Memories were brought back for a Second World War veteran as he watched a fighter plane being reassembled.

Former RAF pilot Reg Davey, from Barnet, visited to see restoration work on a Mosquito fighter plane at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum at Salisbury Hall, in London Colney, last week.

The 92-year-old, who flew with a Mosquito squadron during the war, said: “I came to make sure progress on the restoration and reassembly is going well. I saw the aircraft, and was hooked.”

As he watched the fuselage being delicately lowered onto the wings of the prototype, Mr Davey spoke of his days in the force.

“In 1942 I was with 218 Squadron flying Stirlings and we were one of the decoys for Guy Gibson’s dams raid. My squadron also did the target marking for Dresden, but I was on leave at the time so I didn’t go on that one”, he added.

After leaving the RAF in 1946, Mr Davey joined the civil service, working for the labour exchange.

Though no longer a working member of the museum, Mr Davey has celebrated his last two birthdays there.

Mr Davey added: “There were four generations of my family there each time, and we will be back for my 93rd as well."