XJ823

XJ823 entered service in April 1961 with 27 Squadron at RAF Scampton, the squadron's first Vulcan. It was painted all white. In January 1963 it moved to 35 Squadron at RAF Coningsby, again as the first Vulcan on strength.

It later served with 44, 50, 9 and 101 Squadrons. In 1969 it spent a year at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus with the Near East Air Force bomber wing.

In January 1977 it was flown to RAF St Athan for conversion to the Maritime Radar Reconnaissance role, one of eight Vulcans modified. It flew in that role until 1981. It is now the only complete preserved example of the B.2(MRR).

After its RAF service ended it was flown into Carlisle Airport on 24 January 1983, bought by two members of the Solway Aviation Society. It is on loan to the museum. By the early 2000s it looked shabby; a repaint began in 2006, and a fuller external refurbishment was under way in 2017. The museum has aimed to restore some electrical and hydraulic systems so the cockpit can be powered and the bomb-bay doors worked.

Parked a short walk from the main museum site at Carlisle Lake District Airport. Visitors can climb into the cramped crew compartment on Vulcan cockpit tours, which pause in some periods.