Tail End Charlie

B-17G "Champaign Lady" in the advanced stages of construction (Champaign Aviation Museum, Urbana, OH)

Phoenixes Rising from the Ashes

Text: Jan Zdiarský

Warbirds — or historic aircraft maintained in airworthy condition — are the highlight of many air shows and have allowed many of us to experience the atmosphere of a time when their engines roared in the sky by the dozens. Naturally, World War II aircraft attract the most interest, linked to powerful stories — whether their own or those of aircraft that no longer exist, whose paint schemes and markings are now worn by other warbirds. In this way, they help preserve the memory of these famous aircraft and, above all, their crews. And last but not least, they remain technical gems.

I will devote today’s reflection to the topic of the rebirth of historic aircraft, focusing specifically on those whose restoration is intended to result in airworthiness. The goal is not to provide a complete list of aircraft undergoing restoration, but to highlight a few interesting current projects. And in doing so, to whet your appetite a bit and show that even in today’s world, full of paranoids in the highest positions, madness, and destruction, there are people who build. Who, with a love for technology, history, and also for flying, are working to ensure that some phoenixes rise from their ashes.

In order for a restored aircraft to be considered a machine of a specific type and serial number, a certain percentage of original parts must be used in its restoration. This allows for the use of parts from old stock or newly manufactured parts in the restoration process. A warbird can thus be created even from an aircraft that was nearly destroyed in a severe crash. It is more than clear that this is not a cheap endeavor. This is also one of the reasons why some renovations take many years, and in some cases even decades. So let’s touch on the stories of a few of the current projects.

De Havilland Mosquito TE881, which is undergoing a demanding restoration at Avspecs Ltd in New Zealand, is not the first Mosquito they have returned to the air there. This particular aircraft is expected to make its test flight in 2026.

The B-25J Mitchell 44-30733 is also being prepared for flight. In July 1969, after both engines failed during takeoff while responding to a forest fire, it made an emergency landing in remote terrain. The wreckage of the aircraft lay in the sandy alluvial deposits of the Tanana River in Alaska until 2013, when it was recovered and transported to Michigan. The local Warbirds Of Glory Museum is restoring the aircraft to airworthy condition using parts from another Mitchell they managed to acquire, aircraft s/n 44-28898. That aircraft was part of the Lend-Lease program in 1944, as a delivery to the Soviet Union. However, it was damaged during landing at Satellite Field in Alaska and, after valuable parts were removed, left to its fate. The completely vandalized remains of the airframe were rescued at the turn of the millennium by the Nome Aviation and Military Museum in Alaska and later donated to Michigan.

The noses of two B-25Js at the Warbirds Of Glory Museum in Michigan. In the foreground is aircraft 44-28898, behind it the restored 44-30733.

The Spitfire Mk.I R6613 truly rises from the ashes, its airframe reconstructed from the wreckage of an aircraft shot down on September 11, 1940. Before it was lost, the famous Squadron Leader Roland R. Stanford Tuck of the RAF’s No. 92 Squadron flew this aircraft into battle several times during the Battle of Britain. The current restoration process, based on wreckage recovered from the crash site, has been completed. The aircraft has passed inspection by the British CAA and, with the civil registration G-RRST, is currently awaiting investors to take the next steps toward returning to the skies.

An interesting project is the restoration of the Fw 190A-8 in Turkey (Türkiye's MSÖ Air & Space Museum). In this case, however, it is not a warbird, but a comprehensive restoration of a new-build aircraft that is approximately twenty years old. Specifically, it is an Fw 190A-8/N from Flugwerk. Nevertheless, it must be said that the aircraft is undergoing a process as demanding and thorough as if it were an eighty-year-old machine. The entire airframe, as well as its individual systems, is undergoing a complete overhaul.

Fw 190A-8N at the Turkish MSÖ Air & Space Museum.

Restoration of the wing of the Turkish Focke-Wulf.

The aforementioned German manufacturer, Flugwerk, is also involved in another restoration of the Fw 190, this time the A-5 version, which is being carried out in collaboration with GossHawk Unlimited in Casa Grande, Arizona, USA, using parts from an aircraft that crashed in France during World War II.

GossHawk Unlimited is also restoring an Fw 190F-8 for the US Collins Foundation, based on aircraft W.Nr. 931862. It crashed on February 9, 1945, in the Norwegian inland, from where its wreckage was recovered in 1983. This aircraft is even being restored to flying condition with a BMW 801D engine.

Fw-190F-8 W.Nr. 931862 in the care of experts from GossHawk Unlimited.

The aircraft in the final phase of a demanding process.

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre has been working on the restoration of its Just Jane — the Avro Lancaster NX611 — for quite some time. As part of a long-term restoration project, the aircraft is being repaired in sections, and work progresses over the course of the year, primarily during the winter months. During the tourist season, Just Jane, together with the museum in East Kirkby, slowly earns money for its renovation. The aircraft is capable of taxiing with all four engines and is also open for interior tours. The restoration project is estimated to cost 4 million pounds. The aircraft is sourcing some of its essential components from the remains of other Lancasters, primarily those with serial numbers KB976 (rear fuselage sections), NX664 (wing sections), and PA474. It should be noted that restoring Just Jane to airworthy condition and completing the associated tests and certifications is not the only obstacle to Just Jane taking off from East Kirkby. The airport runway has been blocked for decades by a post-war road, the nature of which currently prevents an aircraft as large as a Lancaster from taking off.

Just Jane at the East Kirkby base shows off the splendor of her majesty and the sound of all four of her Merlin engines while taxiing.

The Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib RB396 is also undergoing an extremely challenging restoration project, led by the British organization The Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group. The aircraft, which has a combat history, was severely damaged after an emergency landing on April 1, 1945, near the Dutch-German border. After the war ended, like many others, it was destined for the scrapyard, but was saved by a local chemical company that intended to use some of its parts for its own needs. Years later, Dutch enthusiasts salvaged the remains of the aircraft for a local museum. In 2012, the Typhoon returned to the United Kingdom. Subsequently, a restored Napier Sabre engine was acquired, bringing the enthusiasts’ dream of returning this aircraft to the skies significantly closer to reality.

Original condition of the tail surfaces of Typhoon RB396.

The rear fuselage of the same aircraft after a complete restoration.

The American Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino is currently working on several restoration projects with the goal of getting the aircraft back in the air :

One of them is the Bell YP-59A Airacomet. If the project is successfully completed, it will be the only airworthy Airacomet in the world. Currently, approximately 75% of all work has been completed. The wing spars and fuel system have been replaced, and both engines and the landing gear have undergone a complete overhaul.

The Hispano HA-1112 M1L “Buchon” is, of course, intended to represent the Bf 109E at air shows. The aircraft is virtually ready for inspections and tests.

Work has begun on the restoration of the 1937 North American O-47A reconnaissance aircraft. In this case, the restoration primarily involves replacing the skin panels and a complete renovation of the control surfaces.

In contrast, the Aichi D3A2 Type 99 (Val) is one of the more demanding projects. In addition to a complete renovation of the skin, the aircraft requires restoration of the tail surfaces, a complete overhaul of the engine, propeller, and other components.

The renovation of the C-47, which the museum received as a donation in 2009, appears to be relatively less demanding. Although it is a wartime Skytrain that even participated in the D-Day, it is in relatively good condition. The engines and fuselage components, as well as the control surfaces, are scheduled for a complete overhaul. Currently, the aircraft has had its topcoat removed and is awaiting wing installation.

The most demanding restoration project at the Planes of Fame Air Museum, with a budget of $2,000,000, is the B-17G. Aircraft s/n 44-83684 was delivered to the Air Force the day before the end of World War II in Europe. In the 1950s, it served in the Aphrodite project as a “mother ship” for guiding QB-17s, in 1959, it became the last B-17 to carry out an operational mission within the USAF. Until the mid-1970s, this B-17 appeared in several films, after which it became a museum exhibit. Currently, all interior equipment has been removed, the interior paint has been stripped, and thorough inspections and repairs are underway. All control surfaces have been restored. Among the tasks still awaiting the restoration team are repairs to all spars (in accordance with an FAA directive addressing cracks in the main spars of airworthy B-17s), as well as overhauls of the engines, propellers, and landing gear.

Bell YP-59A Airacomet in Chino.

Restored tail surfaces of the Aichi D3A2 Type 99 (Val).

A Skytrain with a history dating back to before the D-Day awaits a new paint job.

The B-17G stood in a museum in Chino for a long time as an outdoor exhibit. Its restoration is demanding and precise, yet simpler than that of other aircraft of this type, which their owners are preparing to fly again.

The Flying Fortress from the Planes of Fame Air Museum is not the only B-17 whose return to the skies we can look forward to. The appeal of this model is inspiring several organizations at once to undertake this extremely demanding and costly process :

A relatively well-known example is the B-17G Champaign Lady from the Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana, Ohio. This aircraft is being painstakingly built from the wreckage of several different planes. Currently, large sections of the fuselage and wings are complete. Where original parts cannot be used, new components are being fabricated according to the original blueprints. At present, the Champaign Lady takes the form of a nearly finished aircraft. Most of the interior equipment is installed, including the gun turrets and cockpit fittings. The Champaign Lady is proof that even without major sponsors, it is possible to build a top-notch, airworthy warbird from wreckage, provided you have sufficient resources, expertise, and volunteers who are determined to pursue their dream.

The B-17G, named ‘Champaign Lady‘ after its place of origin, is assembled from the wreckage of at least five other Flying Fortresses.

Another B-17G is undergoing a complete restoration to airworthy condition at the airport in Salem, Oregon. Hangar “C” at the historic McNary Field, which opened in January 2015, houses the museum and restoration center of the B-17 Alliance Foundation. The B-17G, newly named Lacey Lady (44-85790), became famous as a gas station roof-top in Milwaukie, Oregon, where it stood from 1947 until the mid-1990s. The time spent on the gas station roof took its toll. Nevertheless, the original birthday bet that led to the purchase of the bomber and its placement above the gas pump saved this aircraft from being scrapped. Later, after suffering serious damage from the weather and vandals, the engines and nose were removed from the aircraft, primarily for safety reasons. In 2014, the remainder of the aircraft was lowered to the ground, dismantled, and moved to the airport in Salem, where it is undergoing a complex renovation. Among other things, it is intended to serve as a memorial to its original owner, Art Lacey, which is why the B-17G was renamed the Lacey Lady.

B-17G 44-85790 on the roof of a gas station south of Portland during its heyday.

It was a major attraction for several decades. After the gas station closed, it remained on its pylons and became an eye-catcher for the nearby “Bomber Restaurant.”

Decades of attention and exposure to the elements have taken their toll on the aircraft.

The ongoing restoration of B-17G 44-85790, newly named Lacey Lady, at the Salem airport (B-17 Alliance Foundation).

The B-17G Liberty Belle suffered the real fate of a phoenix. The hearts of many B-17 enthusiasts stopped when, on June 13, 2011, news broke that the Liberty Belle had burned down in a field near Oswego, Illinois, following a perfect emergency landing. A relatively small fire on the left wing, caused by a ruptured fuel tank, spread shortly after landing and largely destroyed the aircraft. The Liberty Foundation, which operated the aircraft, took a long time to recover from the shock. Nevertheless, soon after the fire, it was decided to seek ways to bring the Liberty Belle back to life. The unbelievable became reality. Today, the Liberty Belle is in an advanced stage of restoration, being carried out at Brooks Aviation Inc. The faith of many who, after the crash, did not even dare to hope that it would return to the skies, is now miraculously strengthened.

The tragedy that unfolded on the morning of June 13, 2011, near the town of Oswego, Illinois, left few people hopeful that the Liberty Belle would ever take to the skies again…

… today, it is almost unimaginable how much effort has gone into the attempt to bring this aircraft back to life. The reality exceeds many expectations.

In addition to the aircraft listed above, four more B-17s are being restored in the United States with the goal of returning them to airworthy condition. Some of them have flown as warbirds in the past but were grounded some time ago for various reasons.

Restoring warbirds cannot be based solely on enthusiasm. It requires deep technical knowledge, adherence to complex guidelines and regulations, and, last but not least, the expenditure of considerable funds. Virtually every organization involved in restoring the aircraft mentioned here as examples offers various ways to get involved in the project, primarily through donations. Any amount is welcome. If you’d like to help or learn more, additional information and contact details can be easily found online.