Historic Flying Limited

British company
Map
The Aircraft Restoration Company (HFL) are located on the Historic Airfield of Duxford, Cambridgeshire
The Aircraft Restoration Company's Managing Director, John Romain MBE.
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The Silver Spitfire
Spitfire Mk IX MJ271 - (G-IRTY) 'The Silver Spitfire' was fully rebuilt by Historic Flying Limited in 2019.
Spitfire Tr.9 NH341 (G-CICK) was restored by Historic Flying Limited in 2017
Spitfire Tr.9 PV202 (G-CCCA) restored by Historic Flying Limited in 2005 and now operated by Aerial Collective Duxford.
The most authentic Mk Ia Spitfire airworthy today, restored to flight by Historic Flying Limited in 2012.

The Aircraft Restoration Company (formally Historic Flying Limited)[1] is a British company that specialises in the restoration and new-build of Supermarine Spitfires and other historic aircraft. It is based at the former RAF Duxford in Cambridgeshire, UK.

The company was founded in the late 1980s to restore five Spitfires to flying condition; these had been "gate guardians" at Royal Air Force stations. Since then, over 30 Spitfires have been restored or built from scratch - using salvaged parts where available - or restored. This is said to be a third of the Spitfires that are now airworthy. The organisation has also completed major maintenance work on the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft, for which the Stephenson Hangar was purpose-built. The latest of this work included the minor maintenance of the BBMF's Avro Lancaster which was completed at the end of summer 2021.

The Aircraft Restoration Company operates and maintains the largest number of Spitfires and Hurricanes in the world. ARCo specialises in the major and minor maintenance of the RAF BBMF aircraft, including Avro Lancaster,[2] DC-3 Dakota and De Havilland Chipmunks.

The company now uses its expertise to also offer experience flights in its historic aircraft, through their in-house team Aerial Collective Duxford.[3]

Completed or on-going work

The Aircraft Restoration Company / Historic Flying Limited have returned the following aircraft to the air:

Operated aircraft

Two Duxford based Spitfires taxi out to take off
Spitfires N3200 and PT462, operated by the Aircraft Restoration Company from Duxford

The Aircraft Restoration Company currently own, maintain or operate the following warbird aircraft:

NHS Spitfire Project

The 'THANK U NHS' Spitfire flew a number of flight routes over NHS & HSC Hospitals in 2020.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Aircraft Restoration Company painted the words 'THANK U NHS' on the underside of their Spitfire PR Mk XI PL983 "L". Over the course of 4 months the Spitfire completed a number of flight routes, flying over 250 NHS and HSC sites across the United Kingdom in an effort to thank medical & health workers for their on-going fight against the virus. Simultaneously, the general public was able to donate money to 'The NHS Spitfire' project, with a nominated name from each donation being hand-written onto the Spitfire. As of January 2021, the project has raised over £130,000.00, with all funds going to NHS Charities Together.[7][8][9]

Film work

Over the years, the Aircraft Restoration Company has worked or featured on numerous TV and film projects, often providing aircraft, pilots, historical advice and expertise on aerial coordinating.

Works include:

References

  1. ^ "Historic Flying Ltd". Aircraft Restoration Company. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  2. ^ "RAF Coningsby: Lancaster bomber returns home after service". BBC News. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  3. ^ "The Aircraft Restoration Company". Aircraft Restoration Company. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  4. ^ "A VICKERS SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK. 1A - P9374". www.christies.com. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  5. ^ Davies, Gareth; Kelly, Guy (5 December 2019). "Silver Spitfire lands back in Britain after 27,000 mile, four-month world tour". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  6. ^ News, Filed under; Restorations. "Spitfire PR.XIX PS890 to fly again in 2019 following post-accident restoration". World Warbird News. Retrieved 13 February 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ "NHS Spitfire tours south of England hospitals". BBC News. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Signed Spitfire scrambles to lift nations spirits". Royal Aeronautical Society. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  9. ^ "The NHS Spitfire Project". Points of Light. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Guy Martin's Spitfire - All 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Mission Impossible and Top Gun star Tom Cruise spotted flying at Duxford". Royston Crow. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

External links

Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
International
  • VIAF
National
  • United States