When No.231 Operational Conversion Unit reformed in December 1951, it would begin a long association with the English Electric Canberra and over the next 42 years, would prove invaluable in the training of thousands of aircrew destined to fly this magnificent aircraft. The T.4 variant of the Canberra was a dual control machine developed specifically to support the effective training of future pilots and around 70 examples were produced, out of a total Canberra production run of 900 aircraft.
Canberra T.4 WJ870 would go on to have a long and active career, built in 1954 and ending its days as a battle damage repair airframe at RAF St Mawgan in 1981. In between those dates, it would see service with a number of RAF squadrons, including Nos 7, 31, 102, 213 and 360, as well as time with 231 OCU, flying in the UK and Germany. It would also serve for a time with the Royal Navy’s FRADU operating from RNAS Yeovilton, before once again returning to No.231 OCU – the scheme option featured here is an attractive machine operated by No.231 OCU at RAF Cottesmore in 1971 and includes alternative tail marking options to allow two versions of the same aircraft to be modelled (A10101C).