Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

[JohnTerrell]

First post edited to include Lockheed PV-1/PV-2/Lodestar/Model 18/Hudson type aircraft (as many as thirteen) and Ju-52 type aircraft (as many as eight) active/flying in the world. All have been checked/cross-referenced for evidence of having been flown within the past 5 years and remaining capable of flying at this time.

[OD/NG]

Great add-on's, John! Well, since you're on a roll, how about all the Russian restorations from the 90's:

I-15's
I-16's
I-153's

These shouldn't be too hard to research, since the numbers are so limited. I'm really interested in how many actually fly now, or have recently. I've heard that a few of them have been "effectively grounded", but I don't know which ones those are.

TIA!

[JohnTerrell]

Yeah, there can't be that many currently flying - Jerry Yagen owns one of each, but none are flown (supposedly due to lack of any of the museum pilots wanting to fly them), and the FHCAM I-16 hasn't been flown in at least a few years now (Carter Teeters is the only pilot I know who has flown it). They are often described as flying/handling like a warbird version of a Gee Bee, and one can see why just by the looks/configuration of the aircraft. There is at least one example of all three based/operational in Russia, as well as a flying I-16 based in Spain.

BTW, I have again updated the first post to include several more types that I know off hand (in which only a few or less are flying in the world). ; )

[BenG]

There is also an I-16 (registration D-EPRN) flying in Germany - it's due to appear at the next Warbirds over Wanaka airshow.
https://www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com/2018 ... v-returns/

[JohnTerrell]

Adding them up, we have:

(I don't feel very confident/aware with most of these as to their current statuses/level of activity)

Germany:
I-16 D-EPRN

Spain:
I-16 EC-JRK
I-153 EC-LPC

Russia:
I-16 RA-1561G
I-15 02089 (No known registration. Was flown at Duxford/Flying Legends 2005 and has been often seen at the annual "MAKS" airshow, at least displayed static.)
I-15 RA-0281G
I-153 RA-1562G

United States:
I-16 N7459

Examples I know for sure have not flown within the past 5 years and will not be flown by the current owners/operators:
I-16 N30425 (CAF - registration canceled)
I-16 N1639P (MAM)
I-15 N3815R (MAM)
I-153 N153RP (MAM)

[67N20]

Would you count B-17 "Shady Lady", Collings acquisition on your list?
It did recently fly to the southeast from Oregon.

[OD/NG]

Would you count B-17 "Shady Lady", Collings acquisition on your list?
It did recently fly to the southeast from Oregon.

"Shady Lady" is currently not flyable, having had her nose section bashed in recently with all the bad weather in the Southeast. Besides that, even after they get her ferryable, the plan was to do an intensive IRAN / mini-restoration to get her up to speed to take 909's place on the tour.

[wendovertom]

John,

AD-4W N4277N does fly often around the Erickson home base of Madras. I flew it about 5 hours in the last few months, It is also in the 2018 Ghost calendar. We just have not taken it to any shows, because there has not been a request for it.

Jim

Bummer - wish I had known that for our airshow this year!

Tom P.

[wendovertom]

That Sabre list is seriously optimistic. "Capable of flying" might be more appropriate. My estimate would be 4.

I try really hard not to make things up - no estimating here...

1- VH-SBR, owned by Jeff Trappett, has been flown/flying within the past year.
2- N188RL, of the Warbird Heritage Foundation, has been flown/flying within the past year.
3- N48178, the F-86A belonging to John Swartz, has been flown/flying within the past year.
4- N186PJ, owned by Rod Lewis, has been completed/flying/flown within the past year.
5- N1FT, owned by Comanche Fighters/Dan Friedkin, has been flown/flying within the past year.
6- N860AG, owned by Comanche Fighters/Dan Friedkin, has been flown/flying within the past year.
7- N86FR, owned by Doug Mathews, has been flown/flying within the past year.
8- N50CJ, owned by Paul Keppler, has been flown/flying within the past year.
9- N186AM, owned by the Planes of Fame Air Musuem, has been flown/flying within the past year.
10- N80FS, owned by Richard Sudgen, I know has at least been flown within the past five years and should be capable of flying when desired.
11- C-GSBR, owned by Vintage Wings of Canada, has been flown within the past two years (currently for sale).

And that doesn't include N38453, N86F, or N87FS, any of which may have been flown within the past five years and could currently be ready to fly if desired, that I just don't know about/haven't seen evidence of. Sabre VH-IPN was taken off the list as well, after it was indicated to me that since 2015 it is intentionally not to be flown, unless the situation per the ejection seat fitted to the aircraft changes.

(My most optimistic list is probably the one for the P-38's, for the inclusion of "Honey Bunny", which I don't think has flown since 2013, and N505MH, which made a one-way flight from McMinnville to Chino earlier this year.)

I made a few more further edits, thank you Ben and David, and a few more additions (missed/overlooked a Sea Fury, and added the flying reproduction Me-262's and Oscar).

N80FS flew a dog fight demo with a MiG-15 a few weeks ago at the Wendover air show, definitely a flyer!

Tom P.

[phil65]

"There are 5 A6M Zeroes flying in the world, There are 3 Hellcats flying in the world"

More Zeroes than Hellcats flying... WTF

Phil

[Mark Sampson]

A fascinating piece of research...very well done sir! I had no idea, as they say.
But you're leaving out the C-46's, C-47's, and C-54's.
You have more enjoyable work ahead of you!

[kalamazookid]

This is an awesome thread and needs to be a sticky. Kind of reminds me of the roundup lists that used to be published in Warbirds Worldwide back in the day...

[OD/NG]

"There are 5 A6M Zeroes flying in the world, There are 3 Hellcats flying in the world"

More Zeroes than Hellcats flying... WTF

Phil

Yes, hard to believe, huh? There are 3 Hellcats under restoration to flying condition, and they should all be flying within about 4 to 5 years.

[Waltz41]

Great work on the list! Wow, some staggering numbers for some of the aircraft listed. I would of never guessed there are more P-40s than Corsairs flying. And the Hellcats at 3 as mentioned........

[Pogo]

I echo the prevailing sentiments, this is a most excellent posting and worthy of sticky-dom! JT, you are a true asset, sir. Cheers!