Ashton repaint among ongoing jobs at Newark

The sole surviving Ashton is one of several aircraft that has received attention at the Newark Air Museum.

Reasonable weather conditions during 2024’s summer months enabled volunteers at Newark Air Museum to undertake work on a host of projects around the museum’s Nottinghamshire site this year.

**Work continued in 2024 on Newark’s unique Avro Ashton** Howard Heeley

Perhaps most intriguingly the attraction’s unique Avro Ashton fuselage (from WB491) is now in the process of being repainted. It’s the only surviving section of this British airliner prototype and testbed aircraft. WB491 was the second of six airframes built and at one point was fitted with an under-fuselage mount for testing turbine engines. It was put to use by Rolls-Royce for trials with Conway and Avon units.

The Gannet AEW.3 is displayed in the colours it wore flying the deck of HMS — **The Gannet AEW.3 is displayed in the colours it wore flying from the deck of HMS Eagle** Howard Heeley

Fairey Gannet AEW.3 XP226 has also been repainted. The former Fleet Air Arm machine has been returned to the appearance it had in the early 1970s when serving with 849 Squadron from HMS Eagle. Work on the damaged nose section of Chinook HC.1 ZA717 has been boosted via the acquisition of a set of nose glazings, which have now been installed, and the appearance of Newark’s MiG-23 has also been enhanced by a new set of markings.