In 1972 the Nimrod was discovered half buried on a scrap dump at Ashford in Kent, more or less complete, but well corroded. The aircraft remains were recovered and donated to the RAF Museum. They held them in store at RAF Henlow, but when the Henlow storage facility was closed, the fuselage only was sold off by the museum to Mike Cookman. Aero Vintage Ltd. bought the Nimrod fuselage from him in August 1991, and later that year, the wings and tail unit, which by now had re-appeared at the RAF Museum's Cosford 'deep' storage facility. The engine remains with the RAF Museum.