Kermit Weeks has shared an archive video from circa 2001 which shows his P-51C when it was newly restored and ready to undergo flight testing.
The aircraft was painted to represent “Ina, The Macon Belle,” flown by the highest scoring Tuskegee Airman, Lee Archer. As the video shows, Archer was on hand for the maiden flight and is also sat in the cockpit beforehand and shared his thoughts on the restoration.
Click below to check it out.
The newly restored XP-82 Twin Mustang Prototype (44-83887) made a much heralded appearance at the 2019 Sun ‘n Fun fly-in in Lakeland, Florida, acting as both a static and flying display.
As previously reported, Tom Reilly of Douglas, Georgia acquired the XP-82 prototype from Walter and Margaret Soplata in 2008 and began restoring the machine to airworthy condition at Douglas Municipal Airport. Additional F-82 parts were sourced from Alaska and Colorado and a rare, left-hand turning Allison V-12 was located in Mexico. Additional components, including full second cockpit controls and a second canopy (one that “is completely different from any P-51 type”) were sourced from San Francisco and Tampa, respectively. On December 31, 2018, the XP-82 performed its first flight since December 14, 1949.
The aircraft made its public debut at Sun ‘n Fun, where it won the title of Grand Champion Warbird. Click below to see it in action at the event.
Continue reading World’s Only Airworthy Twin Mustang Makes Public Debut at Sun ‘n Fun [Video]
The latest stop motion video from modeler extraordinaire Tom Grigat features construction of Artesanía Latina’s Sopwith Camel structure model in 1/16 scale.
Grigat had previously constructed the company’s Fokker Dr.1 and noted that the Camel kit, which consists of approximately 750 pieces of metal and wood, is “not as easy to build.” Despite this, he states that the process is “well guided,” with the kit offering step-by-step instructions with video tutorials and more than 600 photos.
Click below to check it out.
Continue reading Watch the Stop Motion Assembly of a 1/16 Sopwith Camel [Video]
Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has shared a new two-part video series detailing the “Saga of the Stinson L-1.”
Specifically, the series details FoF’s efforts to “sort out an issue that prevented it from starting and running smoothly.” Work has been ongoing for over a year and part 1 in the series chronicles several attempts to start it during this period, as well as its failure and the frustration of crew members.
Part 2 documents additional attempts and various difficulties the crew has had in finding the source of the problem. It also reveals whether or not a fix was ultimately found.
Click below to check out both parts.
Continue reading New Kermit Weeks Video Series Details “The Saga of the Stinson L-1”
Texas-based Lewis Air Legends has reported the arrival of their newly restored de Havilland Mosquito PZ474, which is one of only four airworthy examples of the type in the world.
As previously reported, the Mosquito FB VI was originally constructed at Hatfield in 1945 and was used for RAF training before serving with 75 Squadron in New Zealand as NZ2384. In the 1950s and 60s the machine was owned by the Insurance Finance Corp. of Studio City, CA, and is believed to have been used by the CIA for intelligence gathering in South America. Continue reading Newly Restored Mosquito PZ474 Arrives At New Home [Video]
Following up on a two-part series released last month, Kermit Weeks has posted a new video update on the restoration of his 1936 Messerschmitt Bf 108.
The update serves as an installment of Fantasy of Flight’s Mechanic’s Corner and features restoration specialist Paul Stecewycz detailing recent work to the wings, which have been stripped and put into fixtures for skin removal, as well as the control surfaces, cockpit glass, and cockpit instruments.
Click below to check it out.
Continue reading Kermit Weeks Shares March 2019 Messerschmitt Bf 108 Update [Video]
Kermit Weeks has posted a new video detailing his recent trip to the old CAF Museum in Midland, Texas to examine an available Polikarpov I-16 that he was considering purchasing.
The I-16 was the last of Nikolai Polikarpov’s fighter designs to enter production. An aircraft of revolutionary design, the I-16 was the first monoplane fighter with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to enter front line service anywhere in the world. It’s operational status introduced a new standard to fighter design.
According to the original listing, the aircraft (N30425 / S/N 2421645) was rebuilt in Russia by the original factory for the New Zealand-based Alpine Fighter Collection.
Click below to check out the new video and learn if Kermit will be adding the aircraft to his collection.
Continue reading Kermit Weeks Films Visit With Possible New Acquisition: Polikarpov I-16
Over a four hour period yesterday, the Museum of Flight in Seattle relocated their newly restored B-52 “Midnight Express” to its new, permanent home on the west side of the Museum’s Aviation Pavilion.
As previously reported, the bomber (S/N 59-2584) had been parked outdoors at the museum’s Paine Field facility for 26 years before a $2.2 million restoration effort was launched. The machine will now serve as the centerpiece of a new Vietnam Air War Memorial Park, which is slated to open on May 25, 2019 and will pay tribute to the aircraft of the Vietnam War and honor the service members who flew and supported them.
Click below to check out video of yesterday’s move.
Continue reading Watch Restored B-52 “Midnight Express” Move to Permanent Home [Video]
Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has launched a new (hopefully monthly) video series dubbed “Kermie Q’s” which sets out to answer popular questions asked by viewers of his YouTube channel.
The newly released first episode focuses heavily on his his P-51C, which has proven to be his most viewed video series, although a number of additional topics are also covered. Click below to check it out.
Continue reading Kermit Weeks Answers Popular Viewer Questions in New Video Series
Yesterday, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s (BBMF) Spitfire Mk XIX PM631 returned to the air for the first time sine 2014.
The aircraft was originally built by Vickers-Armstrong in 1945 but did not see action in WW2. In 1951 it was assigned to Meteorological Research Flight and conducted temperature and humidity flights until 1957, when it became part of BBMF. It went on to fly in the 1968 film Battle of Britain and currently wears the colors of 541 Squadron, which performed photo reconnaissance over Europe from early 1944 to the end of the war. The machine was grounded in 2014 and fitted with an overhauled Griffon engine.
Yesterday’s flight was conducted by Sqn Ldr Mark Discombe, who described the machine’s handling as “sweet.” Click below to check out a video of the flight.
Continue reading Watch BBMF’s Spitfire PM631 Perform Its First Flight Since 2014 [Video]
