Feb 19 2026
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.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2026/02/19/investors-wanted-for-historic-spitfire-restoration-project/
Aug 31 2025
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/08/31/hel-eter-rebirth-of-a-pacific-theater-p-51-mustang/
Aug 26 2025
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 …
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/
Jun 01 2025
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2025/06/01/collings-foundations-f-100f-super-sabre-returns-to-the-skies/
Aug 04 2024
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 …
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/
Aug 30 2023
On Friday, August 25th, at Sywell in the United Kingdom, English pilot Pete Kynsey conducted the first post-restoration flight of the North American P-51D 45-11518, registered as G-CLNV on the British civil register. Restored by Air Leasing Ltd, led by Richard Grace, this P-51 was built in 1945 and was taken over by the Royal …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2023/08/30/a-p-51-mustang-returns-to-the-skies-in-the-united-kingdom/
Jun 26 2023
Gorgeous footage of the first flight of Lockheed VC-121A Constellation “Bataan”, which once served as the personal transport for General MacArthur, has been uploaded by Skyes9 on YouTube : Push the sound up and enjoy !
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2023/06/26/watch-footage-of-lockheed-vc-121a-constellation-bataan-returning-to-flight/
Jun 22 2023
Lewis Air Legend’s Lockheed VC-121A Constellation “Bataan”, which served as General MacArthur’s personal aircraft, flew again on 21 June 2023 after an eight-year restoration by Fighter Rebuilders in Chino, California. Footage of the first flight can be viewed on Lewis Air Legend’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3572688642970226 The Lockheed VC-121A Constellation “Bataan” holds a rich history spanning …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2023/06/22/lewis-air-legends-vc-121-baatan-flies-again/
May 26 2023
Following a lengthy restoration period by AirCorps Aviation, Republic P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt serial number 42-27609 took to the skies again on 16 May 2023 in Bemidji, Minnesota. The first flight was a success and was flown by Bernie Vasquez, with Warren Pietsch and Ben Redman flying chase in P-51D Mustang “Miss Kitty III”. The aircraft belongs to …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2023/05/26/dakota-air-territory-museums-p-47d-thunderbolt-42-27609-flies-again/
Nov 17 2021
The Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 Werk Nr. 410077, under restauration by Midwest Aero Restorations Ltd and belonging to Bruce Winter of San Antonio, Texas, has had its first engine run since 1943, in Danville, Illinois. Midwest Aero Ltd has posted this video of the engine runs on its YouTube channel.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/11/17/first-engine-runs-for-messerschmitt-bf109g-6-wknr-410077/
Sep 08 2021
On September 6th, the Malta Aviation Museum officially launched its Gloster Sea Gladiator construction project. The museum’s official announcement published on Facebook states that this is probably their most ambitious construction project to date. The project aims to bring together generations of aviation enthusiasts in Malta and abroad, and its ultimate goal is to fly …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/09/08/gloster-sea-gladiator-to-fly-in-malta/
Jun 21 2021
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2021/06/21/sole-surviving-na-50-torito-restored-in-peru/
Oct 24 2020
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/10/24/nieuport-23-replica-flies-in-switzerland/
Aug 16 2020
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 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/08/16/spitfire-t-9-te308-flies-again-with-new-colours/
Aug 09 2020
The Spitfire PR.XIX PS890/F-AZJS flew again on 6 August 2020 at Duxford with John Romain at the controls. The aircraft was heavily damaged in a take-off accident in June 2017 and was sent to Duxford for complete repairs. It still carries its former markings of No 152 Squadron RAF in south-east Asia. The aircraft is …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2020/08/09/spitfire-pr-xix-ps890-flies-again-in-duxford/
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