Lysander V9312 Returns to the Air After 14-Year Restoration

After 14 years of “meticulous restoration work” Lysander V9312 returned to the air yesterday evening for its first post-restoration flight.

As previously reported, the aircraft (seen above in Florida prior to restoration) was originally built in 1940 and operated with 612, 225 and 4 Squadrons before being converted into a target tug and delivered to Canada in 1942, where it saw service with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Following its final flight in 1944, the machine was acquired by an owner in Saskatchewan and placed in storage. It was later acquired by Kermit Weeks before being passed on to the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford in 2003.

The aircraft returned to the air for its second flight earlier this afternoon and the team will reportedly be working through the rest of the air-test schedule before finishing off the last few aesthetic touches in time for its scheduled public debut at The Goodwood Revival 2018.

Click below to check out images of yesterday’s flight.

 
(via Aircraft Restoration Company Top Photo: Greg Goebel via Wikimedia Commons Thanks, Pascal!)