Warbird Information Exchange

That time of the year again where we get together and have a think about what warbirds could fly/fly again in 2023.


-Spitfire I P9372
-Spitfire TE517
-Spitfire EN750
-DTAM P-47 Thunderbolt (may even fly before the end of the year)
-Lewis Legends F6F Hellcat
-Lewis Legends Super Constellation
-P-51C "Thunderbird"
-P-51D Mustang (at Sywell)
-Collings TP-51C "The Stars Look Down"
-Military Aviation Museum A6M Zero (ex Legends Flyers example)
-Anglia Aircraft Restorations Lockheed 12A
-Yanks P-63 Kingcobra
-Both Hawker Tempest's in Canada and the UK
-Fagen Fighters SB2C Helldiver
-NMWWIIAviation SB2C Helldiver

Of course, as always, there will be ones I've forgotten!

Special Kay? (it'll be a tough road, but if anyone can do it, the Kay Krew can)

Not a warbird, but a famous classic which is likely to fly in '23: VFM's Beech Super 18, once owned and flown by famed aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran and later by TV mogul Merv Griffin.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Continuing my perfect track record, I predict the POF YP-59A will not fly in 2023!

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

A few others:

Kermit Weeks A-26
Boeing 100/F4B/P-12 replicas
Canadian Warplane Heritage TBM
Wings of the North BT-15
Collings Foundation FW 190F-8

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Matt

Edit: double post.

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Matt

We have a few coming up in NZ:
Brendon Deere's P-51D 45-11513/NZ2423
Unknown owner's DH Mosquito T.43 NZ2308
Jay McIntyre and Rex Newman's WACO UOC ZK-AEL
Allan Arthur's Beech D17S VH-BBL
Cam and Tracey Hawley's D17A NC20778/VH-AFP (Admiral Byrd's Antarctic aircraft)
Charles Somers' De Havilland Dominie NZ528/ZK-AKU
Graham Orphan's Fairchild 24W HB600/ZK-AUN
Bristol F.2B replica ZK-BHS (High Road to China build)
Rob Mackley's Lockheed 10A Electra CC-226/CC-LCN/CC-CLEA/N10310/ZK-AFD (may fly in the coming weeks)

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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

A friend is finishing an N3N, it hasn't flown since being surplused in '46, so it will be new to the civil register.
Long term plans are to fly it on a float.
It's an absolutely first-rate restoration.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

I can think of three B-17s; (1)one in Florida with the wing problem (2) Desert Rat-the one that used to be a cargo B-17 (3) the one a few years ago that they landed in the corn field with a fire in the left wing. I think #2 might be a long shot for 2023.

The Bristol F.2B is for Omaka Brisfit Syndicate
A chance of the P-40 that Pioneer is doing for a Dutch syndicate?

What’s the gen on Spitfire EN750 please, I am not familiar with this one?

Any recent news on the Condor Legion Bf-109E-1 at Meier? It was looking good but things have gone quiet.

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

Aluminum Overcast may be down for several years. Thinking when Texas Raiders had wing spar work done it was down for 7 years if memory serves. Desert Rat is a LOOONG way from airworthy flight ready status. Liberty Belle has not had some viable updates in a few years. It too may be years off. Of the B-17 restorations Champaign Lady may be the furthest along, and it too may still be years away from flight.

Aluminum Overcast may be down for several years. Thinking when Texas Raiders had wing spar work done it was down for 7 years if memory serves. Desert Rat is a LOOONG way from airworthy flight ready status. Liberty Belle has not had some viable updates in a few years. It too may be years off. Of the B-17 restorations Champaign Lady may be the furthest along, and it too may still be years away from flight.

It's a new build T9 for Norwegian Flying Aces. It's being rebuilt at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.

This one already flew a few months ago for about 10 minutes. The canopy opened in flight and was damaged. It has since been repaired and is in the Aero Trader hangar having the other first flight squawks worked off.