On 28 February 1944, exactly 79 years ago today, the Bristol Blenheim departed RAF Bicester for the final time while in active service. The decision to retire the light bomber had been announced just a few days before.
Well, the Blenheim is coming back home for Flywheel, taking place at Bicester Heritage on 17-18 June.
Just one Blenheim remains airworthy, L6739, and it will fly in on Saturday 17 June for Flywheel and stay on display until it takes its leave on Sunday afternoon.
Neither spectacle is to be missed.
It is also the only MkI Blenheim in the world, and is owned, maintained and operated by Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford. Built in July 1939, its active service began in the first throes of war. Two days into World War Two, to be exact: 2 September
It has been painstakingly restored over the course of 11 years and 25,000 voluntary hours and honours the sacrifices made by its daring pilots.
L6739’s service record counts the Battle of Britain, having acted as a night fighter. Its service was necessarily brief, and by the end 1940 it was returned to Bristol Aeroplane Company and only the nose section survived.
Curiously, and neatly given the diversity of companies here at Bicester Heritage, the nose section was preserved and turned into an electric car by Ralph Nelson, a Bristol employee. In honour of that chapter in its history, L6739 retains its tax disc in its window.
Ralph had diligently kept various parts, and they have all been restored to their original purpose by being combined with G-BPIV, a former Royal Canadian Air Force plane that served for three years from 1943. G-BPIV was officially a Bolingbroke, effectively a license-built Blenheim MkIV, but in 2003 it was decided to recreate L6739 by using that MkI nose section.
It returned to the skies in recent years, and has even starred in Dunkirk, too.
To witness the historic warbird in action, join us for Flywheel on 17-18 June. Book now.
Read more: The Blenheims of Helsinki
