Texas-based Lewis Air Legends has reported the arrival of their newly restored de Havilland Mosquito PZ474, which is one of only four airworthy examples of the type in the world.
As previously reported, the Mosquito FB VI was originally constructed at Hatfield in 1945 and was used for RAF training before serving with 75 Squadron in New Zealand as NZ2384. In the 1950s and 60s the machine was owned by the Insurance Finance Corp. of Studio City, CA, and is believed to have been used by the CIA for intelligence gathering in South America. [continue reading…]
Lewis Air Legends and Avspecs, Ltd. have shared a new feature on newly restored Mosquito FB VI PZ474 aired by Television New Zealand’s (TVNZ) Seven Sharp.
As previously reported, the machine was originally constructed at Hatfield in 1945 and used for RAF training before moving on to New Zealand in 1948, where it was overhauled and delivered to 75 Squadron as NZ2384. In the early 1950s, the aircraft was acquired by new owners and registered as ZK-BCV before being transferred to the United States. There, the Mosquito was given civil registration N9909F and, from around 1955-66, was owned by the Insurance Finance Corp. of Studio City, CA. During this time it was believed that the machine was used by the CIA for intelligence gathering in South America.
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Yesterday, Mosquito FB VI PZ474 performed its first post-restoration flight from Ardmore Airport in New Zealand.
As previously reported, the machine was originally constructed at Hatfield in 1945 and used for RAF training before moving on to New Zealand in 1948, where it was overhauled and delivered to 75 Squadron as NZ2384. In the early 1950s, the aircraft was acquired by new owners and registered as ZK-BCV before being transferred to the United States. There, the Mosquito was given civil registration N9909F and, from around 1955-66, was owned by the Insurance Finance Corp. of Studio City, CA. During this time it was believed that the machine was used by the CIA for intelligence gathering in South America. [continue reading…]
On November 8, Avspecs, Ltd. rolled out Mosquito FB VI PZ474 for its first port engine test in Ardmore, New Zealand.
The machine was originally constructed at Hatfield in 1945 and used for RAF training before moving on to New Zealand in 1948, where it was overhauled and delivered to 75 Squadron as NZ2384. In the early 1950s, the aircraft was acquired by new owners and registered as ZK-BCV before being transferred to the United States. There, the Mosquito was given civil registration N9909F and, from around 1955-66, was owned by the Insurance Finance Corp. of Studio City, CA. During this time it was believed that the machine was used by the CIA for intelligence gathering in South America.
In 1970, PZ474 was abandoned and began a period of decline. It wouldn’t be saved until 2014, when it was acquired by Rod Lewis of Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas. [continue reading…]
