Interval of time before aircraft finally flew back home (7)
I believe the answer is:
twelfth
'interval' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.
'time before aircraft finally flew back home' is the wordplay.
'time' becomes 't'.
'before' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'finally' indicates one should take the final letters.
'back' says the letters should be written backwards.
'home' becomes 'h' (abbreviation as used in sports fixtures).
The last letter of 'aircraft' is 't'.
't'+'flew'='tflew'
'tflew' backwards is 'welft'.
't'+'welft'+'h'='TWELFTH'
'of' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for twelfth that I've seen before include "Last of a dozen" , "- - man (cricket)" , "glorious day in August?" , "The Glorious -- is when grouse-shooting begins" , "Northern Ireland's big July day" .)