Category: News

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B-29 “Doc” Officially Moves Into Its New Home

Yesterday, B-29 Superfortress “Doc” officially moved into its newly constructed, 32,000 sq.ft. hangar at Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas.

Construction of the multimillion-dollar facility began in November 2017, and while the hangar and maintenance portions are complete, an additional $800,000 still needs to be raised to finish work on the education and visitors center. Doc’s Friend’s spokesman Josh Wells states:

“Over the past three years, we’ve raised about $5.7 million toward the $6.5 million project. While we have successfully raised enough money to build the structure, there’s still plenty of work to be done to finish out the interior of the facility. This will ensure generations to come will be able to learn about Greatest Generation and how the B-29 helped protect our freedom, and how it helped solidify Wichita as the Air Capital of the World.”

The aircraft returned to the air in July 2016 following 17 years and hundreds of thousands of hours of restoration. It began touring the following year, making its first airshow appearance at the Defenders of Liberty Air Show in Louisiana. This year saw the bomber begin passenger flights that include a a crew briefing, overview of the machine’s history and a 30 minute ride.

(via Doc’s Friends Photo: Erin McClellan via Wikimedia Commons)

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National Museum of WW2 Aviation Offering P-47 Artifact Lamp From Famous 348th FG

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

The National Museum of World War II Aviation is currently offering “a very historical artifact” in the form of a lamp incorporating a “a turbo charger fan from an actual P-47 Razorback.” The listing states (in part):

The base of this lamp is a turbo charger fan from an actual P-47 Razorback, from the 348th Fighter Group that flew in the WWII. Led by “Medal Of Honor” recipient Col. Neel Kearby. This Group was the most successful P-47 group in the Pacific. The group scored 396 kills; over half of all the kills credited to Fifth Air Force P-47s. The group had 20 aces, including Kearby who was credited with 22 kills. With the conclusion of the war the aircraft had little value; given that factory fresh aircraft were available stateside. These combat veteran aircraft had their engines removed and were unceremoniously bulldozed into a pit. Some 55 years later, in the year 2000, Col. Neel Kearby’s plane and two others were excavated from Papua New Guinea. This turbocharger fan was excavated with those planes.

The artifact reportedly comes with a certificate of authenticity and is currently available for bidding. Click here to check out the complete listing on eBay.

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

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Newly Restored Mosquito PZ474 Performs First Port Engine Test [Video]

On November 8, Avspecs, Ltd. rolled out Mosquito FB VI PZ474 for its first port engine test in Ardmore, New Zealand.

The machine was originally constructed at Hatfield in 1945 and used for RAF training before moving on to New Zealand in 1948, where it was overhauled and delivered to 75 Squadron as NZ2384. In the early 1950s, the aircraft was acquired by new owners and registered as ZK-BCV before being transferred to the United States. There, the Mosquito was given civil registration N9909F and, from around 1955-66, was owned by the Insurance Finance Corp. of Studio City, CA. During this time it was believed that the machine was used by the CIA for intelligence gathering in South America.

In 1970, PZ474 was abandoned and began a period of decline. It wouldn’t be saved until 2014, when it was acquired by Rod Lewis of Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas. Continue reading Newly Restored Mosquito PZ474 Performs First Port Engine Test [Video]

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Airfix Unveils Upcoming New Tool F6F-5 Hellcat in Massive 1/24 Scale [Video]

At the Telford model show over the weekend, Airfix announced the upcoming release of a new tool F6F-5 Hellcat model kit in 1/24 scale.

The Airfix team has been working on the project for some time, designing a kit with “over 600 parts, extensive detail and four decal schemes.”

The kit (A19004) is currently available for pre-order with an expected release in May 2019. Click below to check out additional images as well as newly released videos detailing the model and is development.

Continue reading Airfix Unveils Upcoming New Tool F6F-5 Hellcat in Massive 1/24 Scale [Video]

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FHCAM Unveils Ju 87 Stuka Being Restored to Airworthy Condition [Video]

On Saturday, the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum (FHCAM) in Everett, Washington unveiled a Junkers Ju 87 R-4 Stuka that is currently under restoration to flying condition.

The machine was built in 1941 and served with Lehrgeschwader 1 and Sturzkampfgeschwader 5 in northwest Russia. In April 1942 it crashed after being shot down by Soviet fighters during a mission to bomb Murmansk. Its remains were finally recovered in the 1990s and were displayed at the Deutsches Technikmuseum before being acquired by FHCAM.

Restoration began in 2013 and, when complete, it will be one of only three surviving Stukas left anywhere in the world and the only one in flying condition. The process is reportedly expected to last another 1.5 years.

Click below to check out a videos of the newly unveiled airframe.

Continue reading FHCAM Unveils Ju 87 Stuka Being Restored to Airworthy Condition [Video]

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USAF Museum Curtiss Jenny On The Move [Video]

On Wednesday, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio lowered their Curtiss Jenny from its suspended position and relocated it to floor display in an area previously occupied by their Avro 504K.

The museum’s Avro is currently undergoing restoration and will reportedly hang above the Jenny in the museum’s Early Years Gallery upon its return to display. To learn more about the Avro restoration, check out the new Fall 2018 edition of The Flying Machine journal.

Click below to check out photos and video of the Jenny’s recent move.

Continue reading USAF Museum Curtiss Jenny On The Move [Video]

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Recently Recovered Spitfire PR.IV AA810 to be Restored to Airworthy Condition

A Spitfire recovered in July 2018 will be restored to airworthy condition, according to a recent announcement.

On March 5, 1942 Spitfire PR.IV AA810, flown by Alastair “Sandy” Gunn of 1 PRU RAF, departed RAF Wick in Scotland for a photo reconnaissance mission to Trondheim, Norway. During the flight, Gunn was forced to bail out after the Spitfire was shot down by two Messerschmitts of Jagdgruppe Losigkeit near Surnadal. Gunn became a POW and took part in The Great Escape in 1944, but sadly was recaptured and executed.

The remains of the Spitfire were recovered in July, with “some 70% of the aircraft” remaining intact. It is now receiving a full restoration to airworthy status and will reportedly incorporate a significant amount of original material. Plans also call for a few unsuitable elements of the aircraft to be used in various memorials.

The first flight is currently planned for 2023/24 and it is hoped that the machine will attend airshows “far and wide.”

(via Spitfire AA810 – Restoring Sandy’s Spitfire and Spitfire AA810 Additional Information via Aviation Safety Network Photo: RAF via Wikimedia Commons Thanks, Pascal!)

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Modelsvit Announces Development of New Tool 1/48 P-51H Model Kit

Modelsvit has announced the development of a new tool P-51H Mustang model kit in 1/48 scale.

Details are scarce at the moment, although the company has released the 3D CAD renderings seen above. They have also stated that the new kit is currently slated to become available sometime in 2019.

(Modelsvit via AeroScale)

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Grumman SA-16B Airframe Project Offered For Sale

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 Grumman SA-16B Triphibian (Air Force SAR #51-0043) project airframe has hit the market. The listing states (in part):

TT:6915.7. Built in 1951, It was flown in the U.S. Air-Force until 1972 when it was retired in Tucson, AZ. It has been in storage in Tucson since retirement. It is a low time Air Force Long wing “B”, it would be nice to find someone, that would like to make the investment to restore the old bird. It was once owned by Charlie Blair and Maureen Ohara, of Antilles Air Boats. It does have some storage rash in some places but it is a real nice airframe.

The aircraft is located in Vail, Arizona and is currently being offered with a starting bid of US $12,000. Click here to check out the complete listing on eBay.

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

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First Look: Eduard’s Newly Designed and Tooled 1/48 Tempest Mk V

Eduard’s newly designed and tooled 1/48 Tempest Mk V model kit will reportedly be introduced during the upcoming Scale Model World event in Telford, UK on November 10th and 11th.

The kit (82121) will be offered as a ProfiPACK edition representing aircraft manufactured within Series 1. It reportedly includes Eduard sprues, pre-painted PE-sets, a painting mask and Cartograf decals with six marking options.

The kit is currently slated for release in December, although, 200 pieces will reportedly be available for the Telford event. Click below to check out additional images.

Continue reading First Look: Eduard’s Newly Designed and Tooled 1/48 Tempest Mk V