Yes, It was a long terme restoration (The plane crash landed in 2001)
From what I heard and red, the damage were more important that the pictures available on the net in 2001 could show: the left wing and fuselage were "folded" and the landing gear need to be replaced.
And the association had to deal with several other difficulties:
- The Sabena went bankrupt, so they loose one of their support.
- The people in charge of liquidation of the Sabena tried one time to seize the plane to sold it. A
Arguing that the plane was the property of the airline. Fortunaltly it was false and the association was able to prove it.
- The Lysander was on loan from the Belgian Army museum of Brussel with a deal that when the plane would be grounded it will go to static exposition in the museum (in the center of Bruxelles) So they need to found, acquire and restore for static display a second Lysander to "solve the deal"
- they lost their place in the hangar and had to move to an other smaller hangar.
Lots of challenge for this small but friendly association.
So when the plane will made its first flight, I will be doubling happy: first to see this rare bird in the sky, and secondly to all the people involved in its restoration: lots of them are retired mechanic and some of them passaed away with the years and will never seen this plane flight again
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