XJ565

XJ565 was built at Christchurch as an FAW.1 and first flew on 4 February 1960. In June 1960 it joined 766B Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton, coded 718/VL.

After modernisation and storage in 1962-63 it went to 892 NAS in December 1963 as 208/C. Its record there includes an observer's hatch opening in flight and heavy landings that collapsed the nose gear. By December 1964 it was with 893 NAS aboard HMS Victorious, coded 459/V.

In August 1965 it went to de Havilland at Chester for conversion, and it first flew as an FAW.2 on 21 October 1966. It joined 899 NAS on HMS Eagle on 13 February 1967 as 127/E. In December 1968 it was flown into storage at Brawdy.

From December 1969 to August 1973 it served the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Bedford for catapult and arrester trials. It was withdrawn in 1974, stripped of parts for the Sea Vixen D.3 drone programme and struck off charge in July 1976. The Mosquito Aircraft Museum moved it by road to London Colney on 31 October 1976. In the 1990s its wings were folded for visitors. A clean-up started in 2023 grew into a full restoration, with scaffolding round it from May 2024.

Parked outdoors on a gravel area at the edge of the site rather than in a hangar, under restoration since 2024. The canopy cannot currently be opened, so there is no cockpit access.