GIN HELPS RECOVER A LOST SPITFIRE
an artisan distillery has sponsored The recovery of a plane That was shot down over Norway in 1942
spitfire heritage gin is made by master distiller dr John walters and was created to celebrate the legendary aircraft. it also recognises the work of the women of the air Transport auxiliary, who flew the aircraft unarmed and unescorted. Now the distillery has sponsored an archaeological expedition that has recovered a lost spitfire.
aa810 was a reconnaissance aircraft that had been stripped of its weaponry to enable a longer flight range. it was shot down by two me 109s while observing the battleship Tirpitz over Norway on 5 march 1942. its pilot, alastair gunn, parachuted and survived, but he was captured and imprisoned in stalag luft iii. gunn would later be recaptured and executed by the gestapo after escaping during the famous ‘great escape’ in march 1944.
remarkably, aa810 has been recovered by aircraft engineer and historian Tony hoskins, who led an expedition that was sponsored by spitfire heritage distillers in support of the spitfire heritage Trust. The plan is to return aa810 to britain before it is expertly restored to once more take to the air. The story of its recovery and repatriation is being featured in the bbc documentary digging for britain.