air-cargo

Aerospace Bristol advances rare freighter restoration project

Aerospace Bristol has achieved significant milestones in its conservation effort for a Bristol Freighter Type 170 aircraft. The aircraft, serial number NZ5911, represents one of only 12 surviving freighters globally and the sole remaining example in the UK and Europe. Built in Filton, the 70-year-old cargo plane returned from New Zealand in 2018 after departing Bristol decades earlier. The museum has relocated the aircraft to a permanent outdoor exhibition space, marking a pivotal phase in what officials describe as their largest conservation undertaking. The freighter will soon have its centre wing box reunited with the fuselage later this summer. Unlike typical restoration work conducted privately, this project unfolds in public view, allowing visitors to observe conservation techniques and volunteer efforts firsthand while experiencing a cornerstone of Bristol's aviation heritage.