Cotswold Britannia looks as good as new after a call for volunteers

Exactly a year ago on these pages we reported that the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society, based at Gloucestershire’s Cotswold Airport, was in search of volunteers to help keep its former RAF four-engined long-range transporter in respectable condition [Volunteers needed to save ‘Whispering Giant’, October 2021].

The good news is, the society found a few spare hands and XM496 – the world’s sole complete RAF Britannia and the last Britannia ever to fly – is once again looking revitalised.

“It’s all renovated inside and out,” says Jim Brown, head engineer and secretary to the Preservation Society, and a former RAF chief technician. “We’ve had plenty of volunteers and a good mixture of ages, too. All we need to do now is the normal upkeep of the aircraft – so we’re in a much better position than this time last year.”

August 16 was the 70th anniversary of the prototype’s first flight, which was marked by a visit to Cotswold Airport by Aerospace Bristol museum, while October 14 is the 25th anniversary of XM496’s arrival at the site. Visit XM496.com for more details.