Category: Museums / Organizations

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EAA Meets Fundraising Goal For Airworthy Restoration of B-25

The EAA’s $400,000 fundraising initiative to restore their B-25H to airworthy condition has been successful.

The aircraft (S/N 43-4432) was originally delivered to the USAAF in 1943 and went on to serve as an administrative aircraft at several bases around the US. Following the war, it passed through the hands of several owners, including Tallmantz Aviation, who used the machine in the 1970 film Catch-22.

The B-25 was donated to the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1972 where it was restored to flying status as “The City of Burlington.” However, it was damaged in a landing accident in the 1980s, which resulted in cosmetic repairs and static display at the museum. Continue reading EAA Meets Fundraising Goal For Airworthy Restoration of B-25

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Spitfire RW388 Begins Journey Toward Restoration

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley, Staffordshire temporarily closed its Spitfire gallery on Wednesday as part of an extensive project that will see Spitfire LF Mk. XVIe RW388 “reborn.”

The aircraft, which was built by Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd. in 1945, served in a training role during WW2 and also towed targets for Navy ships. Following the war it was used as a gate guard at RAF Benson and RAF Andover before being officially presented to the city of Stoke-on-Trent by the Royal Air Force in 1972. It was installed at the museum in 1985 and has taken a place of honor in their Spitfire gallery, which is dedicated to the type’s locally-born designer, Reginald Mitchell.

The museum closed the gallery in order to begin the process of disassembling the aircraft so it can be removed from the museum for restoration “to its former glory.” The full museum will be closed beginning on January 22nd so relocation can be carried out, with reopening scheduled for February 10th. Continue reading Spitfire RW388 Begins Journey Toward Restoration

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Aviation Book, Model Donations Sought to Help Fund Refurbishment of Hawker Hunter F.2

The Sywell Aviation Museum at Sywell Aerodrome in Northampton is seeking donations of military/aviation books, models and model kits in order to raise funds for the restoration of the collection’s Hawker Hunter F.2.

The aircraft, WN904, was constructed by Armstrong Whitworth in 1953/54 and performed its maiden flight on July 27, 1954 before being delivered to 257 (Burma) Squadron, RAF. However, its service with the squadron was cut short in January 1956, when it was reported as damaged and in need of manufacturer/contractor repair. Documentation suggests that the incident may have been an emergency landing at RAF Kenley that saw it go through two hedges and over a public road.

Gloster carried out the repairs on the machine, but by this time, 257 Squadron was upgrading to the F.5, which resulted in WN904 being struck off charge in November 1957. Continue reading Aviation Book, Model Donations Sought to Help Fund Refurbishment of Hawker Hunter F.2

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Unanimous Decision Secures New Home for C-53 “Beach City Baby”

Commissioners in Venango County, Pennsylvania have reportedly approved a “memorandum of understanding” with Vintage Wings, Inc. that will see their newly restored C-53 Skytrooper housed at the Franklin Venango Regional Airport.

The unanimous decision paves the way for the Skytrooper to be flown from its current location in Ohio to its new home – an event that is expected to take place this summer.

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 Unanimous Decision Secures New Home for C-53 “Beach City Baby”

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Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Avenger Expected to Return to the Air in 2018

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Ontario has applied civil registration C-GCWG to their TBM-3E Avenger in preparation for its upcoming post-restoration test flight, which is expected to take place this year.

The aircraft (S/N 53858) was constructed in 1945 by General Motors, Eastern Aircraft Division and served with the US Navy until the 1950s. Upon entering civilian service it was converted to a spray plane, operating first in California and then New Brunswick before being retired in 1992.

The Avenger was acquired by the museum in late 2009 and a team of volunteers has since invested thousands of hours to restore it to airworthy condition. Although currently without markings, a post-war RCN Avenger AS.3 livery will be applied sometime after the first flight.

An official first flight display will take place, however, dates for the first engine run up and flights are currently described as “moving targets.”

(via Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Additional Information via Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Photo: JustSomePics via Wikimedia Commons)

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Rare Bristol Freighter Arrives at New Home Following 11,000 Mile Journey

Earlier today, one of the last remaining Bristol Type 170 Freighters was transported to Filton where it will become part of the new Aerospace Bristol museum.

Designed and built by Bristol in 1944, the type served as a both a freighter and as a passenger airliner. Although 214 were built, only 11 remain and, until now, none of them were in Europe.

The arrival of NZ5911 (a Mark 31M military variant of the type) caps off an 11,000-mile journey that began at Ardmore Airport in New Zealand back in October. Its journey took it to Singapore, Jordan and Athens before it arrived in the UK on December 28th (its first return since 1954).

The journey to Filton began at Portbury Dock aboard a Kings Heavy Haulage truck, traveling the M5 and A38 to the Brabazon Hangar where it will be stored and assessed by the Aerospace Bristol team. A timeframe for restoration and public display has not yet been established, as fundraising is still ongoing for its hangar.

Click below to check out a video of today’s journey, as well as photos of the fuselage following its arrival.

Continue reading Rare Bristol Freighter Arrives at New Home Following 11,000 Mile Journey

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Museum’s New Full-Scale Cockpit Simulator to Help Visitors Experience Flight in a Spitfire

The Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum in Kent has confirmed the installation of a functioning, full-scale Spitfire cockpit simulator that is slated to begin operation this year.

The simulator, which is situated directly beside the collection’s Spitfire Mk XVI(LF) TB752 (pictured above), will reportedly allow visitors to to try their hand at conducting a complete flight while also getting an idea of what it was like for pilots who flew the iconic warbird during WW2. Utilizing authentic controls and a large format display screen, the simulator is said to recreate engine torque effects as well as landing challenges presented by the Spitfire’s narrow undercarriage. The red-out and grey-out effects of excess G-forces are also said to be represented.

The £15,000 fundraising goal for the simulator was met with assistance from local charities, businesses and visitors and it is hoped that it will help continue the museum’s mission to engage, educate and inspire the local community while also securing funds that can be reinvested in the museum.

It is not yet known how much it will cost visitors to use the simulator, although bookings will reportedly begin on launch day, April 1, which coincides with the centenary of the RAF.

Click below to check out additional photos.

Continue reading Museum’s New Full-Scale Cockpit Simulator to Help Visitors Experience Flight in a Spitfire

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Memphis Belle Restoration Progress Captured in New 360 Degree Images

The USAF Museum in Dayton is in the final stages of restoring the iconic B-17F “Memphis Belle” and has recently released two 360 degree images capturing the progress.

As previously reported, the machine is scheduled to make its public debut in the museum’s WW2 gallery on May 17, 2018, where it will reportedly be surrounded by interactive displays, rare archival film footage and many personal artifacts which have never before been on display at the museum.

The Memphis Belle (S/N 41-24485) became the first the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to complete 25 missions and return to the U.S., where it flew across the country to promote war bonds and boost morale. Further attention was directed toward the aircraft when it became the focus of a 1944 William Wyler documentary and later a 1990 feature film.

Click below to check out the new images.

Continue reading Memphis Belle Restoration Progress Captured in New 360 Degree Images

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Kermit Weeks Details Restoration of CAC Boomerang Damaged During WW2

Shortly after completing a video series detailing his trip to Vintage V-12s, Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks is back with a new installment of “Kermie Cam” that sees him in Australia checking up on his CAC Boomerang project.

The aircraft (S/N A46-174) was originally built by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and delivered to the RAAF in January 1944, serving with 4 Squadron. In May of that year, the machine suffered a ground loop at Cape Gloucester Airfield in Papua New Guinea (pictured above) and was deemed too far gone to repair, resulting in its remains being abandoned at Nadzab.

In the 1970s, Charles Darby visited the site and discovered remnants of roughly 30 aircraft, including the center section of A46-174, which was salvaged. In the 1980s Kermit Weeks acquired the machine and placed it on display prior to beginning restoration. In 2015, the aircraft arrived at Matt Denning’s shop at Caboolture Airport, Queensland, where work is now underway.

Kermit’s visit to the site will be presented in four parts, all of which will appear here as they become available. Click below to check out the series as well as an additional photo of the aircraft following its accident.

Continue reading Kermit Weeks Details Restoration of CAC Boomerang Damaged During WW2

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Aircraft of The Wright Experience (Part 5): The 1910 Wright Transitional Flyer

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The Wright Experience in Warrenton, Virginia is home to an outstanding collection of Wright Flyer reproductions created over 25 years of meticulous study into Wilbur and Orville Wright’s engineering and fabrication practices.

Thanks to the generosity of Wright Experience team member E. Scott Rawlings, we are sharing a collection of images detailing many of these machines, which are currently available for sale or lease.

Part 1 of this series examined the team’s 1902 Wright Glider, while part 2, part 3 and part 4 featured their outstanding replica of the 1909 Military Flyer. This week we examine the team’s reproduction of the 1910 “transitional” Flyer that employed a forward canard and aft elevator.

Continue reading Aircraft of The Wright Experience (Part 5): The 1910 Wright Transitional Flyer