BRITANNIA AIRCRAFT PRESERVATION TRUST

XM496 - Regulus

Type: Bristol 175 Britannia Series 253F
Construction no.: 13508
Current status: On external display
Built: Short Brothers and Harland Ltd., Belfast, 1960
Powerplant: four 4,440hp Bristol Proteus 255 turboprops
First Flight: 24th August 1960
Last Flight: 14th October 1997

This aircraft was one of a batch ordered by the Royal Air Force Transport Command. Delivered in 1960, she was given the name Regulus, and saw service with 99 and 511 Squadrons. In 1975 she was withdrawn from use, and sold on the civil market. Registered as G-BDUP in March 1976 she served with Afrek Cargo, based at Athens airport. In 1984 she went to Cuban airline Aerocaribbean as CU-T120. After that she saw service in Southern Africa with Transair Cargo firstly as 9Q-CJH then as EL-WXA, becoming the last airworthy Britannia in the world.

In 1997, the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust made arrangements for EL-WXA to be flown back to the UK for preservation. In October, she made her final flight to Kemble, making several very low passes before landing. Although she will never fly again, she has been maintained since arrival by the Bristol Britannia Preservation Society. In 2005, the BBPS took over control of the aircraft, becoming the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society. The cabin has been converted to a workshop and display area, and includes rearward-facing seats, a feature of RAF Britannias.

Operational history: