- First off, an article was published yesterday by Warbird Digest/Warbird News, via the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum, outlining the current status of FHCAM's original Me-262 (WkNr.500453), which is now very, very close to completion. As the article states (though does not show), the airframe is now fully painted, one engine has been installed and the second engine shall be installed within the next two-three weeks or so (newly manufactured engines, at significant cost, that are faithful to the look/design of the original Jumo 004's, but are improved upon for greater reliability and made with superior modern materials for longer serviceability). Taxi tests will begin shortly after the installation and final checks of the second engine, and if all goes well, a first test flight, with Steve Hinton at the controls, could happen as early as late December (when that happens, it will of course become the new title-holder for the world's oldest flying jet). http://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-rest...ss-report.html
- Secondly, Midwest Aero Restorations have provided an update on their restoration of an original Bf-109G-6 (WkNr.410077) owned by Bruce "Doc" Winter (also the owner/operator of "Happy Jack's Go Buggy"). The wings have been undergoing restoration at Midwest Aero for a few years now, and the fuselage from Hubert Hartmair in Germany arrived at Midwest Aero this summer for fitting-out. Photos can be seen on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Midwest-Aer...9357098441015/
If you can't view the FB page, here are some select photos:
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...c8&oe=5C61C55B
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...5e&oe=5C6221F1
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...cb&oe=5C5B2A02
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...43&oe=5C1D9F02
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...ec&oe=5C20B781
More photos of the restoration, taken by George Land on a visit last month, can be seen here as well:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343875637
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343876637
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343876207
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343877637
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/43562517014
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343877417
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343877187
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122876669@N03/29343875077
- Third, the Collings Foundation's original Fw-190F-8 (WkNr.93182), under restoration at Gosshawk Unlimited, is looking closer and closer to completion within recent months. The completed, tuned and tested BMW 801 engine arrived from Mike Nixon earlier this year and was more recently installed to the airframe, with the wing/fuselage mating and tail installation having also taken place this summer. When completed, this will be only the second flying original/authentic Fw-190 as well as only the second flying example with a BMW 801 engine. Recent photos of the project have been posted to the Gosshawk Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/GossHawkUnlimitedInc
Here is the most recent photo shared thus-far, taken by Zdenek Bubak. https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...ae&oe=5C241235
- And fourth, Kermit Weeks has been sharing some recent photos of his Bf-109G project being built in Canada (mostly all new construction with some original parts). I don't know the identity they'll be using, but it sounds like they do have an identity to go from off of a wrecked/recovered G-6.
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...04&oe=5C27FD27
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...20&oe=5C2BBCAB
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...55&oe=5C15B98F
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...1a&oe=5C2C3EE5
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...7c&oe=5C176DC3
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...9d&oe=5C5F69E2
https://scontent.ffcm1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...f0&oe=5C5B8555
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