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.

Category: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts  -- See latest WWII news here. See also 'Uniforms', 'Kamikaze Pilots', 'Bomber Pilots & Crews', 'WWII Flying Aces', 'German Aces', 'Female Pilots', 'Spitfire'.

Fly the legendary Me262 fighter - Messerschmitt ME-262 Flight Program
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!"     [ collingsfoundation :: 2008-04-24 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Calgary nixes sale of vintage de Havilland Mosquito to UK buyer
One of the last WWII de Havilland Mosquito bombers left in Canada will remain in a Calgary warehouse for now, a city council committee decided. A buyer from UK had showed interest in buying the twin-engine aircraft, which has been in storage since the 1960s. The directors of the Calgary Aero Space Museum had supported the deal, worth $1.5m. But Richard De Boer, an aviation buff and founding member of the museum, lobbied against the sale and said the museum should restore the aircraft because of its meaning for Calgary. "That very airplane arrived in Calgary the day after VE-Day."     [ cbc :: 2008-03-07 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Restoration of a WW2 Hurricane fighter - Warbird scene is a popular hobby
A World War II Hawker Hurricane is looking forward to taking wing once more in the colours of the Finnish Air Force. All it takes is the work of 6 mechanics over 2 years and 1.5 million. There are no airworthy Hurricanes left in Finland, and you have to ask: why would an Englishman want to spent such a large amount of money on behalf of Finnish aviation history? It's a labour of love. "As a kid I used to put together scale model aeroplanes. I started flying 15 years ago," says Philip Lawton. In England the restoration of old military aircraft is a popular hobby, during the summer there can be 3 flying shows per weekend.     [ hs :: 2008-02-27 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Vintage Havilland Mosquito bomber could be shipped out of Canada
One of only 5 World War II de Havilland Mosquito bombers left in Canada is in danger of being sold to a British buyer, aviation buff Richard de Boer warns. Hundreds of Alberta servicemen in the Royal Canadian Air Force flew the twin-engine aircraft, and one even rammed into the Calgary airport control tower during a victory tour in May 1945. This Mosquito has sat in storage since being acquired in the 1960s. Calgary's Aero Space Museum is looking after the warplane and one of its members said that there is a deal in progress to sell it, for $1.5 million. De Boer thinks the museum wants to use some of the proceeds to restore a Hawker Hurricane, also in storage.     [ cbc :: 2008-01-25 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Vintage WWII aircraft refinishing company Midwest Texans grows
Aircraft company Midwest Texans that restores vintage World War II airplanes plans to double its size at the Huntington Municipal Airport in Texas. While some aircraft fetch lower prices, World War II collector planes often start at $300,000... so the eclectic business is bringing individuals with disposable income to the city. Aircraft "from that nostalgic era of WWII bring a lot of dads and a lot of sons out to the airport, and it generates interest in aviation," says Tim Savage, who founded Historic Aeroplane Works and Midwest Texans to pursue his hobby of vintage aircraft restoration.     [ aero-news :: 2007-11-21 ]

Extra security over Lockheed-P38 Lightning fighter plane
Marine conservationists are considering hiring security teams to protect the wreckage of rare American fighter plane Lockheed-P38 Lightning found on a Gwynedd beach. It is the last remaining example of the aircraft in Europe. Barry Davies said there were concerns for the wreck's safety after intense interest. A restoration team in the US has dubbed the plane "The Maid of Harlech" and hope to retrieve it. Members of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (Tighar) visited the site to carry out a full survey. They say the plane is arguably the oldest surviving aircraft of this type - and the only P-38 Lightning in its original condition.     [ bbc :: 2007-11-17 ]

Shifting sands reveal World War II P-38 Lightning fighter plane
For 65 years, a World War II fighter had lain hidden under the surface of a beach where it crash-landed. But now the P-38 Lightning has re-emerged after freak weather conditions caused the sands to shift, exposing its rusting frame. The U.S. aircraft was discovered on the North Wales coast, but the location is being kept secret in case it is targeted by looters. Its remains were spotted in July, but it was thought to be an unmanned drone. However, an aviation enthusiast recognised it from a photo and contacted a group of U.S. aircraft historians. The P-38 Lightning has been id'd: It was built in 1941 and flown by Second Lieutenant Robert F. "Fred" Elliott.     [ dailymail :: 2007-11-15 ]

French enthusiasts battle to save American World War II plane
Article no longer available from the original source.
A smashed-up veteran of World War II battles, including the D-Day landings, could finally find salvation if Bosnian authorities at long last sign the release papers. The veteran in question is a rare Douglas C-47 plane with a remarkable life story, that risks rotting away in Bosnia unless a group of French enthusiasts can rescue it. "This plane is like a hero for me. She has had an astonishing history and deserves respect. She must not be left to die," said Beatrice Guillaume, who runs a D-Day museum in Merville, Normandy. Ironically the Douglas C-47 will need the help of German troops to be loaded onto the waiting trucks.     [ washingtonpost :: 2007-11-12 ]

Major air show coming to Rickenbacker International: P-51 Mustangs
The world-leader in P-51 Mustang operations, Stallion 51 Corp. will be hosting an aviation celebration Sept. 27-30 at Rickenbacker International Airport. "The Final Roundup" will be the last event to feature the legendary pilots of the P-51 Mustang, and the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends is expected to draw 200,000 people. The Gathering of Mustangs and Legends will provide the opportunity to share the history of the P-51 aircraft and honor the heroes of World War 2. "The 1999 Gathering of Mustangs and Legends was termed as one of the great aviation events of the 20th Century."     [ thisweeknews :: 2007-09-25 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Pilot dies in World War II Hurricane crash at show
World War II fighter plane crashed at an airshow, killing the pilot and narrowly missing a main road. Crowds watched as the WWII-era Hurricane veered off course before hurtling into the ground in a fireball during a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain at the Shoreham Air Show in Sussex. The plane, one of only a dozen Hurricanes still in working order, crashed into a field a mile from the airfield where 20,000 spectators had gathered. The 65-year-old Hurricane had been 'scrambled', along with Spitfires, to respond to a mock attack on the airfield by 3 Messerschmitts. World War II vintage aircraft crashes have claimed at least 8 lives over the past 17 years.     [ dailymail. :: 2007-09-16 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Legendary World War II Avro-Lancaster PA474 'dive-bombs' couple
The noise of the Avro-Lancaster PA474 shocked Jim Gill and his wife, who were driving ponies in Pepperstock, when the plane dipped low in the sky. But Mr Gill was far from impressed, as his wife's pony reared up at the noise, injuring her. When the plane returned just seconds later, the Gills were unprepared for such a display. Luton Airport told that the rare Lancaster aircraft had been on radar and was heading to a Battle Of Britain airshow in Duxford. The plane is one of only 2 Lancasters still airworthy out of 7,377 that were built. "Normally it's a fantastic and rare thing to see and I'd probably love to see it, but not in those circumstances."     [ bedfordtoday :: 2007-09-14 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Pilot dies after World War II-era stunt plane SNJ-2 crashes
The pilot of a WWII stunt plane that crashed at Oceana Naval Air Station while practicing before an air show died. Jan Wildbergh, flight leader with the Skytypers Air Show Team, died following the crash at the Virginia Beach air base. Larry Arken, deputy squadron commander of the team of 6 World War II SNJ-2 planes, said that they had just finished rehearsing and the planes were coming in for a landing when the No. 6 plane, the last plane in the formation, crashed. The plane has no ejection system and was too low for the pilot to use his parachute. "He probably tried to continue to make the maneuver and save the plane, possibly by doing a belly flop."     [ nydailynews :: 2007-09-08 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Avro Lancaster Mark X preserved at Toronto Aerospace Museum
An Avro Lancaster Mark X bomber plane built to fly during World War 2 is being preserved by a team at the Toronto Aerospace Museum. "We're saving a piece of Canadian history which is representative of an era when people did unbelievable things," volunteer Paul Spiar said of the Lancaster, known by its FM104 serial number. Of the 7,366 Lancasters built during the war, 430 were built in Canada on the site of what is now Pearson International Airport. 4,000 were lost during the war, and today 20 remain worldwide, only 2 of which still fly. The FM104 at the museum was built in late 1944 and flown to England in January 1945. It never saw action during WWII.     [ cjnews :: 2007-09-06 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Hundreds attend funeral for man known for restorations of WWII fighters
Gerald Beck, known around the world for his restorations of World War II military fighters, was buried in a modified propeller crate. Hundreds gathered for the funeral of Beck, who was killed in a collision of two P-51 Mustangs at an experimental air show in Oshkosh, Wis. Beck was one of the people responsible for forming the Fargo Air Museum. His vintage plane restoration business, called Tri-State Aviation, grew out of a crop-spraying operation. 4 vintage military aircraft flew over the museum. One plane broke away from the V-shaped formation and headed west into the sunset.     [ bismarcktribune :: 2007-08-03 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

World War II P-51 Mustangs collide in Oshkosh
Two single-engine P-51 Mustangs - world war II planes - collided while landing at an air show, killing pilot and injuring the other. The Federal Aviation Administration said the accident happened at 3:17 p.m. after the planes finished a performance at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture show. P-51 Mustangs are single-seat fighters that were used in WWII. Witnesses said that one plane was behind the other, and when its propeller hit the tail of the other plane, it flipped up and over the other aircraft, landing upside down in a fireball.     [ wdtimes :: 2007-07-28 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Collector's dream of warbirds museum is stalling out
Hans Lauridsen spent years collecting warbirds to display at a museum at Glendale Municipal Airport. But the city has nixed the project after the aircraft enthusiast missed deadlines for building the museum. Now city officials want to use the spot next to the airport's control tower for a jet hangar. Lauridsen, funding the project on his own, collected 15 vintage aircraft that are scattered around the Valley. He is charged $4,000 each month that a 1943-built Douglas DC3 and 1942-built PBY-5A sit on the airport's ramp. The decision to abandon plans for a museum disappoints Wiley Parker: "I believe in preserving these things. We don't ever want to forget World War II."     [ azcentral :: 2007-07-14 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

WWII biplane crashes at Trenton celebration
Trenton's sesquicentennial celebration ended with a bang, aside from the traditional fireworks show. A World War II biplane doing aerobatic exercises as part of the fly-in activities at the Trenton Municipal Airport crashed into a lake. The pilot and passenger were able to be pulled safely from the plane, receiving only minor injuries. Although the official cause of the crash is under investigation, the Trenton Republican-Times reports a cable came loose from a pulley, causing the flight control gears to lock.     [ kirksvilledailyexpress :: 2007-07-07 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Mechanical woes end dream of finishing Glacier Girl's mission
Mechanical problems have forced the crew of a vintage World War Two bomber to scrub plans to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The restored P-38 Lightning - called Glacier Girl because it spent 50 years buried in ice in Greenland after a 1942 crash landing - will not be able to complete a flight across the ocean to attend an air show in England. Although Glacier Girl was able to lift off, the pilot returned the plane to the airport because of continuing technical problems. "The dream everyone had for Glacier Girl has ended," Deb Mitchell wrote to aviation enthusiasts. The crew had hoped to complete the original mission known as Operation Bolero.     [ cbc :: 2007-07-01 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

WWII P38 Lightning aircraft buried under 300ft of ice finally due in UK
An American fighter P38 Lightning will be arriving in Britain from the US - 65 years after taking off. In July 1942 six P38 fighter planes and two B17 bombers were forced to land in Greenland after encountering bad weather while en route to the UK. The planes became buried under 300ft of ice until 15 years ago the remains of one, renamed Glacier Girl, were dug up. The plane is expected to land within the next few days to prepare for the Imperial War Museum annual Flying Legends weekend on 7-8 July. "These aircraft made up one small part of Operation Bolero, the historically important build-up of allied aircraft in Britain ..."     [ bbc :: 2007-06-24 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Spitfire hero Martin Sargeant sacrificed himself to save airshow crowds
In 2001 pilot Martin Sargeant's sacrifice saved hundreds of lives when he veered his WWII Spitfire away from crowds at an airshow in a field in Rouen. The father of 3 made a last-minute diversion when he realised the landing strip was full of people. Realising they would never disperse in time, he tried to swerve the plane towards another runway, but it was too late. Roger Hatch apologised for the 6-year delay in holding the hearing due to lack of cooperation from the French authorities. 11 Spitfires and a Hurricane had taken part in the Rouen display, the first to bring together such a collection of World War II planes in France since the war.     [ dailymail :: 2007-06-15 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Collings Foundation acquires vintage World War II aircraft B-17G
The Collings Foundation's B-17G was built in Long Beach, by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was too late for combat, but did serve as part of the Air/Sea 1st Rescue Squadron and later for the Military Air Transport Service. In April 1952, the plane was subjected to the effects of 3 nuclear explosions. It was sold to the Collings Foundation in 1986, and named the "Nine-O-Nine," in honor of a 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Squadron plane, which completed 140 missions without an abort or loss of a crewman. The original Nine-O-Nine made 18 trips to Berlin, dropped 562,000 pounds of bombs and was flown 1,129 hours.     [ dailyastorian :: 2007-06-13 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Group says German Junker Ju 52 with swastikas is no Nazi tribute
The Junker Ju 52 with swastikas on its tail, at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, won't land a home at Lansing Municipal Airport anytime soon. Rumors have been unfounded, said John Kowal. The Junker Ju 52 is used for historical re-enactments. Kowal is concerned after receiving a letter saying: "Nazi tribute airplane" was offensive... The Great Lakes Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, founded by WWII veterans, has "absolutely no politics other than U.S. patriotism." The Commemorative Air Force has a WWII-era American Douglas C-47 in addition to the Junker Ju 52. The Junker Ju 52 is one of 7 such planes still flying and the only one still flying in the US.     [ thetimesonline :: 2007-06-05 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Search for Mosquito bomber reaps results at Kenora Airport
Article no longer available from the original source.
Relics from the golden age of aviation may appear to be little more than junk to most but for a group of airplane buffs the quest for an old warbird buried at Kenora Airport is like digging for treasure. Kenora Aero-Modellers Club members have expanded their search for a World War II Mosquito bomber with some encouraging results. The group unearthed what appears to be a section of landing gear from the aircraft. "We hit pay dirt 25-30 feet from where we found the undercarriage," related club member Ron Baker, who credited the assistance of a city worker skilled in the use of a metal detector for the find.     [ kenoradailyminerandnews :: 2007-06-05 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

WWII-era biplane crashes near Medal of Honor event; 2 aboard dead
A small World War II-era biplane crashed into a sand bar in Charleston Harbor, killing both people aboard. The plane went down 150 meters from shore not far from Patriots Point, where a gala was being held to honor recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The biplane was made in 1942 and has an open cockpit with 2 seats. The Coast Guard did not know whether the plane had anything to do with the event, which comes just days before the Medal of Honor Museum aboard the USS Yorktown on Charleston Harbor is set to open. The museum is a tribute to the 3,444 recipients of the US' highest military honor.     [ iht :: 2007-05-25 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Fundraising to get Spitfire airborne - WWII Spitfire pilots and souvenirs
The Comox Air Force Museum is holding the 7th annual Open House for the Y2-K Spitfire project at the restoration hangar. 10 Spitfire WWII pilots will share wartime stories or sign autographs on Spitfire souvenirs. The Spitfire will be returned to an airworthy status to honour the memory of the 18,000 Canadians that died in RCAF/RAF service. Now in its 7th year, the Comox Y2-K Spitfire is progressing and has become a tourist attraction on Vancouver Island. $500,000 has been raised and invested into the project to date. The museum intends to raise an additional $1M to complete the project. As well, the museum will display its collection of heritage military vehicles.     [ lookoutnewspaper :: 2007-05-15 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Fisherman catches WWII Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 88 aircraft in nets
A fisherman from Thessaloniki came away from a fishing trip with a larger catch than he expected as he netted a Luftwaffe bomber. Constantinos Damoultzis's nets became entangled in the relic of the Junkers Ju 88 aircraft at a depth of more than 100 meters off Agiokambos beach. When he pulled up the nets, he found a piece of the twin-engine aircraft. The air force said the Nazi airplane had probably crashed in April 1941 during a bombing raid. Although some 15,000 Ju 88s were built during WW2, only 34 of them, 13 of which were in pieces, have been recovered around the world.     [ ekathimerini :: 2007-03-29 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Frank Kittle helps restore PBY Catalina; Saved by One in WWII
Frank Kittle feels an attachment to the WWII-vintage Navy PBY Catalina amphibious plane he is helping to restore at the American Airpower Museum. He not only flew on PBYs during the war but was rescued by one after he was shot down over the Atlantic in 1943 and drifted for 72 hours in a raft. The museum acquired the search and antisubmarine aircraft from an upstate aviation museum. The goal of American Airpower is to use the PBY as more than a static exhibit; it will be restored for ongoing flight as part of a living history program. Visitors would be able to pay to take a flight and search for a mock-up of a German U-boat.     [ amtonline :: 2007-03-27 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Battle of Britain Messerschmitt lost in a cloud of Indian mystery
Only the swastika on the tail remained to identify the pile of rusting metal as one of the most sought after relics of World War II. The discovery of a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt that fought in the Battle of Britain was considered one of the most remarkable finds in aviation history. But within months the aircraft had disappeared. Now The Times has learnt that the aircraft is being restored in East Sussex. The Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 was undamaged when Xavier Ray was forced to land in Lower Hardres on Nov 2, 1940. "He stated that his aircraft, works number 4034, had given trouble yesterday..."     [ timesonline :: 2007-03-03 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Rare piece of Russian flight history - 1939 Polikarpov Chaika
A rare piece of Russian flight history - The 1939 Polikarpov Chaika - completed a journey from Wanaka to Wairarapa. The almost 70-year-old plane once flew at 279mph during its fighter days although yesterday the four-wheel-drive towing the machine was fixed at only 60km/h, giving onlookers more than enough time to catch a glimpse of the rare aircraft. "She was shot down in battle in 1939 in Murmask and wasn't recovered until 1992 and then she was taken to Siberia in 1995 to be restored." The fighter plane is part of the Wanaka Alpine Fighter Collection and is flown annually at the Wanaka Air show.     [ times-age :: 2007-01-10 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Woman Offers World War II Warbird Plane Rides
The AT-6 was the airplane used during World War 2 to train pilots like the Tuskegee Airmen and Flying Tigers. Now, one Tennessee woman is giving customers a chance to relive a bit of WWII history by giving rides in an AT-6. Stan Wruble has always wanted to pilot a vintage WWII aircraft, and he is getting the chance he has been dreaming about thanks to Gina Moore, the owner of Warbird SkyAdventures. Customers can ride along for aerobatics and even take over the controls themselves. Moore was taught how to dive bomb from a WWII Flying Tiger pilot. "The mission should you choose to, is to blow up the airport below us."     [ wkrn :: 2006-12-30 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

WWII plane buffs find rare aircraft Fairchild P-T-19, plan to restore it
Three years ago, the Commemorative Air Force group decided that a Fairchild P-T-19 that it owned that was based at Pine Bluff, Arkansas should be based instead at Midland, Texas. That began a search for a replacement PT-19, which was the plane used at the Pine Bluff School of Aviation, one of the Army Air Corps' (KORZ) largest primary flight schools during World War Two. Members of the local group didn't want Pine Bluff to be without one. In April, they found one hidden away in a dusty hangar in Idaho and six members bought it. Now, the owners are working to restore the aircraft so it can fly again.     [ ktvb :: 2006-12-19 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

A Swastika-bearing Ju 52 lands in Crossville
A Swastika-bearing Ju 52 set down at Crossville's Memorial Airport recently and turned back the clock on world history. "This is the kind of plane Hitler flew in at times." Known as the transport workhorse of the German Air Force Luftwaffe during World War II, the plane is no longer piloted by the Germans, but by Col. Bob Bos, wing commander of the Great Lakes Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. "Alte Tante Ju" meaning "old aunt junkers," was the nickname given the plane by members of the Luftwaffe who served with her kind during World War 2.     [ crossville-chronicle :: 2006-12-13 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Russian plane wreckage from 1939-40 Winter War discovered
The wreckage of a Soviet fighter plane MiG-3 downed in battle during World War 2 was uncovered by Russian army search teams. The propeller-plane's pilot, the Red Banner medal winner Lieutenant Nikolai Maximov has not been found. The MiG-3, one of the Red Army's workhorses in WW2, was shot down in a dogfight with Finnish forces in the Soviet Union's 1939-1940 Winter War with Finland. Soviet deaths in the 4-month war were 150,000, the number of US deaths in all of WWII, compared to Finnish 25,000. More than 60 years later dozens of Russian search brigades continue to operate in the region, and 331 planes have been discovered since 1991.     [ playfuls :: 2006-11-21 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Divers raise wreckage of German WWII Junkers-87 Stuka bomber
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.     [ abcnews :: 2006-10-07 :: Aircrafts of WWII ]

The only remaining flying WWII Lancaster bomber in Europe
The only remaining flying WW2 Lancaster bomber in Europe has landed in Coventry for the start of a six-month refit. The plane is being stripped and rebuilt by specialist firm Air Atlantique. The PA474 model is part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. More than 7,000 Lancaster bombers were built during the 1940s and played a major part during World War II. The only other flying Lancaster is in Canada.     [ bbc :: 2006-10-03 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

C-47 - aircraft that droped paratroopers into Normandy on D-Day
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.     [ cox :: 2006-09-01 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Rare Douglas A-20 Havoc aircraft gets new life
Article no longer available from the original source.
The Douglas A-20 Havoc, or H model, plane was a rare warbird even in its own time, as only 412 of the combat bombers were made. Today only one is known to remain in the US, and it's being restored at the Air Heritage Museum in Chippewa Township. Plane collector David Tallichet bought the bomber in 1980 after seeing it rusting away in Nicaragua.     [ timesonline :: 2006-08-22 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

World War II B-24D bomber found in Mojave Desert
An aviation archaeologist discovered the lost wreckage of a World War II bomber in the middle of the Mojave Desert. A military recovery mission is underway with the discovery of decades-old bones. "It's very, very... it's an emotional experience," said U.S. Marines Captain George Murphy. On April 09, 1944, a B-24D Bomber went down during a training mission just southwest of the then Mojave Marine Corps Air Station. The command setup shop over a month ago and has carefully unearthed personal artifacts like zippers and dog tags.     [ aiipowmia :: 2006-07-07 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Allen adds three World War II aircrafts to his collection
Paul Allen has added three World War II-era planes to his collection of antique aircraft and will display them this summer. Two planes, the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt and the Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3, have been restored to original condition and went on display at Allen's Flying Heritage Collection. A third plane, the Hawker Hurricane Mk. XIIB will go on display later this summer. The Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3, with its powerful engine and small airframe, was flown by Luftwaffe. Allied forces flew the Hawker Hurricane Mk. XIIB from the beginning of the war in 1939 through the end of the Pacific conflict in 1945.     [ seattletimes :: 2006-07-01 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

WW2 hangar into workshop-museum to restore vintage aircraft
Great Park planners want to convert an old World War II hangar into a workshop and museum to restore and showcase vintage aircraft. Ken Smith's initial plan had about 50 old military aircraft stationed on preserved sections. But as planners learned more about the costs of maintaining such a dispersed collection, plans for converting an old hangar into an active workshop and centerpiece for vintage aircraft began to emerge. Planners also discovered that desirable and rare older aircraft typically need to be kept inside.     [ ocregister :: 2006-06-18 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Vintage P-51 Mustang fighter ready to fly in
Jim Martinelli restored, maintains and is lucky enough to fly the Grim Reaper, a North American P-51 Mustang that claimed 18 Nazi fighters during World War II. Of more than 15,000 P-51s built, it is not only among the less than 150 still flying, but among only six of those that saw conflict. Before 1945 V-E Day, the Reaper was sold to Sweden and claimed a German Messerschmitt on its April 5, 1945, flight north. Eventually the P-51 was sold to the air forces of Dominican Republic, where it ended its military service in 1984. It was then sold to a private buyer for $125,000.     [ uniondemocrat :: 2006-05-20 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Vintage P51 Mustang fighter loses cockpit cover in midflight
The glass cockpit cover of a vintage World War Two U.S. fighter P51 Mustang came off in midflight over Germany and destroyed a carry-out stand. No one was hurt when pieces of the glass covering of the single-propeller plane crashed into the roof of a house and demolished the takeaway stand. The debris missed hitting a woman by about one meter. But the British pilot of the plane carried on another 250 miles to his destination at Berlin's Schoenefeld airport without reporting the loss of the cockpit's glass cover. Aircraft was found parked correctly at the Air Show in Berlin but there was no trace of the pilot. The pilot is wanted for questioning.     [ yahoo :: 2006-05-19 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Nazi warplane built in garage
An art teacher has built a German warplane - complete with Nazi flying colours - in his garage. It took Jim Hardie 13 years of painstaking work to rebuild the plane, designed in the 1930s by Nazi aircraft expert Willie Messerschmitt. In 1993, in a field near Prestwick Airport he found the remains of the old plane and decided to set about restoring it to full working order. The aircraft, a Nord 1101, has all the main features of its more famous sister plane - the Messerschmitt Bf 108. Jim spent the next 13 years scouring Europe for the right bits and pieces to get it working.     [ greenocktelegraph :: 2006-04-14 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

Otmar Gotterbarm traces fallen bombers
He was only 2 1/2 at the time, the day the giant American bomber crashed in his village in the Schwaben Mountains of southwest Germany. "Years later I went to the crash site and I found some metal shards and bullets and things. Then suddenly I felt the urge to find more about the people -- who they were, where they came from and what had happened to them." Eventually his research produced a popular book called When the Enemies Fell from the Sky (Als die Feinde vom Himmel fielen), that was published only in German.     [ thespec :: 2006-03-26 ]

Billionaire buys a rare Hawker Hurricane
One of the world's richest men has bought a new toy for one and a half million pounds - an historic warplane rebuilt in Suffolk which has just flown for the first time in 60 years. American billionaire Paul Allen has just added a rare Hawker Hurricane to his extraordinary private collection of fighter aircraft. One of the key themes of Mr Allen's collection is the Battle of Britain - both the RAF and the Luftwaffe - and the Hurricane, though often overshadowed by the Spitfire, was responsible for shooting down more than 60% of all 'kills'.     [ eadt :: 2006-03-18 ]

Saving aviation history - captured Axis warplanes
David Ascher and other members of the Allied forces once feared the enemy aircraft that flew over Europe and the South Pacific during WWII. But he turned out to be their salvation when he came to the Willow Grove Naval Air Station as maintenance chief 60 years ago. He and other sailors helped save at least a half-dozen captured Axis warplanes, as well as a few American models, from the scrapheap. In 1947, he learned that 25 Axis planes were waiting to be scrapped, after they had been evaluated and tested. So, he and a colleague went there and picked out several: including a Japanese 'Zero' fighter and an early-model German jet.     [ phillyburbs :: 2006-03-14 ]

War plane debris washed ashore
Beachcombers at Felixstowe are finding more than shells, coins, and odd bits of wood - and are recovering parts of a crashed world war two fighter plane. A number of pieces of the aircraft have been washed ashore as winter's fierce tides have stirred up the seabed off the coast, moving items which have been buried for years. While it is very difficult with so little evidence to identify the plane, it is thought to be an American fighter because there are some flush-riveted parts which were found on US planes. This could mean it was a P-38 Lightning, a P-47 Thunderbolt, or the powerful P-51 Mustang. Mr Tod said: 'It is a bit of a mystery and we would love to solve it.'     [ eveningstar :: 2006-01-30 :: Warbirds: Vintage aircrafts ]

See also

'Uniforms'

'Kamikaze Pilots'

'Bomber Pilots & Crews'

'WWII Flying Aces'

'German Aces'

'Female Pilots'

'Spitfire'.

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