Our partner John Parker of Warbirds Online in Australia has shared the following update as part of our ongoing collaboration to bring readers significant developments from the global vintage aviation community. Hawker Sea Fury T.20 VX281 (G-RNHF) is set to join the expanding restoration program at Vintage Fighter Restorations (VFR) in Scone, New South Wales, Australia. In a parallel move that may prove even more consequential, owner Ross Pay has acquired the tooling and assets of the now-closed UK-based Hawker Restorations operation, further strengthening Australia’s position within the international Hawker restoration network. For those who follow the world of classic British fighter restorations, this represents more than routine project movement. It signals a meaningful consolidation of Hawker expertise and infrastructure in the Southern Hemisphere.
A Second Two-Seat Sea Fury for Scone
Vintage Fighter Restorations, part of the Pays Aviation group, has steadily built a reputation for delivering high-end warbird restorations. We recently reported on VFR’s acquisition of Sea Fury T.20 VZ345 from the United States. It can now be confirmed that a second two-seat Sea Fury, VX281, will also undergo restoration at Scone. Built in 1950, VX281 served with 736 and 738 Naval Air Squadrons at RNAS Culdrose as a weapons trainer before refurbishment and export to Germany. There, operating as D-CACO with Deutsche Luftfahrt-Beratungsdienst, the aircraft supported the West German Air Force. Later exported to the United States as N281L, it appeared on the air racing circuit under the names Dragon of Cymru and Nuthin Special. In 2007, the aircraft was donated to the Royal Navy Historic Flight and subsequently transitioned to Navy Wings in the United Kingdom. On April 28, 2021, VX281 suffered a serious forced landing following engine failure near RNAS Yeovilton. The aircraft was later assessed as beyond economical repair before passing to The Fighter Collection at Duxford and ultimately being acquired by Ross Pay for restoration in Australia. With two Sea Fury T.20s now under one restoration banner in Australia, the development is notable within the global Sea Fury community.
Hawker Restorations UK Tooling Relocates to Australia
In a related and strategically significant development, Ross Pay has secured the tooling and project assets of Hawker Restorations in the United Kingdom following the company’s closure. The inventory — including specialist Hawker tooling, jigs, associated project components, and technical knowledge supporting Hawker airframe work — is being relocated to Scone for integration into the VFR facility. Importantly, the acquisition also includes the capability to undertake two-seat Hawker Hurricane construction, further broadening Australia’s Hawker restoration capacity. Alongside the previously acquired Hurricane Mk II project Z3027, Pay has secured two additional Mk I Hurricane projects as part of the expansion. These projects join an already substantial workload at Scone, which includes two Supermarine Spitfire Mk V Trop restorations and the CAC Mustang Mk.21 VH-AUB rebuild, now nearing completion.
Restoration Plans for the Sea Furies
Both Sea Fury T.20 aircraft are intended to return to flying condition. One will remain within the Vintage Fighter Restorations fleet in Australia, while the second will be offered for sale upon completion. The in-house VFR aircraft is planned to operate with a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine in place of the original Bristol Centaurus. The second aircraft’s eventual engine configuration will be determined by its future owner, offering an uncommon level of flexibility in modern warbird restoration.
A Growing Hawker Hub in the Southern Hemisphere
Facility expansion at Scone is already underway to accommodate the incoming tooling and aircraft. With two Sea Fury T.20s, multiple Hurricane projects, expanded Hawker tooling capability, and ongoing Spitfire and Mustang restorations, Vintage Fighter Restorations is rapidly emerging as one of the most significant Hawker-focused restoration centers outside the United Kingdom. For the wider warbird community, this development underscores the increasingly global nature of vintage aircraft preservation, where expertise, components, and even entire restoration programs now routinely cross continents in the shared effort to safeguard aviation history. Our thanks to John Parker and Warbirds Online for sharing this update, and to Ross Pay and the Vintage Fighter Restorations team for their cooperation in documenting this important milestone.
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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
