Aircraft Recovery and Restoration

Recovery and Restoration Websites

• Air Pirates  An organization that has recovered over 65 aircraft in the past thirty years.  These aircraft are on display at the Air Force Museum, Naval Museum, Marine Corps Aviation Museum, Pima Air Museum, Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum and many other aviation museums.
• The Aircraft Restoration Company  Flying and static restorations for museums, collections, and private owners.
• Airframe Assemblies Ltd.  Manufacturer of sheet metal aircraft parts for historic warbirds.
• Anglo-American Lightning Organisation  The AALO is restoring to flight status a two-seat English Electric Lightning Mk T5 supersonic interceptor fighter.  A team of enthusiasts and professionals in the US and the UK are working to refurbish and reassemble the former RAF plane XS422 and return it to flight status.
• Another Time  Commentary on researching, restoring, and flying aircraft from another time.
• Antique Aircraft Restoration  The Flight Center has access to parts for all makes and models of aircraft, specializing in antique aircraft restoration of Stearman, T-Craft, Stinson, Waco, Luscomb and Swift.  Recovering, using the Poly Fiber process.
• Arrow Recovery Canada  A non-profit corporation that located missing Avro Arrow flight test models in June 1999.  Avro history, technical information, photos, video, models, links.
• AviaScan Group  Experts who work in the field of search and recovery of WW II period aircraft in northwest Russia.
• Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research  AAIR is a source for U.S. military aircraft accident reports and individual aircraft record (history) cards.
• Aviation Archaeology  From this site you can order USN, USAF, and USAAF accident reports.
• Aviation Archaeology  A Web Ring of aviation archaeology sites that document military or civilian air disasters or provide research information and/or help with aviation archaeological endeavors.
• B-36: Saving the Last Peacemaker  A photographic record of the true story to save the last B-36 Peacemaker.  On compact disk for display with a Web browser.
• B & J Aircraft  Instrument part sales for World War II through early jet era aircraft.   Items for aircraft such as the B-17, B-24, B-25, B29, B-36, F-84, P-40, P-47, P-51, P-63, S-2 and others.  Great site for restoration projects or aviation enthusiasts and collectors.
• Belgian Military Aircraft Wreckhunters  Information about Belgian military wrecks and relics, with details of their locations and their present status.  You'll also find information about former Belgian military aircraft preserved in private use and museams, or used as monuments or gate guards.
• BT-13 Vultee Homepage  Images, information, and references for Vultee aviation enthusiasts.
• Bull Jump Airport Fabric Restoration  A fabric airplane restoration shop in southeastern Massachusetts.
• Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association - Recovery Team  The Team was created to research, locate, survey, and recover heritage aircraft that crashed in the waters around Ontario.
• Canvas Falcon Engineering  This site is dedicated to restoration and reproduction of the aircraft of the First World War.  Includes a "virtual museum," forum, and free classifieds.
• Classic Aero Services  UK based and specializing in the supply, restoration, and manufacture of components for vintage, classic, and warbird aeroplanes.
• Classic Fighters  A Belgian aircraft preservation group which seeks to keep the aviation heritage alive by restoring and operating several historic aircraft.
• Clyde North Aeronautical Preservation Group  The CNAPG is a non-profit group formed near Melbourne, Australia to preserve and promote all aspects of aviation: static and flying restorations, collections of aircraft parts, books, magazines, brochures, photographs and other memorabilia.
• The Constellation Group  Dedicated to the restoration and operation of the Lockheed Constellation air transport.  They operate the MATS Connie, a C-121A transport that was built in 1948 and served in the Military Air Transport Service until 1968.
• Evergreen Aviation Services and Restoration  Wood and fabric restorations.  ground up custom rebuild of wood of wings or any tail surfaces, ground up and completion restorations, fabric repair and recovering.  Scappoose, Oregon.
• Exotic Aircraft Company's Hanger Aircraft restorations, buyer/seller matching.
• Fallen Wings of Aviation Archeology  This group is dedicated to the search for and preservation of aircraft crashsites around the world.  Discussions and research about aviation history, aircraft, pilots and crew, and locating crashsites are the general topics in FWAA.
• The Fighter Collection  Operates, rebuilds, and maintains a large European collection of airworthy WWII aircraft and is based at Duxford Airfield, in the UK.  It's run by a professional team of engineers and pilots for both airshow and film work, and the aircraft fly in airshows all over Europe during the summer months.  The fleet includes aircraft from the UK, USA, Germany, Russia and Italy.
• Fighter Factory - WWII Aircraft Recovery and Restoration  A World War II aircraft recovery and restoration facility run by the Aviation Institute of Maintenance.
• Flying Fighters Pty Ltd  Tour an historic fighter collection, take an adventure flight, or hold your function in a replica of the Wendover Bar.  Flying Fighters provide a full warbird sourcing and restoration service.  Located just outside the city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia.
• Flying Tigers Warbird Restoration Museum Projects and restoration school.
• Halberstadt C.V site  A site devoted to the restoration of the only remaining example of a Halberstadt CV at Brussels air museum: photo essay of the aircraft with comments and detailed observations.
• Halifax Restoration Team Halifax restoration, history, information, links.
• Historic Aircraft Restoration Society  This group was formed in 1979 by a group of aviation enthusiasts interested in the preservation of Australian aviation history.  Their mission is "To recover and where possible restore to flying condition, aircraft or types of aircraft that have played a significant part in Australian Aviation History both in the Civil and Military arenas."
• The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery  Aviation archaeological foundation with a full-time professional staff to guide an international membership of researchers and supporters in the non-profit organization's efforts to find, save, and preserve rare and historic aircraft.
• J&M Aircraft Fabric Service  An airplane fabric recovery business.
• The Memorial Flight  A non-profit organisation which aims to preserve French and European aeronautical heritage, mainly centered on the First World War period.  Restoration to flying condition of an original SPAD XIII C1.  Current flyable aeroplanes include a Fokker DR-I reproduction, an original Morane AI type XXIX, a Dassault MD311 Flamant, and a reproduction Blériot XI².  Other projects include an RAF SE5a and the static restoration of the historic "Point d'Interrogation" on behalf of the Musée de l'Air.  French site.
• No Job Is Too Small  Machine shop services for restorations, and other projects.
• Oklahoma Wreckchasing  Involved in aviation archaeology since mid-1997 and based in Oklahoma City, they have details of over one hundred civilian and military aircraft crashes dating from 1929.  Arkansas and Oklahoma are primary areas of research.  Links to other aviation archaeology and crash sites.
• Parts World.net  Aiming to be a source for restorers, rebuilders, and conservators of vintage, veteran, classics and historic vehicles, machines, and engines of all types.
• Piper L4  Piper J3 and L4 aircraft restoration and parts.  Complete listing of online sources of technical data, including original blueprints viewable online.  Parts sales for Piper aircraft and Henderson Little Bear hombuilt aircraft.
• PlaneHunters  This Belgian team researches, finds, and recovers crashed planes from World War II.  The team informs the family members of the pilots and crews about the location and circumstances of the crashes.  In English and Dutch.
• Prop-Liners of America  A non-profit that promotes restoration of propeller-driven airliners.
• Purple Hill Air Ltd.  Aircraft maintenance and painting, annual inspections, airframe repair, engine rebuilds, recovering, restoration and modifications.  Located just outside London, Ontario, Canada.
• Quality Paint  Offering a variety of services for aircraft and automotive restoration.  Located in Washington State, Airport ID 92W.
• R&D Precision Products  Contract metal stamping and fabrication for historic aircraft.
• The Restoration of FAC87  A blog record of the restoration of an old Boeing Stearman biplane.
• The Restorers  An independently produced documentary film about warbird and vintage aircraft restorers.  On VHS and DVD.
• Ricard Kimberley Services  A company specialising in the restoration and maintenance of vintage and PFA aircraft and gliders.
• Sea-Tech Exploration  Projects by these specialists in sub-sea operations include dives to WWII Warbirds that have crashed into the sea.
• Southern Aviation Service Inc.  Aircraft maintenance, annual inspections, airframe repair, engine rebuilds, recovering, restoration, modifications, and painting.  Specializing in vintage/classic General Aviation taildraggers.  Zellwood, Florida.
• Stearman Restorers Association  An independent "Not for Profit" corporation dedicated to the preservation, restoration, flying and safety of Stearman Aircraft.
• Vintage Sailplane Association Promotes the acquision, restoration and flying of vintage sailplanes.  Assists the National Soaring Museum in the preservation of soaring history and the promotion of vintage sailplane activity.
• The Vulcan Restoration Trust  A charity which owns Avro Vulcan XL426.  The 32 page A4 magazine The Vulcan News is published three times a year, and is free to VRT members.
• Warbird Alley  A reference source for owners, operators, pilots, mechanics, restorers, and enthusiasts of classic, privately-owned, ex-military aircraft.
• Warbird retriever  This aviation archaeology ("wreck chasing") outfit has compiled a database of military aircraft scattered in the U.S. and around the world.  They focus on Army and Air Force aircraft waiting to be found and brought back to life for museums or to be made airworthy.
• Warbirds Resource Group - Restoration Department  Restoration and recovery project information.
• Warbirds Restoration Resource Group  Available through the Warbirds Resource Group site.
• World War One Aviation Originals  Avcloth.com sells vintage aviation fabrics and accessories.
• Wyoming Piston and Turbine Aircraft  Aircraft maintenance services.  Vintage/warbird aircraft restorations specializing in fabric covered aircraft.
• The Yakkes Foundation  This foundation evolved from an idea of a few aviation-entrepreneurs who are, either professionally or privately, intrigued by all aspects of flight.  Its purpose is to keep older airplanes in perfect flying condition for the joy of the aviation sport and spectators alike.