Tasman Flight
The spare aircraft was XA895. Both it and the primary XA897 were prepared at Woodford - even down to the CinC's [***].
But apparently there was a difference. 897 was seemingly fitted with bomb-bay fuel tanks. These had been used by the prototype VX770 in lieu of the wing tanks (or possibly according to one source, the wing and fuselage tanks) for initial flight trials.
From a file held at Kew: the RAF wanted to 'borrow' the tanks for no cost (what's changed)?. The advantages were an increase of range of 700nm. The capacity was 2700 gallons (= 21600 lb).
I have no documentary proof that the system was actually fitted but the outbound leg from Boscombe Down to Khormaksar at a flying time of 7 hrs 20 suggests that it was. It is recorded that for the return flight from Khormaksar the aircraft was loaded to 168000 lb, which allowing for start and taxi, 897 would be at the max auw of 167000 lb for take off. Seems there was more fuel on board than just the main tanks.
One can understand the value of giving the impression that an aircraft had a longer range than it actually had.
Can anyone shad any light on the origin of these tanks and their use? Considering the A and E tanks were ordered in 1960 and not delivered until 1964, the tanks in 770 and probably 897 may have been designed for an earlier purpose - a Tudor for the Berlin airlift for example.