FlyPast April 2020

The April 2020 issue of FlyPast shines a light on an American classic – an airworthy, Florida-based Curtiss TP-40 Warhawk. Owned by Thom Richard, the two-seater is a magnificent restoration and clearly a labour of love for all involved. In our exclusive feature, Jose Ramos reveals the history of this distinctive warbird and provides air-to-air images of ‘American Dream’ as it returns to its natural environment, the sky.

FlyPast Classics – Sea Hawk
In the fifth of our collectible series, Malcolm V Lowe delves deep into the history of the Hawker Sea Hawk, a British jet that performed capably during the Suez Crisis. Our special feature is complemented by rarely seen archive images and exclusive colour profiles by artist Andy Hay.

Guy Gibson VC
The Victoria Cross awarded to Dambusters leader Guy Gibson is on display at a museum in Lincoln. FlyPast editor Chris Clifford reports.

Legendary jet pioneer
With this year marking the 90th anniversary of Sir Frank Whittle gaining an all-important patent for his jet engine, Nicholas Jones describes how the ground-breaking invention came about.

Hurricane and Fury
Darren Harbar revisits the Cambridge Bomber and Fighter Society’s Hawker projects and reports on two superb restorations.

The Rhine crossing
In a truly dramatic account, Christopher Warner details his great-uncle’s harrowing experience as a glider pilot during World War Two’s Operation Varsity.

Also, former editor Ken Ellis visits Sherburn airfield in North Yorkshire and chronicles the base’s history, while Jamie Ewan attends a night photography shoot highlighting the UK’s sole airworthy de Havilland Vampire. Our dedicated restoration pages showcase work taking place to refurbish a Messerschmitt Bf 109E, plus a C-47 Skytrain that flew on both D-Day and Operation Market Garden. Each issue comes with a free 32-page guide to all this year’s major airshows in the UK and further afield.