FlyPast Magazine March 2025 Back Issue

GLORIOUS GUSTAV
A phenomenal warbird is making its mark in the skies once again. The Military Aviation Museum’s unique Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 has flown again following a four-year period confined to hangar and workshop. In our special cover story, Uwe Glaser tells this fearsome fighter’s story and captures breathtaking air-to-air images

HINDENBURG: WHAT WENT WRONG?
The fiery demise of the Hindenburg airship in 1937 has inspired many a theory. Phil Lloyd seeks to provide the answers

CLASSICS: AVRO MANCHESTER
Although troubled from the outset, the RAF’s twin-engined Manchester was the direct ancestor of the legendary Lancaster. We tell the full story of the less celebrated bomber’s tumultuous history

RAF MUSEUM’S SPECIAL RESERVE
A visit to the RAF Museum’s remarkable reserve collection, and an exciting update on its future

LUFTWAFFE FINALE
We reflect on Operation Gisela, a last throw of the dice by the World War Two Luftwaffe

STIRLING EFFORT
Significant sections of Short Stirling recently arrived in the UK where they are boosting a project to recreate as much of the giant bomber as possible

We also celebrate the return to the skies of several restored – or recreated – airframes, including the fulfilment of a lengthy dream, to see a Sopwith Strutter fly again. Steve Beebee and Jamie Ewan visit a fantastic new aircraft exhibition at IWM Duxford that commemorates the events of 1940, while Scott Lester was among the privileged few to step inside HMS Sultan’s airfield museum recently.