Watch a Full Workshop Restoration of the Most Iconic WWII Aircraft

The Show “Combat Dealers” Takes Flight

“Combat Dealers” is a TV series where Bruce Crompton and his team travel to find old military relics, repair them, and share their stories. One recent episode is titled Restoring the Most Iconic Aircraft of WWII. In it, we get a full look at how an aircraft—once broken, damaged, or left in pieces—is brought back to life in a workshop.

In that episode, the team begins by locating the aircraft’s original parts. They trace where each piece came from, sometimes from scrap yards or hidden hangars. Then they carry out careful work: removing corrosion, recreating missing panels, repairing damaged structures, and restoring paintwork. Finally, they aim to make the plane airworthy again, meaning safe to fly. All this takes time, money, and patience.

What Makes This Restoration Special

This is not just about making something look finished; it’s about preserving history. The aircraft in question has flown combat missions and seen real danger. When its parts were damaged—from bullets, shrapnel, weather—they told stories. Restoring it means keeping those marks, those scars, to show where it has been. The team also consults old blueprints, veteran memories, and museum records to stay true to how the aircraft originally was built.

The show also shows workshop tools: rivet guns, welding torches, sanding tools, and varnish brushes. They test wings for stress, inspect engines, check control surfaces. Sometimes a missing bolt or panel must be handcrafted to match the old design. Through each stage the team tests and re-tests, always respecting both safety and authenticity.

Why It Matters

Seeing this process reveals more than metal and paint. It tells us who built the plane, who flew it, who risked their lives in it. The restoration stands as a link between past and present, letting us witness a machine that once carried courage and danger. When the restored aircraft once more moves under its own power, it recalls the pilots, mechanics, and all who touched its wings decades ago.

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