January 2018 FLYPAST 11http://www.fl ypast.com
Pearl Harbor Sikorsky to be restored in Virginia
The National Air and Space Museum’s Sikorsky JRS-1 is on show in Virginia. The Horten Ho 229 V3 prototype is on temporary display. BOTH TONY SACKETOS
Staff at the Smithsonian National Air
and Space Museum’s Steven F Udvar-
Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia,
are to carry out conservation and
restoration work on the attraction’s
Sikorsky JRS-1.
The amphibious seaplane is the
military version of the S-43 BabyClipper, and was stationed at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, the day of the
Japanese attack. The 1938-built machine
was among those sent out in search of the
enemy fl eet – at the time it wore a silver
paint scheme, with black on the bottom
surface, green on the tail surfaces and a
red band around the fuselage.A few days after the attack, ground
crew repainted the aircraft blue, but due
to being stored outside for many years,
the colours have faded, revealing the
original scheme beneath. The aircraft is
now under cover and awaiting further
work.
Meanwhile, the attraction has placed itsunique Horten Ho 229 V3 on temporary
display. The Luftwaffe prototype will
later be returned to the museum’s
restoration facility. Only three of the
experimental jets were built – V3 was
undergoing fi nal assembly in Germany
when captured by the Americans inLockheed Lodestar SE-BZE has been
put on display at the Arlanda Aircraft
Collection near Stockholm, Sweden,
after many years of work by skilled
volunteers.
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. Initially
serving with Airtaco, it was used to
deliver newspapers and fl y passengers,
and was acquired by domestic airline
Linjefl yg (later incorporated within
national carrier SAS) in 1957. Swedairbecame its new owner from 1958,
mostly using it for testing navigational
and landing aids.
The Lodestar made its fi nal fl ight in
1966, landing at Arlanda. It was stored for
four decades before the Arlanda Aircraft
Collection began restoration work. A
team led by Lasse Blixt has returned the
classic airliner to the colours it wore
when fl ying 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 BERNSLodestar completed for Swedish museum display
Lockheed Lodestar SE-BZE on display at the Arlanda Aircraft Collection. LENNART BERNSGerman colours for
Tornado prototype
Panavia Tornado GR.1/P03 XX947 has been restored in Luftwaffe colours at Baarlo in the
Netherlands. The jet was the third Tornado prototype and arrived in the Netherlands in 2016.
It had previously been in RAF livery but now has the German code 98+08 on its fuselage. It
will be used as a ‘gate guardian’. ROGER SOUPART