After three months marooned at Maitland Airport, World War II-era aircraft Felix The Cat has returned to its home on the south coast.
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The striking Catalina, a wartime bomber capable of landing on water, has been grounded since October when an engine failed while en route to the Rathmines Catalina Festival.
A team of mechanics worked around the clock to install a new engine on the historic bird, but melding new and old equipment together on the 75-year-old vehicle proved a slow process.
Cool heads and experienced hands prevailed though, with an initial launch two weeks ago abandoned due to windy conditions after work was completed.
However, there were no such issues on Saturday, with Felix lifting off and soaring soundly to its Albion Park home.
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