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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Saunders-Roe (Saro) SR53
    Latest Model:SR53
    Last Military Serial:XD145 RAF
    Compressed ID:Saunders-Roe (Saro) SR53 sn XD145 R...
    Latest Owner or Location:Royal Air Force Museum, Midland, Cosford, Shropshire, England

    EDIT THE HISTORY HERE    		 If you can add to the history or would like to submit a correction please use the editor to do so.

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    Dates

    Event

    1956

    Constructed as a SR53.

    June 1956

    Rolled out in great secrecy at Cowes,IOW, as the first prototype.

    June 1956

    Transported by ground. Delivered to AAEE Boscombe Down.
    Final assembly completed at Boscome Down.

    4 April 1957

    In Defence cuts in the Duncan Sandys white paper meant cancellation of the SR.53 Project.

    16 May 1957

    First flight.

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n XD145.

    September 1957

    Shown at the SBAC Farnborough show. XD145 was in the flying programme.

    By 1958

    Transferred to Rocket Research Establishment, Westcott, Buckinghamshire.
    Transferred to the RRE for further research.

    20 October 1959

    Last flight.

    To RAF Museum.

    Circa May 1969

    Transported by ground.
    Moved to RAF Henlow by No.71 Maintenance Unit.

    On behalf of the owner stored with/at RAF Henlow, Beds.

    13 November 1978

    Transported by ground.
    Engineless airframe moved to RAF Brize Norton.

    13 November 1978

    Contracted to SR53 Restoration Society, RAF Brize Norton for work on the airframe.
    Restored by the 11 member society.

    Restored.

    30 November 1981

    Rolled out at RAF Brize Norton.

    2 March 1982

    Placed on display with Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford, Cosford, Shropshire, England.
    View the Location Dossier

    30 May 1983


    Photographer: Peter Nicholson
    Notes: The SR.53 as displayed at Cosford in the Summer of 1983

    28 November 2012


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: 2012 photo on display at RAF Museum, Cosford

    30 March 2016


    Photographer: John Bennett
    Notes: Taken at RAF Cosford, Shropshire, England

    To Royal Air Force Museum, Midland, Cosford, Shropshire, England.
    View the Location Dossier
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier was started by a contributor.
    An preliminary review of the submitted data is pending.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     Wrecks and Relics
    Internet Sources
     Aerodata Quantum+
    Individual Contributors
     John Bennett
    Terry Fletcher
    Mike Henniger
    Peter Nicholson
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