This week Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona placed their new Sopwith Camel on display.
The reproduction was originally constructed in Europe by John Shaw utilizing original drawings. A flight test was conducted in September 2017 which saw the machine reach roughly 150 ft before its original Clerget rotary engine “coughed and stopped,” resulting in a “heavy landing.” Thankfully Shaw escaped the incident, but the Camel suffered significant damage.
It was acquired by Pima in 2018 and restored for static display wearing the colors of a
Camel flown by Lt. Alfred John Haines of 45 Squadron in late 1918. It is again fitted with an original Clerget from the Pima collection.
For additional details on this aircraft, check out issues 1, 5 and 28 of The Flying Machine journal. For details on John Shaw’s second Sopwith Camel, check out issues 14 and 23.
Click below to view additional images.
Kotare has shared an update on the development of their Bf 109E-4 model kit in 1/32 scale.
After receiving input from various Bf 109 experts, the team is now selecting marking options with the assistance of Lynn Ritger.
OPTION 1 AND BOX TOP ART: A machine that can be accurately depicted without that symbol that causes so much controversy! OPTION 2: Many modellers dislike spraying Luftwaffe mottle schemes. This aircraft will have a nice clean splinter camouflage pattern with the high demarcation RLM 65. OPTION 3: In contrast, many modellers LOVE spraying mottle, so this option will have an aesthetic scheme, and an interesting backstory. OPTION 4: Continuing the Kotare policy of community engagement, option 4 will be chosen by pre-order customers… For Option 4, members of the Kotare First 500 will be able to make suggestions, create a shortlist and then vote in a poll to choose the final markings option. We will supply what YOU want!
Further details have yet to be announced, although pre-ordering is expected to open “soon.” Click below to check out additional renderings.
A 7/8 scale Nieuport 17 has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):
For sale, a Circa Reproductions C1 Nieuport 17, Canadian registration C-IRPV. 55 hours TT engine and airframe. Engine is a 65 HP VW built to Great Plains plans with vertex mag and rotec fuel injection (currently being installed). Full builders logs available on request.
The aircraft is located at Carp Airport (CYRP) near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is currently available for bidding. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.
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Coming soon from Fonthill Media and author Vic Flintham is Royal Air Force Operations 1919 to 1929: How the RAF Secured Its Independence.
The Royal Air Force was just eight months old when the First World War ended. It then had to fight for survival against huge pressure from the Admiralty and War Office. The number of squadrons was swiftly reduced to a handful, but salvation came with the application of air control in India and mandated Iraq. In addition, Chief of the Air Staff Lord Trenchard laid strong foundations with the establishment of the Cadet College, Staff College and apprentice scheme, institutions not easily dismantled.
Throughout the first decade of its existence, the RAF, which then also controlled the Fleet Air Arm, performed operations in Somalia, Germany, Iraq, Palestine, Ireland, Russia, India, Turkey and China, while bringing into service new types of aircraft, albeit in small numbers. In the Middle East and Africa, it conducted and supported trailblazing flights, continually pushing the boundaries of what was achievable.
Royal Air Force Operations 1919 to 1920: How the RAF Secured Its Independence is the comprehensive story of the RAF in the 1920s, covering the service’s development at both home and abroad, including all its operations across the globe. Controversies, such as the RAF’s alleged use of chemical weapons in Iraq, are examined in detail, and some 350 photographs, many previously unpublished, bring the story to life like never before.
The 432 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for September 30.
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MiniArt has announced the upcoming release of a new Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-11 “Basic” model kit in 1/48 scale.
The Fw 190D-11 was a late-war variant, part of the “Dora” series and powered by the Junkers Jumo 213F engine with MW 50 boost. It was a heavily armed variant with two 20 mm MG 151 cannon in the wing roots and two 30 mm MK 108 cannon in the outer wings, but it was produced only in very small numbers.
The upcoming release (48072) is described as highly detailed with realistic metal surfaces and panel details and three marking options. Click below to check out additional renderings as well as box art.
A 1990 Pitts S-1X Sunbird has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):
If you’re searching for a competition-caliber aerobatic aircraft with exceptional performance and an impressive pedigree, this 1990 Pitts S-1X Sunbird is an outstanding opportunity. Designed by renowned aircraft designer Dan Rihn to compete in the Unlimited aerobatic category, this highly modified aircraft combines incredible power, precision handling, and meticulous craftsmanship. With only 375 hours total time airframe and engine, outstanding compression, and a fresh July 2026 Condition Inspection, this Pitts is truly ready to fly.
The aircraft is located in Cincinnati, OH with offers currently being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.
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Coming soon from Grub Street Publishing and author Air Marshal G.A. ‘Black’ Robertson is The Spitfire with Nine Lives: The Enthralling Tale of TE566, Wrecked, Rescued and Rebuilt to Fly Again
Shortly after TE566 was delivered to the RAF, it was one of several Spitfires gifted to Czechoslovakia at the end of the Second World War. Sold to Israel in 1948 and later left to rot in a kibbutz as a children’s plaything, it was rescued, recovered to England and lovingly restored. A new life on the display circuit and on film began in 1992, first in the UK and later in South Africa, where it was all but destroyed in 2002 in a fatal accident. The wreckage was bought, returned to England, then sold to an Australian aviation training institute which eventually sold it back to the previous owner. After passing through several pairs of hands, the aircraft was rebuilt once again by Colin Wills and Tom Gilbert and converted to a two-seater to fly once more. [continue reading…]
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Eduard has released a new, limited edition PBY-5A Catalina in 1/48 scale.
The PBY-5A Catalina was the amphibious version of Consolidated’s famous WWII patrol bomber, designed to operate from both water and land with exceptional range and endurance. It became a workhorse for anti-submarine patrols, convoy escort, search and rescue, and night attack missions, and its versatility made it one of the most important Allied aircraft of the war. The Catalinas in service with the USAAF were designated OA-10A.
The new release (11198) features Revell plastic parts, pre-painted PE parts, painting masks, resin parts (wheels, exhausts and antennas) and Eduard decals with marking options for five aircraft.
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A 1967 Bellanca 260C Viking has been spotted for sale.
According to the listing, the aircraft (one of only 26 built) is a 260 hp Continental IO-470F–powered aircraft with 2,768 total time, 276 hours since major overhaul, and just 19 hours since a full top overhaul. It features upgraded Garmin avionics (430 WAAS, GTX345 ADS-B, audio panel), Century II autopilot, 60-gallon fuel capacity, Cleveland brakes, modern alternator, and a comfortable updated interior, with over $45K in recent maintenance and a current annual through 12/2026.
The aircraft is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is currently available for US $45,950, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.
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LukGraph has announced that they will be reintroducing their 1/32 de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide model kit in a completely redesigned form.
This isn’t just a reissue. It’s a brand-new project: refined, corrected, and heavily detailed to push the level of realism and build experience even further. Every surface, every line, every detail has been rethought to do justice to this iconic aircraft.
The kit will be fully printed (no casting) and will be offered in a variety of boxings with British military, Foreign military and civilian markings. As of this writing, a final release date has not yet been announced.
(via LukGraph)
