PRINCE Michael met the four men who doggedly pursued the Hotspur project to make the dream a reality.

Starting with just a damaged tail section and part of the undercarriage Jack Gillett, David Hawkes, Red Meaton and Willy Forbes pressed on with the project which took six years of diligent repair, construction and research.

Recreating a wood and fabric aircraft with a 48ft wingspan and 40ft fuselage has been no small project.

The detail is excellent, with all wooden flying controls, original flying instruments, Sutton harnesses, a new cockpit canopy and plywood seats for the six soldier passengers in the back.