The Russell Airshow is home to the Russell Aviation Group's 4 Unique and Rare Aircraft, below.

Spitfire Mark IX

Country: Britain
Year: 1942
Engine: Rolls Royce Merlin 61: 1660 Horsepower V-12 Liquid-Cooled Engine
Max Speed: 408 mph.
Range: 434 mi.
Service Ceiling: 36000 ft.
Max Weight: 5610 lbs.
Armament: 50 Calibre Machine Guns

Perhaps no airplane achieved such fame as that of the Supermarine Spitfire. This unequaled British fighter was one of the best all-round aircraft to emerge during the second world war. By virtue of constant improvements which lasted for the whole duration of production, the Spitfire
always kept a margin of superiority over its adversaries. With 20,351 Spitfires constructed in about 40 different models, the Spitfire served with the Royal Air Force well into the 1950's.

The Spitfire had its origins in the series of seaplanes which were created by Reginald J. Mitchell in the second half of the 1920's and culminated in the Supermarine S6B, winner of the last Schneider Trophy race on September 13th 1931. Most would agree that the ingredients of a great fighter are a good power plant and wing design, something the Spitfire has. With its legendary sounding Rolls Royce Merlin/Griffon V-12 liquid cooled power plant ranging from 1000 hp to 2400 hp by end of production. The Spitfire wing designed by R.J. Mitchells head aerodynamist Canadian born Beverley Shenstone, gave the Spitfire the unmatched handling characteristics which its pilots used to help defeat its adversaries.

In July 1942 the Mark IX series made its appearance, purpose-built to challenge the superiority of the German FockWulf Fw.190. The Russell Aviation Group's Spitfire is a Mark IX serial MK912. The aircraft MK912 was originally built in March 1944 at Castle Bromwich and was delivered to 312 Squadron on the 8th June, seeing active service with the Czech squadron. It is thought to be the first allied aircraft to land in newly liberated France after D-Day when loose radio equipment during a sortie led to an emergency landing in France.

On 30th November 1944 it was transferred to Air Service Training at Hamble. In July 1946, it was sold to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, as H-59, and subsequently H-119. In 1952 it was sold to the Belgian Air Force as SM-29. It was eventually mounted on a pole at Saffraenberg Air Force Base, from where it was acquired by a Jersey based collector. It was acquired by Historic Flying in an unrestored state in 1997. Mk912 stands out because of its authenticity.

It is powered by an original Rolls Royce Merlin 70 and the restored aircraft re-uses over 75% of the original components. During restoration every rivet has been renewed. New wing spars are fitted, the airframe was completely re-skinned and the Merlin engine was fully overhauled. Wing tanks, modern radio and navigation equipment complete the package. In all other respects MK912 is a stock military Mk. IX aircraft.

Messerschmitt bf109E

Country: Germany
Year:1939
Engine: DaimlerBenz DB601A 1100 Horsepower, Inverted V12 Liquid-Cooled engine
Max Speed: 354 mph.
Range: 412 mi.
Service Ceiling: 36000 ft.
Max Weight: 5400 lbs.
Armament: 7.9 MM Machine Guns in engine cowling

Designed by Willy Messerschmitt in the early 1930's, the first truly modern fighter of its era. For the first 5 years after its appearance in 1935, the Bf109 was the best fighter in the world. Designed at a time when many designers were still thinking in terms of biplanes the Bf109 became the forerunner of all the most modern fighter planes of World War II.

The Russell Aviation Group’s bF109E is the only flying example in the world today with a Daimler Benz DB601 power plant. Originally built as a Bf109E1, but upgraded to the E-4 standard. It was flown on several occasions by legendary Jagdwaffe ace Hans-Joachim Marseille, "White 14".Today carries the markings it wore when Marseille flew it on the channel front in 1940, where the ace claimed a Spitfire over
Thames Estuary. “White 14” had a forced landing on the beach at Calais-Marck on 2 September 1940. After being recovered and
repaired it saw service on the Eastern front ( Russia ) where it was abandoned.

It was recovered from a Russian swamp in the 1990's,transferred to the UK and restored by Craig Charleston for David Price from the Santa Monica Museum of Flight. It was received in Chino California January 14 1999 and fitted with a DB601 engine, the aircraft only saw about 50 hours flying time before being purchased by Ed Russell of Canada where it resides today.

Hawker Hurricane XII

Country: Britain
Year: 1942
Engine: Rolls Royce Merlin 224, 1300 Horsepower V12 Liquid-Cooled engine
Max Speed: 340 mph.
Range: 470 mi.
Service Ceiling: 36000 ft.
Max Weight: 8250 lbs.
Armament: .303 Wing Mounted Machine Guns

The Hawker Hurricane was the first Monoplane with 8 machine guns to exceed 300 mph to go into production for the RAF. Sydney Camm’s fighter will always be associated with the Battle of Britain in which it shared the main action against the Luftwaffe with the Spitfire. During the Battle of Britain the Hurricane destroyed more enemy aircraft than all other air defense forces combined.

The production figures are in themselves proof of its great qualities. There were over 14,000 Hurricanes in various models produced from 1936 to 1944. Manufactured by Canadian Car & Foundry, Montreal, Quebec, Canada as a Mk. IIB and converted to Mk. XII configuration early on during WW II. One of several Hurricanes recovered from a scrap heap by Jack Arnold of Brantford, Ontario in 1984, P2970 eventually ended up in England.

After being rebuilt by warbird restorer Charles Church, it made its first post-restoration flight in September 1991. Although it is a relatively late-model Hurricane, P2970 was painted as "Little Willie," the Mk.I flown by Pilot Officer Geoffrey Page of No. 56 Squadron when he was shot down in August 1940.

Acquired by David Price in 1991, it was assembled and flown out of Chino in April '92. With the closing of the Museum of Flying on July 28th 2002, the aircraft was bought by Mr. Ed Russell and added to his collection in South Niagara, Ontario

Harvard IIB

Country: Canada
Year: 1943
Engine: Pratt & Whitney 1340-AN-1 600-Horsepower Radial Engine
Max Speed: 180 mph.
Range: 710 mi.
Service Ceiling: 22000 ft.
Max Weight: 5610 lbs.
Armament: None

The Harvard, named after the university, was produced as an export version of the AT-6 Texan advanced trainer. It became the standard advanced trainer for the BCATP in Canada and the RAF in Britain. It was used to train thousands of Commonwealth pilots for combat flying in fighters and fighter-bombers.

The Harvard was well suited to its training role, as it had enough bad habits to teach inexperienced pilots to respect their future,
high-performance fighters. The RCAF kept the Harvard on strength as a trainer until 1966. The distinctive snarl of the Harvard has long been a familiar sound in Canadian skies and is produced by its propeller tips approaching sonic speeds when in fine pitch at high The Russell Aviation Group Harvard is a Mark IIB manufactured in Montreal Canada by Norduyn Aviation in 1943.