At Long Last There Is Hope For This Aging Bristol Freighter – A Very Big Change Is Coming

Reborn.

The Bristol Type 170 Freighter had a proud legacy as a cargo plane in Great Britain. Since 1978 this huge Bristol Freighter has been at Ardmore Airfield in New Zealand, far from its home in Great Britain. Now through the efforts of some very dedicated people, this legendary Bristol Freighter will be returning home to Bristol, England.

This plane has remained in the possession of Mark Dwen of Dwen Airmotive when his father bought of them for spare parts in 1978. Ardmore Airfield’s lease is expiring and with the end of an era, Dwen is ensuring that this rare plane makes it back home rather than being scrapped.

“The freighter is no longer airworthy and is being stripped down to its fuselage. It will be shipped on a roll-on-roll-off Wallenius Wilhelmsen vessel. The journey will take around 80 days from Auckland to Portsmouth, England. From there, it will be trucked to Bristol.”

It is quite a treat that the Type 170 Freighter will return to the town of its namesake. Only 11 Bristol Freighters still remain in the world and has earned a strong following among aviation enthusiasts. The Type 170 Freighter can be viewed in this clip as it prepares for the long journey back to its homeland.