DASA offering a Bucc for auction

XV865 would have made a good acquisition for the Fleet Air Arm Museum collectio if they didn’t already have a Bucc Mk.2.

You do make a good point though, There were a few former FG.1 Phantoms at Leuchars at one stage, all of which have FAA pedigree unlike the prototype in the FAAM.
Before that, the RAFM flogging off the P.1B XA847 because they got a Lightning F.6 from Binbrook. I’m sure they have another ‘unremarkable’ Lightning (a pre-production aircraft?) in the collection that surely could have been sold instead?

Mark, it is unlikely that 863 will end in a scrap yard, I know two rather wealthy individuals who are looking to purchase the aircraft, one of whom has already been to Lossie with cheque book in hand and offered big money to the C/O.

And as you say, she has a lot of history and is more than worthy of preservation.

Good news if it comes off, here’s hoping for a positive outcome on this one.

However the bigger picture of how airframes are selected for preservation by the MOD for the RAFM / FAAM / MoAF / IWM is one which seems totally opaque to me. The USA identified a number of airframes which took part in Gulf War 1 and flew them back straight into preservation at the end of the conflict. Look at our own preservation of Falklands vets for instance and its a pretty poor comparison.

Oh to see her back in 809 Sqn markings!

🙂

Mark, it is unlikely that 863 will end in a scrap yard, I know two rather wealthy individuals who are looking to purchase the aircraft, one of whom has already been to Lossie with cheque book in hand and offered big money to the C/O.

And as you say, she has a lot of history and is more than worthy of preservation.

Worthy of Preservation ?

If ever there was an airframe worthy of ‘official’ preservation this must be it, last catapult launched aircraft in the RN and Gulf War veteran. Now to be left to the vagaries of a public auction where it could end up with a scrappy.
I would love to know how / if the AHB recognise airframes worthy of preservation in a similar manner to the USA, which for all its many faults recognises its history and preserves suitable airframes at the time.