Our Airspeed Oxford G-AITF (ED290) was one of approximately 700 of the type used in SA during WWII. It arrived in Port Elizabeth from the UK in the early 1980’s and the restoration program commenced shortly thereafter.
By the early 1990’s the engines were completely overhauled and had run on a test rig for 1,5 hours.
In 1995 the fuselage and centre section had been stripped, but it was only from 2000 that suspect structure, cockpit controls, instruments, hydraulics and pneumatics were completely renovated into operational order.
A rudder was fabricated to replace the one missing when the aircraft was received from the RAF Museum. A lot of work was also done on the wings, replacing damaged skin and recovering them.
The Airspeed Oxford can be viewed in the Bellman Hangar.
