A Second World War Spitfire flown by a pilot whose story was immortalised in the film The Great Escape is set to return to the skies as part of a major project.
The AA810 plane flown by Alistair ‘Sandy’ Gunn was shot down over Norway in 1942 while on a secret mission to photograph the German battleship Tirpitz. The pilot escaped - but was later captured and imprisoned by the Gestapo. He was executed in 1944 following his involvement in 'the Great Escape’ from the Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp.
The historic aircraft flown by Mr Gunn is now being restored following a £500,000 donation from aerospace giant GKN, which supplied fuselage frames and system components for the Spitfire more than 80 years ago.
