[1] It was developed to test the tailless thick delta wing configuration chosen for the Avro 698 jet bomber, later named the Vulcan.

The twin-seat 707C, the final variant, which had been designed to perform delta wing orientation training with the Royal Air Force; however, no production aircraft would ultimately be produced.

On 4 September 1949, the first Avro 707 performed its maiden flight; low-speed testing began shortly thereafter.

After development of the Vulcan had been completed, the four surviving 707s continued to be flown as general research aircraft.

Numerous tests involving the type were conducted by both the Royal Aircraft Establishment (R.A.E) and the Aeronautical Research Laboratories in Australia.

The trailing edge of this wing carried two pairs of control surfaces: inboard elevators and outboard ailerons.

[2] The prototypes were ordered by the Ministry of Supply to fulfil Specification E.15/48, which called for a low-speed research aircraft that would be a one-third scale version of Avro's B.35/46 design for a strategic bomber.

[11][N 2] On 4 September 1949, the first Avro 707, VX784, performed its maiden flight from RAF Boscombe Down, Squadron Leader Samuel Eric Esler, DFC, AE, was at the controls.

[14] The final variant was the two-seat 707C; originally four examples were ordered by the RAF with the intention of conducting orientation training for flying aircraft with delta wing configurations using the type.

[14] The 707C was provisioned with a wider cockpit to accommodate a "side-by-side" seating arrangement and dual flight controls.

[16][8] Even after the Vulcan development phase was over, the four surviving 707s, in individual bright blue, red, orange and silver (natural metal) colour schemes, continued in use as research aircraft.

[16][8] After the compound sweep investigation,[14] and a period with the Royal Aircraft Establishment (R.A.E) carrying out handling trials with powered controls,[17] the first 707A went to the Aeronautical Research Laboratories in Australia for low-speed delta wing airflow measurements.