Hawker Siddeley Nimrod - Survivor XV235
MR.2 XV235 - Avro Heritage Museum, Woodford, Cheshire
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Nimrod MR.2 XV235 at Avro Heritage Museum, 10th February 2024; Jake Wallace
Famous as the airframe that made a trip to the North Pole to rendezvous with submarines HMS Trenchant and USS Spadefish, XV235 was built as an MR.1 and later converted to an MR.2.
On 5th November 2007, the crew noticed a fuel leak during air-to-air refueling and made an expedited landing, thankfully avoiding the fate that befell the crew of XV230 a year earlier. From that point on the Nimrod force ceased air-to-air refueling operations and relied solely upon internal fuel.
XV235 was retired at RAF Kinloss in March 2010 where it was scrapped on site some months later. Thankfully, the forward fuselage was preserved, being acquired by Hawker Hunter Aviation which led to it being road moved to RAF Scampton in early 2012. Once HHA no longer had a use for XV235, it was acquired by the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford, arriving in September 2016 alongside VC10 cockpit XV106 for external display.
Due to the fact the forward fuselage had already spent a handful of years outside, the paintwork had badly faded. The museum volunteers applied a new coat of paint the following year, making it look much more presentable than it did. The front section of bomb doors was also added to the section. XV235 now represents the integral part that Woodford played in Nimrod production and upgrades.
Early 2024 found the nose section in good condition overall, although the paintwork applied in 2017 has begun to flake away on the portside under the cockpit and above the nose wheel.
On 5th November 2007, the crew noticed a fuel leak during air-to-air refueling and made an expedited landing, thankfully avoiding the fate that befell the crew of XV230 a year earlier. From that point on the Nimrod force ceased air-to-air refueling operations and relied solely upon internal fuel.
XV235 was retired at RAF Kinloss in March 2010 where it was scrapped on site some months later. Thankfully, the forward fuselage was preserved, being acquired by Hawker Hunter Aviation which led to it being road moved to RAF Scampton in early 2012. Once HHA no longer had a use for XV235, it was acquired by the Avro Heritage Museum at Woodford, arriving in September 2016 alongside VC10 cockpit XV106 for external display.
Due to the fact the forward fuselage had already spent a handful of years outside, the paintwork had badly faded. The museum volunteers applied a new coat of paint the following year, making it look much more presentable than it did. The front section of bomb doors was also added to the section. XV235 now represents the integral part that Woodford played in Nimrod production and upgrades.
Early 2024 found the nose section in good condition overall, although the paintwork applied in 2017 has begun to flake away on the portside under the cockpit and above the nose wheel.
Information on this page current as of 11/02/2024, last updated by Jake |
Find other photos of XV235 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net