Leicester's Great Escaper

Assistant editor Jamie Ewan talks to Simon Wilson about the truly remarkable Bücker Bestmann he flies

A dream come true for Simon Wilson – flying a Bücker Bestmann.

It’s a sunny Saturday evening and the circuit at Leicester Airport, just east of its namesake city, is abuzz with Cessnas, Pipers and Pitts Specials. However, it’s a 53-year-old airframe parked outside one of the hangars, resplendent in authentic Luftwaffe colours, which is getting all the attention. “Is that a Messerschmitt 108?” someone asks as they head toward the clubhouse. “No, it’s something better!” comes the reply from pilot Simon Wilson with a smile on his face. “It’s a Bücker Bestmann.”

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