Princess Elizabeth back to Duxford

North American P-51C 43-25147/N51PR  Princess Elizabeth, being flown by Stephen Grey from  Duxford in the late 1990s. It is painted in the markings of a  487th Fighter Sqn, 352nd Fighter Group Mustang flown by 15½ victories  ace Lt (later Col) William Whisner from Bodney during 1944.  Whisner went  on to become an F-86 Sabre ace in the Korean War. (john dibbs/plane picture company)North American P-51C 43-25147/N51PR Princess Elizabeth, being flown by Stephen Grey from Duxford in the late 1990s. It is painted in the markings of a 487th Fighter Sqn, 352nd Fighter Group Mustang flown by 15½ victories ace Lt (later Col) William Whisner from Bodney during 1944. Whisner went on to become an F-86 Sabre ace in the Korean War. (john dibbs/plane picture company)

The much-missed former Fighter Collection North American P-51C Mustang 43-25147 Princess Elizabeth is being shipped back to Duxford from its home with the Friedkin Family Warbirds at their ranch near Houston, Texas. The Mustang was operated by The Fighter Collection from Duxford between 1997-2006, and is the only C model to have flown in Britain since the end of the war.   

The fighter will be one of the stars of the Remembering the Mighty Eighth Spring Air Show at Duxford on May 26, which will celebrate the 70th anniversary of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visiting the Cambridgeshire base to welcome the 78th Fighter Group of the USAAF’s 8th Air Force to British shores.

 
FHC Hellcat flies at Everett

A smoky start-up for Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat BuNo 79863 on March 27.  It has been completed in the markings of VF-12, while serving aboard the USS Randolph during 1945.  (Jason Fortenbacher)A smoky start-up for Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat BuNo 79863 on March 27. It has been completed in the markings of VF-12, while serving aboard the USS Randolph during 1945. (Jason Fortenbacher)

The Flying Heritage Collection’s Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat made its first post-restoration flight at Everett, Washington, on March 27, reports Richard Mallory Allnutt. Steve Hinton was on controls for the 45min hop. After landing, the historic fighter, BuNo 79863, was jacked in order to remove both wheels for some remedial work on the brakes. Hinton took the Hellcat up on another flight a few hours later, and then a third time on March 27 out over Puget Sound to put the aircraft through its paces. At the time of writing, Hinton was expected to complete the test flight schedule in the next few weeks.

 
CAF off to a flying start

On one of the coldest Good Fridays in living memory, 2,554 people  visited the Classic Air Force for the opening day at Newquay. Among the aircraft parked on the apron in front of the 62,000ft² hangar was the CAF’s Avro Anson C.21, WD413/G-VROE. (caf)On one of the coldest Good Fridays in living memory, 2,554 people visited the Classic Air Force for the opening day at Newquay. Among the aircraft parked on the apron in front of the 62,000ft² hangar was the CAF’s Avro Anson C.21, WD413/G-VROE. (caf)

In excess of 9,000 people passed through the gates at the Classic Air Force hangar at Newquay Airport during the new aviation attraction’s opening weekend at Easter. Of that total, 2,554 visited on Good Friday, the opening day. This figure is very encouraging, when compared to the 7,000 visitors that visited Airbase at Coventry Airport, the previous home of the Classic Aircraft Trust (CAT) collection, during the previous 12 months. The CEO of the CAF, former Canberra, Buccaneer and Nimrod navigator Davie Payton, said: “The people of Cornwall have really taken us to their hearts, and we are confident that the initial bow-wave of enthusiasm and support will continue. We have already attracted 100 volunteers, ranging from a heart surgeon to the unemployed, and including many ex-Nimrod engineers who worked in the very hangar that we now occupy.”

 
Recovery planned for Alaska B-25

North American B-25 44-30733, pictured on a sandbar in the Tanana River, near Fairbanks, Alaska, during the summer of 1969. (via richard mallory allnutt)North American B-25 44-30733, pictured on a sandbar in the Tanana River, near Fairbanks, Alaska, during the summer of 1969. (via richard mallory allnutt)

A mission to recover a long-lost North American B-25J Mitchell is set to unfold this summer near Fairbanks, Alaska, reports Richard Mallory Allnutt.

The Mitchell, 44-30733, force-landed following double engine failure shortly after take-off on a firefighting mission in June 1969. It has lain where it fell, on a sandbar in the Tanana River, for the last five decades. The B-25 was relatively intact following the crash, but was worth too little to recover at that time, although the operators salvaged the engines, propellers, control surfaces and wheels by boat and helicopter. Sadly, over the following years, the forward and rear fuselage sections, as well as the outer wing panels, have been removed, but the all important centre section remains.
 
BBMF Hurricane back in the air

The RAF BBMF Hurricane IIc PZ865 getting airborne for a 15min test flight at Duxford on April 5.  It is painted in 34 Sqn, South East Asia Command markings, representing HW840. In accordance  with standard RAF BBMF practice, PZ865 – the last Hurricane built – wears its correct serial number. (tomi tuuliranta)The RAF BBMF Hurricane IIc PZ865 getting airborne for a 15min test flight at Duxford on April 5. It is painted in 34 Sqn, South East Asia Command markings, representing HW840. In accordance with standard RAF BBMF practice, PZ865 – the last Hurricane built – wears its correct serial number. (tomi tuuliranta)

Nearly two-and a half years after it arrived at Duxford for a major overhaul with the Aircraft Restoration Company, the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Hawker Hurricane IIc PZ865 was flown back to its base at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on April 10 by the Flight’s new Officer Commanding, Sqn Ldr Duncan Mason. The machine has been painted as Hurricane IIc HW840, with the codes EG-S, an aircraft flown by Canadian ace Flt Lt Jimmy Whalen DFC with 34 Sqn, South East Asia Command, during 1944.

 
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next > End >>

Page 1 of 6