WJ574 Canberra B2/TT18/N77844 (0/1)

A long and interesting career!

1953
WJ574 built as a B2.
Posted to RAF 540 Sqdn who were awaiting delivery of the PR3 version.
Used for crew training and linited PR duties with a camera mounted in
the nose.
Reportedly used in support of reconnaisance overflight of Russia (see
http://www.spyflight.co.uk/robin.htm) pre-U2.

!969
Purchased by British Aircraft Corp (BAC) with B-class registration
G-27-182 for possible resale.

1974
Converted to TT18 (target tug) and delivered to the Royal Navy's
FRADU.

1978
Deployed to Key West, FL, for three months of trials with the US Navy.

1980
Returned to BAC for refurbishment.

1982
Returned to FRADU.

1983
Modifications at RAF St Athans.
Returned to FRADU.

1985/6
Returned to RAF St Athans for long term storage.

1991
Returned to FRADU.

1992
FRADU discontinues use of the Canberra.
WJ574 sent to RAF Llanbedr for storage.

1993
Put up for sale.

1994
Purchased by US-based Tom Foscoe.
Ferried to the USA as N77844 and remained airworthy for about a
decade.

200?
Sold to Aero Group Inc at Tulsa.
Trials for the US military.
Placed in storage in Melbourne, FL.
Right wing damaged during Hurricane Katrina when a Jet Provost was
pushed into the right wing.

2009
The owner of WJ574 could not be found to pay outstanding storage fees
at Melbourne Internationsl Airport so the aircraft was again put up
for sale.

2011
The aircraft was still at Melbourne and unsold.
At some later date it was offered to the Valiant Air Command Warbird
Museum (VAC) in nearby Titusville, FL, where it now resides.

2016
The aircraft is currently in VAC's restoration hanger per the attached
pictures.