Category: News

Blue Angels to resume airshow appearance with former CO

The Blue Angels will resume performances for the 2011 season starting on June 18 at the Quad City Air Show. After Cdr Koss stepped down, the team cancelled all of its scheduled appearance. Captain Greg McWherter, the 2010 commanding officer, has returned to lead the team. After two weeks of intensive practice, the Blue Angels …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/06/10/blue-angels-to-resume-airshow-appearance-with-former-co/

EAA Bleriot XI first flight

EAA’s reproduction of a 1909 Bleriot XI, powered by a 1909 Anzani engine, made its maiden flight on Sunday June 5, 2011 in Oshkosh. The pilot was Tom Hegy. Read the report on the EAA website. Also of interest are the photo gallery and the test plan.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/06/07/eaa-bleriot-xi-first-flight/

Group Captain John Musgrave

John Musgrave, a RAF Liberator pilot who flew 70 raids in the Far East and Mediterranean theatres, died on April 4, 2011. Read the obituary on the Telegraph.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/06/07/group-captain-john-musgrave/

First flight of Collings Foundation Me 262

(Updated June 5) “White 1′, the Collings Foundation’s Messerschmitt Me 262 has flown on June 2, 2011, piloted by John Penney. The flight lasted half an hour and was successful. Pictures of the flight can be found on the Colling Foundation’s Facebook page and an in-cockpit video can be seen on Youtube (see below).

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/06/04/first-flight-of-collings-foundation-me-262/

Commander Peter Savage

Commander Peter Savage, Fleet Air Arm pilot in World War II and naval aviation tactician, passed away aged 98 on March 21, 2011. Read the obituary on The Telegraph.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/06/01/commander-peter-savage/

B-25 crashes in France

(Updated June 4, 2011 at 6:44PM) More bad news for the warbird community: a B-25 Mitchell crash-landed on May 31st, 2011, in France near Melun-Villaroche, south-east of Paris. It appears the B-25 is F-AZZU, s/n 44-58811, which is known as “Russell’s Raiders” and is well known in France due to its regular appearances at the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/31/b-25-crashes-in-france/

Wingwalker Amanda Franklin dies

Sad news: airshow stunt performer Amanda Franklin died on Friday, May 27th. She had been treated for injuries and burns sustained in a crash on March 12. Amanda and her husband Kyle were performing a wing-walking act when the engine of their Waco biplane caught fire. Amanda was able to get back in the cockpit …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/30/wingwalker-amanda-franklin-dies/

Blue Angels CO voluntarily steps down

Navy Commander Dave Koss, leader of the world-famous aerobatic team the Blue Angels, has voluntarily decided to step down after leading the formation in a dangerously low maneuver at an airshow in Lynchburg. Koss said the maneuver was not in accordance with the Navy’s airborne standards and added: “This maneuver, combined with other instances of …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/29/blue-angels-co-voluntarily-steps-down/

Kiwi veteran of Battle of Britain dies

Group Captain John Gard’ner passed away on May 6, 2011 in Tauranga, New Zealand. With his death, only three of the 95 New Zealand pilots who took part in the Battle of Britain are still alive. Gard’ner also fought during the Korean War, during which he was attached to a US Marine Corps squadron.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/26/kiwi-veteran-of-battle-of-britain-dies/

Bomber Command Veterans to raise funds for Memorial

Veterans of the RAF’s Bomber Command will be campaigning to raise funds to build a national memorial for their 55,573 comrades who died during World War II. Permission to build the memorial in Green Park, Central London, has already been obtained, but the construction work will only begin when the £5 million total has been …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/24/bomber-command-veterans-to-raise-funds-for-memorial/

Conservation work on B-17 “Mary Alice” begins at IWM

The B-17 “Mary Alice” of the Imperial War Museum Duxford has been disassembled in order to transfer it to another building where it will undergo a 16-month conservation and restoration period. Source (with pictures of the transfer)

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/21/conservation-work-on-b-17-mary-alice-begins-at-iwm/

Declassified story of A-12 crash revealed

The National Geographic website has presented declassified material concerning a 1963 crash of a top-secret A-12. Due to the sensitive nature of the aircraft, a cover-up story had to be invented and the crash site thoroughly cleaned. The full story and pictures can be found on the National Geographic website.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/21/declassified-story-of-a-12-crash-revealed/

Tiger Moth crashes in Dorset (UK)

A man was killed and another gravely injured in the crash of their de Havilland Tiger Moth (XL716/G-AOIL) on May 15, 2011 near Witchampton, in Dorset. The exact cause of the accident is yet unknown, but eyewitnesses thought the aircraft was doing aerobatics and heard the engine quit shortly before the crash. Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-13409273 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1387386/Pilot-passenger-pulled-alive-wreckage-WWII-fighter-crash-following-stunt.html

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/16/tiger-moth-crashes-in-dorset-uk/

Buchon flies again in Duxford

On May 6, 2011, the Hispano Aviación HA-1112 “Buchon” registered as G-AWHE made its first flight in the hands of John Romain. The aircraft was one of those used during the filming of the classic movie The Battle of Britain, and had not flown since. The first flight was succesful and flight testing will continue. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/14/buchon-flies-again-in-duxford/

F4U-5NL first post-restoration flight

F4U-5NL BuNo 125541 (F-AZYS) flew its first post-restoration flight on May 5, 2011 with Achim Meier at the controls. The aircraft was previously in F4U-7 configuration and carried French Navy colours. The restoration to its original configuration and colours was carried out by Meier Motors in Germany.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/05/11/f4u-5nl-first-post-restoration-flight/