Kemble Airfield is a General Aviation airfield, 45 miles SW of Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Well-known as a base for the Red Arrows for a time and for many years as No.5 RAF Maintenance Unit.
Among the Britannia aircraft at present on display is the ex-RAF XM 496 Regulus. This 'plane is on permanent display and under the aegis of the Bristol Britannia Preservation Society who enjoy close ties with the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust (BAPT) (a Registered Charity No. 1004012).
XM 496 (known as "the Whispering Giant") is considered unique in that not only are 3 engines regularly run but global radio communication is made using the original wire aerials.
The amateur radio equipment installed in the Signaller's position (across from the Navigator's area and facing rearwards) is operated by John, a former RAF signaller himself who flew in the aircraft regularly as a member of 99 Squadron at RAF Lyneham during the period 1965 to 1968. He operated recently under the Special Event callsign GB99SQN.
This aircraft was built at Belfast and first flew on 24th August 1960. It was delivered to the RAF on 19th September 1960 and named "Regulus". After a fairly varied history it arrived at Kemble in October 1997.
