Ep.190 - Lockheed Blackbird, Beyond the Secret Missions

In this episode of Aviation Xtended, we welcome back Matt Falcus the person behind AirportSpotting.com, one of the best-known websites for anyone who enjoys airports, airliners and the ever-changing world of commercial aviation. Matt is an aviation writer, author, private pilot and the creator of the Airport Spotting Guides series, He’s spent more than two decades travelling to airports around the world in search of interesting aircraft, new routes and the best places to watch the action. He just returned from Oshkosh, so couldn’t miss the chance to see what a Brit thinks of this amazing airshow. Contact Us: [email protected] Links Airport Spotting https://www.airportspotting.com/

In this episode of Aviation Xtended, we welcome back Grant McHerron and Steve Visscher from the excellent Plane Crazy Down Under podcast. Grant is also the host for the Australian Defence Magazine podcast. Australia has always mattered in aviation and defence, but over the past couple of years it has become much more visible on the world stage. From AUKUS and submarines to long-range strike, autonomous aircraft, maritime surveillance and the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region, there is a great deal going on. Grant and Steve share with us, what this means, how aerospace connects across the Australian defence sector and what role Australia has across the Pacific region. Contact Us: [email protected] Links Plane Crazy Down Under podcast https://www.planecrazydownunder.com/

In this episode of Aviation Xtended, we talk to Lindsay Rumbold about aviation thriller, Banshee. It is a cracking Cold War story with the Vulcan very much at its heart. Its part aviation, part mystery and part spy thriller. Lindsay talks about her love of the V-bombers, why the Vulcan was the right aircraft for this tale. We also explore how she went about making the flying, the people and the period feel so believable. We also get into the often-overlooked world of the engineers, fitters and ground crews, the people who make the aircraft work. If you enjoy the Vulcan, V Bombers and the Cold War we think you’ll enjoy this one.

In this episode we take you behind the scenes of one of the Fleet Air Arm Museum’s most important restoration projects - the return of Fairey Barracuda DP872. During a special visit to the museum, Pieter teams up with Dave Homewood from the Wings Over New Zealand podcast to explore the latest progress on the aircraft, which remains the world’s only surviving Barracuda. Joining us are Dave Morris and Will Gibbs from the Fleet Air Arm Museum restoration team, who share an update on the work taking place inside the workshop. From engineering challenges and original parts recovery to the stories hidden within the aircraft itself, the conversation offers a fascinating insight into what it takes to bring DP872 back to life. Contact Us: [email protected] Links Fleet Air Arm Museum - the home of the Barracuda DP872 restoration project. https://www.royalnavymuseums.org.uk/visit-us/fleet-air-arm-museum

Jonathan “Jonny” McNee BEM is an aviation historian and military aviation archaeologist from Northern Ireland whose work has literally brought lost Second World War aircraft (and their stories) back into the light. Drawing on years of research and licensed excavations, he has helped uncover wartime aircraft that came down over Northern Ireland and along the Irish border. His aviation work is voluntary and fits around a demanding day job as a Senior Marine Officer. In this episode, we talk with Jonny about what aviationarchaeology looks like. He explains how licensed digs are planned and carried out, the care that must go into preserving recovered artefacts to museum standards. We explore some of his best‑known projects, including the “Donegal” and “Monaghan” Spitfires and his work on a Coastal Command Bristol Beaufort. We also talk about the Fairey Barracuda DP872 restoration in the Fleet Air Arm Museum and Jonny’s role in the project and how this whole aviation circle is always connected amongst us all (somehow)!