This aircraft was completed in February 1964 and entered
service with 9 Squadron on the Coningsby and Cottesmore
Wing the following month . In March 1968 it spent one month
at the A&AEE at Boscombe Down. Next was a trip to Waddington
and a move to 101 Squadron in 1975 and 44 Squadron in 1981.
During the Falkland Islands War, XM612 was one of the aircraft
sent to Ascension Island to fly ‘Black Buck’
missions against the Argentine forces entrenched on the
Falklands. Although it didn’t actually see combat,
it did help by proving the importance of the air-refuelling
fleet. After the war, XM612 returned to 44 Squadron to see
out its remaining service life. On 30th January 1983, XM612
flew into Norwich Airport to retire after 19 years of dedicated
service.
