AirshowStuff Forums

We start this new week with the latest update about the restoration of the Dakota Territory Air Museum’s P-47D Thunderbolt 42-27609 at AirCorps Aviation

Frank Parker aloft in Claudio Coltri's Curtiss P-40E on November 11th, marking the aircraft's first flight since her WWII crash-landing in the Soviet Union.

Midwest Aero Restorations of Danville (IL) proudly spread a photo of their latest project, Messerschmitt Bf109G-6 WkNr.410077. It is now completely restored, and ready for the first engine testruns. The fighter, registered as N42109 is an original Erla-built machine, which was recovered from "Lake Swiblo" (Sviblo Ozera in Russian) in 1990.

According to research, it originally served with Stab IV/JG54 on the Eastern Front (hence the yellow lower cowl, fuselage band and lower wingtips). It was marked with a chevron and circle, indicating that the aircraft was assigned to the technical officer of the Gruppe staff flight. It was involved in a forced landing on the frozen lake in February 1944, after having been severely damaged by Russian flak.

The owner of the Bf109, dr.Bruce Winters, has entrusted the restoration of his fighter to Midwest Aero Restorations, which has a fine reputation in the field of warbird restoration!

The Fighter Collection (TFC) has been making visible progress on the restoration of their ultra-rare Fiat CR.42 Falco in recent days at Duxford Aerodrome near Cambridge, England.

Another testimony of the tremendous skills of Pioneer Aero Ltd, Auckland-Ardmore (New Zealand) is this Curtiss P-40E, which made its first post restoration flight on 11 November.

The fighter was produced as USAAF 41-13570 (16786) but was soon sent to Russia under Lend-Lease conditions. In the Soviet Air Force the P-40 received serial ‘White 51’. It was shot down and ditched in Lake Kod Ozero, near Murmansk on 1 June 1942.

The wreckage remarkably survived a period of 55 years in the lake, helped by the ambient low temperatures. On 31 August 1997, the intact airframe with engine was lifted out of the lake by helicopter. It was then transported to the United Kingdom and displayed in the Frontline Aviation Museum, Sandown in 1998 and 1999.

The project spent a few years in the USA, where the first steps of the restoration were taken. After arrival in New Zealand in 2015, the restoration was taken up with increased energy. In 2018, the project was bought by Claudio Coltri from Italy. For test flying, the P-40 received a temporary New Zealand registration, ZK-MOM, in May 2021.

It is hard to believe that the Curtiss P-40 on the photo spent almost 80 years in its watery grave, and now almost looks factory fresh!

Famous for their association with Supermarine’s superlative, elliptical-winged WWII fighter design, FlyaSpitfire.com announced their parent company’s recent acquisition of a North American P-51D Mustang (44-73877) on November 12th

It has been a while since our last update on progress with the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group’s restoration of Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib RB396 in Britain, but a lot has occurred in the interim, especially with the rear fuselage which is presently coming together with Airframe Assemblies on the Isle of Wight.

Inside issue #93 of Warbird Digest - MiG in Texas - Two warriors once stood on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain, serving in the militaries of countries that were willing to fight each other if the Cold War turned hot. Now, 30 years since the Cold War ended, they are comrades-in-arms working to keep a mighty Soviet-era warbird flying in the most unlikely of places. So, what are the challenges of operating a MiG-23 in the US...and what is it like to fly? To find out, Warbird Digest talked to owner and pilot, Dan Filer. Article and photos by Gary Daniels / Aerial photography by Matt Booty. Buy this issue in print/digital at https://bit.ly/3FfDOKv

Ex-Burmese Air Force Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX ML119 recently arrived at the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar for a full restoration to flying conditions.