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Tag Archives: Restoration and preservation

Fourteen hours over the Med in a biplane – Solo2Darwin

Featuredby navalairhistory 1 Comment

The story of aircraft over water can take many forms, but few can be more inspiring than the pioneering flights of aviation’s golden age. Amy Johnson has been a hero […]

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Golden age of flight, Interwar history

The Royal Navy Historic Flight stands down

Featuredby navalairhistory 2 Comments

Today marks the end of an era. The Royal Navy Historic Flight, charged with celebrating and commemorating the heritage of the Fleet Air Arm by maintaining historic examples of the […]

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Air displays, Restoration and preservation

Fleet Air Arm Veterans Honoured at Navy Wings event

November 5, 2018by navalairhistory 4 Comments

On 21 September, twelve Fleet Air Arm veterans were honoured at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, at an event dedicated to the immortal Fairey Swordfish and the men and women […]

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Fleet Air Arm, Interwar history, WW2 History

Navy Wings at Night – Part 2

November 10, 2017by navalairhistory Leave a comment

I wouldn’t usually blog on the same subject twice in quick succession (See part 1 of Navy Wings At Night), but there’s a reason for a second post on the […]

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Fleet Air Arm, Restoration and preservation

Up close and personal with the Barracuda restoration

July 10, 2017by navalairhistory 2 Comments

I’m indebted to the wonderful team running the Fairey Barracuda restoration at the Fleet Air Arm Museum for allowing me to spend Yeovilton Air Day with them. Thanks to William […]

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WW2 History

The Rarest Seabird – FAAM Grumman Martlet

December 19, 2014by navalairhistory 1 Comment

During the early part of 1940, Britain and France were scrambling to acquire sources of modern fighting aircraft from wherever they could. At that time there were serious fears that […]

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Fleet Air Arm, Restoration and preservation, US Navy, WW2 History

USS Ranger – a supercarrier at risk

August 2, 2014by navalairhistory 6 Comments

Sixty year ago, on 2 August 1954, the first truly modern aircraft carrier from the keel to the truck was laid down. The Forrestal-class supercarrier USS Ranger (CV-61) was the […]

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Cold War, Postwar history, Restoration and preservation, US Navy, Vietnam War

Blackburn Skua book reprinted

March 27, 2014by navalairhistory 1 Comment

One of my non-fiction books, a history of a WW2 naval dive bomber known as the Blackburn Skua, has just been reprinted by MMP Books. For more information on the […]

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Fleet Air Arm, Pre-war fleet air arm, Restoration and preservation, WW2 History

Happy Birthday Sea Vixen XP924

October 18, 2013by navalairhistory 1 Comment

Wednesday 16 October 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the first flight of de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 XP924. ‘Foxy Lady’, as she is known by her operators DS (Drilling […]

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Air displays, Cold War, Fleet Air Arm, Restoration and preservation

Sea Hawk Swansong

May 22, 2013by navalairhistory Leave a comment

It’s hard to know whether to envy or pity the Fleet Air Arm aircrew who take part in the bundle of naval flying tasks known as Fleet Requirements, as these […]

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Cold War, Fleet Air Arm, Postwar history, Restoration and preservation

P-51D Mustang from the sea

April 29, 2013by navalairhistory Leave a comment

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang 44-14574 ‘Little Zippie’ now resides in the East Essex Aviation Museum, Jaywick, Essex, after lying on the seabed for more than 30 years. The remains […]

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Obituary, Restoration and preservation, WW2 History

Fleet Air Arm Museum reserve collection

March 15, 2013by navalairhistory Leave a comment

The Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton has the biggest collection of naval aircraft in Europe. The main collection is unquestionably impressive, but the museum also holds a reserve collection […]

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Cold War, Falklands conflict, Fleet Air Arm, Golden age of flight, Pre-war fleet air arm, Restoration and preservation, WW1 History, WW2 History

Barracuda interview on Airplane Geeks

January 31, 2013by navalairhistory Leave a comment

The aviation podcast ‘Airplane Geeks’ programme for 30 January 2013, Episode 233, features an interview with Matt Willis on the Fairey Barracuda. You can listen to the episode online here […]

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Fleet Air Arm, History and its lessons, Restoration and preservation, WW2 History

Heinkel He115 raised from the sea in Norway

November 23, 2012by navalairhistory 1 Comment

On 2 June 2012, a rare Heinkel He115 was raised from the sea at Sola near Stavanger in Norway, by a team from the Sola Historic Aviation Museum and Birger […]

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Restoration and preservation, WW2 History

The Royal Navy Historic Flight

October 31, 2012by navalairhistory Leave a comment

Many thanks to the Royal Navy Historic Flight and the Fly Navy Heritage Trust for the opportunity to visit the Flight’s base, interview key personnel and see the work of […]

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Air displays

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Naval Air History News

The first of three novellas from Sharpe Books was released in June 2019 – ‘Harpoon’ chronicles the struggles of a Sea Hurricane pilot on the vital Malta convoys of 1942. Available from Amazon

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Categories

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