FlyPast – August 2018

NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE

6 FLYPAST August 2018

SAAB Viggen fl ies again in Sweden

The Swedish Air Force Historic

Flight has successfully fl own

its SAAB SK 37 Viggen 37809

SE-DXO after 11 years of

restoration work carried out by

dedicated enthusiasts.

Stellan Andersson was at the

controls for the jet’s fi rst fl ight on

May 15 with Håkan Andersson in the

back seat. The aircraft made its last

operational fl ight on June 26, 2007

to mark its manufacturer’s 70th

anniversary. It had served with

the Swedish Air Force’s F 7 Såtenäs,

F 15 Söderhamn, F 4 Frösön and F 21

Luleå wings before being transferred

to the Swedish Defence Materiel

Administration as the Viggen began

to be phased out in 2005. A two-

seater, 37809 had mostly been used

for training before being modifi ed for

electronic countermeasures duties.

Now on the civil register, it is

painted in the colours it wore with

F 15, and is operated

by the Historic Flight on

behalf of owner Saab. Its airframe is

reckoned to have around 300 fl ying

hours remaining, enough to perform

at airshows in Sweden and further

afi eld for many years to come.

LENNART BERNS

Stellan Andersson fl ying SAAB SK 37 Viggen SE-DXO on May 15. ULF NYLÖF-SWEDISH AIR FORCE HISTORIC FLIGHT

Anson arrives at

Montrose for restoration

Avro Anson C.19 TX226 has recently

arrived at the Montrose Air Station

Heritage Centre in Scotland. The

aircraft was purchased along with

several other original parts from Glenn

James in Coventry, Warwickshire.

The centre’s chairman, Ron Morris,

said: “We acquired the aircraft and

original parts from Glenn who also

has an airworthy Anson which he still

fl ies. It’s a very exciting project and

we are looking forward to starting the

restoration. We estimate it will take

around fi ve to six years to complete.”

Dr Dan Paton, the museum’s curator,

added: “Our ethos is to focus on the

experience of those who served at

Montrose, and seek to collect aircraft

which have an historical connection

to the base. Ansons served here so

they fi t our collections policy. We will

be looking for a personal story to

attach to the new arrival when it

is restored.”

Anson TX226 was among a batch

ordered by the RAF in January 1945.

The type was operated from Montrose

with RAF Coastal Command’s 269

Squadron, usually on anti-submarine

patrols over the North Sea.

http://www.rafmontrose.org.uk

WITH THANKS TO NEIL WERNINCK

Avro Anson C.19 TX226 arriving at Montrose

Air Station Heritage Centre recently.

KEVAN DICKEN-MASHC

Sycamore helicopter visits

‘birth’ place

The world’s last fl ying Bristol 171

Sycamore returned ‘home’ to Weston-

super-Mare last month when it fl ew to

the Helicopter Museum; 60 years after

it was built.

Sycamore XG545 (OE-XSY) landed

there on June 11 and was scheduled

to be based at its Duke of Edinburgh

Hangar until the 24th. The distinctive

helicopter also appeared at the RAF

Cosford Air Show on June 10.

The Sycamore is now the only

airworthy example in the world and

made its fi rst fl ight from Weston on

February 3, 1958 before being delivered

to the West German Navy in VIP

confi guration and later transferring to

the German Air Force. After retirement,

it entered private ownership and was

moved to Switzerland where in 1988 it

was repainted in RAF colours. It is now

operated by Austria-based Flying Bulls.

The Helicopter Museum is home

to the world’s largest collection of

rotorcraft, including two other Bristol

Sycamores, one of which (XL829) was

the last to be delivered to the RAF.

http://www.helicoptermuseum.co.uk

The Flying Bulls’ Bristol Sycamore OE-XSY

arriving at Weston. HELICOPTER MUSEUM