Warbird
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Warbird is a term used to describe vintage military aircraft. Although the term originally implied piston driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet powered aircraft, that are no longer in military service. Vintage jet aircraft in flyable condition, however, are much rarer due to technical complexity.
Sometimes, the term “Warbird “also applies to newly built replicas of vintage aircraft, such as Allison V-1710 powered Yak-9s from Yakovlev, Me 262s built by the Me 262 Project and FW 190s by Flug Werk.
Restored warbirds are a frequent attraction at airshows. Highly modified as well as “stock” warbirds can also frequently be seen at air races, since late-war fighter planes are among the fastest propeller-driven planes ever built. The most popular warbirds for races seem to be the P-51 Mustang, the Hawker Sea Fury, the F8F Bearcat, the T-6 Texan and the F4U Corsair.
Major operators of historic aircraft
- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
- Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
- Champlin Fighter Collection
- Collings Foundation
- Commemorative Air Force (formerly Confederate Air Force)
- Fantasy of Flight
- Lone Star Flight Museum
- Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
- Shuttleworth Collection
- Willy Messerschmitt Foundation
- Yankee Air Force
See also
- Vintage warbird restoration