Bristol Flighter F2b ZK-BHS first flight 17-01-2023

The "High Road to China" Bristol Fighter F2B Replica ZK-BHS2 has taken to the air after a long                                                                                         gestation. 

The test flying is being carried out at Omaka by Ryan Southam, with the first flight being on Tuesday                                                            17 Jan 2023, all went well.  

There have been Several flights since, with a few tweaks to trim etc. 

Ryan reports, a lovely aircraft with good performance, good manners, just like its sister ship, ZK-PRK (the NZ Warbirds example). 

Owned by Omaka Brisfit Syndicate, this was one of six built for the High Road to China movie in the late '70s.  The film was delayed, then eventually went ahead with a much reduced story content, and using Stampe biplanes instead of the Bristol Fighters. 

 But one of the Bristols completed was used in a 1981 production called 'Death Hunt' with Lee Marvin and Charles Brosnon. 

 This is that very aircraft, and it has been restored with the same unusual colour scheme it wore in that movie, but now on wheels.  In the film it was flying on skis in the Yukon in some stunning but challenging conditions!

There will be more on this aircraft in the next Classic Wings Magazine.