Jun 11 2016
The American ace of Greek origin Spiros Pisanos, known as “Steve” or the “Flying Greek”, passed away on June 6, aged 96. He was credited with 10 confirmed aerial victories during World War II and received 33 decorations and distinctions during his career as a fighter pilot, which lasted until 1974. Born in Greece in …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/06/11/spiros-steve-pisanos-%e2%80%a0/
May 28 2016
The pilot of the P-47 “Jacky’s Revenge” was killed during a crash in the Hudson river. An initial New Jersey PD statement indicated that the pilot had been rescued with minor injuries, but this statement was later retracted. The pilot was identified as Bill Gordon of Connecticut. Gordon flew P-47D Thunderbolt “Jacky’s Revenge” for the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/05/28/pilot-killed-in-p-47-thunderbolt-hudson-crash/
Feb 21 2016
The famous Eric “Winkle” Brown, one of World War Two’s best-known veteran and test pilot passed away today aged 97. Born in 1919, Captain Eric Brown CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS, RN discovered aviation in 1936 in Germany with Ernst Udet and joined the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm during the war. His superb pilot …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/21/eric-winkle-brown-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 13 2016
Air Commodore John Mitchell, who has died aged 97, was the navigator of Winston Churchill’s personal aircraft during the Second World War. A veteran of a bomber tour and a specialist navigator, Mitchell was selected for the crew flying Churchill’s VVIP aircraft in late 1942. Earlier, the prime minister had flown in RAF and civil …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/13/air-commodore-john-mitchell-%e2%80%a0/
Feb 06 2016
Two people were killed yesterday in the crash of the North American P-51D Mustang N351BD “Big Beautiful Doll” near Maricopa, Arizona. The pilot has been identified as Jeff Pino, former president of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and owner of the aircraft since May 2014. The identity of the passenger has not been revealed. Witnesses reported hearing …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/02/06/two-killed-in-p-51-mustang-big-beautiful-doll-crash-in-arizona/
Jan 31 2016
Flight Lieutenant Eric Garland, who has died aged 95, served throughout the Second World War, initially in the Army and then with the RAF; he was decorated three times, including two MCs for gallantry. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/01/31/flight-lieutenant-eric-garland-%e2%80%a0/
Jan 31 2016
Squadron Leader Keith Thiele, who has died aged 94, was decorated four times as a bomber and a fighter pilot and was one of only four New Zealand-born airmen to earn three DFCs; he also won a DSO. Read his obituary on The Telegraph.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/01/31/squadron-leader-keith-thiele-%e2%80%a0/
Jan 06 2016
Frenchman André Turcat, test pilot for the Concorde supersonic airliner, passed away on January 4, 2016. Born in 1921, he graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique in 1940, joined the Free French Air Force in the final years of the war, was a doctor in literature, a Christian art history teacher, author and founder of the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2016/01/06/concordes-test-pilot-andre-turcat-passes-away/
Sep 22 2015
Group Captain Allan Wright, one of the last three aces of the Battle of Britain passed away on 16 September aged 95. After the war, he remained in the Royal Air Force, retiring in 1967. Read his complete biography from The Telegraph
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/09/22/gc-allan-wright-one-of-the-last-battle-of-britain-aces-passes-away/
Aug 24 2015
The latest information provided by Sussex police services concerning the tragic crash that took place on Saturday is that it is “highly probable that eleven people were killed” and that the final figure could be as high as 20. Fifty-one year old pilot Andy Hill was pulled from the wreckage of the aircraft and is …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/24/shoreham-disaster-death-toll-rises/
Aug 22 2015
A Hawker Hunter crashed this afternoon during a display at the Shoreham Airshow in southern England. The aircraft fell near a road, and several cars were caught in the blast. The first reports indicate seven people were killed, with another four seriously wounded who were evacuated and some fifteen people presenting minor wounds which were treated …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/22/dramatic-hawker-hunter-crash-at-the-shoreham-airshow/
Aug 05 2015
Squadron Leader John Leslie “Les” Munro, CNZM, DSO, QSO, DFC, JP, the last surviving pilot of the “Dambuster raid”, passed away on 4 August 2015 in New Zealand, aged 96. Munro was born in 1919 and joined the RNZAF in 1941. He made a first tour of operations with No 97 Squadron flying the Manchester …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/05/last-dambusters-pilot-les-munro-passes-away/
Aug 02 2015
Another accident occured yesterday in Great-Britain, with more tragic consequences. Kevin Whyman was killed in the crash of Folland Gnat XR538 he was demonstrating at the Carfest North show in Cheshire in the United-Kingdom. Aged 39, Whyman was married and had a young daughter. He was a city worker and Cambridge University graduate, and one …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/08/02/folland-gnat-pilot-killed-in-airshow-crash/
Jul 09 2015
Jean Delemontez passed away on 7 July 2015 aged 97. He was a French air force mechanic during the Battle of France, working on the Morane-Saulnier MS.406. After the war, he went to work with his father-in-law Edouard Joly. The first Jodel (JOly et DELemontez) aircraft flew in 1948: the D-9 “Bébé Jodel” (Baby Jodel). …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/07/09/jean-delemontez-father-of-the-jodel-aircraft-family-passes-away/
Apr 02 2015
Retired Lt. Col. Robert Hite, one of the last surviving Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, died at his home in Nashville, Tenn., on March 29, aged 95. Hite was the co-pilot on plane #16, dubbed “Bat Out of Hell,” during the April 18, 1942 mission to bomb Japan. Hite was captured by the Japanese in China following …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2015/04/02/lt-col-robert-hite-%e2%9c%9d/
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