New scheme for Spitfire G-ILDA
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX, G-ILDA/SM520, has received a new paint scheme honouring the heritage of RAF Westhampnett (now Goodwood Aerodrome) and a veteran Battle of Britain pilot closely connected with the aircraft’s owner, Spitfires.com
North East Land, Sea and Air Museums receive 100 Sqn Hawk
On May 13, 2024, a ceremony was held at the North East Land, Sea and Air Museums (NELSAM) to unveil a former 100 Sqn RAF Hawk T1 as a new exhibit.
Abingdon air show postponed
The annual Abingdon Air & Country Show, which was scheduled for Saturday, May 18 at Abingdon Airfield in Oxfordshire, has been postponed due to exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the organisers.
Last Blackburn Beverley saved
On 3 April, the Carlisle Airport-based Solway Aviation Museum announced it had passed its £60,000 fundraising target for the move of Blackburn Beverley C1 XB259.
DC-3 taxies in return to the sky project
Douglas DC-3 LV-BEH completed a series of taxi runs on March 9 and 10 at an EAA convention in Argentina. It’s the latest step in the project to return the 1943-built aircraft to the skies.
French photo-mapping B-17s that flew on into the 1980s
As of 1960, aircraft belonging to France’s Institut Géographique National had reputedly performed photo-mapping of more than 60 per cent of the world. A fleet of B-17 Flying Fortresses contributed much to this impressive feat, and the IGN kept them operating until the eighties, from the North Pole to deepest Africa
Plans to restore Newark Chinook gather pace
Volunteers at Newark Air Museum have started to fabricate missing and damaged items for Chinook HC.1 ZA717, which arrived at the Nottinghamshire attraction in 2018.
Army Flying Museum to put Apache AH1 on display
The Army Flying Museum at Middle Wallop in Hampshire will soon have an Apache AH1 attack helicopter on permanent display, making it the only place in the UK where the public can see the variant.
Peashooter back in Californian skies
Boeing P-26A ‘Peashooter’ 33-123 (NX3378G) made its first public flight in nearly five years on March 2 at Chino, California.
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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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