The fuselage frame of Hawker Hurricane XII RCAF 5389, which was partly restored 20-plus years ago.ON DECEMBER 21, 2011, the Calgary Mosquito Society (CMS) revealed that it has been selected by the City of Calgary to oversee the restoration of de Havilland Mosquito B.35 RS700/CF-HMS and Hawker Hurricane XII RCAF 5389.

The CMS was formed in late 2008 with the goal of retaining the Mosquito and Hurricane in Calgary, following several offers from overseas to purchase them from the city. Both aircraft were given over to the stewardship of the Aerospace Museum Association of Calgary in the mid-1980s, but have remained in storage ever since.

The two historic machines will now be JUST A YEAR after it arrived at Meier Motors workshops at Bremgarten, south-west Germany, as a rebuild project, North American TF-51D 44-63473/ N551TF made its first taxi run on December 23, 2011, with Elmar Meier at the controls. The aircraft was acquired from Courtesy Aircraft at Rockford, Illinois, USA, in December 2010 for the Air Fighter Academy (AFA) at Heringsdorf on the island of Usedom in the Baltic. It was intended for use as a trainer for the AFA’s P-51D, D-FBBD (Big Beautiful Doll), which was destroyed at the end of the Flying Legends show at Duxford on July 10 last NorthAmerican TF-51D 44-63473 taxying at Bremgarten on December 23. It will fly soon.

TREVORMCTAVISH MATTHIASDORST 6 AEROPLANE MARCH 2012 year. The TF is expected to appear at shows during 2012. Meanwhile, the AFA’s Hispano Buchón, restored to engine-running condition for display in the Calgary Aerospace Museum (CAM). To accomplish this, CMS has gone into partnership with the Bomber Command Museum (BCM) of Canada in Nanton, Alberta, and Historic Aviation Services of Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

During early 2012 both aircraft will be moved some 60 miles south, from Calgary to the BCM workshops at Nanton, where volunteers are currently restoring their Avro Lancaster B.X, FM159, to full ground-running condition, and have built up a wealth of knowledge about the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Historic Aviation Services is well D-FMVS, which also flew during the 2011 Flying Legends show in the hands of Charlie Brown, has been put up for sale. respected among Canadian museums, having restored more than ten vintage aircraft, including a Hurricane.

The two aircraft, which have not been seen by the public for a couple of decades, will be viewable throughout the restoration process. Richard de Boer, CMS president, says: “We are grateful to Calgary City Council for appreciating and investing in the skill, passion and dedication of its citizens, in being willing to tackle the restoration of both aircraft, and for their generous financial support.” In addition to CF-HMS and 5389, the City of Calgary owns Avro Lancaster B.X FM136, a de Havilland Vampire F.3, an Avro Canada CF-100, a Sikorsky S-51 and a Beech 18, all of which are on permanent show at the CAM.