Warbird Information Exchange

That time of year again where we look forward to what we could expect to see fresh out of restoration/rebuild in 2025. Please, as always, add your own possibilities!

-Supermarine Spitfire I P9372 (had taxi trials as recent as yesterday so first flight could be before the end of the year)
-Allied Fighters F6F Hellcat
-Yanks Air Museum F6F Hellcat
-Yanks Air Museum P-51A
-Military Aviation Museum A6M Zero
-Supermarine Spitfire IX MA764
-Hawker Hurricane P3351
-Collings Foundation PBY Catalina
-RT Dickson's F-86 Sabre
-Butch Schroeder P-40K
-FHCAM P-38 Lightning
-Navy Wings Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 VR930
-Meier Motors Bf109E
-KF Aerospace Hawker Tempest
-Walt Bowe Grumman G-58
-Anglia Aircraft Restorations Messerschmitt Bf109F
-Supermarine Spitfire XII EN224
-Supermarine Spitfire T.IX MH367 (new colour scheme pending)
-North American P-51D Mustang (Shangri La) (new colour scheme pending)
-BBMF Supermarine Spitfire Vb AB910. (returning from major)
-BBMF Douglas DC-3 Dakota (returning from major)

Maybe Michael George's P-40N, which is being configured as a TP-40N. I believe this was the most recent update:

https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... pdate.html

The latest Midwest Aero Restorations P-51D should hopefully be done soon as well:

https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... tions.html

Still hoping for the Canadian Warplane Heritage TBM Avenger one of these years. I thought I saw that it had undergone engine runs and taxi tests a couple years ago, but haven't seen anything about flights.

_________________
Matt

On the jet front:

Collings Foundation F4 Phantom
Fly Harrier's FA2 & T8
Art Nalls' Harrier T8
Twyford Aviation's Hunter T.8B WV322
Viper Classic Aircraft's BAC Strikemaster G-STKM
Navy Wings Sea Hawk WV908 (possibly)
Fundacja Eskadra/ Squadron Foundation LiM-5 1211
Heritage Aircraft LTD's Folland Gnat F1 G-SLYR

Another couple I just thought of:

Jared Isaacman's Tornado
Liberty Aviation Museum PBY

_________________
Matt

Potential PBY gathering at Oshkosh, with that and the Collings one?

Some potential 2025 flyers from New Zealand:

- Jerry Yagen's Hawk 75
- Folland Gnat XR987
- Yak-3 Full Noise
- Yak-7 (formerly N7YK, converted LET C-11)
- Beech Staggerwing VH-BBL

_________________
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

Might be overly optimistic but just my thoughts on 2025 restorations

1. Walt Bowe's F8F Bearcat that was Yellow in color not sure how far along it is.

2. A real stretch Pat Harker's Twin Mustang saw it in person 20 years ago no one seems to know where things are at with it.

3. Pat Harker's TF-Mustang at Airmotive in California.

???????

Hope springs eternal, or something

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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)

Per JEM Aviation FB post

Will be ZK-YKB

Duplicate post

Not a warbird, but... VFM's restoration of the ex-Jacqueline Cochran and ex-Merv Griffin 1954 Beech Super 18. Engines have been run, and the restoration is in the "home stretch". Hoping to debut at Sun 'n Fun.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

What about one (of two) of those Canberras that are on the West coast that were complete airframes?

There will be a 1943 FM-2 Wildcat on the scene.

Yanks P-51A engine is undergoing test runs at Joe Yancy’s shop at Chino Airport. Not sure if the fuselage is back from getting the longerons replaced yet.

Greg Batts CA12 Boomerang A46-54