Strana 106
Fw 190A-8/N from Flugwerk. Nevertheless, it
must be said that the aircraft is undergoing
a process as demanding and thorough as if it
were an eighty-year-old machine. The entire
airframe, as well as its individual systems, is
undergoing a complete overhaul.
The aforementioned German manufacturer,
Flugwerk, is also involved in another
restoration of the Fw 190, this time the
A-5 version, which is being carried out in
collaboration with GossHawk Unlimited in
Casa Grande, Arizona, USA, using parts from
an aircraft that crashed in France during
World War II.
GossHawk Unlimited is also restoring an
Fw 190F-8 for the US Collins Foundation,
based on aircraft W.Nr. 931862. It crashed
on February 9, 1945, in the Norwegian inland,
from where its wreckage was recovered in
1983. This aircraft is even being restored to
flying condition with a BMW 801D engine.
The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre
has been working on the restoration of its
Just Jane — the Avro Lancaster NX611 — for
quite some time. As part of a long-term
restoration project, the aircraft is being
repaired in sections, and work progresses
over the course of the year, primarily during
the winter months. During the tourist season,
Just Jane, together with the museum in East
Kirkby, slowly earns money for its renovation.
The aircraft is capable of taxiing with all four
engines and is also open for interior tours.
The restoration project is estimated to cost
4 million pounds. The aircraft is sourcing
some of its essential components from the
remains of other Lancasters, primarily those
with serial numbers KB976 (rear fuselage
sections), NX664 (wing sections), and PA474.
It should be noted that restoring Just Jane
to airworthy condition and completing the
associated tests and certifications is not the
only obstacle to Just Jane taking off from East
Kirkby. The airport runway has been blocked
for decades by a post-war road, the nature of
which currently prevents an aircraft as large
as a Lancaster from taking off. The Hawker
Typhoon Mk.Ib RB396 is also undergoing an
extremely challenging restoration project,
led by the British organization The Hawker
Typhoon Preservation Group. The aircraft,
which has a combat history, was severely
damaged after an emergency landing on
April 1, 1945, near the Dutch-German border.
After the war ended, like many others, it was
destined for the scrapyard, but was saved by
a local chemical company that intended to
use some of its parts for its own needs. Years
later, Dutch enthusiasts salvaged the remains
of the aircraft for a local museum. In 2012,
the Typhoon returned to the United Kingdom.
Subsequently, a restored Napier Sabre engine
was acquired, bringing the enthusiasts’
dream of returning this aircraft to the skies
significantly closer to reality.
The American Planes of Fame Air Museum
in Chino is currently working on several
restoration projects with the goal of getting
the aircraft back in the air :
Fw-190F-8 W.Nr. 931862 in the care of experts from GossHawk Unlimited. The aircraft in the final phase of a demanding process.
Just Jane at the East Kirkby base shows off the splendor of her majesty and the sound of all four of her Merlin engines while taxiing.
MODEL & STORY
INFO Eduard106
April 2026