In the April 1980 issue of Aeroplane Monthly, Dick Richardson described the restoration of Strathallan’s Westland Lysander
In 1971, Sir William Roberts, owner of the Strathallan Collection of historic aircraft, was on a business trip in Canada and called on a farmer, Mr Wes Agnew of Manitoba. He was surprised to see that Mr Agnew had several Westland Lysanders parked in the open on his farm. These had been purchased after the War from Canadian Crown Assets, and Mr Agnew, having been an RCAF flying instructor during the war, thought they should be saved from the scrap-man’s axe. They were moved to the farm, and there they stood until 1971, when Sir William saw them.
Our Lysander (ex-RCAF 2355) was purchased there and then, and crated and shipped to the UK, arriving in October 1971. It was fairly complete, but the ravages of time had taken their toll of the wood and fabric. However, the dry, pollution-free atmosphere of the Canadian Prairies had prevented any serious corrosion of the aircraft.
