Category: Museums / Organizations

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Thomas-Morse Scout’s First Post-Restoration Flight Captured in New Video

The first post-restoration flight of Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation’s newly restored, Le Rhone-powered Thomas-Morse S-4B has been captured in a newly released video.

As previously reported, The Ithaca, NY-based organization was established in order to return an example of the WW1 advanced trainer to the city where it was originally manufactured as “a symbol of Ithaca’s aviation heritage.” Their machine was generously donated by Dr. William N. Thibault of San Diego, CA in 2010 and received a meticulous restoration prior to the September 29th flight.

Click below to check out the video.

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Support Sought to Refurbish Lytham St Annes Spitfire W3644

The Lytham St Annes Spitfire Centre in Lancashire, England has launched a fundraising campaign to refurbish and repaint the full-scale Spitfire Mk Vb reproduction (W3644) adorning the Lytham St Annes Fighter, Bomber & Coastal Command Memorial at Fairhaven Lake on the Fylde Coast.

The reproduction was acquired the volunteers of the Lytham St Annes Spitfire Display Team following three years of fundraising and was placed on display in 2013. However, it was recently removed from its plinth for much needed repairs, improvements and repainting.

Funds raised during the campaign will reportedly help return the Spitfire to public display and will also be used to carry out work on the associated RAF memorial plaques, which are said to be “in dire need of repolishing and colour infills.”

Click below to learn more.

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Time-Lapse Video Captures Work on USAF Museum’s Avro 504 Restoration

The USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio is currently in the process of restoring their Avro 504K and recently released a time-lapse video detailing the process of removing fabric from the machine’s fuselage.

As previously reported, this particular example of the famous WW1 British trainer was originally constructed by the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Aircraft Maintenance & Development Unit in 1966-67 using original parts, including a 110 hp Le Rhone rotary engine. It arrived at the USAF Museum in 2003 and has since been on display in its Early Years Gallery wearing the colors of an aerobatic trainer of AEF No. 3 Instruction Center, based at Issoudun, France in 1918.

The next steps will include cleaning the airframe structure and engine and replacing the fabric with a period correct linen.

Click below to check out the new video.

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Newly Restored Albatros D.Va Performs First Engine Test [Video]

Yesterday, the WW1 Aviation Heritage Trust’s newly restored Albatros D.Va (G-WAHT) performed its first engine test at the Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire, UK.

As previously reported, the reproduction, formerly ZK-TGY, was a regular performer on the UK Airshow Circuit in 2015-2016 and was originally constructed by The Vintage Aviator Ltd. of New Zealand, which also carried out the recent work. As seen above, it initially appeared in the colors of the machine flown by Paul Baumer of Jasta 5, however it has been repainted to represent D.2263, flown by Otto Kissenbert of Royal Bavarian Jasta 23b.

The Albatros arrived at The Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire, UK last month where it underwent reassembly. It is expected to remain at the location until the process of obtaining a flight permit is complete. Click below to check out a video of yesterday’s test.

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P-40E Kittyhawk AK803 Arrives At New Temporary Home

After being shipped from its previous base in New Zealand earlier this month, Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk S/N AK803 has arrived at its new, temporary home at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.

The aircraft was delivered to the RCAF in October 1941 and based at an RCAF Station in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where it saw use in anti-submarine patrols. Later, it was flown 4,000 miles to Annette Island, Alaska (setting a record in the process) before moving on to Boundary Bay near Vancouver, British Columbia, where it performed fighter affiliation work with B-24s and B-25s.

Following a landing accident on Vancouver Island, AK803 was sent to Coates Limited on Sea Island, where it was stripped to bare metal, polished and used as part of a War Bond drive at Brockton Point Oval in Vancouver.

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Promo Video Released For Upcoming WW1 Dawn Patrol Rendezvous

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio has released the first promotional video for the upcoming 2018 Dawn Patrol Rendezvous air show.

The event, offered every other year by the museum and the Great War Aeroplanes Association, will reportedly feature flights of reduced and full-scale replica WWI aircraft, WWI living history re-enactors in a war encampment area, radio-controlled model aircraft, period vehicles, music and a collector’s show of WWI era items. The event will also include guest speakers on WWI topics as well as many family hands-on and educational activities.

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WW2 Aircraft on the Move at USAF Museum [Video]

The USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio recently moved some of its iconic WW2 warbirds back into position after they were temporarily relocated to provide room for the Memphis Belle exhibit opening back in May. These included the P-51, P-47, P-38 and A-36.

In the process, opportunities were provided to get a better look at the aircraft, resulting in a new series videos that can be seen below.

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“The Flying Machine: Early Aero Quarterly” Summer 2018 Edition Now Available!

Aerodynamic Media, LLC is proud to announce the release of the eighth issue of The Flying Machine: Early Aero Quarterly.

Issue #8 Contents:

36 Pages – Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre’s B.E.2a Reproduction; Jerry May’s Fokker Dr.1 Project; Avro Type F Replica Moves to Woodford; NELSAM’s Morane-Saulnier N Project; News Briefs: Newly Restored de Havilland DH.4 Displayed at AirVenture 2018, Tom Kozura’s Sopwith Camel Project, Cardboard Curtiss Jenny; Products

The Flying Machine focuses exclusively on “aeroplanes” manufactured prior to 1920, as well as the current work of historians, builders, restorers, museums and collectors to preserve and promote interest in the early years of flight. Published in print and digital formats, The Flying Machine is offered on a pay-per-issue basis – no subscription required!

Join us as we pay tribute to early aircraft and the visionaries, geniuses and daredevils who conquered the air while producing some of the most fascinating, ingenious and beautiful machines in aviation’s short history.

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C-53 “Beach City Baby” Performs First Taxi Test in 20 Years

Yesterday, C-53 Skytrooper “Beach City Baby” performed a taxi test under its own power for the first time in 20 years.

As previously reported, the aircraft (S/N 41-20095) was constructed by Douglas and was on the factory floor when the Pearl Harbor attack occurred in December 1941. It was delivered to the USAAC in January 1942 and was soon flown to Africa to participate in Operation Torch. The machine also saw service transporting troops and VIPs during the war and completed its service with FEA, Cairo Division.

Following civilian service with Danish Airlines/SAS and a stint as “Buckeye One,” the official state aircraft for the governor of Ohio, the Skytrooper was retired and flown to the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio where it remained until 1990, when it was acquired by Ohio University of Athens and stripped of its engines. Eventually Ken Joseph stepped in and returned it to an airworthy state, obtaining a ferry permit and flying it to Beach City, Ohio in 1992. Continue reading C-53 “Beach City Baby” Performs First Taxi Test in 20 Years

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Pacific Aviation Museum’s Partially Restored B5N “Kate” Moves to New Hangar for Exhibit [Video]

After adding an extremely rare Nakajima B5N “Kate” to its collection of WW2 aircraft back in 2016, The Pacific Aviation Museum in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii has reported that the machine has been moved to its new home in Hangar 37 as part of a new exhibit.

As previously reported, the B5N was considered the most effective aircraft operating with the Imperial Japanese Navy, and was credited with causing the bulk of the damage sustained by battleships during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

The museum’s restoration shop, located in historic Hangar 79, had begun restoring the aircraft for static display, although a final livery has not yet been selected. The process is reportedly complete for now, and details about the new exhibit are said to be forthcoming.

Click below to check out a video of the recent move.

Continue reading Pacific Aviation Museum’s Partially Restored B5N “Kate” Moves to New Hangar for Exhibit [Video]