Hawker Siddeley Nimrod - Survivor XV232
MR.2 XV232 - Nimrod Preservation Group XV232 (runner), Coventry Airport, Baginton, Warwickshire
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Nimrod MR.2 XV232 at Baginton, 30th September 2023; Jake Wallace
In 1982, XV232 set a distance record for a reconnaissance flight that has still not been beaten to this day! The aircraft covered 8,453 miles (13,609km) in 18 hours and 50 minutes while monitoring the South Atlantic for Argentine naval activity in the Falklands War. This trip was supported by in-flight refuelling.
XV232 made her final flight into Coventry Airport on 11th May 2010 from RAF Kinloss. XV232 has been well looked after by a team of dedicated volunteers ever since. The preservation group keeps the aircraft in a runnable state, and often opens up to the public so generations can experience the sound and feel of a running Nimrod. Unfortunately, she is parked on grass rather than a solid tarmac apron.
In 2021, the future of XV232 became cloudier with Coventry Airport at threat of being turned into a Gigafactory. The preservation group had been looking into the possibility of relocating the aircraft to the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (CAHC), in Newquay. However, CAHC was forced to close its doors in early 2023, leaving the Centre's collection to find new homes, and making sure XV232 couldn't therefore go down there. With no obvious new news on the gigafactory plan after that, it was therefore a shock in October 2025 for the XV232 group to be informed that they (and all other airport tenants) had until 9th May 2026 to cease all operations and vacate the premises.
More information on the future of XV232 can be found here and on their Facebook group. Hopefully they can find a new home but a Nimrod is a big and expensive jet to move.
XV232 made her final flight into Coventry Airport on 11th May 2010 from RAF Kinloss. XV232 has been well looked after by a team of dedicated volunteers ever since. The preservation group keeps the aircraft in a runnable state, and often opens up to the public so generations can experience the sound and feel of a running Nimrod. Unfortunately, she is parked on grass rather than a solid tarmac apron.
In 2021, the future of XV232 became cloudier with Coventry Airport at threat of being turned into a Gigafactory. The preservation group had been looking into the possibility of relocating the aircraft to the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (CAHC), in Newquay. However, CAHC was forced to close its doors in early 2023, leaving the Centre's collection to find new homes, and making sure XV232 couldn't therefore go down there. With no obvious new news on the gigafactory plan after that, it was therefore a shock in October 2025 for the XV232 group to be informed that they (and all other airport tenants) had until 9th May 2026 to cease all operations and vacate the premises.
More information on the future of XV232 can be found here and on their Facebook group. Hopefully they can find a new home but a Nimrod is a big and expensive jet to move.
Information on this page current as of 12/11/2025, last updated by Damien |
Find other photos of XV232 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net