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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.

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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.

In March, the BC Aviation Museum acquired this iconic flying boat from Coulson Aviation, which had used it for firefighting missions for many years. The final flight of the Hawaii Mars to the museum in Victoria will be a multi-step process requiring airworthiness inspections by Transport Canada, crew training, and test flights.

The Hawaii Mars, after decades of service, was retired in 2015. Since then, it has been preserved and displayed statically at Sproat Lake. Acquiring the Mars is a major acquisition for the BC Aviation Museum, marking the end of an era while celebrating its heritage.

Visit Vintage Aviation News for more information and photos of this flight.

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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.

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North American P-51D-30-NT 45-11518 G-CLNV on its maiden flight at Sywell ( Photo © Peter Green )

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 New Zealand Air Force in August of the same year, where it was given the serial NZ2427.

P-51 Mustang NZ2427 in RNZAF service (© Gaëtan Marie/Bravo Bravo Aviation)

Stored until 1952, the Mustang flew until 1958 before being stored again for many years and acquired by Sir Tim Wallis and his collection, The Alpine Fighter Collection, in Wanaka. It was eventually sold to Maurice Hammond of England in 1997.

North American P-51D-30-NT 45-11518 during its RNZAF service ( Photo RNZAF via Anthony Galbraith)

Reconstructed over a four-year period, the new first flight took place on June 14, 2001. Operated by the Hardwick Warbirds collection, the P-51 unfortunately suffered an accident on October 2, 2016, seriously injuring its pilot/owner Maurice Hammond and resulting in the passenger’s death.

North American P-51D-30-NT 45-11518 in its former colors (Photo © Richard Paver)

Purchased by Graham Peacock in 2020 and his collection, Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd, the P-51 was modified to the TF-51 two-seat standard. Its new livery represents that of a Mustang from the 23rd Fighter Group, 75th Fighter Squadron, based in the China-Burma-India theater.

North American P-51D-30-NT 45-11518 G-CLNV during its maiden flight at Sywell (Photo © Nigel Harrison)

There are now a total of eight flying Mustangs in the United Kingdom.

North American P-51D-30-NT 45-11518 G-CLNV during its maiden flight at Sywell (Photo © Nigel Harrison)

World Warbird News extends its sincere thanks to Peter Green, Nigel Harrison and Anthony Galbraith for allowing the use of the photos that illustrate this article.

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Lockheed VC-121A Constellation 8613 “Bataan” (N422NA) in 2016. (Photo Alan Wilson (CC BY-SA 2.0))

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 several decades. Originally delivered to the USAF in January 1949 as C-121A 48-613, it played a crucial role in the Berlin Airlift by flying the Westover AFB-Rhein-Main route. In 1950, it underwent conversion to a VC-121A and became the first aircraft of its kind to be equipped with the APS-10 weather radar.

From September 1950 to April 1951, it served as the personal aircraft of General MacArthur, Supreme Commander Allied Powers during the Korean War, and receoved the name “Bataan”. It was also General Ridgeway’s personal aircraft from 1952 to 1953. It was later transferred to HQ, Pacific Air Command as a VIP transport until late 1965, when it was declared surplus by the USAF and flown to Davis-Monthan AFB for storage in January 1966.

In June 1966, NASA acquired the aircraft for use by the Goddard Space Center, stripping its VIP interior and installing instrumentation for the Apollo space program. Its registration was changed to N422NA in June 1969.

Following its retirement from NASA in late 1969, the aircraft found a new home at the US Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker on March 10, 1970. However, it was later declared surplus by the Army and sold to the Planes of Fame Museum on May 7, 1993.  The aircraft was made airworthy at Fort Rucker before being ferried to various locations, including Dothan, AL, Addison, TX, Avra Valley, AZ, and Chino, CA.

Eventually, it settled at The Planes of Fame Museum Annex in Valle, AZ, where it was displayed as “Bataan” with its interior restored to its original condition during General MacArthur’s tenure. In April 2015, the aircraft was sold to Lewis Air Legends of San Antonio, Texas, with plans to restore its airworthiness and include it in the US airshow circuit.

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P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27609 during its first flight with Bernie Vasquez at the controls. (Photo courtesy Ben Redman via AirCorps Aviation)

RAZORBACK P-47D THUNDERBOLT FIRST FLIGHT

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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 the Dakota Territory Air Museum and will carry the markings of the P-47D Thunderbolt “Bonnie”  flown by Major Bill Dunham, commanding officer of the 460th Fighter Squadron in the Philippines in 1944.

Major Bill Dunham’s P-47D “Bonnie”  of the 460th Fighter Squadron in 1944. (Photo USAF)

The exact history of 42-27609 is unknown, but it is believed it served either with the 35th or the 348th Fighter Group in the South-West Pacific. It was delivered to Australia on 8 May 1944 and was abandonedon Dobodura airfield in Papua New Guinea later that year, on 18 September.

More photos and information available here:

• Projet P-47 42-27609 on AirCorps Aviation’s website
• Photos and video of the first flight on AirCorps Aviation’s blog

We would like to thank Ben Redman and the team at AirCorps Aviation for the photo and footage used to illustrate this article.

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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 progress can be followed on the Nieuport Memorial Flyers website. The website is in German but you can access an automatically-translated version of it here.

Congratulation to the Nieuport Memorial Flyers team for this superb work, and h/t to Sébastien for the information.

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Spitfire T.9 TE308 in 2007 (Photo D. Miller (CC BY 2.0))

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 see active service in World War II. It was converted to the T.9 twin-seat standard by Vickers-Armstrong Ltd and served with the Irish Air Corps from 1951 to 1968.  It was used for the shooting of the movie “The Battle of Britain” and was later flown in Canada and the USA. It was damaged in a ground collision in 2008 in Texas and was extensively repaired since.

More information on TE308 can be found on Flyaspitfire.com.

https://www.facebook.com/FlyASpitfire/posts/1658673334287710

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Spitfire Mk IX MJ755 in 2006 (Photo Matteo Arrotta (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0))

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXc MJ755, also known as the “Greek Spitfire” for its uncommon markings, flew again on Sunday 19 January 2020 for the first time since 1953.

The aircraft, which was brought back to airworthiness by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, served on the Mediterranean front in 1944 and 1945 and was sold to Greece in 1947.

Its last flight took place on 8 September 1953, after which it was first stored and later displayed as a gate-guard in Tatoi air base. It was ultimately recuperated by the Hellenic Air Force Museum near Athens, which displayed it until 2008 when the decision was made to make it fly again.

The aircraft was remarkably complete and it is reported that very few parts needed replacement, making it one of the most authentic Spitfires flying today.

https://www.facebook.com/www.airforce.gr/videos/113648663314585/

Sources:

• Page Facebook de Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar