Category: Videos

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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]

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Kermit Weeks Shares Curtiss Jenny Restoration Update [Video]

Fantasy of Flight’s Kermit Weeks has posted a new video update on his Curtiss Jenny project, presented by restoration specialist Ken Kellett.

As previously reported, the aircraft (S/N A5360 / C/N 2404) was damaged when Hurricane Andrew struck the Florida-based collection back in 1992. Since then, all damaged wood and metal components have been replaced, including all of the wing spars and fuselage longerons. The paint work, which is just about complete, saw the application of the same USAAS markings the machine wore while it was based at the EAA Museum in Oshkosh back in the 1980s.

Click below to check out the new video.

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New Kermit Weeks Video Takes Viewers Aloft in P-51D

Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has shared a new video capturing a 2012 “Airplane of the Day” flight in his P-51D Mustang.

Weeks acquired this particular machine in 1979 for $155,000. It is painted in the colors of 44-13321 “Cripes A’Mighty 3rd” flown by highest scoring Mustang ace George Preddy of 328 Squadron, 352 Fighter Group.

The footage is described as offering “cool cockpit shots, some awesome fly-by’s and a roll or two to thrill you.” Click below to check it out.

Continue reading New Kermit Weeks Video Takes Viewers Aloft in P-51D

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New Kermie Cam Video Features AT-6 Flight, Voice-Over and Cockpit Tour

For his latest installment of “Kermie Cam,” Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has released a new version of his North American AT-6 flight while providing a full review of the machine’s cockpit and a voice-over of the flight, which includes a couple of rolls, 4 point roll and snap rolls.

This particular machine is a AT-6D painted in the colors of the Womens Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and featuring their mascot “Fifinella” on the cowling.

Click below to check out the new video.

Continue reading New Kermie Cam Video Features AT-6 Flight, Voice-Over and Cockpit Tour

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Watch the Stop Motion Assembly of a Brass Etrich Taube Structure Model [Video]

Modeler extraordinaire Tom Grigat has returned with a new stop motion animation video detailing his construction of Aerobase’s 1/160 Etrich Taube.

The model consists of brass parts and represents the structure of the unique Austrian design, which was introduced in 1910 and saw military service as a training and reconnaissance machine. Regarding the Aerobase kit, Grigat states:

It’s completely assembled without any glue used and is more some kind of a little trinket than a scale model. But it shows the beautiful construction of the aircraft – and the propeller rotates by blowing at it…

Click below to check out the video.

Continue reading Watch the Stop Motion Assembly of a Brass Etrich Taube Structure Model [Video]

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New Kermie Cam Video Offers Uncut Pilot’s Eye View of Albatros D.Va Flight

Following on his recent Curtiss Pusher video, Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has released another new “Uncut Kermie Cam” video capturing a full flight in his Albatros D.Va reproduction from the pilot’s perspective.

The reproduction was built by The Vintage Aviator, Ltd. in New Zealand and sports an original Mercedes engine as well as other original equipment. It appears in the colors of Ltn. Adolf Schreder of Jasta 17. Schreder scored one victory before being killed in action on March 17, 1918 while flying a Pfalz D.IIIa.

Click below to check out the video.

Continue reading New Kermie Cam Video Offers Uncut Pilot’s Eye View of Albatros D.Va Flight

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New Kermie Cam Video Offers Uncut Pilot’s Eye View of Curtiss Pusher Flight

Kermit Weeks has released a new “Uncut Kermie Cam” video capturing an “exhilarating” full flight in his 1909 Herring-Curtiss Pusher reproduction from the pilot’s perspective.

This two-seat, Continental O-200 A-powered machine was constructed in 2009 by Dean Wilson and Jim Otey to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first flight in the state of Idaho. It is now part of Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight collection in Polk City, Florida.

Click below to check out the video.

Continue reading New Kermie Cam Video Offers Uncut Pilot’s Eye View of Curtiss Pusher Flight

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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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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]