WT532 on arrival at Bournemouth Aviation Museum ready for restoration. (Photo : Bournemouth Aviation Museum)
Looking good in the sun, July 2003, (still has the T.4 canopy…)
(Photo : Mark Russell)
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Built in 1955, this PR.7 was ready for collection in the September of that
year. It first went onto the charge of 80 Sqd which had been recently formed
at RAFG Laarbruch (June 1955). It was temporarily seconded to 17 Sqd at RAFG
Wahn but returned to 80 Sqd. Before 80 Sqd disbanded at RAFG Bruggen in 1969,
WT532 was transferred to the charge of 13 Sqd then at RAF Luqa (Malta). A
move back to Germany saw this PR.7 going “home” to join 31 Sqd at RAFG Laarbruch.
On the move again and sometime before September 1970, WT532 transferred to
58 Sqd at RAF Wyton. This PR squadron disbanded at Wyton in 1970 and WT532
moved onto Station Flight there.
In 1981, WT532 was allocated to Battle Damage Repair Flight at RAF Coltishall
as 8728M but in 1982 it was reinstated as WT532 and transferred to the MoD(PE)
RAE Bedford. Its last flight (after 7285 hours) was in February 1985 after
which it languished for a year. Finally it was designated 8890M and allocated
as a Ground Instructional airframe to No 2 School of Technical Training at
RAF Cosford. In 1991 it was put on offer for sale.
The fuselage is now owned by the Bournemouth Aviation
Museum who have now restored the cockpit section to a state that will shortly allow public
entry. The rear fuselage and the tail were removed and the plan was to sell them off as the restoration project proceeded.
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