Taken on charge in 1955, this Pembroke was first issued to 2nd TAF Comms Sqdn, Wildenrath before storage with various MUs. In 1962 it was allocated to HQ Bomber Command Comms Sqdn, Booker, in 1963 to Flying Training Command Comms Sqdn, White Waltham and in 1964 to Western Comms Sqdn, Andover. WCS became 21 Sqdn in 1969 and the aircraft was modified to allow loading of the AOC's wife's wheelchair. Re-sparred by BAC in 1971, it joined 207 Sqdn, Northolt in 1973 and 60 Sqdn, Wildenrath in 1975. To the RAF Museum Cosford in 1987, allocated 8938M at the end of its flying career

First allocated to 66 Sqdn as a Hunter F.6, after conversion to FGA.9, XJ687 served 9, 208, 8 and 43 Sqdns before ending up with 229 OCU/TWU. In January 1983 it was sold to Chile as 753.

Part of a batch of 110 Hunter F.6s, XG194 served 43, 111 and 92 Sqdns before modification to FGA.9 and allocation to 229 OCU. On being withdrawn, it was mocked up to look like a Soviet Sukhoi to train personnel on disarming WarPac types. In 2009 the aircraft was rescued from dereliction at RAF North Luffenham by the Wattisham Airfield Museum, where it has undergone restoration to its former appearance as a Treble-One Sqdn 'Black Arrows' aircraft. Indeed XG194 was the lead Hunter in the famous 22-ship loop at SABC Farnborough 1958.

Taken on charge in March 1961, XM182 was first issued to 56 Sqdn, serving in standard silver overall colours till being painted in the superb red 'Firebird' team marks in the mid-1960s. Re-allocation to 226 OCU meant a return to a more sober finish, later users being 23 Sqdn then the Binbrook and Leuchars TFFs. Made its final flight to RAF Gutersloh in July 1974 and allocated 8425M for decoy use, being sold off as scrap in October 1982.

This Canberra was built as a B.2 by Handley Page and delivered to 100 Sqdn in 1954, moving on to 45 Sqdn, 75 Sqdn, the RNZAF and back to 45 Sqdn before conversion to T.17 for 360 Sqdn. Scrapped at Wyton in 1995

XL639 was delivered to 99 Sqdn in October 1958, the unit becoming 99/511 Sqdn in 1961. Stored at 5 MU Kemble from October 1975, it was bought by Guiness Peat Aviation in early 1976 and on to Airline Engineering a year later after storage at Stansted. Registered EI-BDC it operated various lease periods with Aer Turas and Cyprus Airways before being sold to Eurafric in January 1978. Moving to Redcoat Air Cargo as G-BRAC in June 1978, it sadly crashed after take-off from Boston-Logan on 16th February 1980 due to ice accumulation and windshear. Pre-flight weather briefing was judged inadequate.

Although not part of the show, the RAE's Argosy is seen here leaving after the 1971 Battle of Britain Day at RAF Coltishall. First flying on 8th May 1961, XN817 initially served as a Transport Command aircraft before being transferred to the RAE at West Freugh. It crashed there on landing when the undercarriage collapsed on 1st October 1984. The fuselage was used for fire training until b/u in 2011

This Victor was built as a B2 and retained by HP for autopilot trials, also with A&AEE Boscombe Down. XL164 never flew as a bomber, rather was selected at the end of 1972 to be one of a number of B2s converted into K2 tankers, with modification work carried out at Woodford. After serving with 57 and 55 Sqn, the latter being the last to operate the type, XL164 was wfu in September 1993 and flown to Brize Norton in for use as an instructional airframe (9215M). It was scrapped in August 1995 with the nose saved by the Gatwick Aviation Museum, moving to The Bournemouth Aviation Museum in May 2013.

X4786 at the end of its operational career with 543 Sqn at Benson. It was passed to a training unit at Dyce in Scotland and withdrawn from use before the end of World War II. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Went on to serve with No. 659 (AOP) Squadron. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Canadian built aircraft with the enlarged bomb bay for 8000lb bombs. Once Boscombe Down finished its trial, KB783 went on the serve with 428 and 419 Squadrons, both Canadian units within Bomber Command. The aircraft returned to Canada postwar where it almost immediately suffered an accident at Yarmouth. Written off, it would serve two years as an instructional airframe before being scrapped. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Ordered by France but taken over by the RAF after the French capitulation. BJ442 was initially used for airfield defence at Burtonwood where it had been assembled. It was later shipped to India for use by 155 Sqn, BJ442 was lost while intercepting Japanese fighters in the Imphal area on April 20, 1943. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

MM230 served with the Fighter Interception Unit as a target aircraft before being returned to de Havilland for further trials and display work. Struck off charge in 1946. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

FK122 at Prestwick for servicing by Scottish Aviation. It had arrived in the UK in June 1942 and initially loaned to BOAC for training B-24 transport crews. FK122 went on to Nos. 120 and 86 Squadrons and finally with No.1332 Conversion Unit. Struck off charge in January 1946. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

An older generation of Airfix model builders might remember this aircraft was the decal set provided with the original 1960 Defiant kit. The actual aircraft was earmarked for conversion to a target tug by Reid and Sigrist but the work may not have been done before it was written off. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

W8254 awaiting installation of a Turbinlite searchlight in the nose for night interceptions. The aircraft was lost when it stalled on approach to Ringway (Manchester) on February 6, 1942, while being ferried by the Air Transport Auxiliary. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Guarding the 43 Sqn HAS site at Leuchars.