original ww1- aircraft

Are there any ORIGINAL ww1-aircraft left that still are capable to fly?
Is there a possibility in Europe (by preference Belgium)to fly with an original or replica ww1-aircraft?

Search under SPAD XIII on the net. There is an original in France restored for flight.

In Europe the only original still flying WW I veteran is Shuttleworth' collections LVG C.V. But - no chance to get a ride! There are a numbers of replicas prepared to fly: F.e. a Albatros B-type in Berlin and one or two Oeffag-Albatros D-types in Hallstatt, Austria. For the U.S I have never heard of any two-seater replicas, as most of them are thinking that a WWI plane has to have three wings and is painted red. But of course there are Albatroses, Fokker E.V's, SPADS etc. But no real two seaters. ( Prove me wrong, community!)
Hans

Kevin,
right! I forgot! Go to http://memorial.flight.free.fr/indexuk.html
Hans

Re: U.S. built two seater replicas: A pair of Bristol Fighters were built for the film "The High Road to China". WWII 6-cylinder Ranger engines (as used in Fairchild Primary Trainers, etc) were installed and the machines were apparently only marginally capable of safe flight with these underpowered engines. They were stored at Chino Airport over the last few years. De Haviland "Moths" were used in the film. VBR..Lee

[Droops]

A couple of years ago, I was at Dayton for the WWI fly-in. There was a 7/8 scale Nieuport 12 replica there at the time. I know some enterprising fellow built a Brisfit as well, and that it was shown at the St. Louis fly-in a couple of years ago. That plane, if memory serves, is a full scale replica.

If I can find or hear of any others, I'll post.

Regards,

John

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has a Curtis Jenny that if not in flying condition soon will be.

There are a number of originals and very accurate replicas flying in the US in recent years. At Old Rhinebeck there was an original Nieuport 10 (Or later 81-82 trainer) two-seater that had been flown as a barnstorming aircraft by Charles Nungesser postwar. It had his skull, coffin & candles emblem on the side. It was flown regularly. Also, an original Morane-Saulnier A.I monoplane fighter, as well as the Albatros D.Va, Sopwith Camel, Sopwith Pup, Nieuport 11, and Fokker E.V replicas (D.VIII) (Except for the Alb. D.Va (which had an original 120 h.p. Mercedes at one time but had to replace with a modern Ranger after a cracked block) all with original engines and some built from factory drawings). There are others, including Fred Murrin's visually accurate Dr.I replica. It is painted as FI. 102/17 in factory finish. The cowling, tailplane, and ailerons are the later production V5 version though. His is fitted with an 80 h.p. LeRhone. It flew at Dayton in the Fall of 2000 and he had to make an emergency landing ala real Dr.I pilots when the engine quit. Yes, there are plenty of other glossy red, less than accurate replicas, around, but there are also some quite accurate versions that give an accurate impression in the look and feel of the aircraft. If you subscribe to WWI Aero, Leo Opdycke keeps reporting on various original and replica builders worldwide.

I mentioned this in another thread, but by sheer serendipity I found there's an insanely accurate SE5A repro being built not five miles from me, complete with original Hispano engine, original Vickers (he's still looking for a Lewis, if anyone knows of one available please let me know).

It's ready for engine installation and he plans to have it flying by November. Other than modern fabric and a few self-locking nuts, it is built exactly as the original aircraft, in fact better, as this is a real labor of love- he estimates he has about 10,000 hours into it at this point.

He plans on having it flying in airshows next summer.

[stevedrew]

Wouter,
In the RAF museum at Hendon you will find Sopwith Pup N5182. This aircraft was once flown by Australia's highest scoring ace of any conflict, and the 8th highest Commonwealth pilot of WW1, Robert Alexander Little. He scored his first few victories in this plane, and went on to down 47 confirmed machines.
This aircraft is at least 86% original parts, as authorised by none other than T.O.M. Sopwith himself. It was restored TO FLYING CONDITION recently.
And no, you can't fly it.
Also no-one mentioned "vieux Charles" - one of two? machines so named by Guynemer, the French Ace. (He was lost, presumed killed, in the other one) This aircraft is in the Musee de l'Air et Espace in Le Bouget, Paris. I believe it is also in flying condition, but they refuse to take it up.
Steve Drew