Calling learstang! Il-2 to fly again!

[mholly]

I picked this up on Czech modelforum, originally posted (somewhere) on www.planes.cz:
Under the supervision and help of the workers of Aviacor enterprise in Samara there is a restoration of the legendary WWII a/c Il-2 under way in Novosibirsk. This particular airframe, which had been manufactured in summer of 1943 in Kuibyshev GAZ, was discovered in the marshes at Russo-Finnish border in 1991. Ten years later it was recovered and transferred to specialized workshop in Novosibirsk. Restorers are primarily facing the problems with the spare parts. Over the time they managed however to get involved the veterans who had participated in the production of this aircraft and obtain the technical documentation according to which they were able to manufacture copies of the missing original parts. According to the latest news designers believe to bring this project to airworthiness.
First tests of the anticipated only flying Il-2 in the world could take place in June, optimistic outlooks state that the airplane could even fly over to Aviacor factory airport in Samara and be officially introduced to the public during this summer.
Cheers,
Mario

[learstang]

Amazing news, Mario!  It's about time - it seems every time I turn around someone's restored another flyable Spitfire (not that there's anything wrong with that).  Let's at least hope they get the paint scheme correct!  And of course if they need any consultants on the colour, I'm sure the good folks on this site would make themselves available.  I'm up for an all-expenses paid trip to Novosibirsk and/or Samara.

Regards,

Jason