Readers may have raised an eyebrow discovering in the December FlyPast that the Ulster Aviation Collection (UAC), at the former Long Kesh airfield, is the largest group of aviation exhibits in all of Ireland. This is no idle boast; it has held this accolade for two decades. Unveiled last September 23, locally-built Canberra PR.9 XH131 brings the airframe count to 19 and there are thousands of supporting artefacts. Northern Ireland is best known for the Short Brothers' factory (universally referred to as Shorts) at Sydenham, Belfast, and these days part of the Canadian Bombardier organisation. But there is much more to the aviation heritage of the province and UAC serves to cherish all aspects of this rich legacy.
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