You may be interested to know that the Piston Provost in Albert’s photos still survives. It did indeed go initially to Torbay Museum but when that closed it was sold an ended up dismantled at Dunkeswell. My good friend Paul Singleton noted it deteriorating there and determined to rescue it. He purchased it and being a long time member of the Wellesbourne Aviation Group he and colleagues from the museum moved it up to the Midlands. Paul eventually presented it to the group’s museum at Wellesbourne and after a lengthy and extensive rebuild it is now fully assembled and on display. It is a credit to all the work which a small group of dedicated members put in and is now conserved well, displaying original serial, unit badge etc and with a dedicated cockpit canopy cover purchased and fitted. It’s well worth a visit to see this regenerated Provost. I love the type and well remember sitting in G-ASMC years ago whilst it was cartridge started – real aircraft have props (but I might be biased)!!

It’s been flying every other day. There were rumours that it would be flying night sorties but certainly Tuesday this week it was out of the hangar by 09.30 and I saw it taxy out and take off about 11.45. There were reports of it flying Thursday daytime. Reports also suggest it will leave about mid-day Saturday. UKAR provided background on the purpose of its visit but I couldn’t comment on the veracity of the content- it, however, had nothing to do with the hurricane!

I well recall the B2 fuselage from G-ACBH which laguished in the Essex yard. At the time I obtained permission to access it and in order to photograph it for an early edition of Wrecks & Relics I had to climb an adjacent tree to get a good angle on it and also use a flash unit to illuminate it. The things one has to do to record history – none of these digital gizmos in those days – it was b&w film , home processing and printing etc. So far as the B.2 cockpit section goes, I also recall that from when it was on show at East Kirkby. All happy days! Is there a suggestion that the latest post indicates a “new” find i.e. that the item is genuine and is not connected with either of the ones we know about? I’ve never personally seen mention before of any “spare” fuselage /components existing as held in support of G-AEBJ but if someone knows different then do please share?

The Avia does now carry an overall dark green scheme plus Croatian markings. It was not hidden away on Sunday – it was out of the hangar and taxied – very photogenic. The owner confirmed to us that it is one of only two currently airworthy Worldwide the other in Italy no longer has the original engine type installed. I understood it had not been based a Leicester for some time.

Rich82

Thanks for the heads up on the list – but I accessed it from the IWM site (not TFC) and your link too shows that as the source. Which is the Seafire – is it the one from North Weald (yet to fly) or an even more exotic one from the US perhaps (which is already airworthy)? Is the 109 perhaps to hop over from Wattisham – I thought that was to test flight in the US …. or is it a European restoration or a Buchon from up North .. Can anyone in the know clarify?

……….. What I want to know is where the other two are as they have (or had) three. Having said that they did have four the first time they came to Kidlington and then only three after that. …….

I saw one of them parked up at Springbank airfield Calgary, Canada yesterday.