Fly Past

10 FLYPAST September 2018

NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE

Lightning quartet appears at Bruntingthorpe

Four English Electric Lightnings have

been presented to visitors outside the

Lightning Preservation Group’s Q-Sheds

at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire.

With two F.6s (XR728 and XS904) and

F.3 XR713 already based at ‘Brunty’, the

trio were joined on the June 16 outing

by the Cornwall Aviation Heritage

Centre’s (CAHC) F.53, ZF580.

Built for the Royal Saudi Air Force –

with whom it served as 53-672 – the

CAHC was asked to loan the exhibit to

RAF Cosford for its airshow on June 10

(see page 23). Following the event, ’

was dismantled and transported to

Leicestershire to appear with the

other three – conceivably the last

time four Lightnings will be seen in

the same place together.

The Cornish jet is painted to

represent XR768, an F.6 of 74

Squadron, during its time at

Tengah, Singapore in 1969. The

real ’768 was lost off the coast of

Lincolnshire in 1974 while operating

with 5 Squadron.

http://www.lightnings.org.uk

JAMIE EWAN

Iron Maiden star hosts new warbird video diary

The creators of online computer

game World of Warplanes (WoWP)

has announced that rock singer and

aviator Bruce Dickinson will host ten

video diaries, each profi ling a World

War Two aircraft.

Bruce, the singer in heavy rock band

Iron Maiden and a keen warbird pilot,

has begun the series with a look at the

Hawker Hurricane.

The free-to-view episodes are being

released weekly on the World of

Warplanes offi cial website and YouTube

channel this summer, alongside an

exclusive WoWP video version of the

Battle of Britain-themed Iron Maiden

hit Aces High.

Global marketing director Al King

said: “We are all delighted that Bruce

has brought his enthusiasm and

expertise to World of Warplanes with

these informative videos, delivered in

his own inimitable style.

“As well as the diaries and the Aces

High tribute, we are also introducing

a renovated virtual hangar subtly

branded with iconic Iron Maiden

imagery. It’s unlike anything the game

has ever had before.”

https://worldofwarplanes.eu/

Four Lightnings at Bruntingthorpe on

June 16, with F.3 XR713 nearest the

camera. JAMIE EWAN

Bruce Dickinson (left) at White Waltham in

2014 after being interviewed for ‘FlyPast’

by deputy editor Steve Beebee.

DARREN HARBAR

Bruce Dickinson fi lming a video diary for

World of Warplanes. WoWP

Lake Michigan Wildcat

restoration continues

Airtruk refurbished at

Spanish museum

The Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan is continuing to make progress with its restoration of
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat 57039. The aircraft was retrieved from the bottom of Lake Michigan in
December 2012. It had an engine failure while taking off from carrier USS ‘Sable’ in 1944.
PHOTO-TONY SACKETOS

Transavia PL-12 Airtruk VH-TRQ has received a new coat of paint, along with minor repairs, at the

Spanish Air Force Museum in Cuatro Vientos, Madrid. The aircraft was registered in Sydney and

fl ew in Australia until arriving in Spain in 1977. It was donated to the museum in 1991.

ROBERTO YÁÑEZ