G-OTME Nord 1002 (ME 108)

from Light Aviation February 2023

WHERE TO GO

By Simon O’Connell

In 1942 the manufacture of the Messerschmitt Bf 108 was transferred to SNCAN (usually known as Nord) at Les Mureaux in occupied France. Later, and fitted with a Renault engine, it became the Nord 1001 and then 1002.

This aircraft came in from the USA in November 2014 as a nearly complete restoration. Originally recovered in the mid-1960s from the top of a Shell garage in Marseille, she’s been a slow burn restoration in the USA since the early 1980s. There’s a lovely article in a Californian paper, showing the owner with his project, stating he thought “… the 1981 local airshow might be a bit optimistic but he’d see you there in ‘82!” Last flight we believe was circa 1958 before being dropped from the French register in 1960.

Originally she was restored with a turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540 (as seen in the brown scheme) turning a three blade prop, but we’ve unravelled that to create a

Project Notes

Right Pete Marsden has been in touch with Project News to confirm that the first UK example of a KFA Explorer has now received its full Permit to Fly. While Oscar Zulu is a light aircraft, Pete is currently finishing a second example as a 600kg microlight.

Above left Prior to import, and with a different paint scheme, three bladed prop and turbocharged Lycoming.

Above In the hangar nearing completion, you can just about see that the cockpit has room for four.

Right In the hangar and ready for test flying.

facsimile of G-ETME with her normally aspirated 540. The Lycoming replaced both the original Argus engine of the Messerschmitt or the Renault fitted to the later licencedbuilt Nord.

Her paint scheme is far from original, the current one being applied for a big budget feature film that’s yet to be released. If the film is any good then she’ll likely stay like it, if it’s not then I’m sure some sort of Luftwaffe scheme will be on the cards.

Thanks are due to Adam Lewis for the initial work, Paul Baisden Engineering at Southend for the bulk of the heavy lifting, and latterly the team at Vintage Fabrics for getting her over the finish line. We await reasonable weather and a dry strip for her maiden flight. ■

New Projects Cleared To Fly

Above We saw G-AHHY last month in Project News, but Mike Maddams has sent in a further image of Hotel Yankee enjoying her 80th Birthday flight on the 2 January – 80 but ageless, don’t you think?

If your aircraft has been featured in the New Projects list, please let Project News know of your progress at: projectnews@laa.uk.com

■ Groppo Trail MK2 (LAA 372-15856) 16/12/2022