Warbird Restoration
A lot of work goes into recovering and restoring these WWII & WWI aircraft. At Fighter Factory we believe that learning from our past mistakes, we will be able to avoid the same mistakes in the future. Each warbird is meticulously restored many times using authentic parts salvaged from other aircraft. If a part cannot be traced it is often hand manufactured by skilled engineers, using sometimes only fragments or limited schematics upon which to manufacture the parts from scratch.
Fighter Factory searches and travels world wide to obtain aircraft components from salvage areas & wreckage sites which sometimes look like nothing obvious as a former warbird. From the fragmented parts a glorious restoration takes place, to produce an authentic WWII or WWI flying aircraft.
Each and every flying warbird must undergo intensive examination and maintenance in accordance with strict FAA guidelines and regulations before it may leave the ground. Attention to Pilot & Crew safety and most importantly the safety of the public nearby when the warbirds take flight.
The Fighter Factory Staff
Without the skills expertise and valuable experience of the staff at Fighter Factory, none of this could happen, and none of these great vintage aircraft would ever take to the skies. Our engineers have extensive backgrounds in aviation maintenance, some originally working as aviation mechanics within the military service, some from commercial flight maintenance. But most importantly all are highly skilled professionals in their line of business.
Restoration Projects
Restorations are done on-site and off-site depending on the nature of work required. Whilst Fighter Factory has many resources on-hand it’s main focus is aircraft maintenance support of the Military Aviation Museum. We use a number of affiliated companies that take care of structural fabrications and supply/manufacture of unique parts.
Current Projects
- MOSQUITO – AV Specs LTD. – www.warbirdrestoration.co.nz
- JAPANESE TONY – Pacific Wrecks – www.pacificwrecks.com
- P-39 – Pacific Wrecks – www.pacificwrecks.com
Other restoration projects are underway however these are confidential at this time. Updates will be posted in due course
Fighter Factory operates and mainatins many WWII & WWI flying military aircraft including:
Fighters | Bombers | Trainers |Liaison & Other historical Military antiques
Spitfire | P-51 Mustang | Hawker Hurricane | TMB Avenger | P-40 Curtiss | PBY Catalina | FG-1D | SNJ-2 | T28-D | Corsair | Polikarpov PO-2 | Polikarpov I-15bis | Polikarpov I-16 Rata | Polikarpov I-163 | YAK | A-26 Invader | Junkers JU-52 | Sopwith Strutter | Tiger Moth DH-82A | SPAD SXIII | FM-2 Wildcat | Stearman N2S-3 | AD-4 Skyraider | Alabtros D.Va | Beechcraft T-34B | Bell P-63 | Bleriot X1 | Peashooter P26-D | Jungmeister 133C | Chipmunk DGC-1 | WACO YMF-5 | V1 Flying Bomb | Focke Wolfe FW-44J | Fokker Tri-Planes | Fokker Bi-Planes | Halberstadt | TG-4A | Russian LA-9 | Nieuport model 11 |
The above list is incomplete and we have more aircraft available at the museum
Fighter Factory – 1341 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23457
Fighter Factory
is the restoration & maintenance & facility for the
Military Aviation Museum.
The new hangar was recently built in April 2011 on the grounds of the Virginia Beach Airport adjacent to the Museum
.
We employ a team of 15 highly skilled and experienced aviation technicians to ensure our aircraft remain safely in flight operational status. Meeting all FAA standards as required
Restoration Work
In addition to aircraft maintenance, Fighter Factory staff are also involved in much of the aircraft restoration projects, either on-site or at remote locations.
Whenever new aircraft are acquired for the museum it is the responsibility of Fighter Factory staff to become technically proficient and knowledgeable in that particular aircraft. To ensure flight safety for pilots & ground crew
