(All images courtesy of Mike Fizer/AOPA; rare HA-1112-M4L two-seat trainer)
In September we featured the amazing story of a World War Two time capsule discovered on a Texas ranch, made up of a cache of period aircraft hidden in a barn for more than 40 years. The coveted collection featured in the filming of the 1969 movie Battle of Britain and included arguably the most original of all potentially airworthy Supermarine Spitfires, as well as the rare two-seat version of the Hispano Aviación HA-1112 Buchon pictured above.
Only a handful of twin-stick Buchon (a licensed version of Germany’s feared Messerschmitt Bf 109) training airframes were ever produced, making this Rolls Royce Merlin powered HA-1112-M4L almost unique. After filming had wrapped, stunt pilot Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards – who made his fortune in the oil industry – shipped the vintage warbird along with five of its contemporaries back to the USA as payment for flying the aircraft during the production.
(Image: Mike Fizer/AOPA; inside the HA-1112-M4L cockpit)
But last year, the veteran pilot and businessman decided to auction the historic planes, which had never been accessible to the public, following the tragic death of his son, Tex, in a car accident. The collection sold for more than $15 million through Platinum Fighters. The Buchons are understood to have been snapped up within just 24 hours.
According to Warbirds News, the six Buchons were purchased by Swiss-based company Boschung Global Ltd, which planned to return them to Europe for restoration. The historic fighters are expected to one day fly again, and it’s understood that the rare HA-1112-M4L and another single seat variant will remain with Boschung Global.
Once restored, the aircraft – along with the coveted Spitfire Mk.IX, which first flew in 1943 and was issued to RAF Hornchurch in Essex, England – will make a grand addition to the world’s warbird scene, which has enjoyed a welcome boost in recent years as more and more vintage aircraft are steadily brought back to flying condition.
(Image: Mike Fizer/AOPA; four single-seat Buchon fuselages stored in Texas)
The Hispano Aviación HA-1112 Buchon was derived from the German Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 and built under license in Spain. The wartime fighter remained on charge with the Spanish Air Force as late as 1965, meaning that a number of airframes were still airworthy and available for theatrical use in the myriad war films of the latter 20th century.
During the filming of the 1969 movie, Luftwaffe and British aces Adolf Galland and Robert Stanford Tuck both flew the HA-1112-M4L. The old adversaries, who fought each other during the real Battle of Britain, were employed as technical advisors on the movie. After the war the pair became close friends, with Tuck serving as godfather to Galland’s son Andreas. When it finally takes to the sky once again, it’s understood that this HA-1112-M4L will be the only airworthy example of of a two-seat Buchon in the world.
(Image: Mike Fizer/AOPA; Hispano Aviación HA-1112-M4L Buchon trainer)
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