On 5th October 1961, XN637 was issued to No 3 Flying Training School (3FTS), based at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire. This Unit had reformed the previous month as a Jet Provost squadron. XN637 remained in service, latterly as aircraft number '13', until January 1963 when it returned to RAF Shawbury for storage. It stayed mothballed with 27MU for nearly ten years until November 11th 1972, when it was moved to RAF Kemble for further storage, this time with 5MU.
On 14th February 1973 XN637 was officially declared a NEA - Non Effective Airframe, and within a month it had been struck off charge.

Originally destined for fire fighting practice, the jet moved instead to Winterbourne Gunner where it became part of the Nuclear Bacteriological and Chemical Defence Centre fleet of instructional airframes.

During 1978 aircraft collector Sandy Topen acquired XN637, in a swap deal involving a DH Vampire.
The aircraft was subsequently moved by road to Duxford, and a restoration was begun by the Vintage Aircraft Team to put the jet back in the air. The project continued slowly at Duxford, and the aircraft was placed on the civilian register as G-BKOU in February 1983. The Vintage Aircraft Team moved its aircraft out of Duxford to Bushey in Hertfordshire in December 1983, but within 18 months the organisation had re-located to Cranfield in Bedfordshire.
Restoration work was re-started and progress was steady throughout the mid-1980s.

During the summer of 1988, XN637 made her first post restoration flight, with Dizzy Addicott at the controls. It was painted in a camouflaged scheme and made its UK display debut on September 4th 1989 at the Biggin Hill Air Fair, displayed by Bob Thompson. The aircraft became a regular feature on the UK airshow circuit.During 1993 the aircraft was re-painted into a new colour scheme, representing Jet Provost number '3' of the Tactical Weapons Unit based at Brawdy.

In July 1995 XN637 moved to North Weald and into new ownership, with the Seagull formation group, and it became a regular sight in the Essex skies. Six years later the aircraft moved to Cranfield where it was maintained on Seagull's behalf, by the resident Kennet Aviation.
In the winter of 2002 Kennet Aviation and XN637 relocated to North Weald, joining numerous other examples of warbirds and classic jets based on the airfield. During March and April 2004 XN637 was re-sprayed by Area 51 into a new red/blue/white colour scheme, with her CAA registration applied.

The aircraft is the last genuine Jet Provost T.3 flying anywhere in the world.

Related web-links:

• Area 51 Aviation Ltd/Where Eagles Share