Major milestone as Bristol Freighter's centre wing is reattached
Aerospace Bristol has reached another major milestone in the conservation of Europe's only surviving Bristol Freighter T170, with the aircraft's centre wing successfully reattached.
The carefully planned lift marks the latest chapter in one of the museum's most ambitious conservation projects. Over recent months, the Freighter has undergone extensive conservation work by Aerospace Bristol's expert team of volunteers and former aerospace engineers, ensuring this remarkable aircraft can be preserved for generations to come.
The centre wing is the structural heart of the aircraft, connecting the fuselage with its outer wings. Reattaching it is a significant engineering achievement and brings the Bristol Freighter one step closer to standing proudly in its complete form once again.
Visitors to the museum have been able to follow the project throughout the summer, watching as different sections of the aircraft have been carefully dismantled, conserved and prepared for reassembly. Today's milestone represents the culmination of months of meticulous planning and teamwork.
Paul Jones, conservation project lead, at Aerospace Bristol, said:" Lifting the centre wing back into place is an incredibly rewarding moment for everyone involved in the project. Every stage has required careful work, engineering expertise and countless hours of effort from our dedicated volunteers and conservation team.
"The Bristol Freighter is a unique part of Britain's aviation heritage, and we're proud to be preserving it so future generations can continue to learn from and be inspired by this remarkable aircraft."
The Bristol Freighter was designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton and entered service in the late 1940s. Renowned for its distinctive clamshell nose doors and ability to carry both freight and passengers, it served operators around the world, coming back from New Zealand in 2018 and last week leaving its hangar for the first time since it arrived.
Today, Aerospace Bristol is home to Europe's only surviving Bristol Freighter, making its conservation an important project in safeguarding the region's and nation’s rich aerospace heritage.
Throughout August, visitors can witness the conservation project taking shape in Aerospace Bristol's spacious outdoor area, where the aircraft is being carefully reassembled.
It's a rare opportunity to witness a major aircraft conservation project up close and see aviation history being brought back together piece by piece.
Work on the aircraft will continue over the coming weeks, with further reassembly milestones still to come before visitors can see the Freighter fully restored.
Whether you're following the project from the beginning or visiting for the first time, there's never been a better time to experience the Bristol Freighter's remarkable transformation and discover the stories behind one of Britain's most distinctive aircraft.
