Category: Museums / Organizations

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Temporary Home Sought For Restored Harrier That Won 1969 Transatlantic Race

A temporary home is being sought for a newly restored Harrier with a historic past.

The aircraft (XV741) won the transatlantic race from London to New York in 1969, an event held by the Daily Mail to commemorate the original 1919 flight by Alcock and Brown. Departing from a coalfield near St. Pancras, RAF test pilot Tom Lecky-Thompson flew the machine to the Empire State Building in 6 hrs 11 mins and 57 seconds.

XV741 was recently restored by Jet Art Aviation, Ltd. in a process that included the removal of 17 layers of paint. The aircraft is reportedly being kept in a hangar just south of York, and while it does have an eventual home, the owner would like the jet to be placed on public display “in a suitable museum environment so the aircraft and restoration work can be enjoyed by the public, especially for the 50th anniversary of the race next year.”

A loan period of up to 3 years would be considered.

Click below to check out recent restoration updates.

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F4U-5N Corsair F-AZEG Returns to the Air Following Decade-Long Restoration [Video]

F4U-5N Corsair F-AZEG has performed its first post-restoration flight following nearly 10 years of work.

As previously reported, the aircraft (B/N 124724) was originally constructed in 1951 and delivered to the US Navy in September of that year. In 1952, it was assigned to VC-3 and went on to operate from USS Valley Forge and USS Boxer before returning to the US in 1953.

In 1956 the Corsair was delivered to Honduras and saw action in the “Soccer War” with El Salvador, operating with Fuerza Area Hondurena as FAH 600. After retirement from active service, the aircraft passed through the hands of a number of owners before being acquired by Jean Salis’ Les Casques de Cuir collection based in La Ferté-Alais, France in 1986.

The machine’s return to the air caps off a restoration process that began in 2008. Click below to check out video of the historic occasion.

Continue reading F4U-5N Corsair F-AZEG Returns to the Air Following Decade-Long Restoration [Video]

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Charity Hopes to Preserve Historic Flight Collection As Royal Navy Withdraws Funding

The Royal Navy has reportedly withdrawn funding from Historic Flight, a unit which was “established in 1972 as a living memorial to all those who have served in the Royal Naval Air Service and Fleet Air Arm since the birth of naval aviation in 1909.”

The Yeovilton, Somerset-based collection includes Swordfish Mk.I W5856, Swordfish Mk.II LS326, Swordfish Mk.III NF389, Sea Fury FB.11 VR930 and Sea Hawk FGA.6 WV908. The machines attend air displays throughout the United Kingdom while providing “something of a ‘shop window’ on the Fleet Air Arm.”

The operation of Historic Flight will now be handled by Navy Wings, “the recognized Royal Naval Charity” which “raises money to keep important historic Naval Aircraft in the skies.” A plan is currently underway to transfer the Historic Flight aircraft to the civil register and into Navy Wings ownership. Continue reading Charity Hopes to Preserve Historic Flight Collection As Royal Navy Withdraws Funding

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

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

Issue #7 Contents:

36 Pages – Wright Tour Guide: Examining Sites and Artifacts Connected to the Wright Brothers and the Birth of Powered Flight (Part 2); Tommy to Fly Again!: Restoration Nearly Completed, Our 100-Year-Old Airplane Will Soon Take to the Sky; Building a Reproduction 1913 Renault WB 70 hp V8 Aero Engine for a B.E.2a; News Briefs: Bastion in the Air Exhibition Opens at RAF Scampton, Memorial Flight Completes B.E.2f Reproduction, Darrin Covington’s ¼ Scale B.E.2c Project; 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.

Click here to purchase!

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Kermit Weeks Details Restoration Progress on Ultra Rare Seversky P-35 [Video]

Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has released a new video detailing the ongoing restoration of his Seversky P-35.

This particular aircraft was acquired years back in a trade with the USAF Museum and is reportedly one of only three remaining examples of the single seat fighter, which was introduced in the mid-1930s and saw limited action at the beginning of WW2. It came from the Swedish Air Force and was stored in underground bunkers during the war, which resulted in significant pitting and surface corrosion. Additional damage was sustained when Hurricane Andrew struck the museum in 1992.

When complete, this will be the only airworthy example of the type in the world. The newly released video was reportedly filmed last summer and shows the beginning of the “next phase” of the project, including the removal of the machine’s fairings, cowls, tail and other refinished panels as well as the engine. The work was performed in order to remove the fuselage from the center section so the wings can be re-skinned.

Click below to check it out.

Continue reading Kermit Weeks Details Restoration Progress on Ultra Rare Seversky P-35 [Video]

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Number of WW2-Era Aircraft Attending “Memphis Belle” Unveiling Rises to 12

Numerous additional aircraft will reportedly be in attendance for the upcoming unveiling of the newly restored B-17F “Memphis Belle” at the USAF Museum in Dayton on May 17.

B-17Gs “Yankee Lady” and “Aluminum Overcast” will now be joined by the B-17G/F “Movie Memphis Belle” as well as six P-51 Mustangs and three WWII-era trainer aircraft – all of which will reportedly take to the skies over the museum on May 16 as part of the opening of the event.

Plans call for 11 of the WWII-era aircraft to land at the museum on May 16 between 8-9 a.m. (One P-51 will be part of the initial flyover but not land at the museum.) The aircraft will then be available for viewing on static display May 17-18 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. On May 18 at approximately 4:30 p.m., visitors in the museum’s Memorial Park may view the aircraft as they take-off and depart the grounds. (Note: Outdoor events are weather dependent and subject to change.)

Continue reading Number of WW2-Era Aircraft Attending “Memphis Belle” Unveiling Rises to 12

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BBMF Announces Lancaster Tour to Commemorate Dambusters Anniversary

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) has announced that it will take its Avro Lancaster aloft for a commemorative tour to mark 75th anniversary of the Dambusters raid and the 100th anniversary of the RAF.

The event, currently scheduled for May 16, will reportedly see Lancaster PA474 fly over the Dambusters’ original base at RAF Scampton before proceeding down the Derwent Valley to the Rolls Royce Factory at Derby and finally Eyebrook Reservoir. The aircraft will reportedly perform two passes of the valley over the Derwent Dam starting at 12:05pm.

Known as “Operation Chastise,” the Dambusters raid saw 19 Lancasters of 617 Squadron attack a number of German dams, resulting in severe flooding that destroyed or damaged power stations, factories and mines. The dams of the Derwent Valley and Eyebrook Reservoir were among the practice sites used in preparation for the raid.

The routes that will be used to witness the flight are expected to be congested and information has been released here and here to aid those wishing to attend.

(via BBMF Photo: Mark Harkin via Wikimedia Commons)

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World’s Only “Big Tail” SR-71 Undergoes Repaint

The Air Force Armament Museum located at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida is in the process of repainting their SR-71 Blackbird.

The aircraft, SR-71A S/N 61-7959, was completed in 1965 and, in 1975, was modified with a nine-foot boom on its aft end carrying Electronic Countermeasures and an Optical Bar Camera. The result earned the machine the moniker “Big Tail” and it would remain the only example of the type to be fitted with the modification, as tests revealed that the equipment provided no marked advantage. The aircraft performed its last flight in 1976, being placed in outdoor storage before being moved to its current home in 1991.

The repainting process is reportedly being carried out with brush and rollers and, as of this writing, prep work has been completed and primer application is in progress. When complete, the machine will reportedly retain its signature black finish.

Click below to check out photos of the progress.

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Warbird Heritage Foundation Announces Homecoming of P-51 “Moonbeam McSwine”

P-51D “Moonbeam McSwine” has returned to the US after The Warbird Heritage Foundation in Waukegan, Illinois acquired the machine from its previous French owner.

The aircraft (S/N 44-73656) was originally constructed in 1944 but did not see service in WW2. Following the war, it was assigned to the Texas, Colorado and Minnesota Air National Guards before being sold as surplus in 1958. Over the years it passed through the hands of a number of owners, eventually being restored with the livery of “Moonbeam McSwine,” flown by Capt. William T. Whisner of the 352nd Fighter Group. It won the title of Grand Champion Warbird in Fresno in 1975 and began racing in Reno with new owner Vlado Lenoch, who also flew the machine in USAF Heritage Flights and at airshows around the US.

In 2012 the P-51 was sold to Frédéric Akary of France, and it appeared at airshows throughout Europe until being acquired by The Warbird Heritage Foundation earlier this year. It recently returned to the US and will be re-assembled at Tab-Air in East Troy, Wisconsin. Now bearing registration N51VL, it is hoped that the machine will return to the skies by this summer to honor the memory of Lenoch, who was tragically killed in a crash in July 2017.

Click below to check out a selection of recent photos.

Continue reading Warbird Heritage Foundation Announces Homecoming of P-51 “Moonbeam McSwine”

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New Video Details Progress on Owls Head Fokker Dr.1 Restoration

Owls Head Transportation Museum of Owls Head, Maine has released a new video detailing the ongoing restoration of their Fokker Dr.1 reproduction.

The aircraft was built in the 1970s by Kenneth Cianchette and performed at museum events until 2014, when it was discovered that considerable repairs were needed. The museum ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to cover associated costs. As the video below shows, an overhauled Warner radial engine has been acquired and the fuselage is awaiting sandblasting, covering and painting. The wing panels have been shipped to upstate New York for covering by Brian Coughlin, who also covered the ailerons and tail surfaces.

It is hoped that the machine will return to the air by the end of the 2018 season.

Continue reading New Video Details Progress on Owls Head Fokker Dr.1 Restoration