File:Bristol Bulldog IIA ‘K2227’ (G-ABBB) (16694450863).jpg

c/n 7446. Built 1930 and registered ‘G-ABBB’ as a company demonstrator. It was also used for some development work, and was eventually grounded in 1936. In 1938 it was gifted to the Science Museum and in early 1939 went on display at South Kensington, London. During WW2 it was removed for safety (to avoid bomb damage) and was stored. Then, in 1955, it was used for static scenes in the ‘Reach for the Sky’ film, marked falsely as ‘K2496’. A restoration to fly was commenced in 1957, with the first flight being in June 1961. At this time it was painted in 56sqn markings as ‘K2227’. It then made several air display appearances over the next three years. On 13th September 1964 it crashed following an engine failure at low level during the Farnborough SBAC show. The pilot escaped with minor injuries, but the aeroplane was completely wrecked. Luckily there was no fire. The accident was investigated by the Accident Investigation Branch (who are conveniently based at Farnborough), after which the remains were dumped behind the AIB hangar. Various parts were salvaged and the remains became very widely spread. In 1992 the RAF Museum gathered all available Bulldog parts together and in 1994 SkySport won the contract for rebuilding the airframe for static display. More original parts were found, and eventually the only major section which had to be entirely new-build was the rear fuselage. Overall the aeroplane is believed to be about 50% original. It was returned to the 56sqn markings it carried when it last flew, again carrying the serial ‘K2227’. The stunning completed aeroplane went on display at Hendon in March 1999, in the Historic Main Hangars where it remains today. RAF Museum, Hendon, London, UK.