Category: Modern Era (1945-Present)

Posted on by

IBG to Release New Tool PZL M-18 Dromader Firefighter, Crop Duster Kits

IBG Models is preparing to release a new tool IBG Models 1/48 PZL M18 Dromader model kit in 1/48 scale.

The PZL M-18 Dromader is a Polish single-engine, low-wing utility aircraft designed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by PZL-Mielec, with its first flight taking place in 1976. Originally developed as an agricultural aircraft for crop spraying and fertilizing, it was engineered to be exceptionally robust, capable of operating from short and unprepared airstrips. Powered by a strong radial piston engine and equipped with a large central hopper, the Dromader can carry significant loads of liquid or chemicals, which made it one of the largest and most capable aircraft in its class.

Thanks to its strength, simplicity, and versatility, the Dromader was widely adapted for roles beyond agriculture, most notably aerial firefighting, but also forest protection, pest control, and utility transport. Hundreds of aircraft were produced and exported to dozens of countries across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australia. The type earned a reputation for reliability in demanding conditions, including high temperatures and mountainous terrain, and remains in limited service today, particularly in firefighting roles, often upgraded with modern avionics and mission-specific equipment.

The offering will reportedly be released in two boxings representing Greek Firefighter (48004) and Polish Crop Duster (48002) versions. Additional details are scarce, but a series of Crop Duster renderings have been released, additional examples of which can be seen after the break (along with box art).

Continue reading IBG to Release New Tool PZL M-18 Dromader Firefighter, Crop Duster Kits

Posted on by

1973 Cessna 150L For Sale: “Meticulously Maintained”

Please Note: This is an archived post. The information presented here may not be current and the associated listing may no longer be active.

A 1973 Cessna 150L has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

This 1973 Cessna 150L is a beautifully designed and meticulously maintained lightweight two-seat aircraft, renowned for its reliability and efficiency. Known for its exceptional handling and low operating costs, it is well suited for flight training or personal use. The airframe total time is 5,896.8 hours, with the Continental O-200 engine also showing 5,896.8 hours total time and 2,130.5 hours since major overhaul. Featuring a useful load ideal for short- to medium-range flights, this aircraft benefits from sturdy all-metal construction for long-term durability. The cockpit offers clear, straightforward instrumentation with excellent visibility, enhancing pilot confidence and safety. Improved fuel capacity over earlier models extends range, and its reputation for ease of operation and maintenance makes this Cessna 150L an excellent opportunity for both beginner and experienced aviators seeking a proven, classic aircraft.

The aircraft is located in Tacoma, WA with offers currently being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos.

Please Note: This post contains an eBay affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

1960 Beech B95 Travel Air Airframe Project For Sale: “Complete, Cheap”

Please Note: This is an archived post. The information presented here may not be current and the associated listing may no longer be active.

A 1960 Beech B95 Travel Air airframe project has been spotted for sale.

According to the listing, the offering is a complete airframe (6649 hours total time) which sustained minor damage during a gear-up landing. This classic Beechcraft twin—built from Bonanza and T-34 components and known for its reliable handling and economy—is finished in white with platinum and blue accents, featuring upgraded gray cloth interior. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the belly skins, nose gear doors, and left wingtip, with both wings, fuselage, and tail largely undamaged. Both engines and props were removed after prop strikes, and avionics are not included, though engine and flight instruments remain. It comes with full airframe and propeller logbooks, long-range fuel tanks (106 gallons usable), and complete documentation. Located in Greenville, South Carolina, this cheap, low-reserve sale includes 30 days of prepaid tie-down, making it a potential rebuild project, parts donor, or display piece.

The aircraft is currently available for US $1,995, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes a number of additional photos.

Please Note: This post contains an eBay affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

1981 Beechcraft C23 Sundowner Airframe For Sale: “For Restoration or Parts”

Please Note: This is an archived post. The information presented here may not be current and the associated listing may no longer be active.

A bare bones 1981 Beechcraft C23 Sundowner airframe has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

This Beechcraft C23 is no longer airworthy and cannot be flown. Details: Airframe is complete structurally. Located on the field at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK). Accessible for ground removal. Additional Details: No engine installed. No avionics installed. No seats installed. No propellers

The airframe is currently available for bidding. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Please Note: This post contains an eBay affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

New Book Details the Service History of the Concorde in Photographs

New from The History Press and author Robbie Shaw is Concorde: A Collection in Photographs which is packed with stunning color photographs of Concorde aircraft throughout the aircraft’s service history.

Compiled by Robbie Shaw, ex air traffic controller and lifetime aviation photographer and enthusiast, it covers both British and Air France Concorde aircraft and highlights the impressive collaboration between the two nations that resulted in such an important and beloved aircraft. With over 140 images covering such themes as British Airways and Air France Concordes, the Pepsi Cola ad campaign, and the emotional retirement day at Heathrow, this book showcases quality photographs of an iconic supersonic airliner, for which only 14 of the type entered airline service, and whose like will never be seen again.

The book spans 145 pages and is available in paperback format.

Product Page

Please Note: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

1961 Champ 7FC Tri-Traveler Airframe Project For Sale: “Rare, Cheap”

Please Note: This is an archived post. The information presented here may not be current and the associated listing may no longer be active.

A 1961 Champ 7FC Tri-Traveler has been spotted for sale.

According to the listing, this is a rare (492 built) tricycle-gear, two-seat tandem classic with bright yellow 2006–2008 Stewart System fabric and Ceconite, new aluminum wing spars, upgraded Cleveland hydraulic brakes, refreshed interior (seats, carpet, insulation, STC’d shoulder harness), dual controls, basic instruments and panel space for an iPad/GPS. It is sold without engine or prop (ready for a C-85, C-90, or O-200 installation), with no evident structural or gear damage despite a prior insurance total. It has minor and easily patchable fabric cuts plus a broken windshield from handling, undamaged wings/struts/engine mount/firewall, complete logs from 1965 onward (plus 337s, W&B), a current annual through March 2026, and comes with airworthiness certificate, bill of sale, keys, and 30 days free storage.

The aircraft is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is currently available for US $7,495 although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Please Note: This post contains an eBay affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

Coming Soon: An Illustrated History of American Airpower in the Vietnam War

Coming soon from Pen & Sword is U.S. Aviation and Naval Warfare in the Vietnam War, author David Doyle’s illustrated history highlighting the men and aircraft that comprised American airpower during the Vietnam War.

During the Vietnam war, the US Air Force, Navy, Marines and the Army flew a variety of fixed wing aircraft against innumerable targets in Vietnam, occasionally engaging North Vietnamese Migs, but more often facing the threat of Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) or antiaircraft fire. In over 5 million missions during the war, US forces lost over 2,000 aircraft. This photo essay looks at the men and aircraft that comprised American airpower during the war. Among the aircraft shown are the A-1 Skyraider, A-7 Corsair, B-52, C-130, C-141, F-105, F-4 Phantom, and OV-1 Mohawk. The US Navy controlled the waters off Vietnam, employing not only aircraft carriers to support the air war, but also surface vessels ranging from the battleship USS New Jersey down to destroyers, which supported ground forces with heavy naval gunfire.

The 272 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for May 31.

Product Page

Please Note: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

1946 Ercoupe 415-C Project For Sale: “Complete Airframe”

Please Note: This is an archived post. The information presented here may not be current and the associated listing may no longer be active.

A 1946 Ercoupe 415-C complete airframe project has been spotted for sale.

The airframe (about 3,321 hours total time) has a polished fuselage and tail, silver polyfiber wings, red accents, updated panel and interior, modern breakers, two-place intercom, rudder pedals installed, and complete logs back to the original 1946 airworthiness signoff. It is being sold without engine, prop, avionics, or EFIS. The machine has hard-landing damage including wrinkling around the main gear attach points and a slightly twisted and pushed-forward nose gear with some bent engine-mount tubes. The firewall, cowling, wing panels, ailerons, doors, and windows are reported undamaged. It remains in annual until September 2026 and includes airworthiness certificate, bill of sale, paperwork, keys, airbox and exhaust for your engine (with a suggested upgrade to an O-200).

The project is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is currently available for US $4,995, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes many additional photos and details.

Please Note: This post contains an eBay affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

Lockheed Constellation: Its Development, Service and Legacy in Detail

Set for release later this year is author Colin Higgs’ examination of the iconic Lockheed Constellation, which has become a symbol of the golden age of air travel worldwide.

Lockheed Constellation tells the story of the aircraft that was used by more than 100 airlines and air forces in thirty-eight countries; an airliner that came to epitomize the grand and romantic age of flight in the post-war years before the jet engine ruled. It tells of the wartime development which made the USAAF buy the first few aircraft off the production line; the post-war development which would see nine variants built; of the great airlines around the globe that would make the Constellation their first choice flagships; of the amazing technological advances made during development; and of the enduring legacy of this unique aircraft.

The 176 page paperback publication is currently available for pre-order with release scheduled for June 30.

Product Page

Please Note: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Posted on by

Discover the Vital Role and Stunning Exploits of the F8U Crusader

Newly released from Naval Institute Press and author Ernest M. Snowden is F8U Crusader: Naval History Special Edition, a richly illustrated volume exploring the F8U Crusader’s storied role in Cold War and Vietnam-era naval aviation, from setting speed records to earning its reputation as the “Last of the Gunfighters.”

From its first flight in 1955, the F8U Crusader proved to be an extraordinary aircraft, establishing a renowned fighter legacy for naval aviation. Building on its success with the F4U Corsair, aviator pioneer Chance Vought brought the Navy into the supersonic age with the Crusader, the first carrier-based fighter to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight. The Crusader earned the Navy its first Thompson Trophy for military aircraft speed and won the Collier Trophy for its innovative carrier suitability features. In 1957 future astronaut John Glenn set a new intercontinental speed record in an F8U-1P, flying from California to New York in just 3 hours and 23 minutes. At a time when guns were being replaced by missiles, Vought designers retained an integrated aircraft cannon, solidifying the Crusader’s reputation as the “Last of the Gunfighters” and earning the loyalty of its pilots.

The contribution of the Crusader to U.S. Cold War operations was substantial. The F8U-1P photoreconnaissance variant, the longest-serving Crusader model, debuted operationally during the Cuban Missile Crisis, providing irrefutable low-level imagery of Soviet activity. During the Vietnam War, Crusader pilots achieved an enviable 6-to-1 kill ratio, outperforming both Air Force and Navy F-4 Phantom pilots―a testament to the aircraft’s maneuverability and the dogfighting ethos of the Crusader’s pilot community.

The Crusader retired from U.S. Navy service in 1987, but its legacy endured as it continued to serve with the Philippine Air Force and the French Navy until 1999, forty-four years after its first flight. Author Ernest Snowden, a former naval aviator, provides an in-depth look at the design and operational history of this iconic aircraft, making this book a must-read for air combat history enthusiasts.

The publication spans 114 pages and is available in Mook format – a hybrid publication format blending elements of a magazine and a book.

Product Page

Please Note: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.