Warbird Information Exchange

Here are some warbird restoration highlights that I've compiled from 2018:

- The Aircraft Restoration Company's Westland Lysander V9312, completed and flying in the UK.
- The Aircraft Restoration Company's Spitfire Mk.XI PL983, completed and flying in the UK.
- John O'Connor's F4U-7 Corsair N965CV, in the US, completion of overhaul and repaint and flying.
- Jim Slattery's Brewster F3A-1 Corsair completed at Ezell Aviation and flying in the US.
- The Jean-Baptiste Salis F4U-5 F-AZEG, completed and flying in Fance.
- The airshow/flying season debut of Air Leasing's two-seater Buchon G-AWHC restoration in the UK, that initially first flew in late 2017.
- Air Leasing's Buchon G-AWHM restoration completed and flying in the UK.
- Anglia Aircraft Restorations' Buchon G-AWHH, completed by Air Leasing and flying in the UK.
- Anglia Aircraft Restorations' TF-51D "Contrary Mary", flying again following repairs, new wings, and new paint in the UK.
- Anglia Aircraft Restorations' P-47 "Nellie", imported from the US, repainted, and actively flying in the UK.
- Bf-109E G-CIPB test flown again in the UK (hopeful that it has an active 2019 flying season).
- Hangar10's Bf-109G-6 D-FMGS successfully test flown and active this year in Germany.
- Hangar10's Bf-109G-14 D-FMGV successfully test flown and active this past year in Germany.
- Comanche Fighters' Spitfire Mk.V JG891, flying again following repairs and new paint in the UK.
- The CAC Mustang "Snifter" VH-MFT flying again in Australia, following a multiyear in-depth overhaul.
- The Shuttleworth Collection's Spitfire Mk.V AR501, completed and flying again following a 7-year restoration in the UK.
- The Commemorative Air Force's B-24A "Diamond Lil" back in the air again after a two-year hiatus in the US.
- The Commemorative Air Force's C-47 "That's All Brother", completed and flying in the US.
- The Air Heritage C-47 "Luck of the Irish", completed and flying in the US.
- Vintage Wings Inc.'s C-53 "Beach City Baby", completed and flying in the US.
- Black Crow Aviation's A-26 Invader "Sweet Eloise" N4313, returned to original Korean War markings and configuration, completed and flying in the US.
- The Spitfire Mk.XVI TB885, owned by Frits van Eerd, completed at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar and flying in the UK.
- Hangar 501's Hawker Hurricane V7497, completed by Hawker Restorations and flying in the UK.
- Terry Dieno's P-51D Mustang 44-63350, completed and successfully test flown in Canada.
- The TF-51D 44-12858 N451WW completed by Airmotive Specialties and flying in the US. The aircraft is now owned by Ellenville LLC (Ron Lauder) - a growing, active, collection in New York.
- The ex-Fighter Collection Sea Fury T.20 WG655, now owned by Shaun Patrick, flying again in the UK after being ground-bound for a few years and engine conversion.
- Joe Thibodeau's Hawker Sea Fury T.20 N63SF completed by Sanders Aeronautics and flying in the US.

Warbird restorations to look forward to seeing fly in 2019:

- Tom Reilly's XP-82 Twin Mustang - scheduled test flights this month (following unexpected test flight yesterday) and eventual public display
- Lewis Air Legend's Mosquito FB.VI PZ474
- Jerry Yagen/MAM's P-39F
- EAA's B-25H "Berlin Express"
- Hawker Sea Fury T.20 D-CACE in Germany
- Mike Spaulding's F4U-1D in Australia (?)
- Bf-109E WNr.1983 in Germany
- Spitfire Mk.IX MJ271 in the UK (plus the around the world flight)
- Spitfire Mk.XVI TE392 in Australia
- The FHCAM Me-262
- Following along on the FHCAM Stuka restoration (special mention)
- The FHCAM P-38 (current location withheld)
- Buffalo Airway's restoration of D-Day veteran Dakota FZ668 in Canada
- Spitfire Tr.9 MJ772 in the UK
- Spitfire Mk.IX MH603 in Australia
- Spitfire Mk.IX MH415 in Australia
- Christophe Jacquard's Spitfire Mk.19 return to flight
- Collings Foundation's TP-40N
- Collings Foundation's Hellcat
- Collings Foundation's Fw-190F-8
- Collings Foundation's B-17G #2 back in the air
- The "Daks Over Normandy" event (special mention)
- The Fighter Collection's Fiat CR.42 Falco (?)
- The Dakota Territory Air Museum's P-51D Mustang 44-73437
- The Dakota Territory Air Museum's Grumman Bearcat
- The Dakota Territory Air Museum's Hawker Hurricane RCAF 5708
- Vintage Wings of Cananda's Hawker Hurricane RCAF 5447
- The Hawker Fury FB.10 OO-ISS at FAST Aero in Belgium
- The TF-51D 44-72483 owned by Pat Harker
- A couple more Buchon/109 projects at Air Leasing in the UK
- Spitfire Mk.XII EN224 at Air Leasing in the UK
- Fagen Fighters SB2C Helldiver (?)
- Fagen Fighters F6F Hellcat
- Jim Slattery's SB2C Helldiver at Westpac (?)
- Hangar10's Flug Werk Fw-190 major restoration/return to flight in Germany
- Chariots of Fire's Flug Werk Fw-190 return to flight in New Zealand
- Erickson Aircraft Collection's Flug Werk Fw-190 return to flight
- Kermit Weeks' A-26 Invader
- Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's TBM Avenger
- Perhaps a Firefly (or two) return to flight (?)
- Legend Flyers' A6M3-32 Zero in the US (?)
- The Planes of Fame Bearcat (?)
- Warbird Heritage Foundation FG-1D (?)
- Tri-State Warbird Museum's Flug Werk Fw-190 (?)
- Francis Butler's P-51K 44-11807 (?)
- Hawker Sea Fury VH-SHF return to flight in Australia (?)
- The Fighter Collection's Sea Fury WG599 at California Aerofab (?)
- Rudy Frasca's Spitfire Mk.XVIII TP276 at California Aerofab (?)

Many more restorations than those listed that may get very close to completion by the end of the year, and there are sure to be some "unexpecteds" thrown in too.

AWESOME List!!!

Another maybe is Sea Fury N35SF at Sanders, I think now that Thibodeau's is finished they will concentrate much more on her

What an awesome list! Thanks for compiling and posting this.

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Matt

In my mind, one of the most significant restorations to come along in many years:

B-26K Counter Invader Special Kay restoration completed by the Greatest Generation Aircraft crew; aircraft awarded Best Bomber at Oshkosh 2018, and crew awarded Silver Wrench at Oshkosh 2018.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Thank you for posting that, Dean. I failed to really factor in a restoration like it, that originally first flew following restoration back in the summer of 2017 (I was really only factoring in those that took flight for the first time in 2018). But as you say, it wasn't truly completed until 2018, and a definite highlight of the year was its pressence at Oshkosh and the reunion with original Vietnam pilots. Thank you again for including it here in this thread!

Similar highlights of 2018 were the Vintage Wings of Canada Spitfire TE294 and P-51C Lope's Hope 3rd - both first flying in 2017, but making a real debut/great showing in 2018.

A surprise highlight for me was Bristol Scout D replica ZK-BTL (ex-N5565). It popped up a few weeks before the November NZ Warbirds Open Day. Great to have another original rotary active!

The P-39 which is nearly finished at Pioneer Aero has been registered as ZK-COB Bell P-39F 15-554. Previously they had referred to it as a P-39Q.

I'm also looking forward to some initial 'proper' public displays of TVAL machines (DHA.4, B.E.12, perhaps more).

Oops! Wrong list...

Understood - thanks for the heads up, Brandon!

I guess since the majority of us have yet to see it fly or out and about yet, I'll keep it in the new year category.

To continue from Errol's post, regarding WWI types, I'm really looking forward to seeing the Historic Aircraft Collection's DH-9 fly this year, as well as Mikael Carlson's Pfalz D.VIII and The Friends of Jenny group's DH-4. Although not a newly flying example (having previously been operated by The Vintage Aviator in New Zealand), it will be great to see the newly arrived and newly repainted Albatros D.Va G-WAHT operating from Old Warden and Stow Maries. Perhaps we'll see a few of Kermit Weeks' WWI types in the air this year, such as the Fokker D.VII, Pup, and Jenny.

Any other WWI types you guys are looking forward to seeing completed/flying this year? Anyone happen to know what might be coming out of The Vintage Aviator shops next?

There is the KipAero Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter which is hoped to be at Oshkosh, they post regular updates on Facebook with grat workshop photos. As for TVAL, I'm not sure if anyone knows about anything that they're allowed to talk about!

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22