Dates

Event

Constructed as a Tempest V by Hawker at Langley, Berks.

25 November 1944

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n NV778.

Photographer: Unknown

25 January 1945

Damaged.
Damaged, evaluated as Cat AC and repaired on site by Hawker.

February 1945

Transferred to No 56 Squadron, Field B80, Volkel.
Operated with markings: US

30 August 1945

To Napier Controller, Research and Development (CRD) Napier, Luton Municipal Airport.
Likely based with the Napier engine development establishment at Luton.

1946

Transferred to No 5 Maintenance Unit, RAF Kemble, Glos.
Placed in storage with No 5.

26 January 1946

Transferred to Hawker Aircraft Co.

4 February 1946

Damaged.
Damaged, evaluated Cat B.

Repair started.

March 1946

Recorded in Home Census.

19 August 1946

Repair completed.
Repairs completed and waiting for reassignment.

9 September 1946

To No 5 MU, Kemble, Glos.

1950

Transferred to No 6 MU, RAF Brize Norton, Wilts.
Placed in storage with No 6.

24 March 1950

To Hawker Aircraft Co., Langley.
Sent to Hawker for conversion to a target tug.

9 November 1950

Test flight.

15 November 1950

Test flight.

29 November 1950

Conversion complete.

12 December 1950

Transferred to 6 MU, Brize Norton, Wilts.

20 September 1951

Transferred to No 20 MU, Aston Down, Glos.
Placed in storage with No 20.

1952

Transferred to 233 Operational Conversion Unit, Pembrey, Wales.

13 July 1955

Transferred to No 20 MU, Aston Down, Glos.
Placed in storage with No 20.

30 November 1955

Transferred to Ministry of Supply.
Sold to the ministry and possibly used for weapons effect trials.

April 1957

Spotted on the scrap dump at the North Weald airfield.

The intact fuselage of NV778 was spotted in an old dispersal at North Weald, Essex.

1958

Restored.
Markings Applied: 5R F, SN219
Rebuilt for display by 33 Squadron at Middleton Saint George, Durham. Assembled using parts of a number of aircraft obtained from the Shoeburyness ranges. It was assigned SN219 and marked 5R F representing at wartime Tempest. The majority of the airframe was from NV778, but the tail plane, elevators and some panels did come from SN219. Another panel came from NX262. A cannon cover came from EJ753. The cockpit under-shield came from PR622. The propellar came from a Bristol Brigand.

August 1958

To RAF Middleton Saint George.
Placed on display as a gate guardian at Middleton Saint George.

September 1963

To RAF Leeming, Yorks.
Refurbished at Leeming and displayed as a gate guard.

To Ministry of Defense.

November 1965

To RAF Museum, RAF Henlow, Beds.
Placed in storage at Henlow.

Transferred to 27 MU, RAF Shawbury, Shropshire.

April 1968

Restoration started.
Markings Applied: NV778
Restored by 27 MU. During the restoration the true identity was rediscovered and the markings were corrected.

1968

Restoration completed.
Rolled-out.

April 1968

To 27 MU, Shawbury.
Refurbished by No 27 where the correct identity, NV778, was discovered.

1968

To RAF Museum, Cosford.
Stored at Cosford.

17 May 1968

Photographer: John Smith / Rob Braithwaite
Notes: 1968 photo at RAF Abingdon. Photo displayed with written permission of Rob Braithwaite

1972

To 17 MU, RAF Bicester.
Refurbished by No 17.

From November 1972 to By 1991

To RAF Museum, Hendon.
Placed on display at Hendon.

5 September 1973

New serial number assigned: 8386M RAF

From 17 December 1991 to By 2000

To RAF Museum, RAF Cardington.
Sent to Cardington for restoration.

By December 1993

Restoration continued.
Cockpit frame and controls restoration completed.

3 August 1998

To RAF Museum.
Fomally donated to the RAF Museum by the Ministry of Defense.

From 20 January 2000 to By 2001

To RAF Museum, Wyton, Cambs.
Likely stored at Wyton.

By 13 November 2001

To Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford, Cosford, Shropshire, England.
View the Location Dossier

From 13 November 2001 to 24 April 2003

Restoration completed.
Restored and rolled-out.

May 2003

To RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London, England.
Returned to Hendon for display.
View the Location Dossier

2009

Photographer: Andy West

11 December 2011

Photographer: Terry Fletcher
Notes: Tempest V is displayed in the Milestones of Flight Collection of the RAF Museum at Hendon

23 June 2013

Photographer: Arjun Sarup

14 November 2024

Photographer: Keith Bollands
Notes: Still at the RAF Museum Hendon, but moved from the Milestones of Flight hangar (now named Hangar 6) to Hangar 3, and once again standing on its own undercarriage.