Forgotten Fields of America: World War
II Bases and Training, Then and Now -- Volume 2
By Lou Thole
Published February 2000 by Pictorial Histories Publishing Co.
Paperback, 164 pages.
An interesting summary of 12 wartime-era
military bases and the intense aircraft flight training conducted at them. Includes over 200
"then-and-now" photos, and an extensive appendix listing the locations of nearly
700 locations throughout the world in WWII.
Warbird Alley's Warbird News
Here's the
latest news from the warbird aircraft community.
We update this page on an as-needed basis, and
items
are moved to the News Archive after approximately fourteen months.
Today's Date:
[Click the newspaper to jump to the latest news.]
Got News?
If you have warbird-related news, we want to hear from
you! editor@warbirdalley.com
May 2008:
17 May: A 1941
Boeing
E75 / PT-17 Stearman, N4787V, was substantially damaged during
landing in Cottonwood, Arizona.
18 May: A 1942
Boeing A75N1 / PT-17 Stearman,
N450JN, departed the runway on landing at Joshua Tree, California, USA.
The aircraft pitched onto its nose, caught fire, and burned. The pilot
was unhurt, but the aircraft was destroyed.
19 May: The Evergreen Air
and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, USA has secured ownership of a
rare Lockheed EC-121T (s/n
52-3417) that for years had been used as a training airframe at a
technical college in Helena, Montana. The museum plans to have the
aircraft restored in Arizona, then fly it to Oregon for permanent
display.
22 May: A 1974
BAC Jet
Provost Mk.5A, N78SH (XW336), force-landed in a field near Cheyenne,
Wyoming, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
23 May: A 1972
Nanchang CJ-6, N81817, was
involved in a formation mid-air collision with a RV-8 homebuilt aircraft
in Decatur, Alabama, USA after the CJ-6 had participated in a flyby. The CJ-6 pilot
safely returned for a landing. The pilot of the RV-8 was
killed.
23 May: A
North American T-6G Texan, N25KP,
suffered the collapse of its main landing gear and slid off the runway
during landing in Belmar, New Jersey, USA. The pilot was not injured.
29 May: The US Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) released a modified version of its
security directive (SD-8G), the previous version of which would have severely curtailed the
ability of aircrew to access certain airports. [More
information here].
29 May: The Arizona Wing of
the Commemorative Air Force is pleased to announce the successful first
flight of their North American B-25N
Mitchell, N125AZ (s/n 43-35927), called "Maid in the Shade," in
Mesa, Arizona, USA. Crewmembers Tim Jackson, Russ Gilmore, and Spike
McLane reported that the aircraft performed very well. The aircraft last
flew in 1981, and during its restoration it was returned to authentic
wartime configuration.
B-25 N125AZ. Photo courtesy Francois Bergeon.
June 2009:
4 June: A rare
1939 Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4,
CF-EML, operated by the Russell Aviation Group, made an emergency landing
in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, after hitting a flagpole near the end
of the runway after takeoff. One of the aircraft's wings sustained
damage, but pilot
John Romain
landed safely. The pole was allegedly one of
several erected shortly before the incident by a disgruntled man who
owns property adjacent to the airport.
4-6 June: The
National
Biplane Association held their final Biplane Expo in Bartlesville,
Oklahoma, USA. The event had been held every year for 23 years.
6 June: A
1947
deHavilland DH-115 Vampire Mk.3,
N6878D, owned by Wings of Flight, Inc., lost engine power
after takeoff at Rochester, New York, USA, and made a forced
landing short of the runway. Pilot
Peter Treichler
was injured, but is
expected to make a full recovery. This particular aircraft was once
owned by actor John Travolta, and it is generally considered to be the
oldest jet aircraft still flying.
6 June: A 1944
Lockheed P-38 Lightning, N79123
(s/n 44-27231) ("Ruff Stuff") experienced an apparent "runaway
propeller" during takeoff at an airshow in Fairmont, Nebraska, USA.
Pilot Rob Ator did a great job aborting the takeoff, but a tire blew in
the process. The aircraft was not damaged.
8 June: A 1996
Yakovlev Yak-11, N7YK, veered
off the runway and struck a concrete barrier during a landing in
Culpepper, Virginia, USA. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft
was substantially damaged.
8 June: A 1948
Meyers OTW-145, N34335,
came to rest in a ditch upon landing in Haskell, Texas, USA, after the
right brake locked. Neither
occupant was seriously injured.
9 June: The Canadian
Warplane Heritage's rare Westland
Lysander, C-GCWL, made its first post-restoration flight, with Rob
Erdos at the controls. The flight was reported to be a complete success.
17 June: A 1979
Dornier Alpha Jet, N707XA, landed gear-up at Arlington, Washington,
USA. The aircraft was only slightly damaged.
17 June: The U.S. Air
Force's venerable Cessna T-37 "Tweet"
flew its final student training flight at Sheppard Air Force Base,
Texas. Over 78,000 pilots were trained in the T-37 during its 50+ years
of service. [Including this editor, who has fond memories of the
"6500-lb. Dog Whistle"... Ed.]
19 June: A
Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber
has been recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan, where it had rested
since 1944. Former McDonald's CEO Fred Turner financed the recovery, and
the aircraft will be restored in Pensacola, Florida, before being
permanently displayed in a museum in Hawaii. [More
details here.]
19 June: A
North American T-6A Texan, N9793Z,
incurred damage in Olympia, Washington, USA as the result of a bounced
landing, during which the right wing contacted the ground.
23 June: The Florida-based
Valiant Air Command's Douglas C-47A
Skytrain, N3239T ("Tico Belle"), made its first flight after an
eight-year long restoration following a landing accident in 2001.
24 June: A 1973
Nanchang China CJ-6, N6339V,
suffered the collapse of its landing gear after landing in Aurora,
Oregon, USA. The pilot was not injured.
26 June: The
American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, New York USA, might lose
its historic hangar home at Republic Airport due to a federal airport
improvement project. [Details
here.]
29 June: A 1941
Boeing A75N Stearman, N38978,
flipped over while landing at Quinton, Virginia, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
July 2009:
4 July: A
North American T-28 Trojan
suffered an engine failure shortly after a formation takeoff from Midlothian, Texas,
USA
and made a force landing in a field. Owner/pilot John Sledge was injured
but is good condition. The aircraft was badly damaged and is believed to
be a "write-off."
4 July: Two people were
killed in the fiery crash of a 1968
Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin jet, N97869, in Tehachapi, California,
USA. Local airport manager Dave Zweigle and former Air Force test pilot
(and retired airline pilot) Bob Chamberlain were lost after performing a
formation lag roll at low altitude. [NTSB
report].
8 July: David Lindsay,
founder of the Cavalier Aircraft Corporation in Sarasota, Florida, has
passed away at the age of 86. He was considered one of the world's
leading experts on the refurbishment and re-design of the P-51 Mustang.
Many of his
Cavalier Mustang conversions are still flying today.
9 July: A 1944
North American SNJ-5/T-6 Texan,
N212TC ("Mystical Power'), crashed while performing aerobatics near
Kiowa, Colorado, USA. Well-known air-race and airshow pilot Gary Miller
was killed.
9 July: A 1955
Percival P56 Provost T.1, G-AWVF
/ XF877, crashed near Bishop Norton, Lincolnshire, UK, killing pilot
John Fairey.
11 July: The Collings
Foundation will soon be taking delivery of a two-seat
Saab Viggen SK
37E jet fighter, believed to be one of only two flyable examples in
the civilian world.
15
July: A Canadair CT-133 Silver Star
Mk. 3(T-33)
jet, N3648 (Ser. No.
133648), enroute from CFB Trenton, Ontario, Canada, to its new home in
the USA,
went off the end of the runway during its takeoff roll, coming to rest
in a ditch near the perimeter fence. The pilot was taken to a local hospital
with unknown injuries. [News
link] This particular aircraft was the final CT-133 produced by Canadair, as was
used as an ejection seat test-bed during its military service.
16 July: The Royal Australia
Air Force Museum and the Temora Aviation Museum in Australia are pleased
to announce the first flight of their recently restored
CA-27 Sabre (A94-983). [Photos and
video
here].
17 July: The Commemorative
Air Force's "Red-Tail Mustang," (a rare C-Model
North American P-51Mustang), (N61429, Serial No. 42-103645) has made
its first engine run following a five-year restoration.
18 July: A 1944
North American SNJ-6 Texan,
N1044C, made a forced
landing in a field near Castle Rock, Colorado, USA after reporting an
engine problem. Neither person on board was injured.
22 July: A
North American T-6G Texan, N555Q, ground-looped on landing in Ely,
Nevada, USA, and was substantially damaged.
22 July: The "Red-Tail"
P-51C Mustang [see 17 July news
above] has made its first post-restoration flight in Wahpeton, North
Dakota, USA.
23 July:
Pride Aircraft, of
Rockford, Illinois, USA,
announced that they are offering for sale an airworthy pair of the first (and only)
privately-owned
Sukhoi SU-27 Flanker fighter jets.
30 July: A 1943
North American AT-6D Texan, N7517,
departed the runway on landing roll in Redmond, Oregon, USA. No damage
was reported.
August 2009:
4 August: A 1943
Boeing A75 Stearman, N5195N,
crashed south of Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, under unknown circumstances.
One of the two people on board was killed.
8 August: A 1943
Fairchild PT-19A Cornell, N54804,
crashed on takeoff from a private airport near Colorado Springs,
Colorado, USA. The pilot was seriously injured.
10 August: A 1942
Boeing A75 Stearman, N75263,
flipped over on takeoff in Salina, Kansas, USA, and was substantially
damaged. The pilot was not injured.
16 August: A 1942
Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk, VH-MIK
(s/n 42-104977), suffered the collapse of its landing gear during
landing at Mareeba, North Queensland, Australia. The aircraft slid on
its belly for nearly 1000 feet before coming to rest. The owner/pilot
and his passenger were not injured.
22 August: A
North American T-6G Texan, N5599L
(s/n 51-14333) groundlooped during landing in Ocala, Florida. The sole
pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft suffered significant damage to its
propeller and left wing.
26 August: Midwest Texans,
a restoration facility in Huntington, Indiana, USA, known for their
near-perfect, white-glove restorations of
North American T-6 Texans, has
announced that it has ceased operations. An auction of its remaining
assets will be announced shortly.
28 August: A 1942
deHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth,
CF-DHQ, operated by the Vintage Wings of Canada organization, crashed at
Gatineau Airport, near Ottawa, Quebec, Canada, seriously injuring pilot
Howard Cook. The aircraft reportedly lost power after takeoff.
September 2009:
1 September: A 1980
Israeli
Aircraft Industries Kfir-C2, N404AX, operated by Airborne Tactical
Advantage Company (ATAC), veered off the runway and into the grass
during operations at Newport News, Virginia, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
4 September: A
Siai Marchetti
SF-260, N517P, landed off the runway at McCollum Field, Kennesaw,
Georgia, USA. Neither the pilot nor passenger were injured.
4
September: The pilot/owner of a 1970 PZL/WSK
TS-11 Iskra jet, N315JB, was forced to land with only the nosewheel
extended after experiencing a failure of the airplane's main gear
extension system at Cleveland, Ohio, USA. A nearby F/A-18 pilot joined
up and confirmed the gear's position before the uneventful emergency
landing. The aircraft sustained damage to its wing and belly, but is
expected to be repairable.
28
September: The assets of Midwest Texans, formerly one of the world's
premiere restoration shops for the
North American T-6/SNJ Texan, will go under the auctioneer's gavel
on 17-18 October, in Huntington, Indiana, USA. Parts, tools, avionics,
vehicles, and several aircraft projects will be sold. [For more
information, see
Starman
Brothers Auctions, Inc.]
29
September: Divers searching the waters off Los Angeles International
Airport have located the wreckage of a long-lost
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star that
disappeared in October 1955. (They had been searching for a
P-51D Mustang flown by Gertrude
"Tommy" Tomkins Silver, the last missing WASP pilot, who disappeared in
1944.) The T-33 crewmembers were
Lt. Richard M. Theiler and Lt. Paul D. Smith.
[More
information]
October 2009:
14
October: The Commemorative Air Force's Gulf Coast Wing is pleased to
announce that after 7-1/2 years of major restoration and Airworthiness
Directive compliance, their B-17G
Flying Fortress, "Texas Raiders," (N7227C) made its first
post-restoration flight.
15
October: The Collings Foundation, operators of a collection of diverse
warbirds in the USA, was notified that the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) had denied their request to operate four of their
aircraft in a passenger-carrying role. The aircraft are the
McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom,
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk,
Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, and a
replica Messerschmitt Me-262.
22
October: A 1957 Fuji LM-1 Nikko,
N2121J, crashed
in Athens, Georgia, USA, shortly after takeoff. Both the owner/pilot
and his passenger were killed.
24
October: A Curtiss P-40E Warhawk,
N4420K, suffered the collapse of its right main landing gear while
turning off the runway in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. This aircraft won the
Grand Champion Warbird award at EAA AirVenture this year.
26
October: Gary Austin, a noted warbird mechanic, crew chief and
influential aircraft restorer/pilot known for his work as the Director
of Maintenance for the Commemorative Air Force, passed away at the age
of 39.
November 2009:
2 November: The U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the National Museum
of the United States Air Force (USAFM) in an ownership dispute with the
Commemorative Air Force for a rare
North American F-82 Twin Mustang. The ruling supports the original
judgment of the District Court in July of 2009.
7 November: A rare 1951
Piasecki PV-18 (HUP-1) Retreiver helicopter, N183YP, crashed after
hitting power lines near Adelanto, California, about 70 miles northeast
of Los Angeles. All three persons on board were killed.
7 November: A Los Angeles
Times online report published today includes a video of a pair of
L-39 Albatros jets making low
passes and aggressive pull-ups near the Santa Monica, California pier
last year. The video also shows the frightened responses from the
public, and contains recordings of several concerned calls to 911. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has since revoked the pilot's license of pilot
David Riggs. He now faces civil charges over the incident. Riggs, who is
a movie producer, claimed he buzzed the pier in an attempt to promote
his new movie. The second pilot, noted air racer and test pilot Skip Holm,
was apparently not cited. [Read
the whole story]
9 November: The world's only
airworthy
North
American FJ-4B Fury, N400FS, made
its first flight after repairs following a gear-up landing almost
exactly one year ago. The following day, the aircraft was flown to
Pensacola, Florida for the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels homecoming.
11 November: A
North American P-51D Mustang,
N151AF, operated by the Heritage Flight Museum, made an successful
emergency landing in Bellingham, Washington, USA, after the pilot
reported smoke in the cockpit. The smoke was apparently caused by a
resistor, and ceased after the pilot shut off the electrical system.
11 November: A
Douglas DC-3 owner in Spaulding,
Georgia, USA had a rather bizarre run-in with the law when he apparently
nearly struck a police officer with his airplane, then taxied away and
attempted a takeoff, before being apprehended. Officers were attempting
to issue citations to Dan Gryder for airport vehicular violations, but
he refused to sign them. He then boarded his 1937 DC-3A,
N143D,
and taxied away, ignoring police demands to stop. Gryder's Herpa DC-3 is
well-known in the vintage aircraft community.
14 November: An
English Electric Lightning jet
(XS451/ZU-BEX), operated by the Thunder City organization, crashed
during an airshow at the Overberg Air Show at Bredasdorp, South Africa.
Thunder City's chief pilot, Dave Stock, was killed after an apparent
hydraulic failure and the simultaneous failure of his ejection seat.
21 November: A
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N56099,
flipped over upon landing in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not
injured.
22 November: A
Boeing B75 Stearman, N5521N, crashed next
to the Creve Coeur Airport, Maryland Heights, Missouri, USA, after an
engine failure immediately shortly liftoff. Neither the pilot (airport
owner Al Stix) nor the passenger were injured.
30 November: A
Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat that crashed
during a carrier-landing training flight in Lake Michigan in 1944 was
recovered and brought to shore in Waukegan, Illinois, USA. This is the sixth
Hellcat recovered from Lake Michigan. The original pilot, Walter Elcock
(now 89), could not attend the recovery, but his grandson did. The
aircraft is destined for display at the National Naval Aviation Museum
in Florida. The recovery was funded by Andy Taylor, the chief executive
officer of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, whose father flew Hellcats in WWII.
December 2009:
1 December: The
Warbird Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce that their
Douglas A-4B Skyhawk, N49WH (s/n
11366 / BuNo 142112), made it first post-restoration flight, and was
also moved to its new home in Waukegan, Illinois, USA. "Oshkosh"
attendees will no doubt remember this aircraft as the one displayed at
the convention grounds since the early 1990s.
3 December: A two-seat
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX,
ZK-WDQ
(MH367) owned and flown
by Doug Brooker, had its second serious incident in less than a year.
This time the aircraft's landing gear collapsed after an apparent
bounced landing at Ardmore, New Zealand. The pilot was not injured.
6 December: A 1941
Boeing A75 Stearman, N1431C (s/n
75-1702), suffered the collapse of its landing gear upon landing at
Corona, California, USA. Neither occupant was injured.
10 December: Pride Aircraft
of Rockford, Illinois, USA, announced they had successfully flown the
USA's first civilian-operated
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker jet fighter. N131SU will be followed into the
air by a second Flanker soon. [More
information here.]
January 2010:
13 January: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N75483, suffered
the collapse of its left main landing gear and veered off the runway
upon landing at Concord, California, USA. The pilot was not injured.
February 2010:
7 February: A
Nanchang CJ-6, N6263D, made a successful
emergency landing next to a recreation center in Mesa, Arizona, USA, but
swerved to miss a man and his dog, and ended up crashing into a restroom
building. The pilot and his passenger were not seriously injured, but
the plane was substantially damaged.
Nanchang CJ-6 N 6263D. Photo by Thom Shivka
8 February: A 1985
Yakovlev Yak-52, N52VY, crashed
shortly after taking off from Redlands, California, USA, killing the
pilot and his passenger.
9 February: The CAF's Devil Dog, a
North American B-25J
(PBJ-1J) Mitchell, N9643C, has finally returned to its home in
Georgetown, Texas USA, after an engine change following its Oshkosh
appearance last summer. The bomber's sponsor group had to raise over
$75,000 for a new engine, a process that was greatly expedited by a
recent anonymous donation of $30,000.
17 February: A 1962
Fouga CM-170 Magister, N6222N,
veered off the runway during takeoff at Imperial, California, USA. The
aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot was not injured.
20 February: A 1942
North American AT-6C Texan, N76BZ
(formerly N7690U), left the runway surface and nosed over upon landing
at Mesa, Arizona, USA. The pilot was not injured.
A husband/wife team have
become the first graduates of a Commercial Spaceflight Training course
at NASA's Kennedy Space center, utilizing the fleet of
Lockheed F-104 Starfighters owned
by Starfighters, Inc.
March 2010:
2 March: Today
marks the 100th anniversary of military aviation. On 2 March
1910, Army
Lt. Benjamin
D. Foulois lifted off in a Wright B Flyer from the parade grounds at
Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Happy birthday to warbirds!
4 March: A 1992
Short S.312 Tucano T Mk.1, N411ZF, suffered the collapse of its
landing gear during landing at Nacogdochez, Texas, USA. The pilot was
not injured.
6 March: A
North American SNJ-6 / T-6 Texan,
N47LF, crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off Santa Rosa Beach, Florida,
USA, while performing aerobatics. Both the pilot and his wife were
killed.
11 March: Owner/pilot Nazzi
Hirani was
killed when his 1944 North American
P-51D Mustang, N514NH (c/n 44-84850) (named "Su Su"),
crashed during landing at Stellar Airpark, Chandler, Arizona, USA. The airplane
clipped several stone walls and fences, and came to rest
inside a hangar, part of which caught fire.
17 March: A
1945
North American SNJ-6 Texan N75AG
(s/n 44-81418) (Race name "Warlock") crashed in a field 20 miles
west of Bakersfield, California, USA. Noted Reno air racer Al Goss and his
pilot-rated passenger, Steve Ballard, were killed.
18 March: Loggers working in
a heavily-wooded area near Tillamook, Oregon, USA discovered the WWII
wreckage of a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver.
Authorities have not yet identified where the plane originated, or if
any human remains are present at the crash site.
21 March: An
Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros,
registered YV100X, crashed into several homes in Cumaná, Sucre,
Venezuela, killing the pilot and five people on the ground. Some media
reports claim the pilot stated he was going to make a simulated
engine-out landing prior to the accident. [News
report and photos]
22 March: A
Yakovlev Yak-3UPW, N153U, (a
modern replica of a Yak-3) suffered the collapse of its left main
landing gear upon landing at Half Moon Bay, California, USA. The
owner/pilot was not injured.
April 2010:
8 April: Air racing legend
Lyle Shelton passed away at the age of 76 after a short illness. Shelton
was the holder of multiple speed and time-to-climb records in his famous
Rare Bear racer, a highly-modified
Grumman F8F Bearcat. Among other
records, he still holds the world's absolute propeller-driven speed
record over a 3-kilometer course at 528.329 mph.
[Rare Bear
information] [Racing
for the Gold book]
10 April: A 1958
North American AT-6D/SNJ-5 Texan,
N7300C, landed gear-up at Romona, California, USA, sustaining minor
damage in the incident.
10 April: The pilot of a
Nanchang CJ-6A, ZK-JQS,
successfully made a precautionary landing near Marlborough, New Zealand
on a rough section of 4-wheel drive path. Neither he nor his passenger
were injured. After an inspection of the airplane
(and some mechanized improvement of the improvised "runway"), the aircraft made a
successful takeoff and returned home. [Watch
the takeoff video]
16-18 April: One of the
largest gatherings of North American
B-25 Mitchells since WWII took place at the National Museum of the
U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, USA, as part of a tribute to Doolittle's
Raider's. At least 17 of the twin-engine bombers took part.
23 April: A
Grumman TBM Avenger firebomber,
operated by Fire Protection Ltd., crashed after takeoff from Miramichi
Airport, New Brunswick, Canada, killing the pilot.
24 April: The pilot of a
Yakovlev Yak-52, G-YKCT, made a
successful forced landing in a field in Ayrshire, Scotland, after the
plane's engine failed. The airplane sustained minor damage, but neither
occupant was injured.
May 2010:
4 May: The Collings
Foundation is seeking to acquire a
Republic
F-105 Thunderchief and restore it to flying condition!
To do this, they need your immediate help by making a simple
phone call. [More
information here]
6 May: A 1944
North American P-51D Mustang,
N55JL ("Cloud Dancer"), made a precautionary landing in Curtis,
Nebraska, USA, due to a partial loss of engine power.
6 May: A 1959
Hawker T.58 Hunter jet, N330AX,
landed with its landing gear retracted at Point Mugu Naval Air Station,
California, USA, suffering minor damage.
13 May: Sue Parish,
legendary owner/pilot of a pink
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, a WWII WASP, and co-founder of the Kalamazoo,
Michigan-based Air Zoo museum, passed away at the age of 87. [1999
article about Sue Parish]
15 May: Both the pilot/owner
and passenger of a 1980 Yakovlev/Aerostar
Yak-52, N6868Y, were killed when their plane crashed into the ocean
near Nettles Island, Florida, USA, while apparently performing
low-altitude maneuvering.
22 May: A 1941
Boeing E75 Stearman, N1193N,
ground-looped and was substantially damaged while landing near
Yerington, Nevada, USA. The pilot was not injured.
27 May: A
1949
North American T-28A Trojan,
N128AF, was damaged after an emergency landing in Piedmont, Oklahoma,
USA, after suffering a loss of engine power. The landing gear collapsed
during the subsequent hard landing. Neither occupant was
injured.
27 May: The
EAA has announced that
two extremely rare warbirds will appear at Oshkosh this year: A
Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-9 and a
Nakajima A6M2 Model 21 "Zero." Both aircraft will fly together at last
once during the week. [More
information].
30 May: A 1951
North American T-28A Trojan,
N51705, touched down with its landing gear only partially extended in
Hayward, California, USA, resulting in minor damage to the airplane.
June 2010:
8 June: A 1942
Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N52652,
nosed-over and ended up on its back upon landing at Washington DC's
Reagan National Airport during a flight promoting a new 3D movie called
"Legends of Flight." Neither the pilot nor his journalist passenger were
injured. It appeared that one or both of the aircraft's brakes locked up
upon touchdown. [Video
from the airport terminal] [Video
from the cockpit].
11 June: "Swamp Ghost",
a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress
recovered from a swamp in from Papua New Guinea after crash-landing
there in 1942, returned to the USA today. Crewmembers' families,
recovery team members, aviation archeologists, and other dignitaries
attended a ceremony in Long Beach, California to welcome the aircraft
back home and pay tribute to the men who flew her. Swamp Ghost is
expected to be restored to museum display condition. [More
information.]
12 June:
A
FlugWerk / Focke-Wulf Fw190A-8N
replica, F-AZZJ ("Black 1") suffered an apparent engine
failure and ditched into the Bay of Hyères, on the south coast of
France. The pilot was unhurt, and was assisted to shore by some nearby
jet-skiers.
17 June: A 1945
North American SNJ-4 Texan, N43NA,
went into the grass during landing in Suffolk, Virginia, USA, causing
the collapse of its left main landing gear. Neither occupant was
injured.
20 June: A 1943
Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper,
N61720, lost engine power and crashed into a wooded area near Sippo Lake
Park, Ohio, USA. The pilot was not injured.
21 June:
The movie
producer who buzzed a Santa Monica, California pier in 2008 in a
Aero
Vodochody L-39 Albatros
jet to promote his movie was sentenced to 60 days in jail and fined for
recklessly operating an aircraft in a manner that endangered life and
property. The Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge also placed David
Riggs, 48, on three years' probation, imposed court fees, and ordered him
to clean city beaches for 60 days as community service. The jail
sentence was stayed pending an appeal.
21 June: In other news about
pathetic jerks, thieves broke into the
Aero Space Museum of
Calgary, Alberta, Canada over the weekend and stole both precious
historical artifacts and cash from a donation box. [More
information here]
23 June: A
DeHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk,
N6540C, made an emergency landing in a field near South Kitsap,
Washington, USA, following an engine malfunction. The aircraft was
substantially damaged, but the pilot
suffered only a minor hand injury.
Chipmunk N6540C. Photo courtesy of the Kitsap Sun.
25 June: The Commemorative
Air Force (CAF) announced that their famous and ultra-rare
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, named "Fifi,"
will return to the air shortly, after several years of
extensive engine rebuilding and related work. The aircraft's troublesome
R-3350 engines were rebuilt with parts from two different models of the
engine, and it is believed this combination will give Fifi a good chance
at a long, lower-maintenance future. [Editor's
note, 28 July: The flight has been postponed due to an FAA
administrative delay. Please check back for updates...]
26 June: A 1954
Lockheed P2V Neptune, N1386C
(Tanker #44), operated as a firebomber by Missoula, Montana-based
Neptune Aviation, overran the runway after an apparent brake failure at
the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, Colorado USA.
Neither of the pilots were injured. The aircraft sustained serious
damage.
Neptune N1386C. Photo contributed by ZEdge.
26 June: A
Boeing A75 Stearman, N469RH, ran
off the runway and was substantially damaged in Indianapolis, Indiana,
USA. Neither occupant was injured. This aircraft was also involved in a
similar accident in August 2006.
July 2010:
2 July: A
North American T-6G Texan, N92778,
crashed into the water off the coast of Destin, Florida, USA, killing
the pilot and his passenger. The plane had been observed performing
aerobatics shortly before the crash. This particular aircraft was the
first signature T-6 restoration from Midwest Texans, and was a multiple
Grand Champion award winner.
3 July: A
Bell P-39 Airacobra, N6968,
operated by the Commemorative Air Force, landed short of the runway in
Tyler, Texas, USA. The aircraft suffered relatively minor damage to its
left landing gear, left wing, and the under-fuselage drop tank, but it
managed to taxi to the parking area and is expected to be repairable.
The pilot was unhurt.
3 July: A 1951
Cessna O-1E/L-19 Bird Dog, LX-PAB,
was heavily damaged during a hard landing at the Luxembourg-Findel
Airport, Luxembourg. The pilot was not injured.
8 July: A
McDonnell-Douglas A-4L Skyhawk jet,
N132AT, operated by the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC),
crashed shortly after takeoff from Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, USA
due to an apparent loss of thrust. The civilian pilot successfully
ejected, and is in good condition. The crash ignited a brush fire that
was extinguished by fire crews.
17 July: An
Aerostar/Yakovlev Yak-52, N52MY,
crashed shortly after takeoff from Portland, Maine, USA after an apparent
engine failure. Both the owner pilot and his pilot-rated passenger
perished. [Donate to the families
here.]
1 August: A 1954
Fairchild C-123K Provider,
N709RR, operated by All West Freight, crashed in Denali National Park,
north of Anchorage, Alaska, USA. All three crewmembers perished. The
cause of the accident is unknown. [Side note: This aircraft was the
flying star of the movie "Con Air" in 1997. More info
here.]
5 August: "Fifi," The
Commemorative Air Force's famous and rare
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, has
returned to the air after more than four years of engine work and
thousands of man-hours of restoration labor. The aircraft completed a
39-minute test flight with its new engines, and the crew reported no
problems. [Congratulations to everyone involved in this huge project!
-Ed.]
20 August: A
Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver that
ditched in 1945 in the Lower Otay Reservoir near San Diego, California
USA was raised to the surface. Shortly after, it was shipped to the
Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, where it will be restored.
[Recovery photos
here.]
21 August: The pilot of a
1945 Supermarine FR Mk.XVIIIe
Spitfire, G-BUOS (SM845), was killed after the aircraft flipped over
upon landing at Tynset airfield near Trondheim, Norway. The plane
apparently left the grass runway and headed into a field of thick wheat
directly adjacent to the runway. The aircraft is registered to a Swedish
company and the pilot is reported to be one of Scandanavia's most
experienced pilots. He was preparing for an airshow the following day.
Thank you for your interest, and for helping us
to make this a valuable resource.
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every effort to verify and substantiate all news stories presented here. We make no claims
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