Other Operators

Although the big warbird operators have their own pages here, there are other collectors who are regularly seen on the airshow circuit in the UK, here's a few of them.

Real Aeroplane Company - Breighton Website

Tony "Taff" Smith founded the Real Aeroplane Company in 1989 at Breighton airfield near Selby in Yorkshire. The airfield is a former RAF bomber base, part of which was owned by Tony Smith who wanted to set up an operating company for this air strip. Tony already owned a growing number of vintage aircraft and wished to establish a group of like minded aviators to fly vintage aircraft away from the aeroclub environment.

In the beginning RACo had four aeroplanes and two hangers, but this has now grown to a staggering eight hangers including a "super hangar", and forty aeroplanes! Not all the aircraft at Breighton are warbirds, RACo owns an Aeronca 100, which was built in 1936 and is the only airworthy example of this type in the world.

The RACo restores vintage aircraft types with projects underway, but specialises in the Bucker family of German Bi-Plane trainers several of which are based at Breighton.

Although the company had largely moved away from operating WWII warbird types since the loss of its Hurricane in 2007, there are some interesting restoration projects under way at RACo in the shape of Spitfire Mk1 X4276, which was flown by Al Deere, as well as a P-51 Mustang.

Woodchurch Warbirds Website (Rob Davies)

Rob Davies is a familiar face on the UK airshow scene flying his CAC built P-51K, which now flies in the markings of Col John Landers "Big Beautiful Doll" of the Duxford based 78th FG. Rob also owns a Yak C11 and an AT-6D Texan. As the name would suggest, the collection is based at Woodchurch in Kent.

Robs Lamplough

Robs is the owner of the P-51D Mustang "Miss Helen", complete with its wartime markings. For more on this aircraft's history see our wartime histories page.

Warbird Experiences (Colin Dabin) T-6G G-DDMV

It's thought that 'Mike Victor' was originally constructed in 1943 as Serial No: 168-313 but sadly her wartime records have long since disappeared.

She was 're-manufactured' as a T-6 'G' variant in 1949 and served with various USAF training wings from 1951 until she was 'struck off charge' and sold to the Haitian Air Force in 1954. She saw action and was used in anger in an abortive coup in Haiti in the late fifties, probably fitted with wing mounted external machine guns and bomb ordnance in a ground attack role.

After her military service, she had returned to the USA by 1960 where she was operated by a number of owners before being sold to the late Paul Morgan and imported into the UK in 1990. Paul had her painted in a classic yellow California Air National Guard scheme in the 1990's.

Paul Morgan owned a number of other warbirds in the UK including the P-51D "Susy", an FG-1D Corsair, and Sea Fury "Baby Gorilla". After his untimely death, his collection was slowly aquired by other warbird enthusiasts and in March, 2005, G-DDMV was acquired from Paul's wife Elizabeth with the aim to continue to maintain the aircraft in pristine condition and to share with others the pleasure of flying this wonderful example of the famous type.

You too can fly this machine, find out more by clicking the banner below.

Vampire Preservation Group Website

Not so long ago, a few De Havilland Vampires were seen on the air show circuit, however this has been reduced to just two, with WZ507 G-VTII being the only T.11. Thankfully this aeroplane is seen regularly at shows up and down the UK, and is thought to be the only remaining T.11 in the Northern Hemisphere. She currently wears the markings of 219 Sqn RAF, and is operated by the Vampire Preservation Group based at North Weald in Essex.

Delta Jets Website

When thinking of Hawker Hunters flying the the UK today, the name Delta Jets will undoubtedly spring to the minds of many people.

The Hunter is arguably the most beautiful of the post war jet designs, and is the creation of the great Sir Sydney Camm, the same man that gave us the Hurricane. Delta Jets is based at Cotswold Airport, on the former site of RAF Kemble in Gloucestershire, and provides servicing and overhaul facilities to those fortunate enough to privately own a Hawker Hunter.

Newcastle Jet Provost Website

The Newcastle Jet Provost Company was formed in 1995 to operate Jet Provost T.3A XM479. Built in Luton in 1961 as a T.3, XM479 was delivered to the RAF College at Cranwell and served there until being placed into storage in 1966. After ten years in storage at Shawbury and Kemble, the aircraft was one of 85 T.3's converted to T.3A specification, and delivered to No. 1 FTS at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Here XM479 served for seventeen years until the introduction of the Shorts Tucano saw it's retirement from RAF service in 1993.

Subsequently the aircraft was put up for disposal by the MoD, and purchased by Global Aviation in 1993. After restoration XM479 was returned to the air with the civil registration G-BVEZ. She was operated from Sandtoft Airfield in 1994 before being sold to the Newcastle Jet Provost Company in 1995, and XM479 moved to her current home at Newcastle Airport in 1996. The NJPC is a consortium made up of private pilots, and XM479 can be seen at a number of air displays throughout the year.

All photographs: Copyright © UK Warbirds unless otherwise credited.  Unauthorised use of any of the images found on this site prohibited.  Please note that UK Warbirds is in no way officially connected to any of the owners or operators mentioned on this site. The views expressed on this web site are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of companies or individuals mentioned.