Bertrand Brown

Author's posts

Beech 18 damaged in take-off accident at Paris Air Legend airshow

The Beechcraft Model 18 (E18S) F-AZEJ belonging to  the Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis was damaged today in a take-off accident on the first day of the Paris Air Legend 2021 airshow. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the accident. The aircraft reportedly struggled to get airborne, veering off the runway and coming to a stop in an …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/09/11/beech-18-damaged-in-take-off-accident-at-paris-air-legend-airshow/

Sole surviving NA-50 “Torito” restored in Peru

The only surviving North American NA-50 Torito, a fighter derived from the NA-16/BT-9 trainer, has been restored in Peru by the Servicio de Mantenimiento de la Fuerza Aerea del Perú (Maintenance Service of the Peruvian Air Force) for the Museo Aeronáutico del Perú at Las Palmas. This aircraft, coded XXI-41-3, was one of only seven …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/06/21/sole-surviving-na-50-torito-restored-in-peru/

One killed in Flying Bull T-28 crash in the Czech Republic

We have just learned of the tragic crash of North American T-28B Trojan BuNo 138179 registered OE-ESA of the Austrian Flying Bull collection. The aircraft crashed in Jickovice  in the Czech Republic as it was returning from the Leźno airshow in Poland.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/06/20/one-killed-in-flying-bull-t-28-crash-in-the-czech-republic/

Historic Jaguar damaged during the opening raids of Gulf War transferred to Paris Air & Space Museum

January 17, 2021 is the 30th anniversary of the initial strikes of Operation Desert Storm led by the US-led coalition  against Iraq. It was also the day on which the SEPECAT Jaguar A91 of the French Air Force made its last flight after suffering extensive battle damage.  On this day, the aircraft officially joined the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/01/19/historic-jaguar-damaged-during-the-opening-raids-of-gulf-war-transferred-to-paris-air-space-museum/

Brigadier General Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager †

Brigadier General "Chuck" Yeager (Photo US Air Force)

World-famous test pilot Charles “Chuck” Yeager died on Monday the 7th of December at a hospital in Los Angeles. He was 97 years old. A World War II P-51 Mustang ace  and test pilot, Yeager made international headlines when he became the first man to break the sound barrier on 14 October 1947, flying a …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/12/08/brigadier-general-charles-e-chuck-yeager-%e2%80%a0/

SNCASE Aquilon wreck discovered in Mediterranean Sea

On November 20, 2020, the Pourquoi Pas ? , a ship of the French oceanographic fleetoperated by the Ifremerand the French navy was conducting scientific work south of Porquerolles in southern France, when its remotely-controlled Victor6000 robot discovered the wreck of an Aquilon fighter, a French-built de Havilland Sea Venom, nearly 8,000 ft beneath the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/11/28/sncase-aquilon-wreck-discovered-in-mediterranean-sea/

René Billotet, last survivor of No 342 (Free French) Squadron, has passed away

Sergent-chef René Billotet, born on 18 April 1925 in Dôle (France) and last survivor of the Royal Air Force’s No 342 (Free French) Squadron passed away at his home aged 95. Better known in France as the Groupe de Bombardement Lorraine, the squadron played an essential and unusual role during the D-Day landings. On the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/11/21/rene-billotet-last-survivor-of-no-342-free-french-squadron-has-passed-away/

Joseph “Jeff” Moureau, the last Belgian pilot to fight on D-Day, has passed away

Joseph “Jeff” Moureau, the last Belgian pilot to have fought with a Belgian squadron in the Royal Air Force,  has passed away at age 99, according to the Belgian air component. “With sadness, the Belgian air component says farewell to the last Belgian Spitfire fighter pilot in World War II”, the Belgian Air Component wrote …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/10/29/joseph-jeff-moureau-the-last-belgian-pilot-to-fight-on-d-day-has-passed-away/

Nieuport 23 replica flies in Switzerland

The Nieuport 23C-1 replica built by Nieuport Memorial Flyers made a successful maiden flight in Grenchen, Switzerland, on 21 September 2020. The aircraft, registered HB-RNA, was flown by Isidor von Arx. It is powered by the rotary engine of a Thulin A (Swedish license-built Blériot XI). This project was started in the year 2000. Its …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/10/24/nieuport-23-replica-flies-in-switzerland/

Three wounded in B-25 “Old Glory” crash in California

The B-25 Mitchell “Old Glory” was seriously damaged when it struck an irrigation ditch during an off-airport landing attempt near Stockton, California. The three crewmembers on board were injured and two were taken to the hospital but fortunately their injuries are not life-threatening. “Old Glory” is North American B-25J Mitchell built in 1944 (serial number …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/09/20/three-wounded-in-b-25-old-glory-crash-in-california/

Fatal DHC-1 Chipmunk crash in Germany

A DHC-1 Chipmunk at Panshanger Aerodrome on 22nd May 2011. NB: this is not the accident aircraft. (Photo Geoff Collins (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0))

A DHC-1 Chipmunk crashed on September 17th near Paulinenaue in Germany. The pilot, aged 68, was killed in the crash and his passenger was gravely wounded. The aircraft, built in 1952 and registered D-ELLY, had taken off from Bienenfarm airfield moments before. The causes of the accident are unknown at this time. Our thoughts and …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/09/20/fatal-dhc-1-chipmunk-crash-in-germany/

Pilot wounded in RAF B.E.2c replica crash at Sywell Aerodrome

A Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c  replica crashed at Sywell Aerodrome in the United-Kingdom while training with five other aircraft in preparation for a display later this month. Fortunately, pilot Matthew Boddington survived the crash and has been hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. The aircraft is part of the Bremont Great War Display Team, which offers …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/09/02/pilot-wounded-in-raf-b-e-2c-replica-crash-at-sywell-aerodrome/

Belgian Aviation Preservation Association acquires ex-French air force DH.100 Vampire

The Belgian Aviation Preservation Association (BAPA) collection has opened up to the jet age. After having recently received two Turbomeca Marboré II engines equipping the Fouga C.M.170 Magister. (one being cut out in a didactic way and the other on its original maintenance support), a first jet has been added to the association’s aircraft collection. It …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/08/29/belgian-aviation-preservation-association-acquires-ex-french-air-force-dh-100-vampire/

Flying Legends airshow will no longer be held in Duxford

For three decades, Duxford was synonymous with the world-famous Flying Legends airshow, but The Fighter Collection, organizer of the event, and the Imperial War Museum Duxford have announced that the event will no longer be hosted at Duxford. To date, no information is available about the future location of the airshow, or what the potential …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/08/25/flying-legends-airshow-will-no-longer-be-held-in-duxford/

Spitfire T.9 TE308 flies again with new colours

Spitfire T.9 TE308 in 2007 (Photo D. Miller (CC BY 2.0))

Flyaspitfire.com has announced on its Facebook page that it has received approval to start passenger flights with their new twin-seat Spitfire, Spitfire TE308,  which has received a new paint scheme in honor of No 457 Squadron “Grey Nurse” of the Royal Australian Air Force. TE308 was built as a Spitfire Mk IX and did not …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/08/16/spitfire-t-9-te308-flies-again-with-new-colours/