Aerospace Bristol is making clear progress with its refurbishment of Bristol Bolingbroke IV 9048.

The wings of the former RCAF machine have now been attached to the central fuselage. Previously held in storage in California the 1941-built aircraft is now viewable to visitors on tours of Aerospace Bristol’s Grade II listed restoration facility.

The attraction, based at historic Filton in Gloucestershire, is currently in the process of restoring or conserving three aircraft key to the famous British manufacturer – the Bolingbroke, Bristol Freighter Type 170 Mk 31M NZ5911, and a Bristol F.2 Fighter airframe. The latter is suspended above a replica, on show within the museum’s Heritage Hangar.

The work on the Bolingbroke, largely carried out by skilled volunteers, has been in progress since 2018. The aircraft – a Canadian-built version of the Blenheim – operated from October 1941 until August 1946, after which it was sent to RCAF Paulson for disposal. Thankfully it survived this and spent several years with David Tallichet’s collection in Chino, California, and then the Yankee Air Corps Museum.