Avro Rota ‘K4232’ (SE-AZB) (32497296413)

c/n R3/CA/954. Built 1934. Originally retired in 1938, but impressed back in to service in 1940 and flown at Duxford by No5 Radio Maintenance Unit. In 1941 she was with Calibration Flight, No74 (Signals) Wing, still based at Duxford but used on radar calibration duties at the sites of the Chain Home aerials. In June 1943 the unit had become 529 (Rota) Sqn, the RAF’s only ever operational autogyro squadron. Disbanded in late 1945, the aircraft were sold off and K4232 became SE-AZB in Sweden. Used as a test aircraft with SAAB at Linkoping, she wasn’t retired until 1967 and was then stored. Purchased by the RAF Museum in 1977, she was restored at RAF Cardington and in 1981 went on display in the Historic Main Hangars, where she remains today. RAF Museum, Hendon, London, UK.