Dave Southwood’s impressions of flying Bell P-39 Airacobra ‘Brooklyn Bum 2nd’, a warbird that stands out as unique amongst the many Second World War fighters he’s flown. Read more
Memories of P-39 Airacobra ‘Brooklyn BUM 2nd’

Dave Southwood’s impressions of flying Bell P-39 Airacobra ‘Brooklyn Bum 2nd’, a warbird that stands out as unique amongst the many Second World War fighters he’s flown. Read more
Paul Bonhomme offers his detailed impressions of flying Spitfire FR XIVe MV293, a perennial favourite of Europe’s historic aviation aficionados. Read more
Recounting the history of the Shuttleworth Collection’s Wren, the sole surviving example of English Electric’s attempt at designing an economical single-seat ultralight. Read more
Exploring the intricate process that takes a frontline RAF pilot and prepares them for life in the Lancaster captain’s seat Read more
The landmark five-part series concludes with reflections on Mark’s enduring legacy. Read more
“Mark wasn’t just a display pilot. That does him an injustice. He was a visionary.” The fourth part of our Mark Hanna anthology takes us through the 1990s, exploring the “passion and emotion” that made him such a special character. Read more
Mark’s friends and peers reflect on the qualities that made him “one of the most accomplished warbird display pilots who ever lived”. Read more
The next chapter of our five-part series reflects on a remarkable decade of film and airshow flying that saw Mark become “part of the Hanna family flying legend” by the late 1980s. Read more
Charting the formative years of the “Hanna flying legend” through to Mark Hanna’s first flight in the family Spitfire and his co-founding of the Old Flying Machine Company. Read more
Richard Grace reflects on his meteoric rise to becoming one of the historic aviation scene’s most prominent purveyors of vintage aeroplanes. Read more
Will Greenwood’s reflections on his custodianship of Yakovlev Yak-3 G-OLEG, a wonderful five years spent learning and mastering the intricacies of this superior Soviet fighter. Read more
Paul Misteli flies the delightful Dewoitine D.26, one of the last airworthy parasol types from the interwar Swiss Air Force. Read more
Dave Harvey recounts his many international trips in this most well-travelled of Hawker Hurricanes. Together, man and machine have flown across Europe and as far afield as Moscow. This is their unique story. Read more
Mikael Carlson draws on 30 years’ Blériot XI experience for this supremely detailed account of the pioneering aeroplane’s handling characteristics. His exploits include crossing the English Channel in the Blériot – twice. Read more
Cliff Spink is the only living pilot to have flown all of the airworthy Spitfire marks – I through PR.XIX. This is his epic 30-year story told in rich detail with an abundance of unique insight, unpublished personal stories and emotional reflections on a wonderful career. Read more
A supremely detailed from the cockpit account of John Romain’s post-restoration test flying of the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Westland Lysander Mk.III V9312. Read more
Mikael Carlson offers a definitive account of operating and flying his authentic reproduction Fokker Dr.1, the German ‘Dreidecker’ infamous for its skittish and volatile handling characteristics. Read more
A from the cockpit account of flying The Shuttleworth Collection’s unique Miles Hawk Speed Six racer, a truly stunning reflection of the pioneering spirit of the golden age of aviation. Read more
Eskil Amdal offers a highly detailed from-the-cockpit assessment of Pratt & Whitney R-2800-powered Hawker Sea Fury T.20 ‘WG655’, a stunning big bore fighter uniquely positioned at the end of the piston era and the very beginning of the jet age. Read more
Richard Grace puts us in the cockpit of Republic P-47D Thunderbolt ‘Nellie B’ for this definitive account of flying and displaying the largest single-engine piston fighter ever built. Read more
The Historic Aircraft Collection’s Hawker Fury is one of the most prized aeroplanes in historic aviation. Restored to exquisite standards by Retrotec Ltd, K5674 is a modern-day looking glass into the lesser known history of the interwar RAF. Flying such a precious survivor brings with it its own unique pressures and challenges. Read more
Keith Dennison’s detailed insight into the engine management and handling qualities of the A-model F-86 Sabre offers a fascinating glimpse into the challenges the dawn of the jet age introduced. Read more
In this monumental Pilot’s Notes, the Aircraft Restoration Company’s John Romain offers the most in-depth, deeply personal reflections on his aviation career to date. We trace his unique story from childhood to the present, exploring how his engineering prowess and exceptional airmanship led him to the forefront of the world’s historic aviation scene. Read more
Dodge Bailey presents a fascinating in-depth account of test flying The Shuttleworth Collection’s Sopwith Camel, and offers his initial impressions of the notoriously dicey First World War fighter. Read more
Bill Ramsey reflects on his time piloting world-renowned Avro Vulcan B2 XH558 in this definitive ‘from the cockpit’ account. Read more
John Romain challenges the myths that mire the legendary Battle of Britain era Messerschmitt Bf 109E ‘Emil’ in this comprehensive in-cockpit account. Read more
Introducing the immaculate XP-51 Mustang: John Muszala II talks restoring, test flying and racing this masterpiece from the Pacific Fighters’ workshop. Read more
John Romain reflects on a long and rewarding association with the Bristol Blenheim. Theirs is one of historic aviation’s most compelling stories, spanning more than 40 years and three restorations. Read more
Steve Hinton, Jr talks setting a new 3km Absolute Propeller Driven Piston Powered Aircraft record in highly modified P-51 Mustang ‘Voodoo’. Read more
In-depth study with Eskil Amdal on the challenges of test flying Norwegian CF-104D Starfighter “637” after its 13-year restoration. Read more
The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum’s Ross Granley offers a comprehensive account of flying the Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik. Read more
Lee Lauderback recounts his 4,775 nautical mile transatlantic journey from Texas, USA to Duxford, England in P-51B Mustang ‘Berlin Express’. Read more
Dan Griffith talks through the process of test flying de Havilland Sea Vixen D3 XP924 (G-CVIX) on its return to flight under civilian ownership in 2000. Read more
A highlight of the Flying Legends airshow 2011 was the UK début of the Flying Bulls’ striking P-38 Lightning. Over the weekend of 9-10 July, the Lightning wowed the large crowds with its elegant routine. For its pilot, Raimund Riedmann, displaying at Flying Legends was the culmination of a personal journey that began decades earlier… Read more
IWM Duxford’s Battle of Britain 75th Anniversary Air Show in September 2015 featured a monumental 17 Spitfire finale. Brian Smith, the architect of the sequence and the formation leader, offers his impressions of planning and executing the routine. Read more