Pilot – June 2018

pilotweb.aero | Pilot June 2018 | 91

Spitfire T9 PT462/G-CTIX flew

again at IWM Duxford in its

completed ‘new’ scheme on

7 April. The two-seat trainer had

returned to its home base, partially

repainted by Flying Colours at

Kidlington, on 22 February. It

now appears finished in the exact

markings worn when based at

Treviso, North East Italy, serving

with No 253 (Hyderabad State)

Squadron between April 1945

and the unit’s disbandment in

May 1947.

Detailing carried out at ARC

included the application of the

unusual, small stencil-style code

letters in the off-white colour

synonymous with operations in

the Italian theatre and the white

disc-based tail badge, hand-

painted by George Romain.

Sywell is fast-becoming a

warbird haven and Air Leasing

a highly productive restorer.

P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN,

registered to Graham Peacock’s

Fighter Aviation Engineering

Ltd, emerged in late April in new

markings just weeks after entering

the company’s workshop. No

longer in the scheme of Lieutenant

Colonel Ben Mayo’s No Guts - No

Glory! of the 78th Fighter Group’s

82nd Fighter Squadron, it now

represents Nellie: a 492nd FS, 48th

FG Thunderbolt featuring a red-

checked engine cowling and solid

red rudder. Following several days

of engine runs and taxi trials, the

aircraft’s first UK flight in twelve

years occurred on 4 May.

Barely five months on from

Hispano HA1112-M4L ‘Red

11’s’ return to flight, Air Leasing

has now got another Buchón

airworthy. HA1112-M1L ‘Yellow

7’, another ex-Battle of Britain

movie example, lifted from

Sywell’s runway on 3 May to make

its first flight in fifty years. It is on

the Flying Legends list as one of

three Buchóns taking part.

Old TImers

If you have an Old Timers story Contact Contributing Editor Peter March [email protected] or Pilot Editor Philip Whiteman [email protected]

On the move

Britten-Norman Trislander G-JOEY

has moved from Guernsey Airport

to the island’s Oatlands Village

family activity centre. First flown

in 1975, the triple-engined airliner

had joined primary type operator

Aurigny Air Services in November

1981. In anthropomorphised form,
      as the ‘Little Yellow Plane’ in Peter
      Seabourne’s children’s books,
      G-JOEY became the most famous
      of Aurigny’s sixteen Trislanders.
      Correspondingly, upon the fleet’s
      recent phase-out, G-JOEY’s fate
      became of particular interest. That
      it would be locally preserved came
      as a relief to its many supporters.
      Before its move, the aircraft was
      restored to Aurigny’s 1980s-90s
      livery, local firm Sign Solutions
      re-applying the classic logo and
      Alderney lion design. Then, on 10
      April, firstly its wings and engines
      then its fuselage left Aurigny’s hangar
      bound for Oatlands. A dedicated
      barn structure, from whose roof
      G-JOEY will be suspended, is now
      under construction and set to open in
      mid/late summer.
      In Brian Smith’s hands, the
      Aircraft Restoration Company’s

PHOTO: STEVEN COE

PHOTO: COL POPE

PHOTO: NIGEL HITCHMAN

PHOTO: PETER R MARCH

The first UK airshows this

year, held at Abingdon

and Old Warden on 6

May in glorious sunshine,

had significant debuts in

their flying programmes.

At Abingdon, the unique

two-seat Buchón ‘Red 11’

made its first ever display

appearance, partnering

with Spitfire T9 ML407

in a dynamic two-

seat fighters’ dogfight

routine. BAE Systems’

Avro XIX G-AHKX, now

repainted in the colours

of RAF Coningsby Station

Flight’s Anson TX176

for RAF100, starred at

Shuttleworth’s Season

Premiere. It joined with

the BBMF’s Lancaster

for an evocative Avro

pairing. More on these

two popular events in Old

Timers next month.

BAE Systems’ Avro XIX, repainted as Anson

C19 TX176, debuted in fine style with the

BBMF’s Lancaster at Old Warden...

...while two-seat Buchón ‘Red 11’ gave

its first flying display, alongside Spitfire

T9 ML407, at Abingdon on 6 May

Stop Press!

PHOTO: PAUL FIDDIAN

Buchón ‘Yellow 7’ made its first flight for

fifty years at Sywell on 3 May

P-47D Nellie was rolled-out, fired-up, taxied and

flown within a matter of days at Sywell

Spitfire PT462’s repaint has now been

completed by ARC at IWM Duxford

ABOVE: Aurigny

Trislander G-JOEY was

roaded from Guernsey

for preservation at

Oatlands Village

PHOTO: AURIGNY