Photo-recce Spitfire ops on D-Day
Photo-recce Spitfire pilots were not put off by poor weather, risking their lives to capture vital intelligence on D-Day, as Andrew Thomas describes
Jaguar roaded to Gatwick
SEPECAT Jaguar GR1 XX967 arrived at the Gatwick Aviation Museum at Charlwood, Surrey on 18 April from RAF Cosford, where it had been in use as an instructional airframe with No 2 School of Technical Training.
RAF pilot killed in BBMF Spitfire crash
A Royal Air Force pilot who died after a Spitfire crashed in a field in Lincolnshire has been identified as Sqn Ldr Mark Long.
Newark Hunter receiving Blue Diamonds makeover
A Hawker Hunter is getting a colourful revamp at the Newark Air Museum.
Otter completes journey to Hickory
Former United States Navy de Havilland Canada NU-1B Otter BuNo 144672 arrived at its new home, North Carolina’s Hickory Air Museum, on January 12.
DC-3 D-Day Squadron plans for Overlord 80th anniversary
The D-Day Squadron, a mini-US aerial armada, is returning to Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. The Squadron’s Moreno Aguiari told Tom Allett about the organisation’s forthcoming transatlantic adventure
Last PBY built will fly again
During mid-April, Consolidated PBY-6A BuNo 64107/N9825Z made the 104-mile journey east along the Interstate 90 freeway from Moses Lake, Washington State to Spokane, where it will be restored to airworthy and seaworthy condition by Vintage Aircraft Restorations at Felts Field.
Viper Demo Team marks 50 years of the F-16 with retro scheme
The US Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team has unveiled a 50th anniversary paint scheme for the 2024 airshow season.The F-16C Block 50D Fighting Falcon s/n 91-0395/SW from the 55th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina now wears a red, white and blue scheme honouring the YF-16 prototype.
Bentwaters’ T-33 restored
The Suffolk-based Bentwaters Cold War Museum announced it had finished the restoration of Lockheed T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star, 51-9252 (c/n 580-7036), in April.
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The Latest Historic Aviation News All in One Place
This is your one stop shop for everything you could possibly want to know about historic aviation. Historic aircraft flights, displays and renovations can all be found among the categories and articles linked to from this page.
Readers can find categories for Warbirds, restoration projects by individuals and organisations such as museums, and in-depth resources on iconic aircraft from all the corners of the globe. Whether it is the Hughes H-4 Hercules Spruce Goose, Boeing C-137 Stratoliner, Aerospatiale / British Aircraft Corporation Concorde, Tupolev Tu-144, Hawker Harrier jump-jet or any other historic commercial and military aircraft, the information is here at your fingertips.
Warbird News & Projects
Warbird enthusiasts spend their time bringing iconic military aircraft back to life and in some cases even back to a state of airworthiness. The name Warbird originally referred only to World War 2 era aircraft but has since been widened to include all historical military aircraft.
Popular Warbird types include the North American P-51 Mustang, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane and the Messerschmitt Bf109. While one or two-seat fighters are affordable for the individual enthusiast to restore, aviation museums and groups of people take on much larger aircraft. Examples of these, include, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the Avro Lancaster. The most famous of recent years must be the Avro Vulcan supersonic bomber, which is now on a static display in the UK but flew for several years at airshows.
Spitfire Fighter Aircraft
The Supermarine Spitfire is arguably the most iconic World War II era European aircraft. Credited with a significant role in the Battle of Britain victory against the Luftwaffe’s assault on Great Britain in the summer of 1940, the propeller driven fighter was designed by Reginald J Mitchell at Supermarine Aviation. Mitchell designed the Spitfire with the Rolls-Royce Merlin and Griffon engines in mind because he saw their potential when combined with the aircraft’s unique aerodynamics.
The Spitfire first flew on 5th March 1936 from Eastleigh Aerodrome. However, due to production issues and limitations in Supermarine’s manufacturing process, the first production Spitfire did not take to the skies for a further 2 years. The Spitfire was born four months after the maiden flight of its partner aircraft, the Hawker Hurricane. Together they would deny Nazi Germany air superiority over England and the English channel.
Aircraft Restorations
The restoration of historical aircraft is a challenge full of difficult obstacles with missing engines, control system parts, and the need for significant fuselage, wing or tail repair. The long, slow process of restoring an aircraft to a flight worthy condition or simply for static display is taken up by many individuals, but also museums and groups of enthusiasts.
The restorations undertaken can be as small as a one-seat civilian bi-plane or the always popular Warbirds, or as large as a Lockheed C-121C Constellation. Museums that tackle large scale restorations include the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum in Missouri and the Museum of Flight in Everett, Washington. These museums have restored early propeller driven passenger aircraft and the early airliners built in the USA and Europe, like the de Havilland Comet.
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