The Fighter Factory has finalized the plan for the restoration of our Dauntless! The components will be split up to accelerate the project. The wings will be restored by the team at Aero Trader, while the fuselage is going to the dedicated team at Pioneer Aero in Ardmore, New Zealand! Pioneer Aero recently completed the Museum’s P-39 Airacobra and is excited to be working on the Dauntless, noting:
"We are very proud to be asked by The Fighter Factory and Military Aviation Museum to carry out the restoration of the SBD-5 Dauntless B-22 Serial Number 36175. To be involved with this iconic aircraft is a big honour. We feel that the relationship that was forged between The Fighter Factory and Military Aviation Museum and Pioneer Aero Ltd with the restoration of the P-39 Airacobra was very positive and remains so to this day. This was demonstrated by Fighter Factory asking us if we wished to take on the restoration.
The fact the Dauntless also served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force has a strong connection with us. The airfield where they were based while in New Zealand is only a few miles from our hanger at Ardmore Airfield, itself a WW2 era base."
