FlyPast – August 2018

August 2018 FLYPAST 15

http://www.fl ypast.com

Stratofortress awaits new

colours at Pima

The Pima Air & Space Museum’s Boeing

NB-52A Stratofortress 52-0003 The

High and Mighty One has been stripped

to bare metal prior to an extensive

restoration programme and repainting.

The aircraft is one of three

Stratofortresses at the Tucson, Arizona

attraction. A second aircraft, B-52D

55-0067 The Lone Star Lady is currently

under cover receiving maintenance,

while B-52G 58-0183 Valkyrie continues

to bask in the desert sun.

Westland Lynx HMA.8 XZ722 arrived

in Arizona earlier this year, and has

now been reassembled for display.

The Falklands campaign veteran had

previously been in storage at Middle

Wallop, Hampshire. It has joined an

extensive collection of helicopters at

Pima – these include Lynx AH.7 XZ

which currently resides inside the main

hangar. http://www.pimaair.org ROD WEALE

Boeing NB-52A Stratofortress 52-0003 is to be

repainted at Pima. BOTH ROD WEALE

Westland Lynx HMA.8 XZ722 is now on

public display at the Arizona attraction.

Viggen repaint

completed at Newark

Newark Air Museum in Nottinghamshire has fi nished its complex repaint of SAAB Viggen

373918 ‘57’. The team has been applying the distinctive ‘splinter pattern’ camoufl age

markings worn by the AJSH 37 variant. The fi nal phase of work focused on the Swedish jet’s

tailfi n. http://www.newarkairmuseum.org HOWARD HEELEY

RAF centenary ‘tour’

opens in Cardiff

More than 23,000 people visited an

exhibition of RAF aircraft outside

Cardiff’s City Hall on May 18 to 20,

marking the service’s centenary.

The types included Sopwith Snipe

replica ‘E6655’, Supermarine

Spitfi re Mk.I replica X4474, painted

in 19 Squadron colours, and Hawker

Siddeley Harrier GR.3 XZ994, a

former 4 Squadron machine. Also

on display over the weekend was

Westland Wessex HC.2 XR497 and

a replica of a Eurofi ghter Typhoon

FGR.4, the latter bearing an

RAF100 logo.

The exhibition also included

an educational zone focusing on

aviation, science and aerospace

activities, designed to encourage

participation from young people.

The RAF’s senior offi cer in Wales,

Air Cdre Adrian Williams, said: “I’d

like to thank the people of Cardiff for

the fantastic welcome they’ve given

us over the past few days. They have

come in their thousands to see the

aircraft which tell our 100-year story

and I hope they enjoyed both this and

the science activities over

the weekend.”

The event marked the start of the

RAF100 Aircraft Tour which will also

visit London (July 6-9), Newcastle

in Northern Ireland (August 10-12),

Birmingham (August 25-27), Glasgow

(August 31-September 2) and

Manchester (September 14-16).

WITH THANKS TO FG OFF MARTIN WADE-RAF

Spitfi re replica X4474 with costumed re-

enactors outside Cardiff City Hall.

VIA RAF

Funding boost for Qantas

Founders Museum

Australia’s Department of Environment

and Energy has announced that the

Qantas Hangar at Longreach’s Qantas

Founders Museum will be among

24 heritage-listed sites to share in

AUS$4.4 million (£2.5m) of funding.

The award is part of the government’s

Protecting National Historic Sites

programme for improved conservation,

restoration and promotion projects. The

museum’s parent company has been

awarded $70,700 for its Qantas

Hangar – Restoring our Past for the

Future project.

In other news, a set of vintage

Qantas boarding stairs was delivered

to Central Queensland University in

Australia on May 7. The 1957-built unit

will be restored by students and staff.

The stairs were donated to the Qantas

Founders Museum by a collector in

Sydney, and will be displayed at the

attraction once the restoration has

been completed. http://www.qfom.com.au

Inside the Qantas Hangar.