Cavanaugh CASA 2.111 (Spanish He 111) at Ezell

[JohnTerrell]

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum's CASA 2.111 (Spanish-built He 111) has been delivered to Ezell Aviation for restoration to flight. It's one type I've very highly been interested in seeing take flight again. This one last flew in 1995.

Photo by Ezell Aviation, via their Facebook page.

[phil65]

Nice...

Phil

[kalamazookid]

Awesome news! I've wanted to see one since my Dad introduced me to Battle of Britain as a kid. I've never even seen one on static. Would be awesome to see a flying example!

[JohnB]

Wow!

The Ezell's haven't done many ME types.
It will be great to have one flying again.
IIRC, there is one being worked on in the UK, perhaps to static only.

[DoraNineFan]

Wow!

The Ezell's haven't done many ME types.
It will be great to have one flying again.
IIRC, there is one being worked on in the UK, perhaps to static only.

Also the CASA 2.111 at the Flying Heritage Museum that was on her gear without wings. I hope to see it finished too. Hangar 10 might be working on a real He-111 but I don't know much about that one.

[Warbird Kid]

Wow!

The Ezell's haven't done many ME types.
It will be great to have one flying again.
IIRC, there is one being worked on in the UK, perhaps to static only.

Also the CASA 2.111 at the Flying Heritage Museum that was on her gear without wings. I hope to see it finished too. Hangar 10 might be working on a real He-111 but I don't know much about that one.

AND the Collings / AHM HE-111 is at America Aero in Florida being restored to static.

[OD/NG]

Great news! It sounds like the intention to restore it to flying condition or static depends on what they find needs fixing and how much that will cost. I do know that the airframe had some damage while being transported to North Texas after the CFM closed down at Addison. I hope it's all repairable and within the budget as I would love to see another CASA 2.111 fly again!

If there were only 2 aircraft that I would like to see return to flying status at CFM, one would be this aircraft, the other one their Panther jet.

They have some great folks working over at CFM, with lots of passion to keep these aircraft in the air. I was astounded when they brought 5 aircraft to Oshkosh last month. That is NOT the sign of a "dead museum". They are very, very active!

Great decision, Cavanaugh folks, I hope this works out for you!

[JohnB]

With two Merlins, it can't be inexpensive to operate. That might be why many don't fly.

Would another engine, say Allisons, be any cheaper?
It might be worth exploring if it encourages owners to restore them to flight.

[Hooligan2]

With regard to the UK's 2.111s, one aircraft which was at Duxford with the Hanna's OFMC for eventual restoration is now a static exhibit at the Hawkinge Museum in Kent. The other, G-AWHB as flown in the UK for the Battle of Britain film, was being restored in Norfolk and seems to have ended up dismantled at Duxford about ten years ago. Is she still there?

The Cavanaugh aircraft is one of three that the late Neil Williams was involved in ferrying in the autumn/early winter of 1977: G-BDYA from Blackbushe to the US for the CAF in September, the aircraft now with Cavanaugh from Spain to the US via Blackbushe in October, and G-BFFS from Spain to Blackbushe in December, a flight that, as is well known, sadly ended in the mountains near Madrid.

[DH82EH]

I think I learned that the 111 at Hawkinge was found to actually be a Heinkell built airframe.
It was delivered to Spain either as a pattern or to be completed.
Great to see renewed interest in the type, on so many different fronts.

[Hooligan2]

I think I learned that the 111 at Hawkinge was found to actually be a Heinkell built airframe.
It was delivered to Spain either as a pattern or to be completed.

I believe that is certainly true of the Ju-52 G-BECL with Warbirds of Great Britain 40 plus years ago and now F-AZJU at La Ferte Alais; it was registered here as a CASA 352 but later found to be Junkers-built, I think when the Salis team pulled her apart for rebuild in France...

I remember seeing her staggering around the circuit at Blackbushe on a test flight in 1980 after having been parked for several years, a remarkable feat of levitation by some intrepid birdman or other - maybe Jeff Hawke! The main wheels were awfully close to the three foot high fence marking the eastern boundary of the airfield (the runway had been shortened some years earlier) as she landed...

[LegendaryWings]

This is a very exciting project! I'm looking forward to seeing it fly!

[Warbird Kid]

Would another engine, say Allisons, be any cheaper?
It might be worth exploring if it encourages owners to restore them to flight.

That was my question as well. If doable (as we've seen with the Erickson HA111.2) I think it could be a better (more economical) route to power this airframe rather than with Merlins or Jumos.

[Cvairwerks]

A friend of mine is Cavenaugh's DoM, and I'll query him this weekend if I get over to his hangar.

[DaveM2]

I think I learned that the 111 at Hawkinge was found to actually be a Heinkell built airframe.
It was delivered to Spain either as a pattern or to be completed.
Great to see renewed interest in the type, on so many different fronts.

It was thoroughly checked by ARCo, Duxford, before it went to Hawkinge....they found no evidence the airframe was German built, only some parts which were supplied by Germany along with manufacturing drawings.