1489

XP824

“213”

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de Havilland Aircraft, Hatfield, UK. Delivered 05-Oct-1961 to Hawarden, Chester via Liverpool Docks.. First flight, 13-Dec-1961.

• XP824 Delivered to 19MU St. Athan, South Glamorgan, Wales, 16-Jan-1962.

Flown to Middle Wallop, Hampshire on 23-May-1962 in preparation for delivery overseas.

Commencing 14-Jun-1962, the aircraft was ferried via France, Corsica, Italy, Greece, Crete, Libya, Egypt and the Sudan . Hit a vulture 19-Jun-1962 and remained at Khartoum, Sudan until it left for Nairobi, Kenya after repairs, in Jul-1962. (Vulture written Off!).

Delivered to 8 Independent Recce Flight, Wilson, Nairobi, Kenya. Jul 1962.

Remained with 8 Flight until 1964.

To Aden Mar-1964. Joined 15 Flight, 653 Squadron at Khormaksar, Aden.

Unit retitled 15 Flight, 3 Wing AAC.

To Khormaksar 07-Sep-1967 at withdrawal of British Forces from Aden and assisted with the training of SAAF pilots until 04-Oct-1967.

Returned to UK in Shorts Belfast aircraft with XP775 and XP819 Oct-1967.

Overhauled at 70 Aircraft Workshop Oct-1967 until Dec-1967.

Returned to Topcliffe, Yorkshire on 30-Jan-1968 with 15 Flight which was now part of 667 Aviation Squadron.

Unit retitled 15 Flight 7 Aviation Regiment Jun-1971.

Unit disbanded May-1974  and passed to an unknown MU.

Seen at 19MU St Athans, South Glamorgan in Mar-1976. Later 5 MU RAF Kemble, Gloucestershire  and then into storage at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, UK.

Shipped by C-130 Hercules to Seeb, Oman. Noted at Hurn 05-Jan-1982 - still present in May-1982.

Note: The aircraft was donated to the Sultan of Oman Air Force by the AAC at Seeb by Sep-1985. It was then resprayed into SOAF marks and transported by road to the Balt-al Falaj Museum during Feb-1986.

• “213” Sultanate of Oman Armed Forces Museum, Muscat, Oman, 1986.

• Museum •

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