Warbird Operators

As well as being a storage, restoration and display facility for some of the larger exhibits of the Imperial War Museum, the airfield and hangars at Duxford are also home to a unique gathering of privately owned warbird collections and their operators.

DEFINITION OF A WARBIRD
Any ex-military aircraft of any country that is now operated by a civilian or civilian organisation. It does not include civilian aircraft painted up to represent a military machine. Originally applied to World War II piston driven aircraft but these days includes replicas and reproductions and ex-military jet aircraft.

Click on photo below
to open relevant page.

Aircraft Restoration Company.

Image Updates - T-28 Fennec 05Jan12

The Aircraft Restoration Company was started by its lead engineer John Romain and operates out of a purpose built complex at the eastern end of the Duxford airfield next to the M11 motorway.The company was established from the team that rebuilt two Bristol Blenheim bombers to airworthy condition at Duxford. As a commercial operation ARCo are responsible not only for restorations to flying or static condition for other collections, museums and private operators, they also provide maintenance for other war bird operators based not only at Duxford but around the world. They now have the contract to overhaul the aircraft in the fleet of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. As a commercial operation, the ARCo/HFL facilities are not open to the public.

Historic Flying Limited.

Image Updates - 03Jun11

Historic Flying Limited is a commercial company specialising in the restoration of all types of Supermarine Spitfires. In the early 80’s Tim Routsis negotiated a deal with the Ministry of Defence to replace real Spitfire and Hurricane gate guards with fiberglass replicas. Eventually the real airframes slowly made their way into private hands with a view to returning them to flying condition. Along with Tim, Clive Denney who owns a company replacing fabric coverings on vintage aircraft, and Ian Warren, a sheet metal and systems engineer, got together and formed Historic Flying Limited, based at Audley End in Essex. Their aim was to restore the former gate guards to flying condition. In 2001, HFL moved to Duxford and share buildings, engineers and facilities with the Aircraft Restoration Company but they remain two independent companies.

The Fighter Collection.