Avro 626 (REAF, Flying Training School, 1943). According to the British Advisory Mission Report of July 1943, the FTS at Almaza had 16 Avro 626s which were considered out of date for the role expected of them, and mostly used for anti-aircraft sighting exercises in the Port Said area. These Avro 626s were almost certainly amongst those REAF aeroplanes which had suffered from severe fabric deterioration as a result of standing so long in the fierce Egyptian sun and might have been repainted in overall trainer yellow. The rear cockpit is no longer used and all equipment concerned with the observer’s gun has been removed. The REAF national markings are unchanged, except that there is no longer a crown in the outer green ring of the fuselage roundel. This machine has the individual large code number 8 on the side of the fuselage, while the serial number is probably no longer written under the lower wing. The serial number of the aircraft carrying number 8 is unknown, but of those which were certainly at the Almza FTS at this time, J326 has been chosen for this reconstruction because this was the first Avro 626 which Muhammad Abu Zaid flew at the start of a refresher course when he returned to flying duties, after being sent to the Army for disciplinary reason following the crises of 1942. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)