diff --git a/src/GUI/AircraftPreviewPanel.qml b/src/GUI/AircraftPreviewPanel.qml
index 4bebfdba4..9344139f2 100644
--- a/src/GUI/AircraftPreviewPanel.qml
+++ b/src/GUI/AircraftPreviewPanel.qml
@@ -25,6 +25,20 @@ Rectangle {
         width: parent.width
         height: parent.height
         imageUrl: __havePreviews ? root.previews[root.activePreview] : ""
+
+        Rectangle {
+            anchors.fill: parent
+            visible: parent.isLoading
+            opacity: 0.5
+            color: "black"
+        }
+
+        AnimatedImage {
+            id: spinner
+            source: "qrc:///spinner"
+            anchors.centerIn: parent
+            visible: parent.isLoading
+        }
     }
 
     Row {
diff --git a/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.cxx b/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.cxx
index 531ca97ff..975c679a4 100644
--- a/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.cxx
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ void PreviewImageItem::setGlobalNetworkAccess(QNetworkAccessManager *netAccess)
     global_previewNetAccess = netAccess;
 }
 
+bool PreviewImageItem::isLoading() const
+{
+    return m_requestActive;
+}
+
 void PreviewImageItem::setImageUrl( QUrl url)
 {
     if (m_imageUrl == url)
@@ -90,6 +95,9 @@ void PreviewImageItem::startDownload()
 
     connect(reply, SIGNAL(error(QNetworkReply::NetworkError)),
             this, SLOT(onDownloadError(QNetworkReply::NetworkError)));
+
+    m_requestActive = true;
+    emit isLoadingChanged();
 }
 
 void PreviewImageItem::setImage(QImage image)
@@ -110,6 +118,8 @@ void PreviewImageItem::onFinished()
         return;
     }
     setImage(img);
+    m_requestActive = false;
+    emit isLoadingChanged();
 }
 
 void PreviewImageItem::onDownloadError(QNetworkReply::NetworkError errorCode)
@@ -124,4 +134,6 @@ void PreviewImageItem::onDownloadError(QNetworkReply::NetworkError errorCode)
 
     qWarning() << "failed to download:" << reply->url();
     qWarning() << reply->errorString();
+    m_requestActive = false;
+    emit isLoadingChanged();
 }
diff --git a/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.hxx b/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.hxx
index b026c163c..bd27f26a8 100644
--- a/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.hxx
+++ b/src/GUI/PreviewImageItem.hxx
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ class PreviewImageItem : public QQuickItem
 
     Q_PROPERTY(QSize sourceSize READ sourceSize NOTIFY sourceSizeChanged)
 
-   // Q_PROPERTY(QSize maximumSize READ maximumSize WRITE setMaximumSize NOTIFY maximumSizeChanged)
+    Q_PROPERTY(bool isLoading READ isLoading NOTIFY isLoadingChanged)
+
 public:
     PreviewImageItem(QQuickItem* parent = nullptr);
     ~PreviewImageItem();
@@ -31,10 +32,12 @@ public:
 
     static void setGlobalNetworkAccess(QNetworkAccessManager* netAccess);
 
+    bool isLoading() const;
+
 signals:
     void imageUrlChanged();
     void sourceSizeChanged();
-
+    void isLoadingChanged();
 
 public slots:
 
@@ -53,6 +56,7 @@ private:
     bool m_imageDirty = false;
     QImage m_image;
     unsigned int m_downloadRetryCount = 0;
+    bool m_requestActive = false;
 };
 
 #endif // PREVIEW_IMAGEITEM_HXX