Thunder & Lightnings

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod - Survivor XV244

MR.2 XV244 - Morayvia, RAF Kinloss, Scotland

Click for previous survivorSurvivor imageClick for next survivor

Nimrod MR.2 XV244 at RAF Kinloss, 23rd June 2021; Jim Simpson

XV244 was built at RAF Woodford as an MR.1 and made her first engine run on 18th August 1970 and soon took to the skies on 1st October with the flight time being 1 hour and 30 minutes. The aircraft was then delivered to RAF Kinloss in November of that year. After 7,538 flying hours on the airframe, she was delivered back to RAF Woodford for conversion to a MR.2. XV244 made her first flight as an MR.2 on the 5th November 1984.

On the 7th December 1990, Nimrod XV244 left RAF St Mawgan to take part in Operation Granby. The crew onboard were the most successful Nimrod operational crew in Op Granby when they were credited in assisting in six kills and one probable. XV244 was then painted with nose artwork 'Battlestar 42'.

On 31st July 2009, XV244 made her final flight into RAF Kinloss, the airframe had over 18,000 hours on her by this point. She was kept for spares until put on static display for the Nimrod MR.2 drawdown ceremony on 26th March 2010 and finally formally withdrawn from use on 31st March.

On 6th March 2012 Morayvia, a museum organisation formed specifically to preserve a Nimrod, acquired Nimrod MR2 XV244 with the aid of funding from BAE Systems, Thales, Ultra and Rolls Royce Heritage. They have leased a hard-standing - Bay 61 - at Kinloss XV244 was soon moved to that bay for continued display. Morayvia have also acquired the forward fuselage of XV240, which is displayed at their main museum site close to the airfield.

In 2014, the aircraft was named "Duke of Edinburgh" by the Lord Lieutenant of Moray, Lt Col Grenville Johnson - Prince Philip has been a supporter of Moravia's efforts to establish a visitor centre. XV244 can still be seen today sat on Bay 61 in good condition where she is looked after by the team at Morayvia. She is the only Nimrod today that can still be seen on base at RAF Kinloss.

Information on this page current as of 28/06/2021, last updated by Damien

Find other photos of XV244 on the following sites:

Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net