Last V bomber to see active duty in the sky to be scrapped

THE last V bomber to see active service with the RAF will be scrapped despite it being offered for free to anyone who could restore it.

The plane, part of the UK’S nuclear deterrent before being used as a tanker aircraft, has been standing for many years as a “gate guardian” welcoming visitors to RAF Marham, Norfolk.

But the plane – believed to have last flown in 1993 – is in need of restoration and in January, it was offered to anyone who could pay to carry out the work.

The base said the cost of the repairs was greater than its budget for gate guardian maintenance.

On its website, RAF Marham has now said no one has come forward “who has the capability to remove and restore her so the difficult decision has been made to dispose of her”.

It added: “While RAF Marham will be sad to dispose of an aircraft that played an important role in the heritage of the station, we are reassured that there is a Victor in the skilled and professional care of the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford and the Imperial War Museum collection at Duxford. We are reassured that the story of the Victor fleet and those who flew and supported it is preserved for perpetuity for the nation and the national collection.”

The base is offering the opportunity for “a small number” to see the Victor for the last time on Oct 10 and is running an application process for places.

It said preference would be given to people with a link to the Victor, including those who worked on Victors or were relatives of a previous crew.