Avro Vulcan B1A XH497 of the Waddington Wing circa May 1965. The aircraft has been towed outside No 50 Squadron's headquarters for a crew photo-shoot.
497 was delivered as a B1 to No 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton in May 1958. In 1961, 617 Squadron reformed with B2 Blue Steels and its B1s reformed as No 50 Squadron at RAF Waddington. 497 was converted to B1A standard in 1962 and subsequently pooled into the Waddington Wing and withdrawn from service in May 1966. 497 was sold as scrap in September 1969 at St Athan.
Peter Middlebrook remembers:
"Around the time Jack Pembridge took over from John Stacey as 50 Squadron
boss, someone decided it would be a good idea to have individual crew
photographs taken in front of a Vulcan parked outside of the Squadron. So XH497 was wheeled across and a neat row of five chairs lined up in front
of it. I must have taken the opportunity to bring my camera. This shot is
the result."