FAW.1 XJ481 at Yeovilton, 23rd September 2002; author	FAW.1 XJ482 at Flixton, 24th October 1999; author

XJ481 here is an FAW.1 that spent most of its career as a trials aircraft for various missile programs (including the Martel). She was restored to perfect condition (with a normal FAW.1 nose in place of the camera nose she wore for much of her active life) and was continually looked-after. As she was located within an MoD establishment (RNAY Fleetlands), vandalism was not a problem! The wings were regularly folded and unfolded and the aircraft was moved from time to time (partly to stop it from sinking into the concrete - Sea Vixens are heavy! Sadly the museum at Fleetlands was been forced to close and XJ481 has had to move to Yeovilton, and is now stored there out of sight, with her wings currently removed and stored beside her as you can see. Information current as of 23/09/2002.

A little easier to visit is XJ482, the only other complete FAW.1 in existence. Located at the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum at Flixton, she's in great condition and thankfully since Jonathan Stilwell's visit in 1994 which gave us our previous picture here, she's been repainted and kept clean of moss and mould - not bad for a museum that relies on donations, not charging any entrance fee! Information current as of 24/10/1999.

FAW.2 XJ490 at Caloundra; Ron Cuskelly/Queensland Air Museum	FAW.2 XJ494 at Bruntingthorpe, 11th June 2005; author

Built in 1959, XJ490 was one of the airframes used by the Intensive Flight Trials Unit (700Y Flight) prior to the general introduction of the type to FAA service. Later serving with 892, 766, 893 and 892 NAS, the end of her active life came when she was with 899 NAS in 1971. HMS Eagle was on a Far East tour and two replacements were required for damaged airframes. XJ490 was one such replacement, and shipped out as deck cargo on a civilian transport ship. Unfortunately her exposed position on the on the foredeck and inadequate protection had meant serious corrosion damage had been caused enroute. Stripped of useful spares, the airframe was dumped at Tengah. Later donated to Singapore Polytechnice, she ended up on display on Sentosa Island in poor condition. In 1989 the Queensland Air Museum learnt that the aircraft was in danger of being scrapped so undertook the mammoth task of dismantling it (along with a Hunter), getting it down narrow roads to the docks and shipping it to Australia. Reassembled and cosmetically restored, the years out in the open since then are fading the paintwork once again. Information current as of 21/05/2005.

A second Bruntingthorpe resident that is a refugee from the dispersal of the Trout Lake Air Force collection is XJ494 (see also Sea Hawk XE327). XJ494 was used as a trials aircraft and has an undernose camera mounting and a cable running down the port boom, leading to what looks like an early radar warning receiver. Despite years out in the open the cockpit interior is in excellent condition and though she appears well worn, the rest of the aircraft is likewise doing very well. The plan was to restore her to taxiable condition so that XJ494 can take part in Bruntingthorpe's regular open days, but circumstances have meant this plan is now rather on the back burner - work continues however. Information current as of 11/06/2005.

FAW.2 XJ560 at the Newark Air Museum, 6th February 2006; author	FAW.2 XJ565 at the Mosquito Aircraft Museum, 18th July 1998; author

XJ560, above, is located at the Newark Air Museum and was last repainted over the course of 1997 and 1998. Sadly she's now again looking a bit faded and worse for wear in places, and the dead hand of the evil Health and Safety Executive have forced the staff to surround her with red and white tape to prevent idiots walking into her, falling over and suing the Museum. With the rush of activity centred around the new hangar at Newark now dying down, let's hope XJ560 gets some more TLC soon, or gets a slot indoors! Information current as of 06/02/2006.

XJ565 here is seen here at the Mosquito Museum, still looking very clean and shiny and only very slightly faded despite it being a few years since its last repaint. XJ565 has a working wing fold function too and the wings are regularly folded as a visitor attraction, and work is about to get underway to restore some of the other systems to working condition. The museum are also replacing the rather tired canopy with a fresh new one. They would like to get the canopy opening electrically, but are stumped for a gearbox as the aircraft one has rotted away. The aircraft is in fair condition overall, but they are hoping to get it a little better, by treating it with anti corrosion compounds, and replacing some of the missing parts. If you know of any, the museum is looking for most hydraulic components, as well as a pair of engines, to get the bird looking good once more.

FAW.2 XJ571 at Brooklands, 1st January 1999; author	FAW.2 XJ580 at Tangmere, 3rd September 2005; author

After the collapse of an earlier attempt to get a Sea Vixen flying, this one was acquired with a view to a restoration to flight. Not a possible flyer at the time because of fatigued wings, a pair of factory-fresh unused wings were found and have since been fitted. Also several of the electrical circuits have been re-activated by ex-FAA man Graham Windibank so the cockpit and navigation lights all work. Initially homed at the Brooklands Museum, it was moved to Southampton in 2003 and is now on display at the former Southampton Hall of Aviation (now Solent Sky). As for the plan to fly the aircraft - well it's still a possibility, and just awaits suitable sponsorship. Information current as of 09/03/2006.

This is XJ580, seen here at its new home - the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. She had previously been on display in Christchurch where she stood as a memorial to the aviation industry in the area, having been restored to superb condition by the Sea Vixen Society. Unfortunately she was then rather neglected. Being outside and at the mercy of both the weather and vandalism had left her with a smashed observer's canopy and broken pitot probes at the time of my first visit in April 1997. A second visit in April 1999 found the canopies covered up and some graffiti removed but otherwise XJ580 was still looking pretty forlorn. Happily though XJ580 moved to the Tangmere Museum of Military Aviation on 27th June 2000 and a visit in early 2002 found she was part way through a repaint - and on my return in December the repaint had been finished. A return visit in 2005 found her still looking great. Information current as of 03/09/2005.

FAW.2 XN685 at Baginton, 11th May 2002; author	FAW.2 XP919 at Walpole, 24th October 1999; author

XN685 is the Midland Air Museum's example (replacing XN691 which they had on loan for some time). XN685 is covered in much detail in the pictures section. Unfortunately XN685 has spent many a year outside in the rain and is looking very faded as a result, though structurally she's okay and only minor corrosion is evident; the roundels and some other markings have also recently been repainted to improve her appearance. Originally an FAW.1, and was operated as such by 890 NAS with the nose number of 703. Later converted to FAW.2 interim prototype at Hatfield - the second such conversion (XN684 being the first). First flew as an FAW.2 on 17 August 1962. From then on used for various development work; e.g. Red Top missile trials at Hatfield, and from April 1964 served with No. 13 JSTU (Joint Service Trials Unit) at Boscombe Down. Trials completed in February 1966, at which point it was delivered to Chester for conversion to full FAW.2 production standard. Then served with 893 NAS on HMS Hermes in 1968 and later 766 and then 890 NAS, until 890 disbanded in August 1971. At this point the aircraft was passed to RAF Cranwell as an instructional airframe. Presumably it was at this point that it had the ROYAL NAVY titling on the tail booms painted out, and was allocated the maintenance number of 8173M (though I don't think this number was ever displayed on the aircraft, or was at least not displayed as prominently as is normal). By 1984 it was with the No. 2 School of Technical Training at RAF Cosford. By 1991 it had moved to British Aerospace's Hawarden apprentice school. Finally, by 1994 it was at its current home of the Midland Air Museum, replacing the previous Sea Vixen there (XN691). She's recently had her wings unfolded for the first time in many years.

Oh dear! Poor old XP919 has had a rather hard retirement. Bought from the MoD by somebody intending to restore her for static display, the first blow was struck courtesy of our ever fabulous police. They changed their minds at a late stage and would not allow the aircraft to be transported on the roads unless it was cut down to size - despite other police forces being quite happy with Sea Vixens being moved about, suitably tilted and dismantled to bring the size down. So, off went the tail booms with a disc cutter... next they weren't happy with one of the main gear legs jutting out, so it was cut off too. Arriving at Walpole for a 'temporary' stay, it lay there, in Cliff Aldred's Xmas tree plantation, for several years with nothing being done. Getting fed up with this state of affairs, Cliff badgered the owner who then sold it to somebody else (Cliff refusing to let scrap dealers near it as he didn't particularly want to watch them set light to it by mistake and burn all his trees!). The new owner claimed he'd restore it but once again nothing happened and Cliff eventually bought it from him. He hoped to have it reassembled but as far as I know no progress has been made in the last five years or so.