Category: News

First post-restoration flight for P-51C Mustang “Lope’s Hope 3rd”

The P-51C-10-NT Mustang “Lope’s Hope 3rd” made its first post-restoration flight on October 17 after being restored by AirCorps Aviation. The flight was made with pilot Warren Pietsch at the controls. The aircraft, serial number 43-24907, was used for training during World War II and did not see combat. It carries the colours of s/n 42-103585 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/10/19/first-post-restoration-flight-for-p-51c-mustang-lopes-hope-3rd/

Breitling to end its support to the Super Constellation Flyers Association

There is an end to even the best things. The 14-year-old partnership between the Super Constellation Flyers Association which flies the C-121C Super Constellation HB-RSC and the Swiss watchmaker Breitling is reportedly coming to an end. Breitling, whose name is strongly associated to aviation, has been a generous donator to many classic aviation projects for years. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/09/29/breitling-to-end-its-support-to-the-super-constellation-flyers-association/

Mid-air collision for P-51 “Miss Helen” and “The Shark” at Duxford

The P-51D Mustangs 44-72216 “Miss Helen” and 44-73877 “The Shark” suffered a mid-air collision during a formation flight during the Battle of Britain Air Show in Duxford on Saturday the 23rd of September. Both aircraft were damaged in the incident but luckily they were able to land and their pilots were unhurt. The collision can …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/09/26/mid-air-collision-for-p-51-miss-helen-and-the-shark-at-duxford/

Steve Hinton Jr beats world speed record for piston-engined aircraft

On September 2, Steve Hinton Jr. established a new speed record for a propeller-driven piston-engined aircraft by flying the heavily-modified P-51 Voodoo at an average speed of 531.53 mph (855.41 kph), thus largely defeating the previous record, established by Will Whiteside Jr. and Yak-3U Steadfast in 2012. Despite this achievement, Hinton and his team were a bit …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/09/05/steve-hinton-jr-beats-world-speed-record-for-piston-engined-aircraft/

Sea Fury T.20 G-RNHF flies again

The Hawker Sea Fury T.20 G-RNHF flew again on September 1st in North Weald with Lt Cdr Chris Gotke at the controls. Gotke was awarded the Air Force Cross for saving the aircraft after an engine failure in 2014. The aircraft is loaned by the Fly Navy Heritage Trust to the Royal Navy Historic Flight. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/09/02/sea-fury-t-20-g-rnhf-flies-again/

Two killed in Antonov An-2 crash at Russian airshow

An Antonov An-2 crashed today at an airshow in Balachikha near Moscow. The two pilots were killed in the accident, but no members of the public were hurt. The scene was filmed from many angles and appears to show the pilot attempting a hard left turn to avoid the public before losing control and hitting the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/09/02/two-killed-in-antonov-an-2-crash-at-russian-airshow/

Two killed in Tiger Moth crash in the UK

A de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth crashed Saturday morning in Shaftesbury, near Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset. Tragically, the pilot, aged 64, and his passenger, aged 67, were killed in the accident. The causes for the accident are unknown. Source: The Sun

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/28/two-killed-in-tiger-moth-crash-in-the-uk/

Stephen C. Ananian †

Stephen C. Ananian, who flew P-51 Mustangs with the 339th Fighter Group during World War II passed away on June 28, 2017. Stephen was born on Christmas Day 1922 and joined the Army Air Corps after Pearl Harbor. He was deployed to the UK with the 339th FG and was shot down on his first …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/25/stephen-c-ananian-%e2%80%a0/

CAF Dixie Wing FG-1D Corsair flies again

After spending several months during which “a Firewall forward restoration and engine change were completed”, the CAF Dixie Wing’s FG-1D Corsair flew again on August 15 with Thom Richard at the controls from the Kissimmee airport in Florida. Source  

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/17/caf-dixie-wing-fg-1d-corsair-flies-again/

Friends of Jenny’s Curtiss Jenny crash-lands in Kentucky

The Friends of Jenny’s Curtiss JN-4 Jenny replica crash-landed in a golf course on August 12 near Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport in Kentucky. Fortunately, pilot Terry Richardson was reportedly only lightly injured, suffering a light head wound. The aircraft is a replica built in 2012 using original plans, but is powered by a GMC V8 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/16/friends-of-jennys-curtiss-jenny-crash-lands-in-kentucky/

Four Bristol Fighters headed to New Zealand

From Aerodynamic Media: Four newly discovered Bristol Fighters commissioned by a film studio will be heading to New Zealand after being acquired by a new owner. The aircraft were among seven examples of the type originally built for the 1983 film High Road to China, but were subsequently written out of the production, leaving their whereabouts …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/15/four-bristol-fighters-headed-to-new-zealand/

Collings Foundation F-4 Phantom II flies again

From Warbirds News: “The Collings Foundation‘s F-4 Phantom II is now the only flying example of its kind in North America. She took to the skies again in the capable hands of former US Air Force ‘Rhino’-driver Harry “D-Day” Daye at 10:50am local time on August 8th, 2017 from Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. Listed on the US civil registry as N749CF, the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/14/collings-foundation-f-4-phantom-ii-flies-again/

Over 20,000 Mosquito technical drawings saved from destruction in the UK

From the Telegraph: “More than 20,000 wartime Mosquito engineering drawings and diagrams have been found in the corner of a wartime factory just days before bulldozers were due to flatten it. The archive includes what are thought to be the world’s only complete set of engineering drawings for the plane, as well as details of variants …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/11/over-20000-mosquito-technical-drawings-saved-from-destruction/

B-17 “Shady Lady” flies again

As announced last month, the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress “Shady Lady” has flown again and departed the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, to join the collection of the Collings Foundation. More information on Aerodynamic Media.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/10/b-17-shady-lady-flies-again/

Bolivia retires last active Lockheed T-33

On July 31st, the Bolivian Air Force’s Grupo Aéreo de Caza 31 retired the last four T-33 in military service worldwide, thus putting an end to the military career of Lockheed’s iconic jet trainer and light aircraft, which first flew in 1948. The T-33 served an impressive 44 years in Bolivia. More on this topic …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2017/08/04/bolivia-retires-last-active-lockheed-t-33/