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Latest Collection from Renowned Artist Ronny Bar Focuses on WW1 British Fighters

Aviation artist Ronny Bar’s latest collection of aircraft profiles will soon be released by Tempest. The new collection British Fighters of the Great War is a visual and historical celebration of Britain’s single-seat fighter aircraft of the First World War.

Renowned aviation artist Ronny Bar presents a remarkable collection of meticulously researched colour profiles, capturing 15 of the most important British ‘scout’ fighters in vivid, authentic detail. Each aircraft is illustrated in a constant scale, with side, upper, and underside views that provide invaluable reference for historians, enthusiasts, and modellers alike.

From the iconic Sopwith Camel, Pup, Dolphin and Snipe – legendary products of the Sopwith Aviation Company – to other pivotal types such as the Bristol Scout, DH-2, DH-5, FE-8, and SE-5a, this volume traces the evolution of British fighter design from the tentative early days of aerial reconnaissance to the hard-won air superiority of the war’s later years.

Set against the backdrop of rapid technological change, tactical experimentation, and the courage of the pilots who flew these machines, the book combines striking artwork with a deep understanding of the historical context. Every profile is based on photographic evidence and thorough research, with informed interpretation used only where the passage of time has left gaps.

The 264 page book expands on the author’s previous collections of profiles as an authoritative color guide and a showcase of one of the genre’s finest artists, offering an unmatched visual reference to the aircraft that helped shape the air war over the Western Front. The book is currently available for pre-order with release set for May 31.

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TVAL Offers Additional WW1 Aircraft, Rotary Engines 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.

New Zealand-based aircraft manufacturer The Vintage Aviator, Ltd. has expanded its list of machines for sale, with offerings now including four WW1 aircraft reproductions and two rotary engine types.

In addition to the Hispano-Suiza-powered SE.5a and Le Rhone-powered Sopwith Pup listed in November, TVAL is now offering RAF1a-powered BE.2e G-CJZP, which has amassed a total time of 42 hours, and Bentley B.R.2-powered Sopwith Snipe G-CKBB (pictured above) which represents F2367 of 70 Squadron.

TVAL has also expanded their inventory to include powerplants, and is currently offering a limited number of reproduction 110 hp Le Rhone and 230 hp Bentley B.R.2 rotary engines.

Click here to check out the full aircraft listings, and here for engine listings.

(Top Photo: Alan Wilson via Wikimedia Commons Thanks, Pascal!)

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Preparing For Oshkosh Appearance, Kermit Weeks Documents Sopwith Snipe’s First Flight in Five Years [Video]

As Kermit Weeks prepares to bring four of his WW1 aircraft to the upcoming AirVenture Fly-in, he recently returned his Sopwith Snipe to the air for the first time in five years, documenting the event in a newly released video.

The aircraft was constructed by The Vintage Aviator, Ltd in New Zealand and is powered by a Bentley BR2 rotary engine. It represents the early incarnation of the Snipe, which employed a smaller rudder and lacked the large, balanced ailerons seen on later models. The markings represent E8102, flown by Maj. W.G. Barker during his lone encounter with 60 Fokker D.VIIs on October 27, 1918, during which he managed to shoot down four aircraft before crash landing over Allied lines with severe wounds. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions and the fuselage of his original machine is now preserved at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Continue reading Preparing For Oshkosh Appearance, Kermit Weeks Documents Sopwith Snipe’s First Flight in Five Years [Video]

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Kermit Weeks Plans to Bring Four WW1 Aircraft to AirVenture 2018 [Video]

Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks has announced plans to bring four of his WW1 aircraft reproductions to the 2018 AirVenture fly-in in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The machines include his TVAL-built Sopwith Snipe and Albatros D.Va, a newly restored Sopwith Pup which is currently undergoing repairs following an “unfortunate incident” during its maiden flight, and his new Fokker D.VII, which was recently completed by noted WW1 aircraft builder Fred Murrin.

It appears that the Snipe is the only machine that could take flight at the event, as the remaining aircraft have not yet amassed the required 10 hrs of flight time, or are currently involved in ongoing maintenance. Click below to check out the update.

Continue reading Kermit Weeks Plans to Bring Four WW1 Aircraft to AirVenture 2018 [Video]