The flagships of Tom Reilly’s restoration achievements so far: B-17 Flying Fortress 44-83575/N93012 Nine-O-Nine and B-24 Liberator 44-44052 All American, both rebuilt for the Collings Foundation.

One of two North American B-25 Mitchells currently under restoration to airworthiness in Reilly’s workshop.

This de Havilland Vampire, one of Reilly’s residents, is destined to fly in 603 Sqn markings.

A remarkable Sopwith line-up at the Sundown Flying Display at Old Warden on the evening of July 17, 1993. From left to right: AJD’s newly-completed Sopwith Camel G-ASOP/B6291 (which made its first post-rebuild flight on July 27); Sopwith Triplane "N6290"; Sopwith Pup N5180 and Sopwith Dove G-EAGA.

Spitfire IX EN199, currently under static restoration on Malta, made its first public appearance at the end of the old Ta Qali runway on July 10, 1993. The fighter is destined for display in the island’s National War Museum.

One of the few static aircraft at the Flying Tigers Museum - a former US Navy Sikorsky H-34 helicopter. Behind it lurk a Piasecki HUP and an A-26 Invader.

Strikingly painted in target-tug stripes, Harry Whereatt’s almost-completed Westland Lysander was seen during a Canadian Aviation Historical Society visit to his collection at Assiniboia, Saskatchewan. Its identity is uncertain, but it probably served with No 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Mossbank. Also on the site is Hurricane XII RCAF 5447.

Seen at the PFA Rally at Wroughton on July 2-4, 1993 was the UK’s third airworthy Miles Magister T9738/G-AKAT, which made its first post-restoration flight this spring. It appeared with Shoreham-based Magister V1075/G-AKPF.

The Museum of Flying at Santa Monica recovered this Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, NX1345B, from Yugoslavia. The fighter has been rebuilt by Bill “Tiger” Destefani at Minter Field, and he will be operating it on behalf of the museum.

The Hughes “Spruce Goose” is getting a new roof over its head in McMinnville, Oregon. It will form the centrepiece of the Airventure Museum when it opens in 1994.

The Wirraway arrives in Sweden in 1981. Its stringer-and-fabric fuselage contrasts with that of the all-metal Yale used in the project.

Newly painted in the colours of Navy Fighter Squadron 7, one of Herb Tischler’s Grumman F3F-2 replicas has gone on display at The Air Museum "Planes of Fame" at Chino, California.

The all-metal Yale used in the project, seen during inspection in Canada in 1980.

The rebuild team takes a break for the camera as the Sk 14’s fuselage takes shape. Project leader Solve Fasth is on the right, with team foreman Per Bjorkner in the middle, sitting on the wheel.

The very first Sk 14, the master aircraft for licence-production, photographed by manufacturers North American in the USA in 1937.

Don Cashmore flew his recently-completed Hawker Cygnet replica G-CAMM to the Shuttleworth Sundown Flying Display at Old Warden on July 17, 1993.

Crowds line the beach at Calshot to wave goodbye to last airworthy Sunderland G-BJHS on July 20, 1993, as pilots Kermit Weeks and Ken Emmott bring the flying-boat in for a final low pass before departing for Eire, Iceland and North America.

A last look: Short Sunderland G-BJHS over the Needles at the western tip of the Isle of Wight, during a final tour of the South of England on July 17, 1993 before it departed for Eire, Iceland and North America on July 20.