Warbirds

Puttering slowly across the tarmac, with only two of its four big engines slowly turning, might not seem like much of a feat for a B-29, but for Wichita’s “Doc,” it was a milestone — the low-speed taxi test was the first time in 60 years the airplane moved under its own power. The test […]

The Martin Mars water bomber, the largest airplane of its kind and the last in its line, will make its first-ever appearance at EAA AirVenture in July, EAA has announced. The bomber will be based at the EAA Seaplane Base, on Lake Winnebago. With a wingspan of about 200 feet, and measuring 120 feet nose […]

The Commemorative Air Force is at Sun ‘n Fun with one of airplanes it’s been flying the longest. The B-17Texas Raidersis a must for warbird buffs who want to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a true-to-life war machine. view on YouTube

Spitfires are often associated with the Royal Air Force, but they were operated by many countries. The Historic Flight Foundation near Seattle pays tribute to that heritage with its restored Czech Air Force Mk. 9E Spit. view on YouTube

Could a future weapon in the battle against terrorist groups be found in the warbird section of your local airshow? The U.S. Navy has pressed a couple of OV-10 Broncos into the fight against ISIL. Since the terrorists don’t have much in the way of anti-aircraft defenses, the big, slow Vietnam-era turboprop twins can take […]

Doc, the B-29 restoration project that was forced outside over the winter due to a lack of hangar space in Wichita, now is back under a roof, Josh Wells, a member of Doc’s Friends, told AVweb this week. “Last week we were able to reach an agreement on a tentative plan for hangar space at […]

In rural Holden, Missouri, roughly 50 miles southeast of Kansas City, is a 10-acre island of recreational aviation in a vast ocean of corn and soybeans. The pole barns adjacent to its 1000-foot grass strip look like those on neighboring farms, until you look inside. The hulking gray lathe, milling machine, and drill press don’t […]

The former president of Sikorsky Aircraft was killed along with his passenger when his P-51D crashednear Maricopa, Arizona, on Friday. Jeffrey Pino, 61, was head of Sikorsky from 2006 to 2012. He was flying the Mustang, named Big Beautiful Doll, when it went down. The passenger was identified as Nickolas Tramontano, 71, of Brookfield, Connecticut. […]

Doc’s Friends launched this week a 30-day Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to raise money for completing the restoration of the B-29 Superfortress “Doc.” The aircraft, which is nearing certification and began its engine testing earlier this month, is awaiting an FAA airworthiness certificate. Doc’s Friends hope to have the B-29 take a first flight by the […]

At AirVenture, the Military Aviation Museum of Virginia Beach brought a real treat: a superbly restored de Havilland Mosquito. In this exclusive AVweb AirVenture video, Paul Bertorelli took a cockpit tour with pilot Mike Spalding and interviewed Warren Denholm on the restoration. view on YouTube