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May 16, 2026
The accident aircraft : Fouga Magister No. 480, registered F-AZQC (Photo Laurent Salard / Air Spot Photos (CC BY-SA 4.0))
Disaster struck on Monday, May 11, 2026, in the Seine-et-Marne region of France when a vintage Fouga CM.170 Magister crashed shortly after takeoff from Melun-Villaroche Airport. Both occupants of the aircraft lost their lives.
The accident occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m. in a wooded area located between Fontainebleau and Chailly-en-Bière. According to several witnesses at the scene, a loud explosion was heard before a fireball appeared in the sky, followed by the aircraft crashing into the forest.
The aircraft involved was Fouga CM.170 Magister F-AZQC, serial number 480, operated by the Fouga 480 association based at Melun-Villaroche. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2026/05/16/france-two-killed-in-fouga-magister-crash-near-paris/
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May 16, 2026
The P-51D Mustang “Charlotte’s Chariot II”, registered N251CS (Photo Alan Wilson (CC BY-SA 2.0))
The warbird community is mourning the loss of Dan Fordice, who was killed on May 12, 2026, in the crash of his North American P-51D Mustang “Charlotte’s Chariot II” near Tallulah-Vicksburg Regional Airport, Louisiana. Fordice was a respected warbird pilot and philantropist. The circumstances of the crash are currently under investigation by the NTSB.
A veteran of both the U.S. Army and the Mississippi Army National Guard, Dan Fordice was well known within the historic aviation world for his passion for preserving the memory of the Second World War through flying aircraft and educational projects. He served on the General Staff of the Commemorative Air Force and founded the Southern Heritage Air Foundation, dedicated to preserving veterans’ stories and aviation history. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2026/05/16/dan-fordice-killed-in-the-crash-of-p-51d-mustang-charlottes-chariot-ii/
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May 8, 2026
A VF-103 F-14B Tomcat firing an AIM-54 Phoenix missile. (Photo Robert Sullivan (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0))
According to an article published by Stefano D’Urso on The Aviationist website, an F-14D Tomcat could return to the skies in the United States under the “Maverick Act.” The proposal aims to allow the restoration to flying condition of one example of the legendary U.S. Navy carrier-based fighter, retired from active service since 2006.
The proposal has already been approved by the Senate and must now be approved by the House of Representatives. If passed, it would authorize the transfer of three F-14 Tomcats to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission, with one of the aircraft potentially being restored to flying condition. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2026/05/08/an-f-14-tomcat-might-return-to-the-skies-thanks-to-congress-maverick-act/
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February 22, 2026
Douglas TBD-1 Devastator BuNo 1515 in its current resting place in the Jaluit lagoon, Marshall Islands. ( Source : Air/Sea Heritage Foundation )
The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) has announced, in an official statement, the launch of an extraordinary project: the recovery of a Douglas TBD-1 Devastator missing since 1942. Of the 129 Devastators built, none has survived to the present day in a museum or private collection. The aircraft, identified as BuNo 1515, is now considered the only example still sufficiently well preserved to make such an operation feasible.
The Devastator holds a unique place in U.S. Navy history: the fleet’s first all-metal torpedo bomber, it marked the beginnings of modern carrier-based aviation and took part in the first American offensives in the Pacific. Yet its career was brief; quickly outclassed by more advanced aircraft, it was nearly erased from collective memory following the catastrophic losses suffered during the early stages of the war. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2026/02/22/a-rare-douglas-tbd-1-devastator-to-be-recovered-by-the-us-navy/
Spitfire Mk I R6613 of No 92 Squadron RAF, as it would have appeared on the day it was lost in combat, 11 September 1940. (Illustration © Gaëtan Marie)
UK-based Spitfire enthusiast and author Greg Davis has reached a significant milestone with his long-running Spitfire Mk I restoration project. The aircraft, Supermarine Spitfire Mk I R6613, has successfully passed inspection by the Civil Aviation Authority and is now officially registered as G-RRST. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2026/02/19/investors-wanted-for-historic-spitfire-restoration-project/
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September 5, 2025
(Illustration © Chris Sandham-Bailey / Inkworm )
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster PA474, one of only two airworthy examples in the world — the other being operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum — will receive a new paint scheme following its major maintenance program scheduled to begin in October 2025 at RAF Coningsby.
When it emerges from the workshops in 2027, it will wear the colors of Lancaster LM220 of IX Squadron as it appeared in 1944–1945. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/09/05/battle-of-britain-memorial-flight-lancaster-to-receive-new-livery-for-2027/
The North American TF-51D 44-72483 in its new livery ar Airmotive Specialties ( Photo Airmotive Specialties Inc )
The Airmotive Specialties Inc. workshop, located in Salinas, California, unveiled this week the first photos of the P-51D Mustang “Hel-eter” in its new colors. This marks an important milestone in the restoration of this aircraft, whose return to airworthy condition has been underway for several years and is expected to lead to a new first flight within the next few weeks.
The aircraft, which has been converted to the two-seat TF-51D configuration, now sports a livery inspired by P-51D 44-72577 on the Pacific theater. Bearing the code 527 painted on the fuselage, it is expected to receive the “Hel-eter” nose art on its engine cowling. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/08/31/hel-eter-rebirth-of-a-pacific-theater-p-51-mustang/
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August 31, 2025
“Randy” Cunningham (right) and William P. Driscoll (left) in the cockpit of a McDonnell F-4J Phantom II of Fighter Squadron 96 (VF-96), May 1972. (Photo San Diego Air & Space Museum archives)
Randy “Duke” Cunningham, former U.S. Navy fighter pilot and Vietnam War ace, passed away on August 27, 2025, at the age of 83. He was one of the most recognized American aviators of the conflict, credited with five aerial victories that made him the first U.S. Navy ace of the Vietnam War.
Born on December 8, 1941, in Los Angeles, California, Cunningham entered naval aviation in the 1960s and was eventually assigned to fighter squadron VF-96 “Fighting Falcons” aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation. Flying the McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II with his radar intercept officer (RIO), Lieutenant (jg) William P. “Irish” Driscoll, Cunningham quickly proved his skill in combat.
Cunningham and Driscoll scored their first victory on January 19, 1972, when they shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21 over Laos. This was followed by a second victory against a MiG-17 on May 8, 1972.
On May 10, 1972, one of the most dramatic aerial combats of the war took place. In the course of two missions that day, Cunningham and Driscoll downed three enemy fighters — a MiG-17 in the morning, and later two more MiG-17s during a fierce dogfight over Hanoi. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/08/31/randy-duke-cunningham-vietnam-war-ace-has-passed-away/
The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch of the US Air Force Museum (Photo USAF Museum)
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located in Dayton, Ohio, has recently reinstalled in its World War II Gallery an iconic aircraft of German aviation: the Fieseler Fi 156C-2 Storch.
Removed from display in 2017, the aircraft underwent a complete restoration between 2024 and 2025, carried out by the museum’s technical teams. This meticulous work, spread over eighteen months, has given the aircraft a new lease on life.
Built in 1940 in Germany, this Storch is one of the few surviving examples of the famous liaison and reconnaissance aircraft used by the Luftwaffe. Known for its extremely short takeoff and landing capabilities, the Fi 156 was able to operate on rough terrain and in difficult conditions. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/08/26/the-fieseler-storch-of-the-national-museum-of-the-u-s-air-force-has-been-restored/
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August 25, 2025
Don McPherson in the cockpit of an F6F Hellcat. (Photo US Navy)
A chapter in aviation history was closed on August 14, 2025, when Donald Melvin McPherson passed away at the age of 103. Don McPherson, the last living American ace of World War II, leaves behind not just a legacy of aerial valor but also one of faith, humility, and heartfelt community dedication.
Born on May 25, 1922, in Adams, Nebraska, Donald “Don” McPherson joined the U.S. Navy in early 1943 through the V‑5 Aviation Cadet Program. He earned his wings by August 12, 1944, embarking soon after on a tour of duty aboard the USS Essex as part of Fighter Squadron VF‑83, piloting the famed Grumman F6F Hellcat.
By April 6, 1945, amid the chaos of the Battle of Okinawa, McPherson downed two Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers. A month later, on May 4, he shot down three Yokosuka K5Y “Willow” floatplanes, thus acquiring the coveted title of ace. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/08/25/donald-mcpherson-last-surviving-us-ace-of-ww2-has-passed-away/
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June 7, 2025
The accident aircraft photographed in 2010 (Photo Jeff (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0))
A dramatic accident occurred on Friday, June 6 around 2:30 p.m. at Air Base 721 in Rochefort-Saint-Agnant, France. The Morane-Saulnier MS.733 F-AZXU crashed, resulting in the death of Alexandre Fritz, a former military pilot with 30 years of service.
He was performing a flight demonstration on the occasion of the graduation ceremony of the promotion class at the Non-Commissioned Officer Training School of the French Air and Space Force (EFSOAAE) in Rochefort.
A witness told Sud-Ouest that “the plane tried to turn around and suddenly stalled, from a height of 300 meters. Then there was a loud boom.” The exact causes of the accident are not yet known, and an investigation is underway.
We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Alexandre Fritz.
Sources:
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/06/07/pilot-killed-in-morane-saulnier-ms-733-crash-in-france/
The Collings Foundation’s F-100F 56-3844 in 2014 (Photo Christopher Ebdon (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0))
On Memorial Day 2025, the Collings Foundation’s rare North American F-100F Super Sabre, one of only two airworthy examples globally, took to the skies once again. Piloted by Rick Sharpe, curator of the Vietnam War Flight Museum in Houston, Texas, the aircraft participated in a commemorative formation flight honoring fallen service members. This significant event marked the culmination of extensive restoration efforts by museum staff and volunteers, including the installation of modern avionics to comply with current airspace regulations.
The F-100F, serial number 56-3844, boasts a rich operational history. Delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 1957, it served with the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing in Europe before joining the Texas Air National Guard. After its military service, the aircraft saw civilian use in Europe and the U.S., flying under various liveries, including the USAF Thunderbirds. Now restored and painted to honor Medal of Honor recipient Colonel George “Bud” Day, the jet stands as a flying tribute to the legacy of Vietnam War aviators.
While the jet is operated by the Collings Foundation, it is now based at the Vietnam War Flight Museum, founded in 2002 by Rick Sharpe and dedicated to preserving the history and sacrifices of Vietnam War veterans. The successful return of the F-100F to flight status underscores the museum’s commitment to this mission and highlights the collaborative efforts between the museum and the Collings Foundation in keeping aviation history alive.
Read the full story on Vintage Aviation News.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/06/01/collings-foundations-f-100f-super-sabre-returns-to-the-skies/
A father and son, sharing a deep passion for restoring vintage watches and airplanes, have combined their love for both into something truly special.
Inspired by the legendary SV-4B, an aircraft that played a pivotal role in Belgian aviation history, they’ve crafted a watch that honors its legacy. Built in Alfred Renard’s factory in Evere, the SV-4B was the backbone of the Belgian Air Force’s training fleet after World War II.
This limited edition watch, with only 65 pieces available, is more than just a timepiece – it’s a tribute to the spirit of innovation and excellence. Each watch features the iconic silhouette of the SV-4B on a sleek black dial, and the case back is engraved with a unique number from V 1 to V 65, making each one as unique as the plane it represents. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2024/09/11/introducing-the-sv-4b-limited-edition-watch-a-tribute-to-the-legends-of-aviation-history-stampe-vertongen/
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August 5, 2024
The Hawaii Mars at EAA AirVenture in 2016 (Photo Pete Markham (CC BY-SA 2.0))
The Hawaii Mars, one of the largest and most iconic flying boats in the world, has taken flight for the first time since 2016. This event marks a significant milestone in the plan to fly it to the British Columbia Aviation Museum later this month.
After a series of successful taxi tests, the Martin JRM Mars took off from Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on August 1st. During this first test flight in eight years, the crew had to shut down the number 4 engine before reaching the planned altitude of 6,000 feet. Despite this minor setback, the Hawaii Mars returned safely after a short circuit around the lake. With the issue resolved, the plane successfully flew again on August 2nd. Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2024/08/05/hawaii-mars-flies-again-after-9-years/
SB2C-5 Helldiver aircraft, BuNo 83393 (Photo Fagen Fighters WWII Museum Facebook page)
The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Granite Falls, Minnesota, announced the successful test flight of their restored SB2C-5 Helldiver on July 22, 2024, marking its first flight since 1945.
The Helldiver, built in early 1945 and originally stationed at Naval Air Field Newport, Rhode Island, and NAS Dahlgren, Virginia, crashed during a test flight on July 24, 1945, killing the pilot, LTJG Mark Gilbert. The backseater, RM3 Edward Pierce, survived with a broken leg. The crash’s cause remains unclear, but it is believed the torpedo it carried for testing came loose.
The wreckage, recovered years later, was partially used by the National Air and Space Museum before Fagen Fighters WWII Museum acquired it and embarked on a 17-year restoration project. The first engine runs were completed on October 7, 2023.
On July 22, 2024, pilot Ed Vesely flew the restored Helldiver. The aircraft was then showcased at the EAA AirVenture Air Show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Read the full story on The Aviationist and view more images of the restored Helldiver on the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum Facebook page.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2024/08/04/restored-fagen-fighters-wwii-museum-sb2c-5-helldiver-flies-again-after-79-years/
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