WR790 MR 2/AEW.2 – A HISTORY

• First flown 26.06.53. To 38MU Landow 07.08.53 for storage

• Allocated to 204 Sqn, at Ballykelly.  Coded T.

• Autolycus installed at 49MU Colerne mid 1955.  This work completed at CCMC St. Mawgan.

• Suffered cat 3 damage after a heavy landing in an undershoot at Ashton Down in August 1957.

• Returned to 204 Sqn.  10.02.58.

• Suffered tailwheel assembly damage on 31.07.58 at Ballykelly.  Cat 3 damage.

• Repaired by AVRO CWP late 1958 then transferred to 269 Sqn 11.11.58

• Transferred to 210 Sqn. 01.12.58

• Phase 1 modification  completed 16.04.59 at 49MU.

• Returned to 210 Sqn 12.05.59 and coded X.

• Phase II update at Langar 10.01.61, completed 28.05.62.

• Allocated to FEAF.

• Delivered to 205 Sqn 21.06.62.  Coded E.

• Returned to Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA), Langar in October 1966 for Phase III modification.

• Completed August 67 and flown back to 205 Sqn. in September 1967.  Coded D.

• Sustained cat 3 damage and repaired early 1968.

• Returned to UK to 5MU Kemble 04.01.71 for temporary storage.

• Delivered to HAS at Bitteswell 30.09.71 for AEW.2 conversion.

• Returned to 5MU 03.08.72 for repainting.

• Delivered to Lossiemouth 19.09.72 for AEW radar installation.

• Allocated to 8 Sqn Kinloss 20.09.72.

• Transferred to RRE Pershore 02.01.73 for flight trials of Marconi (AMTI). Completed 11.05.73.

• Returned to Kinloss and named 'Mr. MacHenry'.

• Unit transferrred to Lossiemouth 15.08.73.

• Flown to 60MU for modification early 1975 then returned to 8 Sqn.

• Transferred to Bitteswell 1980 for re-sparring and refurbishment.  (The last on contract).

• Returned to 8 Sqn 28.07.81.

• Hours flown 13,891 hours at 09.03.89.

• Privately purchased and transferred to Coventry Airport 1991 at the end of it's service career.

• WL790 is still airworthy and continues to fly at airshows in the USA.  It is based currently at Midland Airfield, Texas.  It is expected to return to UK in 2007.