XM598

XM598 left Avro's Woodford factory in 1963 and joined No. 12 Squadron at Coningsby on 4 September. It was built with fittings for the Skybolt missile, which was then cancelled. Over the next 19 years it served from Coningsby, Cottesmore, Scampton and Waddington.

In February 1973 it flew to New Zealand and Australia on Exercise Sunflower, via Goose Bay, Hawaii and Pago Pago. In March 1979 a badly fitted clamp let hot gas leak after a major service. The crew shut down an engine and landed safely.

In April 1982 it was one of five Vulcans picked for the Falklands, because they kept their Skybolt hardpoints. On 29 April it flew non-stop from Waddington to Ascension with XM607. Next night it led Black Buck 1, captained by Sqn Ldr John Reeve. A direct-vision window would not seal, so the cabin would not pressurise and the crew turned back. The reserve, XM607, bombed Stanley airfield instead.

XM598 was reserve for Black Buck 2. It was primary aircraft for Black Buck 4, which was aborted when a Victor tanker's hose failed to deploy. It was withdrawn in December 1982. Reeve flew it to Cosford on 20 January 1983, after an attempt on 7 January was defeated by rain and a bird strike. It had logged 1,520 flights and 5,404 hours. It moved indoors in May 2006.

In Hangar 4, the National Cold War Exhibition, alongside Valiant XD818 and Victor XH672.