NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE
6 FLYPAST January 2018
BBMF Spitfi re returns to Coningsby in new colours
The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial
Flight’s Supermarine Spitfi re
LF.IXe MK356 has been painted in
a new scheme following its recent
overhaul by The Spitfi re Company
at Biggin Hill.
The fi ghter now represents 92
Squadron’s EN152/QJ-3, which
operated in Tunisia during April
and May 1943. Flt Lt (later Sqn Ldr)
Neville Duke was among the pilots
to fl y this machine. He went on to
become the highest-scoring Allied
fi ghter ace of the Mediterranean
theatre, with 27 confi rmed victories.
The BBMF’s aircraft was returned
to its base at Coningsby, Lincs, on
November 8 in the hands of Flt Lt
Andy Preece.Spitfi re IX MK356 in its new livery at
Biggin Hill. ROBIN J BROOKSTexas Flying Legends Museum’s North
American P-51C Mustang 43-
got airborne on October 16 for the
fi rst time since 1946.
The Mustang took off from Bemidji,
Minnesota following a three-year
restoration by AirCorps Aviation. The
museum’s chief pilot Warren Pietsch
was at the controls for its successful
maiden fl ight. The P-51C is the third
Mustang restoration completed by
AirCorps since 2011.
The fi ghter has been painted to
represent 42-103585 Lope’s Hope 3rd,the wartime mount of Lt Donald S
Lopez who fl ew a total of 101 missions
and is credited with shooting down
fi ve Japanese fi ghters (all but one
scored while fl ying a Curtiss P-
Warhawk). Don became a test pilot
after the war and retired in 1964 with
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He
later became the deputy director of
the Smithsonian’s National Air and
Space Museum. He died in 2008.
http://www.texasfl yinglegends.org http://www.
aircorpsaviation.com WITH THANKS TO
CHUCK CRAVENS-AIRCORPS AVIATION‘Razorback’ Mustang
makes fi rst fl ight in over
70 years
The Mustang airborne
for the fi rst time since
1946.North American P-51C Mustang 43-
‘Lope’s Hope 3rd’ is prepared for fl ight
from Bemidji, Minnesota.
BOTH AIRCORPS AVIATIONStaff at the Avro Heritage Museum
(AHM) at Woodford, Greater
Manchester, celebrated the
attraction’s second anniversary on
November 13.
Following the closure of the BAESystems’ manufacturing facility
at the airfi eld in 2011, the site was
earmarked for housing development.
Volunteers from the Heritage Centre,
which had been set up 20 years
previously, successfully lobbied BAE
and created the museum.
Martin Willoughby’s replica of the
front fuselage of Avro Lancaster
R5868 S-for-Sugar is now on loan
to AHM (the real S-for-Sugar can
be seen at Hendon). The cockpit of
Martin’s replica will soon be open to
the public. Next year the museum
will also be exhibiting a display to
commemorate the 75th anniversary
of the Dambusters raid and the part
played by Woodford in modifying and
preparing the Lancasters involved.
http://www.avroheritagemuseum.co.ukLancaster’s arrival
marks Avro museum
anniversary
Martin Willoughby’s Lancaster R5868 replica
arriving at Woodford on October 30.
AVRO HERITAGE MUSEUM