AN aviation enthusiast is making steady progress in his painstaking project to build a replica of a German warplane.

Stan Howes is building every component of his Focke-Wulf 190 in his workshop in Darlington.

He hopes to one day fly it at airshows and exhibition events.

The fuselage of the replica is almost completed and Mr Howes has begun painting the aircraft in its Luftwaffe livery – including a swastika, the symbol of Nazi Germany, purely for authenticity.

Mr Howes, who has a long history of building and flying his own planes, has spent three-and-a-half years on the Focke-Wulf and works on it for up to six hours per day.

Asked how long it will take to complete, he said: “That is the $64,000 question – it will be finished when it’s finished.”

Asked why he chose to build a German plane, rather than an Allied one, he replied: “Everybody and his dog has got a Spitfire – this is a unique plane.

“It is all about being different, this is a plane that no one else is going to have.”

Mr Howes said he plans to include a mock weapons system in the plane to enable him to take part in simulated battles during airshows and events.

He looks forward to the day his plane can be 'shot at' by Allied counterparts in re-enactments for the benefit of airshow visitors.