Restored Sea Fury Only Weeks Away From Taking To The Skies

A Royal Navy aircraft that suffered a catastrophic engine failure back in 2014 is now only weeks away from taking to the skies again.

A team of engineers has been working meticulously for the past three years to restore the Sea Fury.

It has not been an easy challenge as she was built in the early 1940s, and is one of the last airworthy survivors of the era.

The teams have had to source all the parts to rebuild from all over the world, from California where they found a skeleton engine to Darwin Australia where they found the right pistons.

Lt Cdr Chris Götke was the Royal Navy pilot flying the Sea Fury when she started to malfunction. It was because of his skilled landing that the aircraft managed to escape serious damage to her exterior.

The landing gears folded and the aircraft collapsed onto its undercarriage, but remarkably only a wing tip and the propeller blades were damaged.

Watch Forces News' original report at the time of the accident:

Engineer George Saunders told Forces News:

"To finally hear it run, and run properly, it's a good experience."

Lt Cdr Chris received a Air Force Cross for how he handled the landing and managing to avoid a packed crowd of spectators who were watching the display back in 2014 at the Culdrose Airshow.

At this moment in time the Sea Fury is currently undergoing ground runs, which means she could be ready fly in as little as three weeks time.

Lt Cdr Chris Götke admitted he will be nervous when the time comes to fly the Sea Fury, but he is looking forward to being able to take to the skies with her again.