Category: Videos

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Kermit Weeks Shares New, Two Part Video Update on Messerschmitt Bf 108 Restoration

For the latest installment of Fantasy of Flight’s Mechanic’s Corner, owner Kermit Weeks has shared a two part video update on the restoration of his 1936 Messerschmitt Bf 108.

Part 1 features restoration specialist Paul Stecewycz talking about the restoration of tail and wing components and demonstrating the operation of the mechanical trim wheel. In part 2 Stecewycz visits the large paint stripping booth to explain, then demonstrate, the process of plastic blasting the paint layers and filler materials off of the 108 wings.

Click below to check out both parts.

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Newly Restored P-39Q Performs First Engine Test in NZ [Video]

Pioneer Aero of Ardmore, New Zealand has announced that their P-39Q Airacobra project performed its first successful engine test earlier today.

As previously reported, the aircraft (42-20341) is based largely on an ex-Soviet Air Force P-39Q which was recovered around 1995, although it is also said to feature parts obtained from P-39Q 42-20341. The machine is reportedly owned by Jerry Yagen / Military Aviation Museum and is being restored to airworthy condition as USAAC 220341.

The company reports that high powers will be conducted later in the week “and who knows what after that.”

Click below to check out a video of today’s test.

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RAAF Museum Mustang Performs Initial Ground Runs [Video]

The RAAF Museum’s CA-18 Mustang Mk 23 is reportedly one step closer to returning to the air with initial ground runs of its newly installed Packard Merlin engine.

This particular aircraft, A68-170 (now painted as A68-750), was transferred from No 7 Stores Depot to the RAAF Museum for display in 1970. It underwent restoration in the mid-1970s and was known as “Duffy’s Delight.” Another restoration followed in 1989 which saw every component of the aircraft disassembled and refurbished. The project lasted 10 years, which the Mustang returning to the air in February 1999.

In recent years, the Merlin engine was removed and sent to the UK for overhaul, and was returned to the airframe in late 2018. Click below to check out a video of the test conducted earlier today.

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Kermit Weeks Shares New Video Update On A-26 Project

Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has posted a new video update on his A-26 project, which is currently underway in Chino, California.

As previously reported, the aircraft (S/N 41-39401) reportedly saw wartime service with the 9th Air Force and served with the Van Nuys Air National Guard before beginning civilian use as N3457G / “Whistler’s Mother.” Later acquired by Weeks, the A-26 was damaged during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and trucked to Chino in 1997, where it is now being restored by Carl Scholl and Tony Ritzman of Aero Trader.

Click below to check out the video.

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EAA Shines Spotlight on World’s Only Flying B-26K/A-26A [Video]

The EAA is shining the spotlight on the world’s only flying example of Douglas B-26K/A-26A Counter-Invader in a newly released video.

Restoration of the machine (S/N 64-17679 / 44-34198) began in 2010 and required 65 volunteers and nearly a million dollars. Dubbed “Special Kay,” it returned to flight on July 8, 2017 wearing a mid-60s USAF livery and is said to be the pride of the Texas-based Vintage Flying Museum.

The new video was filmed at Oshkosh 2018, where Special Kay was awarded Best Bomber and the Silver Wrench Award. Click below to check it out.

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Newly Restored Mosquito PZ474 Featured in New Video

Lewis Air Legends and Avspecs, Ltd. have shared a new feature on newly restored Mosquito FB VI PZ474 aired by Television New Zealand’s (TVNZ) Seven Sharp.

As previously reported, 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.

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Kermit Weeks Shares Part 2 of His VIP Short Sunderland Tour [Video]

Kermit Weeks has shared part 2 of a “full VIP” tour of his Short Sunderland flying boat.

As reported with part 1 of the series, this particular machine was acquired by Weeks in 1993 from Edward Hulton. After five months of work in England he flew the machine across the Atlantic, directly to the Oshkosh Fly-In in Wisconsin with stops in Ireland, Iceland, and Canada. It remained at Oshkosh until 1994, when Fantasy of Flight’s seaplane ramp was completed. Two years later, the machine flew to Sarasota and participated in the Olympic torch relay to Atlanta.

The newly released second installment focuses on the flight deck and cockpit while also offering some “history, fun stories and plenty of information.” Click below to check it out.

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New Video Details Progress on Airworthy Restoration of Lancaster FM104

A new video has been released providing a report on the restoration of Avro Lancaster FM104 at the British Columbia Aviation Museum in Canada.

As previously reported, the bomber was originally built by Victory Aircraft of Malton, Ontario in 1944 and was installed along Toronto’s waterfront following its retirement from the RCAF in 1964. In 1999, it was moved to a museum in Downsview Park, where a restoration effort began. However, it was relocated once again when the museum closed in 2011. The machine had spent recent years in storage at Edenvale Aerodrome west of Barrie while its future became a topic of debate.

In July 2018 the British Columbia Aviation Museum became the successful bidder and, now having formally taken possession of the machine from the city of Toronto, the process of restoration to airworthy condition is underway.

The newly released video, narrated by BCAM President John Lewis, details work that has been done since the aircraft was moved into their Restoration Hangar on Oct 16, 2018. Click below to check it out.

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Kermit Weeks Provides “Full VIP” Tour of Short Sunderland [Video]

For the latest installment of his Kermie Cam series, Fantasy of Flight’s Kermit Weeks has filmed a “full VIP walk around” of his Short Sunderland flying boat.

This particular example was acquired by Weeks in 1993 from Edward Hulton. After five months of work in England he flew the machine across the Atlantic, directly to the Oshkosh Fly-In in Wisconsin with stops in Ireland, Iceland, and Canada. It remained at Oshkosh until 1994, when Fantasy of Flight’s seaplane ramp was completed. Two years later, the machine flew to Sarasota and participated in the Olympic torch relay to Atlanta.

The newly released video serves as part 1 of a two part series and includes “a bit of history, some cool stories and plenty of useful or useless information, depending on your point of view.”

Click below to check it out.

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Mosquito PZ474 Performs First Post-Restoration Flight [Video]

Yesterday, Mosquito FB VI PZ474 performed its first post-restoration flight from Ardmore Airport in New Zealand.

As previously reported, 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. Continue reading Mosquito PZ474 Performs First Post-Restoration Flight [Video]