Mounted on a plinth at Domodedovo Airport, Tu-114 СССР-76464 appears to be in better condition than the Tu-116 at Ulianovsk.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Туполев Ту-114 - РоссияRussia - 1957

A large section of wing from Whitley V EB384 being salvaged from Glen Esk near Montrose by Whitley Project members in November 2001.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley / A.W.38 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

The forward fuselage of North American B-25B 40-2347, the world's only surviving B model, at the Aero Trader storage yard in California.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: North American B-25 Mitchell / PBJ-1 - СШАUSA - 1940

Douglas C-47 G-AMYJ being loaded on to an RAF Aircraft and Recovery Flight low-loader.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Skytrain/С-53 Skytrooper / Dakota - СШАUSA - 1935

G-AMYJ leaves Coventry for the last time on December 19, 2001, en route to a new career as a prize exhibit at the Yorkshire Air Museum.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Skytrain/С-53 Skytrooper / Dakota - СШАUSA - 1935

The Air Zoo is seeking wing drawings for its Sopwith Camel restoration.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Sopwith Camel / F.1 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1916

The fuselage of the Flug Werk FW 190 in the Frasca museum workshops.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Focke-Wulf FW.190A - ГерманияGermany - 1941

Fine workmanship is evident on the new-build wing.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Focke-Wulf FW.190A - ГерманияGermany - 1941

THE SUBSTANTIAL REMAINS of four Hawker Hurricanes, including one with a well-preserved centre section with all the attachment points still in place, were recently recovered from Russia on behalf of warbird salvor Jim Pearce. The combined haul of parts could form the basis of at least one Hurricane restoration project.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Hawker Hurricane - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

North American P-51D Mustang 44-74813 at Danville on November 5, 2001. RIGHT Preddy's former crew chief Art Snyder signs the cowling.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: North American P-51D Mustang - СШАUSA - 1944

Mustang N551CB/414888 Glamorous Glen III, shown here at Oshkosh, was destroyed in a crash on September 6, 2001, following an engine seizure.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: North American P-51D Mustang - СШАUSA - 1944

The markings that adorned Preddy's P-51 have been perfectly replicated on N51KW.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: North American P-51D Mustang - СШАUSA - 1944

Carl Swanson's Spad VII replica was built in 1978.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: SPAD S.VII - ФранцияFrance - 1916

In last April's issue of Aeroplane we published the first part of the late Charles "Jo" Jurd's reminiscences of his time as an apprentice in the Supermarine works at Southampton, in the years immediately preceding the Second World War. I was struck by his recollection of Harry Camm, the Fitting-Shop foreman, hoisting the workers' outdoor clothes into the factory roof and out of reach on a large pulley-operated coat rack precisely when work started. Charles recalled: "The works' main gate was closed promptly at starting times, and latecomers were docked pay or simply sent home. Those who did manage to get in faced the wrath of the foreman as he hauled down the coat-rack." If only, I thought, we had a picture of that rack, laden with coats, hanging over early Spitfires. How redolent of the era it would be; a perfect image of those momentous times.
Only a month or so later I was delving among a stack of old Second World War photos in a London ephemera shop when the accompanying picture came to my hands. Taken in late 1938 or early 1939, it shows Spitfire Mk I K9841, its serial chalked on its rear fuselage, in final assembly. And there, suspended overhead, are two of the legendary coat racks. A caption, cut from the newspaper in which the photograph originally appeared and stuck on the reverse of the picture, reads: "They're hauled up when the day's work begins, and there they stay till it's finished. It's a way of saving space in Vickers' Supermarine Works at Southampton, where they are mass-producing Britain's fastest fighting 'plane, the Spitfire." Whether the practice was really adopted to save space or, rather, to prevent the workers from sneaking off for a quiet smoke or a nibble at a snack, as Jo Jurd suggests, is a moot point. Incidentally, Spitfire K9841 was delivered to 66 Sqn on January 13, 1939, and subsequently served with Nos 611, 609 and 616 Sgns. It was struck off charge in September 1940 after its undercarriage collapsed in a forced landing following an encounter with a Dornier Do 17.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Supermarine Spitfire - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1936

Tupolev Tu-116 СССР-76462 at Ulianovsk in August 2001. A Tu-144 is in the background.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Туполев Ту-116 - РоссияRussia - 1957Туполев Ту-144 - РоссияRussia - 1968

Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune VH-IOY, part of the HARS fleet that is moving to Albion Park.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Lockheed Neptune P2V - СШАUSA - 1945

Paul Morgan's Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 WH588/G-EEMV landing at a Duxford airshow in the late 1990s.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Hawker Fury / Sea Fury - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1944

Hawker Sea Fury ZU-SEA fires up for its debut appearance in South Africa at the Stellenbosch air show on December 15, 2001.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Hawker Fury / Sea Fury - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1944

Bristol 173 G-ALBN arrives at Kemble on January 3, 2002.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bristol Type 173 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1952

A NEW ADDITION to the American airshow scene is Michigan-based William Ward's Shenyang F-4, s/n 0613/N406DM, a Chinese-built version of the MiG-17. Ward, whose day job is flying as a First Officer on MD-80s with Spirit Airlines, operates the Cold War fighter from Jackson County Airport. The MiG was originally imported by Dean Martin's Consolidated Aviation Enterprises during 1988, and was operated in the early 1990s by the late Doug Schultz from Francestown, New Hampshire.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Shenyang J-5 / F-5 - КитайChina - 1956

A SURPRISE RECENT addition to Kermit Weeks's Fantasy of Flight museum at Polk City, Florida, is a replica of the Nazi's last-gasp, semi-expendable interceptor, the Bachem Ba 349 Natter. Designed to use non-strategic materials and be launched from a vertical gantry, the Natter was powered by a Walter HWK rocket motor, with additional thrust from four Schmidding rockets.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Bachem Ba.349 Natter - ГерманияGermany - 1945

AT RAF SHAWBURY a joint venture to build an exact replica of the Airspeed Horsa Mk I assault glider using the wreck of an original Horsa loaned by the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop as a template, is coming on apace. Backing for the project comes from The Glider Pilot Regiment Association, the Staffordshire Regiment and the Army Air Corps. The glider will eventually go on display in the Midlands - many having been built in and around Wolverhampton by various furniture companies, and at the Austin Motor Company's Longbridge Factory in Birmingham. Many Horsa nose and cockpit sections were constructed at Melton Mowbray by Midland Woodworking Ltd, a subsidiary of Boulton Paul, and were then transported to RAF Cosford for assembly.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Airspeed Horsa / AS.51 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1941

AT DUXFORD, eight full-time engineers and 50 other volunteers are beavering away on the Imperial War Museum's B-24M Liberator 44-51228 to make the bomber externally complete for installation into the airfield's American Air Museum on June 18, 2002. Part of the huge glass frontage of the American Museum will have to removed to permit entry for the B-24, and work on fitting-out the bomber will continue following installation. The B-24 will be one of the centrepieces of the museum's celebration of the 60th anniversary of the first 8th Air Force combat mission from Britain on August 17.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated B-24H / B-24J Liberator - СШАUSA - 1943

Among several HS.748s in the news is ZS-TPW, originally D-AHSA of DLT, in whose colours it is seen at Frankfurt in 1987.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Hawker-Siddeley Andover / HS.748 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1960

Jodel D.11 HB-SUL, seen here sideslipping into Schaffen-Diest on August 11, 1990, crashed in Switzerland on May 10, 2001.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Jodel D.11 / D.112 / D.117 / D.119 - ФранцияFrance - 1951

The nose and fuselage of Avro Anson Mk I VH-WAB, seen soon after arrival at the Bull Creek museum.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Avro Anson / Type 652 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

Temporarily fitted with a Fairchild Ranger engine, Stampe SV-4C N711SV, painted in immediate-post-war French Air Force markings, is seen here over its base at Trinca, New Jersey. It is soon to receive a more visually appealing D.H. Gipsy major installation.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Stampe et Vertongen SV-4 - БельгияBelgium - 1933

Also based at Trinca is freshly-restored SV-4C N12SV, which is fitted with a Lycoming flat-four engine.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Stampe et Vertongen SV-4 - БельгияBelgium - 1933

RWD-13 PT-LFY, seen here fast-taxying, is the world's oldest airworthy example of a Polish-built aeroplane, the three-seat 130 h.p. D.H. Gipsy Major-powered machine having been rebuilt to fly during 1999.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: RWD RWD-13 - ПольшаPoland - 1935

A BOAC Hermes, in this case G-ALDI, at Nairobi in the early 1950s.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Handley Page Hermes / H.P.81 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1945

Is this propshaft all that is left of Handley Page Hermes airliner G-ALDN, which crashed in the western Sahara 50 years ago?

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Handley Page Hermes / H.P.81 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1945

Tony Harmsworth next to the remains of one of G-ALDN's Bristol Hercules engines

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Handley Page Hermes / H.P.81 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1945

Dennis Neville at the Messenger's controls.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Miles Messenger M.38 / M.48 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1942

G-AJWB flies again on December 19, 2001.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Miles Messenger M.38 / M.48 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1942

HeavyLift's Short Belfast G-BFYU, shown here swallowing a large load at Miami International Airport, was broken up in 2001.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Short SC.5 Belfast - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1964

The nose of B-25J 44-30627, one of six of the J model stored at the Aero Trader yard.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: North American B-25J Mitchell / PBJ-1G - СШАUSA - 1943

THE ROAR OF FOUR Rolls-Royce Tyne turboprop engines reverberated around the Brooklands Museum at Weybridge on November 29 last year, as the world's only surviving Vickers Vanguard/Merchantman, G-APEP, celebrated its 40th anniversary in style. Mike Ridgway and John Brant, two of the volunteers who look after the airliner, were at the controls for the engine runs, watched by former crews and engineers including former Vickers chief test pilot Jock Bryce.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Vickers Vanguard - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1959

Joining the French vintage register as F-AZMV is Pitts S-1 F-BVKB, shown at La Ferte-Alais in May 1982.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Pitts S-1 / S-2 - СШАUSA - 1945

Pitts Special N22E has recently been restored at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. It was originally NX86401, seen here with Betty Skelton at Gatwick on July 23, 1949.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Pitts S-1 / S-2 - СШАUSA - 1945

The C of A of Airedale G-ARYZ expired a year ago; it visited Upavon on June 16, 1962.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Beagle Airedale / A.109 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1961

Pilatus P-2 HB-RAP, seen here at a Birrfeld show in 1986, was sold as D-EPIL during 2001.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Pilatus P-2 - ШвейцарияSwitzerland - 1945

The fuselage of Corsair NX5577N under restoration at Kindred.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Goodyear F2G Super Corsair - СШАUSA - 1944

Work on the fuselage and tail of Rudy Frasca's Spitfire Мk XVIII TP276 will begin soon.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Supermarine Spitfire FR.XIV / FR.XVIII / PR.XIX - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1943