Few of us can afford a genuine warbird but there’s a world of replica aircraft out there, many built from kits, some from plans and others – the really dedicated – from studying museum pieces and or photos. Some are full-scale, others scaled down. Many use modern components such as engines although a few hardy, brave souls with deeper pockets go for the real thing.
We picked three replicas available right away in the aviation classifieds:
- Nieuport 11: chosen by Dave who was really looking for a Nieuport 17 because its was the favourite fighter of British WWI ace Albert Ball. However, this 11 is a stunning choice with its New Zealand builder spending time studying an original at Le Bourget’s famous aviation museum.
- Sopwith Scout: chosen by Ed. It’s a factory- accurate replica and powered by an original Le Rhone engine and original instruments.
- Airdrome Sopwith Baby: chosen by Ian. Airdrome Aeroplanes offers kit versions of many early aircraft and this one was ready to fly from its current home in Serbia. Beautifully finished, it had somehow gained an extra seat!
In the News
- Bye, bye Bicester: Bicester Motion is doing great things with the former wartime airfield but for the classic car industry not to preserve the site’s aviation heritage.
- Save Nottingham Airport: Campaigners refuse to give up! Now they’re asking for a Judicial Review of the decision to build houses on the site.
- Ireland’s Newcastle Aerodrome, just 30 miles south of Dublin and right on the coast, is up for sale.
- Tuning up: CubCrafters has come up with a way of enhancing the performance of the Rotax 916 engine simply by tuning the software.
- Farnborough fling: There’s a very unusual aviation related building up for sale close to the airport: the Farnborough Centrifuge.
In What Caught My Eye
- Dave falls for flying in New Zealand with a video of a de Havilland Beaver swooping across the countryside flown by a handy cropsprayer.
- Ian spots a chateau in France with its own air force: more than 100 ex-military jets parked on its lawn.
- Ed finds an impressive way to supply remote communities in North America with essentials: beer! Yes, it’s the keg drop!
