XN923, the SR.53 was mixed power-plant, with a Viper turbojet and a Spectre rocket. When we got the airframe from storage at Henlow, both were missing and we tried very hard to find replacements. Despite the fact that the RAF was throwing out early Jet Provosts at the time, they steadfastly refused to let us have a Viper.

Amazingly though, a Spectre rocket motor was traced to the Shuttleworth Collection, who very nicely handed it over to us. Even more amazing, not only was it the correct version, but it had originally been fitted to the same airframe! After I had restored it, it was decided to leave it on its stand rather than re-install it to avoid any issues with the aircraft’s CofG as the Viper, which is much further forward, was still missing.

We had tremendous help with that restoration. Martin-Baker refurbsihed the bang-seat for us free of charge, Binbrook found a pair of Firestreaks for us (it came from Henlow fitted with instrumentation pods), Halton donated a Gnat pitot probe, which was an almost exact fit and if I remember correctly, the replacement mainwheel tyres were Dominie (nosewheel?) units from Finningley.

As Albert so rightly says, good old Mick Allen finished it all off with a superb paint job.