked away in the hangar with the Andover.

 

The only 'planes I remeber seeing fly were Canberras and Chipmunks

 

[canberraman]

On 3/2/2020 at 8:03 PM, theplasticsurgeon said:

This one was gate-guard when I went there in 1977.  Somewhere, I've got a photo of all the cadets lined up in front of her.

 

This was another mystery abandoned out on the field, for which we were unable to find any explanation.

 

Also they had a couple of Chipmunks for cadet Air-Ex flights.

There was a JP5 tucked away in the hangar with the Andover.

 

The only 'planes I remeber seeing fly were Canberras and Chipmunks

 

That's a puzzle regarding the Chipmunks. I have found that Manchester UAS were there on Summer Camp in July 77 with five Bulldogs, but I can't seem to find any reference to the Chippies. I surmise the JP may also have been there for some avionics testing with the based EWAU.

 

Mark

[theplasticsurgeon]

1 hour ago, canberraman said:

That's a puzzle regarding the Chipmunks. I have found that Manchester UAS were there on Summer Camp in July 77 with five Bulldogs, but I can't seem to find any reference to the Chippies. I surmise the JP may also have been there for some avionics testing with the based EWAU.

 

Mark

Log book consulted.  I was there from 23 to 30 July 1977,   flying in Chipmunk WP970 on the 26th.

[canberraman]

33 minutes ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Log book consulted.  I was there from 23 to 30 July 1977,   flying in Chipmunk WP970 on the 26th.

Thanks for the confirmation. WP970 was assigned to 5 AEF at Teversham at the time so it looks like some of their aircraft must have detached to Wyton for ATC/CCF Air Experience flights.

 

Mark

[F-32]

WH173 Gatwick 2012...................not revisited since then so don't know if she's still there

 

IMG_4278 by tony_inkster, on Flickr

[canberraman]

Tony

WH773 was moved in 2016 to the RAF Laarbruch museum where she has been restored and looks fantastic.

 

Mark

 

 

[Alfisti]

Thanks for posting all your photo's of the Wyton Canberras.I used to drive to this base,and many others in the 80's and 90's,delivering to the DOE stores for a flooring company. Have many memories of seeing these aircraft at their bases and in the air around East Anglia,a beautiful sight never to be seen again mores the pity.

 

Dave.

[canberraman]

I've just obtained a slide of Canberra PR.9 XH170 that had left service with 39 Sqn by end April 1982 and was destined to become the permanent gate guard at Wyton. She is seen here in July 1982, 3 months after retirement, still looking very presentable. The names under the canopy and near the nose are all the assigned 39 Sqn pilots and navigators as of May that year.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Mark

 

[Alpha Delta 210]

Hi Mark. Hope you're keeping well. That's a lovely shot - she still looks good enough to be on the line!

[Robert]

A great set of photos. Thanks for recording and sharing them.

 

Regards

Robert