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How to Build a Spitfire: A Masterclass in Engineering and Inspiration

New from David Price is How to Build a Spitfire, which marries the story of how the author built a replica Spitfire in his garden with the plane’s operational history.

In April 2018 David Price, dedicated aviation museum volunteer and author of The Crew and Mosquito Men, decided to build a Spitfire replica in his back garden. In How to Build a Spitfire he juxtaposes the story of the ups and down of his own ambitious project to recreate an icon of British aviation with a narrative of the development of the Spitfire itself, focusing in particular on the production of the aircraft and its various component parts – including the Merlin engine. The story includes incredible testimonies from workers in the Supermarine factory in Southampton and in other Spitfire production facilities.

Bringing together the sometimes light-hearted tale of a personal quest, enthusiastically pursued, with an authoritative account of the technical workings of a war-winning weapon, and the stories of the men who flew it, How to Build a Spitfire is a distinctive and affectionate homage to an enduring symbol of British engineering genius and national resilience.

The 320 page book is available in hardcover, Kindle and audiobook formats.

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Eduard Releases Limited Edition Dual Combo Spitfire Mk Vb With 11 Liveries

New this month from Eduard is a limited edition, dual combo Spitfire Mk.Vb kit in 1/72 scale.

“Spitfire Story: The Sweeps” (2154) includes Eduard plastic parts and decals, pre-painted PE parts, a painting mask and marking options representing 11 aircraft flown by RAF pilots of different nationalities who were fighting over the occupied west part of Europe.

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Complete Cessna 310K Airframe Project For Sale: Only $2,495

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 1966 Cessna 310K airframe project has been spotted for sale. According to the listing, the airframe (about 6,079 hours total time) is a complete, engineless Colemill President 600–converted “modern” 310—with swept fin, six-seat interior, auxiliary wing tanks, nacelle baggage lockers, and higher gross weight, being sold essentially as a very cheap parts or static/project aircraft. It has mostly light windstorm cosmetic damage: a bent right aileron, pitot and nose cap damage, minor rubbing on the left wing leading edge and vertical fin top, a small superficial dent on the right tip tank, a broken strobe cap, and a localized corrosion spot at the nosecone skin, but no damage reported to the gear, flaps, left aileron, tail surfaces, gear doors, firewalls, cowlings, or engine mounts. The cockpit retains six seats, a Century III autopilot with altitude hold and full coupling, older but complete nav/comm/ADF/DME/transponder gear, and full flight and engine instruments, and it comes with complete airframe logbooks from 1966 through the last annual in July 2020 (about 28 hours ago), an FAA bill of sale, and inexpensive FAA registration potential, making it attractive primarily as a low-cost donor for thousands of usable parts or as a creative static display rather than a practical candidate to return to flight.

The aircraft is located in Pawhuska, OK and is currently available for US $2,495, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

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Lightning: A Comprehensive Study of Britain’s First and Only Jet Interceptor

The English Electric/BAC Lightning will take center stage in Richard Hall’s upcoming book Lightning: From Inception to Preservation.

The Lightning was advanced for its time and required considerable investment and research to take it from the drawing board to active service as an effective fighting machine. Significant strides were made in the early years after the award of the contract—all of which could have come to nothing when it was deemed in the 1957 Defence White Paper that piloted aircraft had had their day. The design was saved only by its advanced stage of development; as is often the case in flight, turbulence is to be expected. But despite the obstacles put in its path, the Lightning prevailed to become one of Britain’s most admired and respected fast jets.

The book takes the reader through the politics that threatened its development, its groundbreaking design, its service career and many other aspects of its extraordinary history. The 224 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release slated for January 30.

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Eduard Releases New “Hybrid” Avia S-199 Kit With Plastic and Resin Parts

Among Eduard’s January new releases is a Avia S-199 bubble canopy Hybrid” model kit in 1/48 scale.

The aircraft is a late modification of the Czechoslovak-built derivative of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 that replaced the original framed canopy with a clearer, more modern-style “bubble” hood to improve pilot visibility, especially to the rear and sides. This variant retained the S-199’s Jumo 211 bomber engine and generally poor handling but offered a better field of view than earlier S-199s with standard canopies, and it appeared only in relatively small numbers near the end of the type’s service life.

The kit (948012) includes Eduard plastic parts and decals with a painting mask and marking options for six aircraft. A number of resin parts are also included, such as the cockpit, wheel wells, exhausts, barrels, antennas, air intake and undercarriage.

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BD-5B Project For Sale: “Easily Finished to Airworthiness”

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 BD-5B project has been spotted for sale. The listing states:

BD5 Project. Included is a 5.2″stretch kit to give a longer cockpit, partially started. Also available is a Solar T62-2A1 turbine engine that could be incorporated into this airplane, TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. No builders logs to this stage of completion, but can be easily finished to airworthiness (less than 50% prior completion). There is extensive documentation, with a Canada DOT approval for sections of this airplane, which was begun as a high school shop project in the mid 1970s. Minor surface corrosion on leading edge of wing.

The aircraft is located in Brandon, Mississippi and is currently available for bidding. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

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1965 Piper Comanche 260 Project For Sale: “Nice, 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 1965 Piper Comanche 260 project has been spotted for sale.

Acording to the listing, the aircraft features 5,300 total time (TT) and 1,507 hours since major overhaul (SMOH) on its 260-hp Lycoming IO-540D4A5 fuel-injected engine. Located in Ashland, Wisconsin (KASX) and stored in a hangar, this four-seat, mid-1960s model offers upgraded performance over earlier Comanches with 90-gallon fuel capacity, electric gear and flaps, and toe brakes. It includes multiple speed enhancements—such as an Arapaho windshield, Metco wing tips, and flap/aileron gap seals—achieving faster-than-standard cruise speeds. The interior is well-kept with quality leather and clean panels, while the exterior is in good condition with minor cowling touch-ups suggested for a refreshed look.

The aircraft experienced an accidental gear-up landing but sustained only minor belly and flap skin scrapes, no structural or wing damage, and intact landing gear. Avionics include a King KMA-20 audio panel, KX-170B NAV/COM, KT-76A transponder, ADF, Terra radar altimeter, and Autocontrol IIIB autopilot. It’s sold with complete logs, paperwork, airworthiness certificate, and keys. An easy repair project, it’s promoted as a fast, well-cared-for, and affordable Comanche 260—possibly the cheapest available.

The aircraft is available for US $27,950, although offers are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

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How To Fly A Spitfire: A Nut-and-Bolt Guide to the World’s Greatest Aircraft

Coming soon from publisher Frances Lincoln and author Hattie Hearn is How To Fly A Spitfire: A Nut-and-Bolt Guide to the World’s Greatest Aircraft, which takes readers into the cockpit of the legendary Supermarine Spitfire to discover what it really takes to fly Britain’s most iconic fighter.

First flown in March 1936 and operated decisively throughout the Second World War and beyond, the Spitfire is considered a mechanical work of art. Its elegant elliptical wings, powerful Rolls‑Royce Merlin engine, and pivotal role in the Battle of Britain have secured its place in history, and in the hearts of aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

How to Fly a Spitfire takes you on a fascinating, hands‑on tour of this remarkable machine. Much more fun than an overly technical manual, it offers a readable, richly illustrated and step‑by‑step walkthrough of the Spitfire’s controls and systems, giving a unique impression of what it was like to actually pilot one.

The 192 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release slated for April 7.

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Now Available: ICM’s New Tool Do 217K-2 With Fritz-X

ICM has released their new tool Do 217K-2 model kit in 1/48 scale.

As previously reported, the Do 217K-2 was a specialized variant of the German Dornier Do 217 bomber, developed during World War II to carry the heavy Fritz X radio-guided anti-ship bomb. To accommodate this advanced weapon, the K-2 featured a significantly increased wingspan (24.8 meters) and was the heaviest in the series at 16,850 kg, making it well suited for precision attacks against naval targets. Its battlefield debut saw it play a crucial role as an early platform for precision-guided munitions, notably leading to the sinking of the Italian battleship Roma.

The new kit is touted as an accurate reproduction of the aircraft’s geometry with two Fritz-X bombs / racks and marking options for three aircraft: Do 217K-2, III./KG100, Marseilles-Istres, Summer 1943; Do 217K-2, III./KG100, Marseilles-Istres, Autumn 1943; Do 217K-2, Major Bernhard Jope’s aircraft, III./KG100, Marseilles-Istres, Autumn 1943.

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2018 Zenith 650B For Sale: “Clean, Well Built, Thoughtfully Equipped”

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 2018 Zenith 650B has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

his 2018 Zenith 650B is a low-hour experimental aircraft thoughtfully equipped for recreational flying and light backcountry use. Powered by a Viking 130 engine, this aircraft features heated Lemke seats, wing lockers, upgraded canopy accessories, and rugged 6×6 wheels. Avionics include a GRT 8.4” HXR touchscreen display with synthetic vision, autopilot servos, electronic breaker system, ADS-B capability, transponder, and backup systems. With approximately 300 hours and a clean, well-built configuration, this Zenith 650B offers excellent performance, visibility, and versatility.

The aircraft is located in O’Fallon, Missouri and offers are currently being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

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