TG517

TG517 was the 19th Hastings C.1 built. It was delivered to 5 MU at Kemble on 13 July 1948. That year it served with 53 Squadron and with 47 Squadron, which was then flying the Berlin Airlift.

On 13 October 1950 it went back to Radlett for conversion to Met.1 standard for weather reconnaissance. It then flew with 202 Squadron from Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, until 1958.

In 1959 it became one of eight Hastings rebuilt as T.5s, with a ventral radome housing the V-bomber navigation and bombing radar. It trained V-bomber crews at Lindholme until 1968, then moved to Scampton.

Its last RAF unit was 230 OCU at Scampton, whose Hastings flight was known as '1066 Squadron'. During the 1975 to 1976 Cod War it flew four fishery protection sorties alongside Nimrods. It also dropped mail to Royal Navy ships.

Stuart Stephenson bought TG517. Squadron Leader 'Jack' Jackson flew it into Winthorpe on 22 June 1977, with four hours' notice. It was later given to the museum. Volunteers have since replaced the cockpit floor and conserved the crew seats, which are originals dated 29 July 1947.

Outdoors, coded 517, with the radome under the rear fuselage. The cabin keeps its rear-facing seats; it opens for a small fee when volunteers are available, but is closed for now.