The February edition of FlyPast features a treasured survivor on its front cover. Air Leasing at Sywell, Northamptonshire, is the proud operator of several historic warbirds, including our distinctive cover star, the two-seat Hispano Buchon ‘Red 11’. This extraordinary machine was flown by legendary Luftwaffe veteran Gen Adolf Galland during the making of the film ‘Battle of Britain’. It remained in storage for many years after the movie, but thanks to the team at Sywell it’s now been restored to its former glory. Darren Harbar gets the full story and captures exclusive air-to-air images.

Hawker Tempest restoration
An exclusive report on a Hawker Tempest that’s being restored to fly in the UK.

Last flash of Lightning
In its twilight years, the English Electric Lightning turned from hunter to hunted, as Ken Ellis explains.

Comet by night
The Shuttleworth Collection’s charismatic de Havilland DH.88 Comet ‘Grosvenor House’ was the star attraction at a recent night photography shoot.

Daredevil of the skies
Plucky aviator Clyde Pangborn had many a swashbuckling adventure, including a flight across the Pacific in 1931. Kathleen Hanser tells his story.

Seven Broncos
An initiative to return no fewer than seven Rockwell Broncos to the air in California is detailed by Frank B Mormillo.

Plus, Jamie Ewan visits the impressive Technik Museum Speyer in Germany and reveals why this collection is a must-see for any aviation enthusiast, while Babak Taghvaee reports from the National Air and Space Museum’s centenary event in Paris. We bring you three breaking stories related to UK-based Spitfires, plus news of the roll-out of a two-seat Hawker Hurricane that should be available for passenger rides in 2020. Elsewhere, Graham Pitchfork outlines the wartime career of a courageous Australian night-fighter ace, and Andy Thomas relays the equally dramatic history of the RAF’s 40 Squadron.