The English company GKN Aerospace , dedicated to the manufacture of aircraft components since 1759, announced that it will support the restoration project of the legendary Spitfire AA810 . With a donation of £500,000, the Spitfire PR.IV, which was shot down in Norway, is expected to take to the skies again by 2024
The Spitfire was used by the Royal Air Force and some Allied countries during World War II. This historic plane carried out reconnaissance and surveillance missions against enemy activity, so it flew unarmed.
The long-range military aircraft was in service from October 19, 1941 to March 5, 1942, during which time it made 20 flights. According to the records, at the time of the accident he had just over 49 hours of flight time. The recovery of this aircraft is considered one of the most important in recent decades, since it was found almost intact, which made it possible to work on its restoration.
In 2018, the Spitfire AA810 Restoration Ltd. company was created with the intention of paying tribute to the members of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), who risked their lives during the war. The members of the PRU were of the utmost importance in establishing military strategies, since with the images they managed to capture, the movements of the Axis powers were known.
For 2019, the Sandy Gunn Aerospace Careers Program was launched, named after Alastair Sandy Gunn, the last pilot of the Spitfire AA180, also known as Sandy’s Spitfire. The program seeks to spark interest in careers related to the aerospace industry and engineering.
In the words of Tony Hoskins and Michael Smith of Spitfire AA810 Restoration Ltd., GKN Aerospace is the ideal partner for the restoration project and educational program, having manufactured components for the military aircraft for more than 80 years.
For John Pritchard, CEO of GKN Aerospace, the most exciting part of supporting this project is inspiring the next generation of aerospace engineers and thereby charting the future of aviation.
Once the restoration is complete, the Spitfire AA180 is expected to return to Norway and then be presented at air shows in Wanaka, New Zealand and Oshkosh, in the United States. Afterwards, the plane can be visited by the public at Old Warden aerodrome.
