AN ATTEMPT to fly an exact replica of the first wholly-British built plane will be made today, it is hoped.
The plane, built by the Roe Heritage group, was in July exhibited at Walthamstow marshes, the scene of Alliott-Verdon Roe's historic flight 100 years ago.
The exact replica has been built over three years by the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MMSI) and former aeronautical engineers who worked for Avro, the company founded by Mr Verdon-Roe.
It was made using 1909 technology and has an original JAP engine which was removed from a water pump in Yorkshire.
An attempt to fly the fragile machine, the building of which has been funded by Sir Alliott's grandson Eric, will be made today at Woodvale Airport, in Merseyside, weather permitting.
A MMSI spokeswoman said: "There are no guarantees that this triplane will fly. "Roe’s model itself only just flew, and weather, slight changes in design and luck will all affect its chances of flight."
On July 13, 1909, Alliott Verdon-Roe became the first man in Britain to fly an all-British built aircraft, he adapted two railway arches on Walthamstow marshes as a workshop.
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