A historic Gipsy Moth air ambulance – one of three still left in the world – is set to grace the skies over Maitland later this year after being restored by experts at Luskintyre.
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The repair work is a triumph for the team at Luskintyre Aircraft Restoration, who have put the plane back together after it crashed in 1936.
Matt Webber, owner of the restoration company, bought the hangar and tools in 2009.
The company has so far restored a dozen aircraft and has acquired a worldwide reputation for its expertise.
Among the jewels still awaiting restoration is a rare 1943 wartime Hawker Hurricane.
“The Gipsy Moth was owned by Qantas in the late 1930s,” Mr Webber said.
“It crashed in northern NSW and was brought back and repaired.
“Then it was sold to a doctor operating from Katherine in the Northern Territory who used it as an air ambulance for many years.”
The plane was extensively damaged in another crash and the parts lay in a crate, rusting, for many years before aircraft enthusiast Michael Worthington bought it three years ago.
“We have put the plane back together, starting with the basic framework,” Mr Webber said.
“We have given it new woodwork and wings.
“Our team has been working from a few drawings that have been handed down by different people over the years.
“We have been doing this work for more than 15 years and our dedicated team aims for perfection.
“This plane is quite unique and there are only a handful of workshops in the world who do what we do.”
It will be a big day for aviation historians when the Gipsy Moth is trundled along the Luskintyre airstrip for its first flight as a restored plane.
