Hitler's Third Reich and World War II in the News is a daily edited review of WWII news, providing thought-provoking collection of hand-picked WW2 information.

WW2 category: Aircrafts of WWII  -- See latest WWII news here. See also 'WWII Aviation', 'Aces', 'Bomber pilots', 'Female Pilots', 'Spitfire', 'B-17', 'Me262', 'Ju-87'.

Up to 70% of American World War II pilots learned to fly in the PT-17     lincolnnewsmessenger.com :: 2009-06-26
Lumbering along at 105 mph, Nancy Ginesi-Hill's 1940 PT-17 Stearman biplane may not have the speed of its iconic WWII contemporaries, but it was no less crucial to America's victory. 60-70% of U.S. pilots learned to fly in the PT-17 and its variants, says to Ken Miles, of the Collings Foundation, a nonprofit group which preserves aviation history. George Kresa flew B-24 Liberator bombers from India to China over "The Hump" (the Himalayas) during World War II: "I hated to get out of training because I liked flying the Stearman so much. It was a wonderful airplane. You could really do a lot of aerobatics in it."    

Horten 229: San Diego air museum to house full-size replica of German stealth Jet     signonsandiego.com :: 2009-06-23
The National Geographic Channel calls it as one of the best-kept secrets of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. During the last days of World War Two, a futuristic-looking aircraft was discovered by US troops in a top-secret German facility. The prototype jet and other advanced Nazi aircraft were shipped to the US in the Operation Seahorse. In the 1960s the prototype jet was moved to a Smithsonian facility in Maryland. "There have been no documents released on it, and the public has no access to it," explained Michael Jorgensen, a documentary filmmaker who set up a team of Northrop Grumman aeronautical engineers to build a full-size replica from original plans of Horten 229.     [Secret Weapons]

Lancaster: The Biography [book review]     monstersandcritics.com/ :: 2009-06-14
Lancaster: The Biography is a study of one of the most iconic WWII aircraft. The Lancaster bomber was a backbone of World War II taking part in many of the most famous missions like the Dambusters and the sinking of the Tirpitz. This is the story of the Lancaster, written by Squadron Leader Tony Iveson, a former Lancaster pilot who served in the 617 squadron. He was among those Lancaster pilots whose planes crossed the North Sea to sink the battleship Tirpitz. The book includes first hand accounts from aircrews, ground crews and even the German fighter pilots who attempted to shoot them down amazed initially by the sheer size of these massive bombers. [Buy from Amazon: US, UK, CA, DE, FR]     [Aircrafts of WWII]

Team want to dig up buried German Heinkel 111 bomber     runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk :: 2008-12-25
A team of military historians is seeking permission to excavate a Second World War bomber that crashed in Widnes in 1941. Nick Wotherspoon and Mark Gaskell, of the Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team, are interested in excavating the German Heinkel 111 bomber buried in King George V playing fields and putting any unearthed relics or memorabilia on public display. "We believe that all history needs recording and therefore propose to carry out an initial metal detector search to precisely locate the site."    

Association preserves memories of World War II B-26 Marauders     airforcetimes.com :: 2008-11-07
Simply put, the 397th Bomb Group Association is unique, says Ervin Cook. The members all served together during the Second World War, making sure the Martin B-26 Marauders flew their missions. The group was brought together through the efforts of Nevin Price. "He also gathered 25,000 names of B-26 people that had served worldwide. Everyone that was in the 397th Bomb Group is considered a member and receives our newsletter, if we have their address," wrote Cook. "This is a critical time for our group as we slowly mesh our group into the Marauder Historical Society, the umbrella group for all B-26 units worldwide. It will last longer than any individual group."    

German Messerschmitt Me 109 fighter plane restored in California     modbee.com :: 2008-10-06
During World War Two, over 30,000 Messerschmitt Me 109 fighters darkened the skies over Europe. But now only a few live on in military museums and hangars around the world. One of them, restored by Harold Kindsvater to the paint scheme of the Luftwaffe's 26th Squadron at his ranch, will be featured on the Military Channel's aviation history series "Showdown: Air Combat." A film crew visited California to interview Kindsvater and photograph his plane, kept in a hangar at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater. The Me 109 was one of the most key fighters in the Luftwaffe, as it put down more planes than any other aircraft.    

Bell P-39 Airacobra on display in Finnish Anti-Aircraft Museum in Tuusula (pics)     hs.fi :: 2008-09-18
The Anti-Aircraft Museum in Tuusula has acquired a legendary single-seat fighter aircraft, a Bell P-39 Airacobra. The aircraft is a great rarity, as it is one of only 4 remaining genuine Airacobras. The American-made Airacobra became part of Finnish aviation history during the Continuation War between Finland and Soviet Union in 1941-1944. The Airacobra was the main tool of many of the Soviet Air Force pilots as the US supplied the Soviets with 4,700 of these planes, and they proved successful in action against Luftwaffe bombers on the Eastern Front, although with a low operational ceiling the plane was ill-equipped for high-altitude dogfight.    

World War II buffs can get a good look at German Messerschmidtt     nola.com :: 2008-09-06
Soon anyone can get up close and personal with a Messerschmidtt at the National World War II Museum in an exhibit that marks the Battle of Britain. The famed fighter plane, backbone of the Luftwaffe, has been high on the museum's wish list for years. The aircraft was introduced in 1935 as the BF109 but it soon became known by the name of its designer, Willy Messerschmidtt (33,000 were built). "The Messerschmidtt ranks right up there in the top 10 of historically significant aircraft of WWII. It ranks with the Sherman tank, the Japanese Zero, the Higgins landing craft, the Flak 37," stated Tom Czekanski, director of collections and exhibits at the museum.    

Farewell tour: World War II DC-3 Dakota takes last passengers     bbc.co.uk :: 2008-07-16
Aviation enthusiasts have said goodbye to a WWII transport aircraft which is being forced to stop taking passengers because of EU safety rules. Over 400 people went on the last 12 flights of the former RAF DC-3 Dakota from Coventry Airport, ending a 2-month farewell tour. Air Atlantique is applying for an exemption. Richard Parr said the rules, which govern planes carrying 19 or more passengers, required measures which were unnecessary on the DC-3s. "It's a sad day, definitely. These aircraft have been around for more than 70 years now. The farewell tour has been rammed, which is a phenomenal achievement for the aircraft."    

Restored Messerschmidt 109 fighter crash-lands at Berlin Air Show     flightglobal :: 2008-05-28
A historic fighter aircraft slid off the runway at Berlin-Schoenefeld airport, shortly after the opening of the annual Berlin air show. The Messerschmidt Me 109 came off the tarmac soon after landing. Amateur video showed the plane's wing scraping the tarmac before the plane finally came to a halt, surrounded by smoke. The pilot managed to get out of the plane unassisted and was not injured. The Me 109 is a one-seated German propeller aircraft that was used by the German Air force, Luftwaffe, in the 1930s and 1940s.    

Vintage biplane Waco UPF7 satisfies lure of open-cockpit flight     ottawacitizen :: 2008-05-28
If the open-cockpit flying appeals to you, the Canada Aviation Museum is giving you the chance to enjoy yourself: Tour operator Greg Reynolds offers sightseers low-flying, slow-speed views of area. At a cruising speed of 150 km/h, the ground seems to crawl past, giving the two passengers in the front seat time to get a new perspective. The Waco UPF7 was constructed in 1939 by Weaver Aircraft Company of Ohio. 625 UPF-7s were made 1937-1942, only 80 vintage UPF-7s are still flying. Most went to flight schools in the US' Civilian Pilot Training Program set up to train civilians to fly in anticipation of war.    

Fly the legendary Me262 fighter - Messerschmitt ME-262 Flight Program     collingsfoundation :: 2008-04-24
You can now be a part of the Messerschmitt ME-262 Flight Program by The Collings Foundation. From the best vantage point, the cockpit, you will take to the skies in this legendary aircraft - recreated to standards from an original ME-262 trainer. It's an unique chance for pilots to experience the aircraft that made history as the first fighter jet. "ME-262 embodies all the characteristics expected of an aircraft that changed aerial combat forever. The mere sight of the ME-262 struck fear in the hearts of all Army Air Corps aircrew that saw it in the sky - it was just so far ahead of its time!"     [Me262 - The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe]

P-40 Warhawk replica gets makeover     lompocrecord :: 2008-03-24
A P-40 Warhawk replica that has been on display at Vandenberg Air Force Base for 7 years took a road trip to get fresh paint at Art Craft, an airplane paint shop in Santa Maria. The full-size WWII model display serves as a monument to the Flying Tigers (14th Air Force). Although the US hadn't yet entered the war, Roosevelt ordered 100 P-40 Warhawks (originally destined for the UK but rejected as being obsolete) which were sent to China and used by a secret unit known as the American Volunteer Group (100 pilots plus a maintenance crew of 200) led by General Claire Chennault.     [Aircrafts of WWII]

Wolfgang Czaia: Project 262 - The Test Pilot's Journal     heraldbusinessjournal :: 2008-01-03
Wolfgang Czaia, the test pilot for the Paine Field-based Me-262 Project, had the rare chance to fly the first authentic reproduction of the famed World War II German jet fighter. His book "Project 262, The Test Pilot's Journal" tells the story of those test flights, his off-the-runway crash and the experience of flying as an escort for a B-24 bomber, one of the Me-262's wartime targets. Illustrated with almost 150 photos by aviation photographer Jim Larsen, the 224-page, book includes a 45m DVD filled with movies of the test flights and production. Put into service late in World War II, the Me-262 missed its chance to alter the result of that conflict.     [Me262 - The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe]

Collector is building a Spitfire fighter with parts from around the globe     bbc :: 2008-01-02
Martin Phillips has spent 7 years and 1m pounds collecting thousands of Spitfire parts at his workshop at Langford. He was motivated to start the WWII project after being given a small aircraft rivet. It began seriously when he found the fuselage of a 1944 Spitfire RR232. Phillips said he now has every part he needs to rebuild the Spitfire fighter in a shed outside his home. The final assembly and first flight of the reconstructed aircraft, to be called City of Exeter, will take place at Exeter Airport, itself a World War II fighter base. "We are making steady progress, but there are lots of engineering problems to overcome."     [Supermarine Spitfire]

Replica of WWII ace's P-51D Mustang to nest at Grout Museum     wcfcourier :: 2007-12-18
A lifesize replica U.S. Army Air Force North American P-51D Mustang fighter plane is being put together for permanent display in the atrium of the Grout Museum. That entrance also will have a re-created bow of the USS Juneau, the U.S. Navy cruiser on which Waterloo's 5 Sullivan brothers fought and died during the World War II. The replica Mustang will be a re-creation of the fighter flown by WWII air ace Robert W. Abernathy. The plane was designed by Military Aircraft Restoration Corp., which also produced a replica version of the P-51 flown by the "Tuskegee Airmen" and on display at the Des Moines International Airport.    

The story of Fair Isle's German Heinkel 111 aircraft     newstatesman :: 2007-11-16
The best-known of Fair Isle's world war 2 war stories concerns a German Heinkel 111 aircraft, which, on January 17th 1941, crash landed at Vaasetter, killing two of its crew. The plane had been on a weather reconnaissance mission when it was pursued and shot down. Miraculously 3 crew members survived the crash, and were met by a small group of islanders, led by George "Fieldy" Stout, who made a citizen's arrest. An RAF rescue launch, sent to take the German POWs back to Shetland, ran aground at the south end of Fair Isle. A second vessel was then despatched to collect both men and boat. It too ran aground.    

Spitfire: Portrait of a Legend by Leo McKinstry     telegraph :: 2007-11-16
It was 1 August 1940. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring gave the Luftwaffe its orders: smash the RAF, achieve air dominance within a fortnight. Across the Channel waited a shy, aloof man known as Stuffy, wondering if the defence system he had created would hold; an assorted band of pilots gathered from the corners of the free world; and a plane with a deathless name. The story of the Spitfire is embedded deep in the national consciousness. It has been told many times: by those who flew her, those who built her, by sober war historians and cranks and axe-grinders and revisionists. But I doubt if anyone has told it more thoroughly than Leo McKinstry.     [Supermarine Spitfire]

Over 100 Photos from the Gathering of Mustangs & Legends 2007     pbase :: 2007-10-08
More than 100 color photographs from the Gathering of Mustangs & Legends 2007 at Rickenbacker Field, Columbus, Ohio. Good pictures of Vintage P-51 Mustangs, an American long-range single-seat World War II fighter aircraft.     [Aircrafts of WWII]

Rare historical plane Fairchild PT-19 given to local museum     herald-mail :: 2007-08-25
The 1943 silver-and-black Fairchild PT-19 returned to the place where it was built, and Ward Wilkins donated it to the Hagerstown Aviation Museum. The aircraft is one of an ever-decreasing number of flying PT-19s. The PT-19, one of more than 4,500 PT-19's of this model, was manufactured in Hagerstown by the Fairchild Co. starting in 1939, continuing through 1943. The surprise donation came about because of the news surrounding the return to Hagerstown of the last-flying C-82 to its home with the local aviation museum. "When I received the phone call offering the aircraft, I was thrilled. This was an incredible donation of a plane which made Hagerstown famous."    

Documentary: Hitler's War on America - America Bomber     theage :: 2007-07-13
In this German documentary - a must-see for all armchair war buffs - Adolf Hitler's desire to strike at the heart of America is detailed by interviews and an array of archival footage, much of it in colour. As far back as 1937 Hitler was shown a full-scale mock-up of an aircraft that could take the war to the US. Like many Messerschmitt designs, the ME 264 (America Bomber) was way ahead of its time. The dream was big, the logistics a nightmare but Hitler's determination was unbounded. When the bomber became hobbled with problems, he brought in a host of Plan Bs, like the use of seaplane bomber, a mid-air refuelling and the invasion of Iceland to use it as an air base.    

World War II plane arrives in Maine for renovation     mainetoday.com :: 2007-05-02
A WWII plane believed to have been flown by Gen. George Patton arrived in Maine to undergo renovations after being damaged in an accident in Japan. Maurice Kirk, who has owned "Liberty Girl" since 1979 and was flying around the world, said the plane was flown by Patton following D-Day in 1944. Patton flew over France to survey the battlefields. During the war, hundreds of the drab-green planes were used for reconnaissance and transporting supplies. Film clips of the day often showed military leaders flying in the two-seaters. "This is an important part of American history. This here is a proper war bird."    

Lancaster bomber marks 50th anniversary     bbc :: 2007-04-28
One of the world's last Lancaster bombers has taken to the skies to mark 50 years of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The aircraft, taking part in a flypast at RAF Coningsby, is one of only two airworthy Lancasters - The only other flying Lancaster is in Canada. More than 7,000 Lancasters were built during the 1940s and played a major part during World War 2. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is an historic collection of aircraft that commemorate the RAF's involvement in all the campaigns of WW2. It includes the Lancaster, a Dakota, 5 Spitfires, 2 Hurricanes and 2 Chipmunks.    

WWII Mosquito fighter-bomber rises from the mud     mod :: 2007-03-23
Article no longer available from the original source.
Milton Keynes: The remains of a crashed de Havilland Mosquito World War II fighter-bomber have been discovered. Among the wreckage was one of the plane's Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, guns and ammunition. The wooden fuselage had rotted away. The RAF team identified the aircraft as being from No 51 Operational Training Unit which had been based at RAF Cranfield in Bedfordshire. It took off on its ill-fated night flight on 14 January 1945. Pilot Warrant Officer Gavin Harvie and navigator Sergeant Martin Sydney Card discovered that some of the Mosquito's equipment was malfunctioning and radioed a distress call just minutes into the flight.    

Alex Henshaw, the Spitfire ace who never got to fly a mission     dailymail :: 2007-03-01
He flew more Spitfires than any other man - and was hailed as the greatest test pilot of World War II. He risked his life to iron out problems with the RAF's aircraft. And he was the only pilot ever to 'roll' the massive Lancaster bomber upside-down in mid air. The death of Alex Henshaw concludes a story of courage and skill. He survived crashes, and clashed with officials about his antics: like bringing Birmingham to a standstill by flying his Spitfire upside-down only feet above the rooftops. He test-flew some 3,000 Spitfires, more than 10% of all those ever built. In 2006 he took the controls of a Spitfire in a flight to mark the aircraft's 70th anniversary.    

The Zero - An aircraft replica taped together from photos     starbulletin :: 2006-11-28
If ever there were an icon for the mysterious powerful Imperial Navy at the advent of World War II, the A6M2 "Zero" was it. Jiro Horikoshi's design broke all the rules of aircraft construction, being light, nimble, swift and far-reaching, a razor-edged sword in design philosophy while the other nations were mass-producing clunky machine guns. It was so feared that American aviators were given one instruction upon meeting a Zero: run. Katsushige Nakahashi is busy taping together the latest of his "Zero Projects," a life-size replica of the famous fighter plane.    

Spitfire: The Biography - As the RAF took on the Luftwaffe     guardian :: 2006-11-19
If the Spitfire had reached the RAF in 1937 instead of 1938, the Luftwaffe might have observed it, poached its design, maybe even acquired a couple. In 1938 Britain was selling Hawker Hurricanes to Yugoslavia. RJ Mitchell's fighter began to enter squadron service at the best time: not 1940, the year of the Battle of Britain, but 1939, thus giving the RAF a year to get the bugs out. The twin-blade wooden propeller was changed to a 3-blade, constant-speed prop. A new canopy improved the pilot's view. Armour plating protected his back. The focus of his 8 machine-guns was tightened from 400 yards to 250 yards.    

A German World War II Focke Wulf 190 aircraft salvaged     tiscali :: 2006-11-03
A German World War II Focke Wulf 190 aircraft, production no. 0125425, was salvaged from its watery grave off the island of Sotra, near Bergen in Norway. The aircraft, stationed at 12th Jagdgeschwader 5 at Fliegerhorst Herdla outside Bergen during the second world war, made an emergency landing in the sea on December 15th 1943.    

Divers raise wreckage of German WWII Junkers-87 Stuka bomber     freerepublic.com :: 2006-10-07
Greek military divers raised the wreckage of a German World War II Stuka bomber from the sea. The Junkers-87 dive-bomber was shot down in 1943 and will be displayed at the air force museum. Air force experts believe the plane was part of a Luftwaffe squadron operating from Rhodes that lost several Stukas to allied ships on Oct. 9, 1943. Fitted with a screaming siren for maximum shock effect, the gull-winged, single-engine Stuka was a feared symbol of Nazi military power. Out of some 6,000 aircraft produced 1936-1944, only two are intact in museums, while the wrecks of 3 more Stukas have been salvaged.    

Spitfire -- Still the world's most famous military aircraft     smh :: 2006-09-19
Immortalised in film and speeches for its role in winning the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire is still the world's most famous military aircraft. More than 20,000 were manufactured to take on the Messerschmitts of Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe and the Zeros of Japan, but today only a few dozen can still be flown. Remarkably, the town of Temora boasts two of them. The Temora Aviation Museum acquired its second vintage Spitfire: The Mark XVI, which saw service with the RAAF in the closing weeks of World War II. Nobody is revealing the price, but airworthy Spitfires don't come for less than $2 million.     [Supermarine Spitfire]

C-47 - aircraft that droped paratroopers into Normandy on D-Day     cox :: 2006-09-01
A C-47 aircraft that played a pivotal role in World War II landed at Lakefront Airport and will be moved to the World War II Museum. "Like the Higgins boat, the Sherman tank and the jeep, the C-47 was so important to the success of the war effort that the National World War II Museum would not be complete without it." This C-47, 096, carried Pathfinder paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne into Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, dropped a Pathfinder paratrooper team of the 101st Airborne in Operation Market Garden; flew in a resupply mission to the 101st Airborne during the Battle of the Bulge; and took part in Operation Varsity - the Rhine Jump - in 1945.     [Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts]

P-51 Mustang's primary duty was to protect bombers     kpvi :: 2006-08-18
Article no longer available from the original source.
The P-51 Mustang's primary duty was to protect bombers as they flew over Europe. They helped to turn the tide in World War II. "We were losing so many of our big bombers and their crews, because we didn't have any fighter escort with long range capacity. And when North American built this airplane it would stay up for 7, almost 8 hours, and so they would escort bombers deep into action and back, and it made all the difference in the world." Armed with 6 fifty caliber machine guns, it could carry rockets, 1000 ton bombs and drop fuel tanks -- a formidable opponent for enemy fighters.     [Aircrafts of WWII]

Yakovlev YAK-3 -- Dog fighter aircraft of the Eastern Front     aero-news :: 2006-08-01
The history of this aircraft design is full of mystery. First, the attempt at the design failed in 1941 due to a shortage of materials and a reliable engine. The second attempt proved successful with test flights beginning in October 1943. The YAK-3 is an upgraded variant of the YAK-1; which first flew in 1939. More than 8,700 aircraft were built of all models. The YAK was a successful dog fighter and won the respect of Luftwaffe pilots on the Eastern Front. The YAK-3 has an empty weight of 4,641 pounds and a top speed of 355 knots. Armament included a single 20mm ShVAK cannon and a single 12.7mm Berczin cannon.    

Time to remember the Hurricane - Overshadowed by Spitfire     expressandstar :: 2006-03-31
France had surrendered. Britain stood alone. Hitler's invasion barges were massing across the Channel. Once the German Luftwaffe had knocked out the RAF, the Nazi invasion could begin. Hurricanes equipped more squadrons, scored more "kills," and brought more wounded pilots safely home than any other RAF fighter. And yet then, as now, the Hurricane was overshadowed by the glamorous Supermarine Spitfire.    

P-51 Mustang in WWII as a bomber escort     centralohio :: 2006-03-07
They called it a search and destroy mission, the perfect way for a P-51 fighter pilot to wrap up a day's work over Nazi Germany. "It was a plane that changed the whole course of the war," George Valentine said. Until the Mustang appeared, American bomber crews were on their own during missions over the Third Reich. But the Mustang was the fighter plane that could go all the way with them and fend off enemy fighter attacks. Until jet fighters made their appearance at the very end of WWII, the Mustang was the fastest, nastiest thing in the air.    

Man uses Navy past for book on WWII seaplanes     - :: 2006-01-03
Chet Smith still fits into his World War II naval uniform as easily as he recalls piloting a new and extraordinary seaplane through the dangerous skies and equally treacherous waters of the central Pacific Ocean. From August 1942 to May 1945 aboard the PB2Y Coronado, crew delivered cargo and mail to isolated Allied bases. The young crew also ferried the Navy's top brass, such as Adms. Chester Nimitz and William "Bull" Halsey, on the massive four-engine seaplane from Hawaii to smaller islands in flights often lasting 25 hours.    

Man who helped develop WWII fighter plane finally gets a ride     WacoTrib :: 2005-11-14
Article no longer available from the original source.
On Friday, Robert Bowman got the chance to fly for the first time in a Douglas A-26, a plane he helped develop more than 60 years ago. In July of 1940 he went to work for the Douglas Aircraft Company. His first task with Douglas was to help design and build a fighter plane to combat the Axis powers in World War II. The military wanted an airplane that was faster than the German Messerschmitt and Douglas delivered with the A-26. The A-26 was used in three wars: World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.    

See also:
'WWII Aviation'
'Aces'
'Bomber pilots'
'Female Pilots'
'Spitfire'
'B-17'
'Me262'
'Ju-87'.

Although the articles linked from Adolf Hitler's Third Reich 1933-1945 and World War II in the News are reviewed and specially selected, they do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, who is not responsible for the content of any external sites. This service is © Joni Nuutinen 2005-2009. All rights reserved.