The Buccaneer which is listed as a ‘Significant’ airframe on the National Aviation Heritage Register is being repainted in a white and grey colour scheme it wore in its early service days with 801 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm. This was when XN964 was deployed on HMS Victorious for what is believed to have been the first operational deployment of the Buccaneer, to the Far East from 1963 to 1965.

In addition to de-corrosion and repainting the detailed restoration work is currently focused in the undercarriage bays and the cockpit. The restoration team need assistance with in locating any functional details of the cockpit locking / release mechanism, which is currently jammed.

Anyone with details, diagrams or information about this mechanism is asked to make contact with museum trustee Mick Coombes via the contact form on the museum website at www.newarkairmuseum.org or via email at

The team are also keen to establish contact with any former Fleet Air Arm air and ground crew that served with the Squadrons and Units that XN964 served with. These included: AHU; 801 Squadron – HMS Victorious; 736 Squadron; 803 Squadron; RAE Bedford; RRE Pershore.