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Header image: Lancaster PA474 in the Stephenson Hangar at Duxford in late February. (All photos: courtesy of the Aircraft Restoration Company)

Work on the BBMF Lancaster, by a full-time team of nine Aircraft Restoration Company technicians in the Stephenson Hangar at Duxford, has been progressing well. Having completed the deep strip and inspection, many parts are starting to go back onto the bomber’s airframe. The bomb bay doors are now back in place and the undercarriage legs and tail plane are being re-fitted. A number of sheet metal repairs have been carried out to airframe skins as the accompanying photographs show.

Header image: Hurricane Mk IIC PZ865 in flight (photo: Mark Meades)

Forty-five years ago this month, on Wednesday 29th March 1972, Hawker Siddeley’s Chief Test Pilot, Duncan Simpson OBE, landed Hurricane PZ865 at RAF Coltishall behind a Lightning jet fighter of the Station’s Operational Conversion Unit. He taxied to the aircraft servicing pan, adjacent to the BBMF hangar, and shut down. He was not expected and nor was the fact that he was delivering this precious, company-owned artefact of the nation’s aviation heritage into the hands of the RAF’s Memorial Flight.

Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 26 March this year. If you’re looking for present ideas, we’d be very grateful if you’d consider buying a Club membership pack. The pack makes a great gift, it provides the first year’s membership for the Club and you’ll be directly supporting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) by purchasing one.