This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Thu Mar 12, 2026 12:48 pm

With some time off this week I've updated the list in several places. From top to bottom:

- For the Mustang list, the location of residency for the P-51D Miss Helen (G-BIXL) was changed from the UK to Denmark, after it was flown to Billund last week. The aircraft was sold to Danish billionaire Anders Povlsen in 2024, but the aircraft had since remained in the UK, during most of which time it was refurbished, including stripping off the old paint, polishing the bare metal, and adding a more historically-accurate depiction of the Miss Helen markings. Dan Friedkin's TF-51D Mustang N20TF, which for a number of years flew as Bum Steer, was the subject of a recent mini-restoration and exterior overhaul at Fighter Rebuilders, and has since flown again now polished and painted in the markings of The Enchantress of the Iwo Jima-based 457th FS. Several Mustangs have been removed from the list, if they hadn't already, including Cottonmouth, Ho Hun, Miracle Maker, Miss Judy, Scat VII, Strega, VooDoo, 42-83738, 44-74602 and 44-84864, as they are either currently in storage, have been placed on long-term static display, or their current status cannot be confirmed (such as in the case of 'Scat VII').

- For the Spitfire list, the location of residency for Ross Pay's newly-flying Spitfire Tr Mk.IX BS548 has been preemptively switched from the UK to Australia, with the aircraft expected to have been arriving in Australia this week. I was also provided confirmation that Dan Friedkin's Spitfire Mk.V EP122 and Spitfire Mk.XIV SM832, located in Texas, were both flown earlier this year. Seafires PP972, PR503 and VP441, and Spitfires AR614 and TE554 remain inactive at this time. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Spitfire PR Mk.19 PS915 remains under restoration, and W Air Collection's Spitfire FR Mk. XIV RM927, in France, should hopefully soon be receiving its overhauled Griffon engine from the US, which will allow it to return to the skies this year.

- For the B-25 list, there are at least three B-25s that were flying in recent years but are now receiving restoration/repairs, due to corrosion found in the wings/wing attach angles - those being Pacific Princess (N9856C), Executive Sweet (N30801), and Sweet Dreams (N3438G). Both Pacific Princess and Sweet Dreams are expected to return to flight this year.

- For the Corsair list, the CAF Airbase Georgia FG-1D N9964Z was removed, as its wings are currently undergoing major repairs/restoration after being damaged from a storm while attending the Fagen Fighters airshow in Granite Falls, MN, back in August 2025.

- For the A-26 Invader list, I've whittled it down from at one time being as many as 16, to now just 11 currently-airworthy examples at the most. It has been great seeing N126HK active once again (and looking fantastic), now owned/operated by the Stockton Field Aviation Museum.

- For the Lodestar/Harpoon list, there are several that I removed from the list of flyers which haven't flown in several years. I've also removed PV-2 Harpoon N6657D, as although recently acquired by Kermit Weeks and having it flown to Chino, I believe Weeks' plan is to now have it remain parked at Chino, to eventually have more restoration work carried out on the airframe by Aero Trader/California Aerofab, before it flies again.

- For the PBY Catalina list, I've also whittled it down considerably, to just 7 examples that can be considered currently airworthy at this time (assuming that John O'Connor's PBY-5A N222FT is undergoing repairs/has not yet returned to flight).

- For the A6M Zero list, I've removed, for now, the Timmermans Legends of Flight A6M2 Zero (ex-N8280K) from the list of flyers. Despite joining the collection in Canada in October 2024 and being de-registered in the US since early last year, it has yet to be placed on the Canadian register. The most recent photos I've seen of the aircraft, from an event held in June 2025, it was displayed void of its main landing gear legs, so I assume they're being overhauled.

I also finally got around to updating the Curtiss P-36/Hawk 75 list, with Walter Bowe's P-36 (N336CW) now flying in the US since last month, as well as the Lancaster listing, with the BBMF Lancaster undergoing major maintenance and structural overhaul until 2027.

In addition to all of this, there have been some significant warbird sales and movements within the last few months (even within the last couple weeks), which are not yet public - flyers and restoration projects.
Last edited by JohnTerrell on Fri Mar 13, 2026 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Fri Mar 13, 2026 2:36 am

CAC CA-12 Boomerang A46-54 (VH-MHB), named Wizard of Aussie, owned and restored by Gregg Batts, made its first post-restoration test flight today at Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia, piloted by Scott Taberner. The aircraft was originally assigned to RAAF 83 Sqdn., coded MH-B, and saw service defending Australia's Northern Territory. The last time the Boomerang had taken flight was in September 1945, when it was flown to Tocumwal Airfield in Victoria, Australia, to be scrapped. The fuselage survived, however, and passed through a few owners until it came to be acquired by Gregg Batts from Les Arthur in 1986 (Les Arthur had reportedly collected parts from as many as 7 or more Boomerangs from different sites in Australia). Restored over the following four decades, Gregg Batts' Boomerang brings the total number of airworthy examples in Australia to three.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Thu Mar 19, 2026 7:27 am

Thanks for the detailed updates, John!

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Thu Mar 19, 2026 6:27 pm

It's been a long but enjoyable time watching Greg Batts' project progress and what a joy to see and hear it fly. Outstanding!

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Wed Mar 25, 2026 5:43 pm

A couple of successful test flights, on opposite sides of the world:

At Fagen Fighters Restoration, in Granite Falls, Minnesota, Sebastien Domine's P-51D Mustang 44-72253 (N354WR) Jane VI was test flown today (March 25, 2026) by Steve Hinton Jr. The rebuild/restoration originally began at Pacific Fighters and was acquired partially-completed by Fagen Fighters in 2022. The aircraft was then later acquired by Sebastien Domine, with Fagen Fighters completing the restoration.

At JEM Aviation, at Omaka Aerodrome in Blenheim, New Zealand, Mike O'Rourke's replica Yak-7B ZK-YKB was test flown today (March 26, 2026) by Ryan Southam. If all goes well, it is scheduled to be at the Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow Easter weekend.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Fri Mar 27, 2026 3:28 am

Hope the damage to Ross Pay's Spit VH-IXF isn't too severe after her gear up landing yesterday...

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Mon Mar 30, 2026 10:16 pm

Hooligan2 wrote:Hope the damage to Ross Pay's Spit VH-IXF isn't too severe after her gear up landing yesterday...



https://www.pprune.org/pacific-general- ... scone.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPuPdBaL8B4

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Tue Mar 31, 2026 10:21 am

mike furline wrote:
Hooligan2 wrote:Hope the damage to Ross Pay's Spit VH-IXF isn't too severe after her gear up landing yesterday...



https://www.pprune.org/pacific-general- ... scone.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPuPdBaL8B4


Ooof that is hard to watch, but glad it wasn't any worse. That's about as clean of a landing as you'd want. It appears people are suggesting it was an unintentional wheels up landing due to possibly pilot error. Maybe that's why the engine was still running.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Wed Apr 01, 2026 7:18 pm

When viewed zoomed-in, the landing gear on VH-IXF was noticeably partially extended.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Tue Apr 14, 2026 8:02 pm

An update to my post from a month ago - the TF-51D Mustang 44-72922 'Scat VII', which was off the radar for about a year, is now registered and flying in the US as N479FG, and it is at Sun 'N Fun this week. I believe the owner is Louis Horschel.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Thu Apr 16, 2026 11:47 am

My all-time favorite thread!

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Fri Apr 17, 2026 9:13 pm

Spitfire Mk.IX SL633, which had last been owned/operated by Brad Bishopp in Australia (and previously John Sessions in the US), has been sold to Ivo Lukačovič in the Czech Republic and will be based at/operated from Točná Airport with Lukačovič's collection of other historic aircraft (including Hawker Hurricane P3351). Delivered in June 1945, Spitfire SL633 originally served with No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF and later the Czechoslovak Air Force, with fuselage code JT-10, as it is painted today.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Sat Apr 18, 2026 9:24 pm

Spitfire FR Mk.XIV RM927, owned by Brice O'Hayon (W Air Collection) returned to flight today at La Ferté-Alais in France, following the recent re-installation of its Griffon engine. Back in December, the engine was removed and sent to Vintage V-12s in California for detailed inspection and test runs, to ensure the engine's health, due to the prop strike the aircraft had experienced last May. The Griffon engine arrived back in France just a few weeks ago and was soon reinstalled and test run in the airframe. Being one of my favorites amongst the world's airworthy Spitfires, it's exciting to know and see that it's flying again.

Re: Worldwide Numbers of Warbirds Flying by Type

Sun Apr 19, 2026 1:47 am

JohnTerrell wrote:Spitfire Mk.IX SL633, which had last been owned/operated by Brad Bishopp in Australia (and previously John Sessions in the US), has been sold to Ivo Lukačovič in the Czech Republic and will be based at/operated from Točná Airport with Lukačovič's collection of other historic aircraft (including Hawker Hurricane P3351). Delivered in June 1945, Spitfire SL633 originally served with No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF and later the Czechoslovak Air Force, with fuselage code JT-10, as it is painted today.



Good to hear that SL633 is going back to the Czech Republic. I spent a great deal of time with it at Sessions' museum, it was a favorite of Sessions (who loved telling visitors of its Czech history), visitors as well as myself. An absolutely pristine aircraft.
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