Pictured: Britain's first secret spy plane whose pilot 'inspired James Bond' will fly again

Dave Puleston prepares G-AFTL ready for take-off - BNPS

Britain's first secret spy plane whose heroic pilot is said to be the inspiration for James Bond has been restored and will fly again. 

Engineer Dave Puleston has been photographed preparing the aircraft ready for take-off in its hangar at Sywell Aerodrome. 

The Lockheed 12A Electra 1203 was used to gather intelligence before WWII

The G-AFTL, which took crucial reconnaissance photos of Germany ahead of the Second World War, has been returned to its former glory following a round of repairs.

The Lockheed 12A Electra 1203 was covertly used by the Secret Intelligence Service to photograph airfields, factories and dams in the months before war was declared in 1939.

Sidney Cotton is thought to be the inspiration for the fictional character James Bond

By this point, it was very dangerous to have spies on the ground, so this was the best way to learn about Adolf Hitler's preparations for the impending conflict.

The plane's pilot, Sidney Cotton, is said to be the inspiration for the fictional character James Bond. Cotton was known to be friends with the late Ian Fleming, writer of the James Bond series.