Fly Past

May 2018 FLYPAST 23

“It’s abundantly clear from even the

briefest visit to the Spitfi re Blister,

that the future is bright for Air

Leasing. Having been set up in 1984 by

Nick and Carolyn Grace, the company

is now run by Carolyn, her son Richard,

and his wife Daisy...”

Above, clockwise from top left

One of the tasks involved removing the heavy armour plate from the cockpit canopy. This is

the stripped framework from the canopy of ‘Yellow 7’. The original glass will be used again.

The engine bulkhead of ‘Yellow 7’.

By way of contrast, the unrestored cockpit of G-AWHR offers an insight into the condition of

the aircraft when they arrived from Texas. Note the replacement instrumentation fi tted by

‘Connie’ Edwards when he fl ew the aircraft prior to 1980.

Left

Completing ‘Red 11’ has been a fl ag in the sand for Air Leasing, as it is the fi rst of the Buchóns

to fl y again. Note the cigar tube on the pitot head (right) – a tribute to Adolf Galland.