aviation - the past, present and future of flight

North American P-51C Mustang 43-

flew for the first time in more than 70 years

on October 16. The Texas Flying Legends

Museum’s aircraft took off from Bemidji,

Minnesota following a three-year restoration

by AirCorps Aviation.

The fighter, which last flew in 1946, has

been painted to represent 42-103585 Lope’s

Hope 3rd, the wartime mount of Lt Donald S

Lopez who flew a total of 101 missions and

is credited with shooting down five Japanese

fighters (all but one scored while flying a

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk). Thanks to Chuck

Cravens-AirCorps Aviation

Swedish Lodestar on Display

Skilled work by volunteers led to Lockheed

Lodestar SE-BZE being put on display

at the Arlanda Aircraft Collection near

Stockholm, Sweden.

The aircraft was built in 1943 in Burbank,

California for the USAAF and was later

used by the Norwegian government. After

passing through the hands of various

owners, it was imported into Sweden in

1954, where it again had a number of

keepers.

The Lodestar made its final flight in

1966, landing at Arlanda. It was stored for

four decades before the Arlanda Aircraft

Collection began restoration. A team led

by Lasse Blixt has returned the classic

airliner to the colours it wore when flying

with Swedair.

Due to a lack of space, the outer wings

have not been reattached, but the interior

has been completely refurbished, and

includes passenger seats and cockpit

instrumentation. The interior is accessible

to visitors. Lennart Berns

Phantom FG.1 XV582, known as ‘Black Mike’,

has arrived by road at the RAF Museum

Cosford, from Leuchars in Scotland.

The airframe, now owned by GJD

Services, has been the subject of a campaign

by aviation enthusiasts to restore it to

exhibition standard.

David Butterfield, from the British Phantom

Aviation Group, said: “Our hardworking

team of volunteers has shown outstanding

knowledge, skills and aptitude to make

the move from Leuchars happen. We look

forward to working with Cosford over the

coming months and we are certain that the

aircraft will be a great attraction within the

RAF100 static display [which will be part of

the airshow on June 10].”

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom XV582 ‘Black

Mike’ arriving on a low-loader at Cosford in

October. Crown Copyright, via RAFM

‘Black Mike’ Arrives

at Cosford

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 17

Mustang’s First Flight Since 1946

Polish-link Skytrain Restoration

A Douglas C-47A Skytrain 42-92139 (CF-

TES), used during World War Two to transport

exiled Polish government officials, has been

saved. The aircraft, used post-war as an

airliner by Trans-Canada Airways, had been

in storage with the RCAF’s 17 Wing for many

years.

The Skytrain had been earmarked for

scrapping, and although the wings have

already been removed from the fuselage,

it will now be saved and restored to static

condition in Winnipeg, Canada.

Its provenance was brought to the attention

of Poland’s present government which is keen

to have it returned to Europe after it has been

restored. Thanks to Paul Collins

P-51C Mustang 43-24907 is back

in the skies for the first time since

just after the end of World War Two.

AirCorps Aviation

IN BRIEF

An airliner has been converted into a

restaurant, bar and flight crew trainer in

Loma Grande, 34 miles from Paraguay’s

capital, Asunción. The FOKKER 100 ZP-CFL

previously flew with Sol del Paraguay, and is

now in the grounds of Hotel del Rancho. It

continues to wear most of its service livery.

Restoration to static display condition at

Torrejón, Madrid has been completed on

McDonnell Douglas RF-4C PHANTOM CR12-

55/12-64. The jet was taken on charge by the

Spanish Air Force’s 123 Escuadrón in 1995

to reinforce its reconnaissance fleet. Ala 12

operated 18 RF-4Cs between 1978 and 2002,

and 12-64 has been put on display near its

headquarters.

Utah Museum’s

Harpoon Project

Extensive restoration is planned by the

Vintage Aviation Museum at Woods Cross,

Utah, for its recently acquired Lockheed

PV-2 Harpoon 37276 (formerly N7272C).

The aircraft is currently in storage at

Johnson County Airport in Buffalo, Wyoming.

A team from the museum visited the site and

is now working on the aircraft’s twin rudders

at its base, near Salt Lake City.

It is hoped to prepare the Harpoon for

a ferry flight to Utah in 2018. Subject to

funding, extensive restoration work will then

continue at the museum.

The aircraft is believed to have been

grounded for at least ten years.

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