http://www.fl ypast.com
Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress 41-
Memphis Belle is currently being
repainted at the National Museum of
the USAF in Dayton, Ohio.
The attraction’s regular Behindthe Scenes tours of the Restoration
Hangar were temporarily suspended
from November 3, allowing staff
to fully focus their attention on
refurbishing the famous bomber. The
former USAAF 324th Bomb Squadron
aircraft will be revealed to the publicon Thursday, May 17 next year.
Three days of events are planned
around the unveiling, during
which time Memphis Belle will be
positioned on the runway behind the
museum, alongside World War Twomilitary vehicles and costumed re-
enactors. An historic aircraft fl y-in
will be held, with a concert featuring
the music of wartime composer
Glenn Miller on the Friday.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil‘Memphis Belle’ goes undercover for fi nal restoration
A recent view of B-17F ‘Memphis Belle’ in the
National Museum of the USAF’s Restoration
Hangar. KEN LAROCK-USAFJanuary 2018 FLYPAST 7Australia’s Historical Aircraft
Restoration Society (HARS) is to
restore Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-
to fl ying condition.
Built as 160753 and delivered tothe RAAF in May 1978, the aircraft
was upgraded to AP-3C standard
in 2011 and has been used in local
and overseas operations, including
the search for missing Malaysian
Airlines Boeing 777 Flight MH370. It
arrived at its current home, Albion
Park, Illawarra, New South Wales, in
December 2016, where it has been
maintained by Airbus personnel.
HARS has now obtained the necessaryapproval to operate the aircraft, which
was offi cially conveyed at a handover
ceremony on November 3 this year.
HARS intends to fl y the Orion as a
salute to all personnel who undertook
maritime missions with the RAAF.
The society already operates a
World War Two-era Consolidated
Catalina fl ying boat, and has four SP-
2H Neptunes in its fl eet, one of which
is currently airworthy. The addition
of the Orion will add to its component
of veteran maritime aircraft – all are
likely to be available for airshows
in and around Australia in the near
future. http://www.hars.org.au PHIL BUCKLEYLockheed AP-3C Orion A9-753 during the handover ceremony on November 3. PHIL BUCKLEY
Retired Lockheed Orion
to fl y again in Australia
Prototype Mosquito
restoration wins award
The skills of staff at London Colney’s de
Havilland Aircraft Museum have been
recognised with an Engineering Heritage
Award from the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers.
The award was made for the team’s
restoration of Mosquito prototype
W4050, which is now the star attraction
at the museum. “This is a very
prestigious honour and it demonstrates
the signifi cance of the collection we have
at the museum,” said curator Alistair
Hodgson. “The Mosquito pioneeredconstruction techniques that are still
in use today, and the award affi rms the
status of the aircraft as one of the UK’s
foremost engineering achievements.”
The prototype was built at Salisbury
Hall, Hertfordshire, where the museum is
now based, and made its maiden fl ight
from Hatfi eld on November 25, 1940
in the hands of Geoffrey de Havilland
Jr. Initially coded E0234 it acquired
the military serial number W4050 on
December 10 of that year.
http://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.ukMosquito W4050 is a star attraction at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum.
WITH THANKS TO PETER JEFFERY