Plane Resurrection (2016– ) User Reviews

Great Blend of History and Technics

[marsanobill · 8/10 · 25 June 2017]

This series visits six planes and plane restorers in England, and the focus is on World War II types: a Spitfire, a Hurricane, A P-51, a Stearman and a Percival Q6, some of them virtually wreckage or 'basket cases' when work began. This last was a civilian business airplane impressed into the RAF early in the war; it's believed it was the airplane that spirited Gen. Charles DeGaulle from France to England, where he headed the Free French government. (There's one outlier: construction of a replica Fokker Triplane.) There's plenty of dope about the business of actual restoration to satisfy any geek, but what gives this series broader appeal is the historical side. Of the two narrators providing background and perspective, it is the on-camera voice who is also a face: Ian McLachlan does a fine job of providing context: the importance of these airplanes to the men fought and died in the air in WWII. The interviews have not been polished and rehearsed to a fare-the-well, or "Hoovered" as the British say. The result is that always you feel that real people are speaking to you. All in all, an excellent series.

Outstanding

[networthy-92551 · 9/10 · 21 August 2018]

As the other reviewer mentioned, it has a really nice mix of tech, history and personal anecdotes. The restorers are real people, they admit to occasional mistakes as they are learning to restore these old planes and a few are sometimes caught on camera. It becomes a mix of love for the airplanes, modern archeology (relearning lost plane-building arts), and first rate engineering. One regret I have for the listing here: The very excellent pilot/engineer/restorer Maurice Hammond is not listed in the cast, although he often appears throughout the first series (season). Perhaps it is because he unfortunately was involved in an accident in late 2016 that destroyed his precious "Janie" P51D, killed his passenger and nearly killed him. It's sad because his medical issues, the full investigation and legal mess continues well into 2018. We pray for his full recovery and exoneration in this incident, and hope he will continue his excellent work.