Warbird News

[solomon]

Triumph Bonneville T120 ‘Hinckley Spitfire'.

The coachwork of the bike is unique and reflects the camouflage pattern of the Spitfire with a nod to the roundels of the RAF. The bike is a nod to the Hinckley Hosiery Company, the same firm that sponsored the build of Spitfire PV202. During PV202’s restoration, some of the Aluminium was donated to the builder of the bike and used on the bike

 

[DaveM]

Air Cav Pilots Ride Again

By Stephen Chapis

For quite a while now, I’ve wanted to start telling the stories of our Vietnam-era aviators. Our World War II and Korean War veterans are rapidly fading, but veterans of Vietnam are thankful to us in great numbers. And unlike those who fought in America’s “Last Good War”, when our Vietnam vets returned from the hostile, steamy jungles of Southeast Asia, they did not get the recognition they deserved and to some extent, they still haven’t.​

As a prelude to AirVenture marking the 50th anniversary of the Peace Accords in Vietnam, I traveled to Florida to meet with a pair of Vietnam veterans, Loach pilot Doug Hicks and Cobra pilot Jet Jackson at the American Honor Foundation at Jumbolair Aviation Estates. Hicks joined the Army on March 4, 1969, and immediately headed for flight school. Upon graduation he shipped off to Vietnam, arriving in-country on May 8, 1970. He requested an assignment to an air cavalry unit with the intent of flying Loaches. While he did get his air cav assignment he ended up flying Hueys and logged over 600 hours of flight time, including missions into Cambodia. In November 1970, he finally got his coveted assignment to a Loach unit and would log nearly 430 hours in the diminutive helicopter until he rotated home in the spring of 1971.

Upon graduation from flight school in November 1971, James “Jet” Jackson went through Cobra transition training at Hunter AAF, Georgia, and arrived in Vietnam in February 1972, where he was assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry’s F/79 Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA) famously known as “Blue Max”. As he neared the end of his tour he served in several other units throughout South Vietnam. Once the Peace Accords were signed, Jet was quickly sent home on January 27, 1973.​

After the interviews, the museum pilots took the veterans up in their respective helicopters. The Loach that Hicks flew, serial number 67-16435, was one of his favorite Loaches he flew during his tour. While Jet did not fly in one of “his” Cobras, the museum’s AH-1G is finished in “Blue Max” markings. Expect full interview videos after AirVenture.​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Warbird Highlights at AirVenture 2023

PRESS RELEASE

A variety of rare and iconic warbirds, along with new restorations, are expected next week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023.

Dakota Territory Air Museum’s P-47D Bonnie, which was recently restored by Aircorps Aviation, is expected to travel to Oshkosh and will be the first Thunderbolt to attend AirVenture in a number of years. Bonnie is believed to be the only flying Republic-built razorback P-47 in the world. DTAM is also expected to bring its recently restored P-51C Thunderbird, which is one of the more recognizable post-war Mustangs, having won the 1949 Bendix Trophy race in which pilot Joe DeBona set a piston-powered speed record of 470 mph.​

Photo by Custom Aircraft Refinishing Inc.

Additionally, 10-12 Corsairs are anticipated to attend as part of the AirVenture 2023 Corsair gathering, and a number of Vietnam War-era aircraft are also expected to be in attendance, representing aircraft types such as the A-4, A-1, AC-47, C-123, O-2, L-19, Cobra, Chinook, Huey, and Loach.​

Furthermore, Warbirds in Review returns in 2023 with guests that encompass 80 years of aviation and military history. Warbirds in Review an unparalleled presentation series during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh that brings together historic airplanes with pilots and aircraft owners, Oshkosh.

Image via EAA

The aircraft and personalities at Warbirds in Review this year include four World War II veterans, two from the Korean War, five from the Vietnam War, and one from military actions in Afghanistan. The schedule as of May 1, 2023 (subject to change without notice).

Monday, July 24

• 10 a.m.: Piper L-4 Grasshopper “Rosie the Rocketer” with Rob Collings, Joe Scheil, Carol Carpenter Apacki, and Jim Busha
• 1 p.m.: Walt Ohlrich’s North American SNJ-N502, with John “Pappy” Mazza

Tuesday, July 25

• 10 a.m.: McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet and Naval Aircraft Factory N3N, with Tammie Jo Shults
• 1 p.m.: P-51B and P-51D “Old Crow” Mustangs, with Brig. Gen. C.E. “Bud” Anderson

Wednesday, July 26

• 10 a.m.: Stinson L-5 Sentinel “Miss Beverly,” with Steve Seal and Chad Hill.
• 1 p.m.: P-51C “Thunderbird” and Republic P-47D-23R, with Warren Pietsch and Bruce Eames

Thursday, July 27

• 10 a.m.: Vought F4U-7 Corsair “Devotion,” with Adam Makos, Lt. JG Sam Clauzel, and Col. Joe McPhail
• 1 p.m.: Cessna L-19 Bird Dogs and North American T-28 Trojan, with Capt. Phil Phillips and Jim Hogdon

Friday, July 28

• 10 a.m.: MiG-21 and A-4B Skyhawk, with Cmdr. Randy “Duke” Cunningham and Cmdr. William “Willy Irish” Driscoll
• 12:45 p.m.: Huey N14SD, Hughes TH-55, and Bell H13, with Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady (followed by veterans salute and veterans flightline parade to Boeing Plaza, sponsored by American Airlines)

Saturday, July 29

• 10 a.m.: B-25 with Maj. John “Lucky” Luckadoo, Staff Sgt. Robert Holmstrom, and Lt. Carl Verbanac
• 1 p.m.: North American P-51C “Tuskegee Airmen” Red Tail Mustang, with Lt. Col. George Hardy, Lt. Col. James Harvey, and Brig, Gen. Enoch O. Woodhouse, II

Image via EAA

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Wings Over Britain – Update

The first four weeks of the five-week Wings Over Britain Tour has been phenomenal. I have managed to do and see so much, and catch up with so many people all around England. I have become fully immersed in the British historic aviation scene, visiting museums and airshows, airfields and memorials. Everyone I have met along the way has been so supportive and helpful too. As well as most of the major museums, I have seen a lot of small ones, some I was not even previously aware of.

The Curtiss ‘Hawk’ formation at Flying Legends airshow. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)
The years of planning for this trip has meant the timetable has been rammed with visits all over the place, ably assisted by friends who have joined me along the way, and offered me accommodation in some places to. The only hiccups so far have stemmed from the rail strikes, something I was unaware was happening in the careful planning of the itinerary, and has had a little bit of an impact, meaning a couple of planned places have had to be missed.

The RAF Museum’s Wellington Mk.X, star of ‘Th Dam Busters’. (Photo Dave Homewood.)
It is clear that England is a country with an ingrained love of historic aviation and a real culture for remembering the past, especially WWII. It has been especially pleasing to find reminders of the New Zealanders herein a lot of places who flew and fought for Britain in the two World Wars, as well.

Lancaster ‘Just Jane’ taxiing at East Kirby. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)
The result of the tour so far is around 20 episode recordings have been made, with a few more yet to be made, all going well, in the coming week. I am yet to visit Duxford, in Cambridgeshire, which will be the last of the big museums for my trip. Three episodes have already been edited and released.
WONZ 276 – Wings Over Britain: Ross Boyens

In Ross’s logbook from his ejection. (Photo Ross Boyens collection, via Dave Homewood.)
WONZ 277 – Wings Over Britain: Navy Wings

Rob Jones and Lee Howard with one of the Navy Wings Swordfish. (Photo Dave Homewood.)
WONZ 278 – Wings Over Britain: Brooklands Museum

Allan Winn, the New Zealander who is the former Director and CEO of Brooklands Museum, and currently the vice president of the Brooklands Trust. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)

More will follow in the coming weeks including episodes recorded at Biggin Hill, East Kirkby, the International Bomber Command Centre, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Shuttleworth, and more. Dave Homewood

The Red Bull P-38 Lightning and B-25 Mitchell. (Photo by Dave Homewood.)

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

E-8 JSTARS Moves to Museum of Aviation at Warner Robins

by Austin Kubacak

On Sunday, July 16th, 2023, the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia received its latest exhibit, Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS 00-2000. U.S. Air Force maintenance personnel from the 116th and 461st Air Control Wings towed the partially disassembled battlefield surveillance, command and control aircraft to the museum, making their way down Highway 247 from the E-8’s longterm home at nearby Robins Air Force Base (AFB). The joint operation between the U.S. Air Force, Georgia Department of Transportation, and local law enforcement ensured that the relocation effort went smoothly, with the roughly 4 mile journey taking roughly 4 hours to complete. The move started at around 7 AM and as the aircraft approached the major intersection in front of the base’s main gate, a crowd of 50 or so onlookers gathered to watch. Although not a major crowd, and without fanfare, the excitement they expressed at seeing this enormous and important aircraft in such an unusual context easily made the occasion bigger than it seemed.​

E-8C 00-2000 under tow down Highway 247 on its way from Robins AFB to its new home at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia on July 16th, 2023. (photo by Austin Kubacak)

There were a few minor hinderances to the aircraft’s progress on its route, primarily from traffic lights and roadway signs which needed moving to provide additional clearance. Overall, the entire process went smoothly and safely for all concerned. The bigger challenge was getting the jet to the museum before the summer heat became too oppressive; the morning cool faded quickly once the sun rose over the trees!

Remarkably, the biggest potential obstacle ended up being surmounted without much fuss at all. This involved the transition from the highway to its on-ramp which leads out of the base. The Museum of Aviation is located beside the southernmost gate at Robins AFB. The overpass which crosses the highway is too short to allow the nearly 20-foot-tall aircraft to pass safely underneath. With minimal room for error due to the trees and telephone poles flanking each side of the on-ramp, personnel were able to complete this tricky maneuver successfully without causing any damage to either property or aircraft. The move was complete by about 11:00 AM, with the E-8 safely ensconced within its new home.​

Robins AFB has long-served as the home for the JSTARS program, which is presently being phased out of Air Force service. Airframe retirements began in February 2022, with the departure of E-8C 92-3289 for the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona. E-8C 00-2000, however, was selected for display at the Museum of Aviation, a branch of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force; it is currently the only JSTARS aircraft slated for preservation. At its retirement this May, the aircraft concluded a nearly 55-year history of operations. The airframe itself began life as a Boeing 707-396C airliner, making its first flight on March 4th, 1969 from the factory in Everett, Washington. It began service with Wardair Canada as CF-ZYP later that year.​

Boeing 707 CF-ZYP of Wardair Canada at London Gatwick in June, 1970. This airframe later became E-8C 00-2000 with the U.S. Air Force. (image via Wikimedia)

Wardair sold the aircraft to an Austrian leasing company, which registered it as OE-IDA during 1978. The U.S. Government seized the aircraft in Houston, Texas during May, 1981 after its attempted use in smuggling arms to South Africa, then under international sanctions for its government’s brutal apartheid regime. The aircraft ended up stored in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB for a few years before the U.S. Air Force acquired it in August, 1985. A crew from the 89th Airlift Wing ferried the airframe to an E-Systems facility in Greenville, Texas, where the company converted into a VC-137C VIP transport with serial number 85-6973. The 89th Airlift Wing took delivery of the aircraft in May, 1990, where it became a backup for the Air Force One role, and a primary for use as Air Force Two, amongst other duties.​

VC-137C 85-6973 leaving the Faro Islands during 1999. (image by Pedro Aragão via Wikimedia)

In 1999, the VC-137C joined the 552nd Air Wing at Tinker AFB near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for use as an E-3 AWACS aircrew trainer. However, this assignment did not last long, as in February, 2000 the Air Force flew the VC-137 to the Northrop Grumman facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana for conversion into a JSTARS platform. It rejoined the Air Force in this new role as serial 00-2000 during February, 2003, serving with the Georgia Air National Guard at Robins AFB.​

E-8C JSTARS 00-2000 while serving with the Georgia Air National Guard from Robins AFB.

E8C 00-2000 would remain there with the Georgia National Guard until its retirement this year. As already mentioned, the U.S. Air Force began retiring their then 16-strong fleet of E-8s in February last year, with the last examples due to stand down in Fiscal 2024. While the Air Force had originally planned to continue the JSTARS mission with a different, smaller airframe based on a commercial business jet, it cancelled those plans in 2019. Instead, the E-8s will be replaced by Northrop Grumman’s E-11 Battlefield Airborne Communication Node (BACN), which bases the platform on the Bombardier Global 6000 business jet. The first of these new aircraft arrived this April.​

Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS 00-2000 on display at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia. (photo by Austin Kubacak)

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

CAF B-17 and B-25 to Visit The Museum of Flight

The Commemorative Air Force’s meticulously restored World War II B-17 and B-25 bombers will be flying to the Museum for tours and rides Aug. 1-13. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Sentimental Journey, and the North American B-25 Mitchell, Maid in the Shade, are part of the CAF Flying Legends of Victory Tour. The two aircraft will also fly in the Boeing Seafair Airshow on Aug. 4-6, and they will be attractions within the Museum’s Seafair weekend flightline festival, Jet Blast Bash.

Ground tours are purchased at the gate. Please book flights online at the CAF Flying Legends of Victory website, tickets are not available through the Museum.​

Ground Tours Aug. 1-6: 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (and to 9 p.m. on Aug. 3) Museum admission is required for ground tours during Jet Blast Bash (Aug 5-6). Aug. 8-9: 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Aug. 10-13 2-6 p.m.​

Bomber rides Aug. 10-13, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. B-17 Flights $475 per waist compartment seat (6 seats/flight) B-25 Flights $375 per radio room seat (4 seats/flight)​

Book flights online​

B-25 Maid in the Shade, photo courtesy CAF.
​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Northrop P-61 Black Widow – July 2023 Restoration Update

by Nick Chismar

It has been a few years since we last reported on restoration progress with the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum‘s Northrop P-61B Black Widow (42-39445). As most of you will remember, a team from the museum recovered the aircraft from the side of Mount Cyclops in Hollandia, New Guinea during the late 1980s. They have made great strides in their effort to rebuild the WWII night fighter to airworthy condition, and we thought you would like to hear (and see) some of the work which has been going on with the Widow of late….​

A view of MAAM’s P-61 showing a mockup of the noseart which the museum may use once she is flying again. (photo by A.Kevin Grantham)

With their annual WWII Weekend event now in the rear view mirror and summer in full swing, many might imagine that personnel at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum might be taking a well-earned rest, but that is not the case. Each day, a dedicated band of volunteers shows up to help rebuild the P-61, and their endeavor is clearly evident, as the images included here should reveal. I was lucky enough to visit the museum recently to get a good look at how their work is progressing. I also had the chance to discuss the project with museum president, Russ Strine.

Museum volunteers have accomplished a lot since our last update, but much of it lies within the airframe, out of view to visitors. For instance, the team has installed all new wiring harnesses running to and from the engines, switch panels, and instruments. The museum had to source numerous vintage wiring sockets and plugs as part of this task, which involved significant time and resources to complete. Furthermore, while the instrument panel itself is essentially ready to go, it has not been easy to source rebuildable examples of some of the instruments. Indeed, it took more than three years to find the necessary hydraulic gauges and overhaul them. Thankfully these were the last gauges they needed to fully populate the instrument panel.​

With the wiring complete, the restoration team focused on the control cables. Unlike some aircraft from this period, which used torque tubes to position control surfaces, the P-61 is a fully cable-controlled aircraft, and has a seemingly endless number of cables and pulleys throughout the fuselage. Describing the issue, Russ Strine noted that: “Figuring out how all of the cables actually ran so they don’t conflict with each other and rub each other was a big deal.” Fortunately, the maintenance manuals have the requisite diagrams describing how everything goes together in great detail, which has allowed the museum to remanufacture and install the appropriate equipment in the fuselage and centre section. Even the cables for the outer wing panels are ready and awaiting installation once those components are completed.​

The team has also finished rebuilding the nose gear doors and installed them, temporarily, on the aircraft. They were missing several of the hinges for this component, as they were destroyed when the aircraft crash-landed on Mount Cyclops during the war. Fortunately, however, the museum was able to salvage, restore and refit the appropriate fittings from a wrecked fuselage they have in storage. The aircraft’s oxygen tanks are also now installed in the engine nacelles.

The Black Widow’s dorsal machine gun turret is perhaps one of the design’s most iconic features. While the difficult task of finding one for the project was completed some 22 years ago, the owner wasn’t ready to part ways with it at the time. However, after years of negotiation, the museum was finally able to procure the turret a few years ago; they installed it this past March and it fits perfectly! Russ restored this turret himself, fitting four, custom-made replica (non-firing) .50 caliber machine guns to the original mounts and firing mechanisms. Aside from the guns, the completed turret will be fully operational, capable of elevating and rotating exactly as designed. To Russ, the turret completes the Black Widow’s menacing appeal.

Additional work in and around the aircraft’s nose is in the process of being completed. The team temporarily removed the P-61’s radar to finish up some of the details behind the armor plate. A few panels are being riveted back on and there is some minor fairing work awaiting completion. Once these steps are finished, the fuselage will be ready to hurdle its next significant milestone: repainting!

Work is continuing on the wings and control surfaces. The elevator is complete and now ready for installation, although that will not occur until next year due to the museum hangar’s limited available space (even with five aircraft not in their usual spots). The restoration team has begun rebuilding the first rudder, and has already made parts for the second rudder. Both units will comprise almost entirely new-build components, as the originals were too damaged to provide many useable parts.​

The same can also be said for the outer wing panels. New spars have been completed, a process which took more than a year’s effort on its own. While the museum recovered both wings from the crash site, the accident severed one of them in half. The team has begun rebuilding the more intact unit, and has made parts for the other, but this aspect of the project will obviously be a hugely time-consuming process!

The final area which the museum must address in the aircraft’s rebuild involves its Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65W engines. The museum has both of the engines which came with the wreck, and has mounted the left-side example to the airframe temporarily to assist with fitting the cowlings, control linkages and wiring harnesses. However, the unit is seized and has proven difficult to disassemble for potential repair. The original right-side engine is in worse condition. It suffered an internal blower fire following the wartime crash, and this caused extensive, and likely irredeemable damage. Thankfully, the museum located a rebuildable replacement engine, complete with its mount, at an aircraft mechanics school in Fargo, North Dakota. When the time comes for their overhaul, Russ expects to send both engines to Anderson Aeromotive in Grandeville, Idaho. Russ believes that the total costs associated with rebuilding both engines and their accessories will approach US$250,000, which will obviously require a considerable fund-raising effort to meet.

The aircraft’s propellors appear to be in good shape; San Antonio Propeller Services will likely overhaul them due to their expertise in Curtiss Electric propellers. However, most post-war P-61/RF-15 firebomber operators swapped out the maintenance-heavy Curtiss Electric units in favor of modified Hamilton Standard propellers, such as those used on the F4U-4 Corsair. With this in mind, the museum has not yet decided which set of propellers to use.

While immense amounts of work have been expended on the project, there are still some areas of future concern. One of these issues involves the engines, which were rated for 2150 horsepower using wartime 115/140 grade fuel, a variety which has been unavailable since the 1970s. Today, warbird operators must use 100 octane low-lead fuel, which can reduce an aircraft’s original performance capabilities. As Russ told me when speaking about the museum’s B-25: “These engines will not operate to their rated takeoff manifold pressure with 100 octane…With 100 octane fuel, take off in this airplane would be 44-inches [manifold pressure]. We have had to pull it back to 39-inches because of detonation which burns the valves in the cylinders, so then you’d be changing a cylinder every couple times you fly it.”

While the P-61 might benefit from the use of its water-methanal injection system for added power, Russ is still concerned: “What is that going to do to this which has a 58-inch manifold pressure for takeoff? We will probably be going back to 40-inches or maybe lower than that. So all performance charts just get thrown out the window.” While optimism and excitement about the P-61 remain high, there must also be a level of caution regarding the future of 100LL fuel as well. Russ expressed this concern, noting: “It’s a foggy future as far as I’m concerned, and while I want to see this airplane fly, I’m not going to see it fly under risky circumstances.”​

There is another potential roadblock ahead, albeit a smaller one. The P-61’s nose wheel requires a very rare 33” tire, which only the Lockheed Constellation also shares. Finding a reliable replacement for the one which the museum already owns is going to be a difficult task. While it may be possible to use a smaller wheel and tire combination, such as that from a B-25, a proper tire would be much preferred.

Overall, the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s restoration continues to make progress each day as they move towards having the world’s only flying P-61 Black Widow. Russ estimates that they have expended close to $900,000 on the aircraft’s restoration to date. From fundraising to volunteers – every bit of effort counts. As Russ told me: “We’re not a rich museum. We raise money dollar-by-dollar from our members and we do what we can. We’re fortunate that we have our own machine shop with very talented volunteers…” That talent and effort are clearly displayed inside the main hangar. Surrounded by the museum’s other incredible aircraft, work continues on the mighty P-61!​

---

We would like to thank the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum for allowing Nick Chismar access to photograph the P-61 and machine shop, and a special thank you must go to Russ Strine for taking the time to sit down to discuss the restoration with Nick.​

To support the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum this restoration, click HERE.​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Messerschmitt Me262 Celebrated in UK Skies

By Charlotte Bailey

It’s a sight that many thought might never have happened, certainly not this century: a Luftwaffe fighter once described by Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown as “the most formidable aircraft of the Second World War” sharing the apron at RAF Coningsby with two Supermarine Spitfires. However, following the Me262’s iconic arrival at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo, a special day of seminars and a unique formation flight celebrated the type’s historic presence in the UK. Made possible by the Airbus Historical team, who described the initiative as a “fantastic way of creating emotion”, the day also saw the last surviving Mosquito pilot to have engaged the Me262 finally come face-to-face with his one-time foe.​

Although rain stopped play for Saturday’s flying display, the Me262 did manage to participate in Sunday’s flying program at RIAT 2023.

Almost eight decades since the Messerschmitt Me262 – the first-in-series production jet fighter and one representing a “quantum leap in fighter performance” (Winkle’s words again) – first threatened the security of the skies, its return to the UK has been met with unrivaled enthusiasm. Not seen against a British backdrop since the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) displayed a captured Me262 in late 1945, the reception the aircraft received on Twitter alone was nothing short of spectacular: many following the aircraft’s flight across from Manching through Luxembourg, Belgium, and France before finally touching down

Although ten original Me262s exist, none are in airworthy condition. Instead, a 1993 initiative oversaw the construction of ten replica airframes in Texas, the second of which was transferred to the Bavarian-based Messerschmitt Museum of Flight in 2006 (operated as D-IMTT). A collaboration between the Messerschmitt Foundation and Airbus (the latter of whom who help keep nearly 50 vintage aircraft in flying condition), the museum’s aim – in the words of engineer and museum head Mattias Kobler – is to keep as many exhibits airworthy as possible, enabling visitors to “feel, hear, smell and see aircraft in their natural element: the air”.​

All of the pilots who fly Airbus heritage types are also test pilots, including Geri Kraehenbuehl seen here at the controls.

Despite being a replica, the Me262 looks every inch the sleek, shark-like adversary it was envisaged as when, back in March 1940, the German Air Ministry started development of the revolutionary new aircraft. Designated the ‘Silber’ (‘Silver’), the Me262 became operational with the Luftwaffe in mid-1944, operating from long concrete runways (the airfields which possessed these designated ‘Silberplatze’). Although plagued by production productions (notably shortages in raw materials), a total of 1,433 airframes were delivered, and the type is estimated to have downed between 300-450 Allied aircraft for the loss of around 100 of its own.

Although D-IMTT remains as sympathetic to original specifications as modern safety criteria allows, one notable difference is the substitution of the two original Jumo 004B powerplants (optimistically estimated to have a maximum 25 hours’ life, owing to metallurgy complications) for two modern GE CJ610 turbojet engines. Operated to EASA CS-23 certification requirements (and with the Design Organisation Authority now owned by Airbus), a total of 180-plus modifications include upgraded brakes and contemporary cockpit avionics. Not that you could tell by looking at the outside, however.​

The whole team involved in bringing the Me262 to Britain

Neither do these subtle modernizations affect the Me262’s aerodynamic handling qualities, explains test pilot Geri ‘K12’ Kraehenbuel, who possesses nearly 130 hours on the type. The small tail and ailerons – compounded by the engines slung under the wings – do not make for harmonized controls, with the aircraft prone to experiencing the dreaded Dutch Roll. “I’d describe it as like dancing with a beautiful lady,” he laughs. “Everything is fine until one of you treads on the other’s toes”. Kraehenbuel’s wealth of experience sits in stark contrast to would-be Luftwaffe pilots who, despite Messerschmitt’s s recommendation of ten hours’ flight training time, were given just two take-offs and landings before being deemed combat-ready.​

However, despite the relative inexperience of Luftwaffe pilots, the Me262 nevertheless represented a very deadly foe: something 102-year-old Mosquito veteran Flight Lieutenant Colin Bell DFC experienced first-hand in 1945. On one of his 15 missions over Berlin, a white light in the Mosquito’s cockpit alerted Bell to the presence of an adversary on his tail. “I knew I had to act immediately because if he got a visual on you, you were dead!” explained Bell, who suspected the aircraft to be the mighty 262. “The firepower of the Me262 was so formidable that he’d turn you into confetti in a single blast”. After dropping down from 25,000ft to 10,000ft where the jet’s 45-minute endurance would be further compromised, Bell finally managed to lose his would-be assailant. “During a chat to one [Secret Intelligence Service] officer, he explained that if you couldn’t shake off a night fighter then it was possible – indeed, probable – that it was jet-powered,” he explained. “I don’t know how much faster than the Mossie the 262 was – I’d heard a figure of 100mph mentioned – but he could certainly come up behind me very quickly”.​

2. OC BBMF Squadron Leader Mark Sugden, Flight Lieutenant Colin Bell and Me262 pilot Geri ‘K12’ Kraehenbuehl

Lucky to be alive, Bell went on to complete a total of 150 missions over Germany: thankfully, never meeting the Me262 again. Some 78 years later, as the hangar doors of its UK host – the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – rolled open, Bell was finally to come face-to-face with his would-be assailant. After patting the aircraft on one side, he announced: “Now I hope I never see the damn thing again!”

However, if you’d like to get up close to the Me262, we can well recommend a visit to its home base in Manching: www.flugmuseum-messerschmitt.com.​

Great shot by Chris Howe Photography, for more great aviation photography visit Chris’ IG page at @cjh3051photography

For more great aviation photography by Chris Hove, visit his Instagram page at @cjh3051photography

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Experience History in Flight at the Liberty Aviation Museum

PRESS RELEASE

Adventure awaits Port Clinton-area residents desiring a visceral experience on a historic aircraft this Saturday, July 29th at the Liberty Aviation Museum located at 3515 East State Road, Port Clinton, OH. Encounter the power, nimbleness and iconic sound of radial engines of the World War II battle-tested B-25 Rosie’s Reply.​

Take a ride into yesteryear on Rosie’s Reply; the B-25D-35 is the only flying model of that aircraft today and is one of very few aircraft that experienced combat during WWII. Public rides on the B-25 are available at 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. The ride is a 20-minute experience and costs $475.00 per person for one of four rear-compartment seats, which also gives access to the turret and tail section. Two flight deck and nose seats are also available for $575. To reserve your seat, go to Historic Plane Rides | Yankee Air Museum | Southeast Michigan.

About Liberty Aviation Museum

Established in 1991, the Liberty Aviation Museum is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. The Liberty Aviation Museum’s mission is to provide an adequate organization for historians, aircraft and vehicle preservationists and collectors interested in encouraging internationally the acquisition, restoration, operation, preservation, public education and display of historic aircraft, vehicles and related items. Visit www.libertyaviationmuseum.org for more information.

About Yankee Air Museum

Established in 1981 the Yankee Air Museum is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. The Yankee Air Museum dedicates itself to educating individuals through the history of American aeronautics, aerospace industry and its associated technologies while inspiring generations through personal experiences to instill pride in our national accomplishments. Visit www.yankeeairmuseum.org to discover more or call 734-483-4030.​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Introducing The Black Sheep Chronicles

As announced in this article, author Bruce Gamble launched his own YouTube Channel called Skywarrior Media. Skywarrior Media is Bruce Gamble’s digital studio, combining his historical expertise with a huge array of photographs and archival footage to create accurate and authentic video presentations. His first production is titled Ride Along: A Flight in an A-3 Skywarrior, which incorporates video footage that Bruce recorded in the venerable naval attack aircraft almost 40 years ago.​

Taken around the beginning of October 1943, this photo shows a very tired and war weary Black Sheep squadron in the Russell Island group. They have just lost one fellow pilot, while four others are MIA or recovering from wounds in hospital. Back Row, from left: John Begert, Bob Bragdon, Don Fisher, Bruce Matheson, Jim Hill, and George Ashmun. Third Row, from left: Chris Magee, Don Moore, Hank Bourgeois, Burney Tucker, Warren Emrich, and John Bolt. Second Row, from left: Paul Mullen, Bill Heier, Virgil Ray, Ed Harper, Bob McClurg, and Sandy Sims. Front row, from left: Bill Case, Frank Walton, Stan Bailey, Greg Boyington, Jim Reames (the flight surgeon), and Ed Olander. Photo: Frank Walton Collection, Colourization by We, the People Restoration and Colorization

Gamble announced a new and exciting series of episodes about the famed Black Sheep Squadron (VMF-214). Gamble published his first book, The Black Sheep, in 1998, a highly readable account that serves to both correct and extend the record of the VMF-241 and its renowned squadron leader Greg “Pappy” Boyington. With a total of four titles now in print, Bruce is recognized as one of the top authors on the air war in the Pacific.

Black Sheep Chronicles will consist of 9 episodes created by author and historian Bruce Gamble. Featuring hundreds of archival photographs and rare film clips, this all-new documentary will provide viewers with an unrivaled glimpse into the experiences of America’s most famous fighter squadron.​

Ep. 1 Wildcat Days

Ep. 2 Swashbucklers

Ep. 3 Boyington’s Bastards

Ep. 4 Slugfest

Ep. 5 The Franklin Disaster

Ep. 6 Will the Real Pappy Boyington Please Stand Up

Ep. 7 College Boys and Yamheads

Ep. 8 Thunder and Lightning: The Planes of VMF-214

Ep. 9 The Black Sheep go to Hollywood

The target date for Episode 1, Wildcat Days: September 2023.

Bruce’s goal is to use his new YouTube channel as a platform to both share his stories as a naval aviator and also his work as a naval aviation historian. In particular, viewers will be able to enjoy an inside view of his work about the war in the Pacific, especially the ‘Blacksheep’ of VMF-214 and its notorious leader, Gregory ‘Pappy’ Boyington. Visit his channel (HERE) and make sure to “follow” what is sure to be a fascinating ride!​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Last Living C-47 Pathfinder Pilot from D-Day Invasion at EAA AirVenture to Celebrate 101st Birthday

PRESS RELEASE

As two distinct organizations strongly supporting WWII aircraft and honoring veterans, both the D-Day Squadron (DDS) and Commemorative Air Force (CAF) join forces to host Lt. Col. David Hamilton at EAA AirVenture 2023 starting Thursday, July 27, into Friday, July 28. The two-day affair involves special gatherings and engagements, while also extending the celebration of Hamilton turning 101 years young on July 20. Hamilton will advance his engagements to the flight line, visiting with crews from the DDS and CAF, he’s spent time with over the years.

As a 21-year-old, 1st Lt. Hamilton piloted aircraft number 14 of the 20 C-47s which took off late in the evening of June 5th, 1944, carrying ‘Pathfinders’ from the 82nd Airborne to drop behind enemy lines in Normandy, France. Hamilton’s Pathfinders made their jump at around 1:00 a.m. on June 6th. The Pathfinders’ primary mission involved setting up electronic homing equipment to help guide the aerial armada of 800+ additional C-47s that was already on its journey across the English Channel, about an hour behind Hamilton’s flight. From those aircraft, 13,000 paratroopers would drop into a living hell that night, to begin the Allied invasion of Europe and help bring about the end of WWII.​

Hamilton will grace EAA AirVenture with several key engagements beginning with a stroll through the WWII encampment Thursday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. speaking with reenactors, airshow attendees, and even WWII aircraft crews on the flight line following. Hamilton will be seen in his Class B uniform and Class A uniform throughout the two-day engagement, a site not to be missed. This national treasurer will propel into Friday with an engagement at the CAF Tent in Warbirds at 9:00 a.m. At 1:15 p.m., he’s leading with Medal of Honor recipients, an American Airlines sponsored ‘Salute to Veterans’ parade. It starts in Warbirds and ends at Boeing Plaza with a ceremony.

“We cannot express how honored we are to host Dave with our friends at the CAF, at the largest gathering of WWII aircraft, aircraft owners, aviation enthusiasts and patriots in the world,” shares Eric Zipkin, director of operations for the D-Day Squadron and pilot for C-47 Placid Lassie. “Dave joined us in 2019 as we flew 15 C-47/DC-3 type aircraft to Europe from North America to commemorate DDay75 and Berlin70. Many of these aircraft flew during WWII and are D-Day veteran aircraft. He got a chance to fly several of our C-47s, and even pilot a C-47 on the cross-channel formation from Duxford, UK to Normandy, France on June 5, 2019.” That was Hamilton’s second time flying a C-47 across the English Channel into Normandy. The first was just after midnight for Operation Overlord, June 6, 1944, dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines.​

Lt.Col. Hamilton boarding the Pan American DC-3 with a flag presented to him earlier. (photo by Moreno Aguiari)

The D-Day Squadron, in collaboration with the Commemorative Air Force, will return to Europe come mid-May next year for the 2024 Legacy Tour. DC-3 variants representing WWII and Cold War vintage aircraft will ‘cross the pond’ from the United States to the United Kingdom, cross the English Channel to Normandy, France, then fly on to Berlin, Germany, Venice, Italy and beyond.​

This is no easy task, and while nothing can compare to the amount of organization the Allied forces faced in planning for the D-Day invasion, there is still a tremendous amount of preparation, time, and cost involved in recreating this historic anniversary tour. The DDS is currently setting the schedule, organizing appearances across Europe, and serving as Mission Control for the 2024 Legacy Tour – a central unit for all operators, crew, and operations.

D-Day is often known historically as the beginning of the end of WWII. Our duty is to remember the significance of this event and to ensure that future generations never forget. Today, the D-Day Squadron’s mission continues, to perpetuate the sights and sounds of “Flying Freedom,” and to promote the legacy of the Greatest Generation and the Douglas DC-3s in which they flew. As a key part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations in 2019, paratroopers wore period-correct uniforms and jumped ’round parachutes’ just like the soldiers did on June 6, 1944.

Lyndse Costabile, D-Day Squadron Executive Director, says, “We look forward to replicating this in 2024, as once again, more than 150 parachutists will fill the skies, symbolizing freedom, the sacrifices made during the Normandy invasion, and the overall war effort!” It was also a profound privilege for the D-Day Squadron to lead a 15-ship flyover of the American Cemetery and Omaha Beach on June 6, 2019, for the entire world to see, including the U.S. and French Heads of State who were in attendance. “Many of the aircraft in the formation were beautifully restored C-47s that had seen battle over the beaches of Normandy in 1944,” Costabile continues. “We hope that we will have this honor again next year.”​

The magnificent formation flight down the Normandy beaches on June 6th, 2019. (Screen Capture of Into Flight Once More – via D-Day Squadron)

These restored aircraft are flown by retired service members and seasoned civilian pilots. “Our crewmembers are all volunteers who consider it an honor and a privilege to fly these legendary airplanes,” adds Jennifer Thomas, membership manager of the DC-3 Society, the membership arm of the D-Day Squadron. “As Dave is a national treasure to many of us, so is the legendary Douglas DC-3 that changed the way see and experience air travel today,” Thomas continues. The C-47 was the most ubiquitous airplane of the War and performed multiple services in all theatres of operation, including North Africa, Burma, New Guinea, Normandy, Sicily, and Holland. The C-54 and DC-3 were among the aircraft heroically transporting supplies into West Berlin during the Berlin Airlift.

Following the successful mission in 2019, the D-Day Squadron has continued to be a presence at multiple flyovers, aviation events, and warbird-themed airshows. The DC-3 Society was launched to actively aid operators and enthusiasts with maintenance, operations, airworthiness, and displays. “The Allies won the War, in part, because of their logistical abilities. It’s only appropriate that we, as the stewards of these noble aircraft, continue to fly and maintain the very airframes that were the backbone to achieving victory,” adds Zipkin.

The D-Day Squadron has seven DC-3 type aircraft present at this year’s show with several planned to fly in the warbird show Friday and Saturday. The aircraft are displayed in warbirds and in vintage with an exhibit set up in vintage at C-47 “Miss Virginia,” a fully restored DC-3 type by Dynamic Aviation out of Bridgewater, VA. Miss Virginia has aided the D-Day Squadron over the last three years to support the transport of the DDS team, supplies and equipment on site for the show.

More about the 2024 Legacy Tour can be found on the D-Day Squadron website here: https://www.ddaysquadron.org/2024-legacy-tour.

The proposed timeline for the 2024 mission:

• May 15-25: Train and cross North Atlantic
• May 25-31: Europe training and buffer for weather / mechanical
• May 31-June 2: Events in U.K. (will publicize soon)
• June 2-7: Normandy and Jump Operations
• June 7-12: Berlin Airlift
• June 12-23: Lido Italy/Portugal
• June 23-30: Return to North America

About the D-Day Squadron

Born from the 2019 mission to Normandy, the D-Day Squadron (DDS) is a large program of the Tunsion Foundation, an established 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Its focus is on DC-3 operators, WWII commemorations, education, and outreach programming. Programs that function under the DDS are education and outreach, a Young Historians Program and the membership arm of the DDS, the DC-3 Society. The overall purpose of the DDS is to promote DC-3 type aircraft airworthiness, serve members of the DC-3 Society and promote static and flying displays for future generations. The DC-3 Society was born to organize the collective efforts of enthusiasts, pilots, mechanics, and operators to involve the next generation in “FLYING FREEDOM.”

In June 2019, the D-Day Squadron led an American fleet of 15 historic, restored C-47 World War II military aircraft to take part in a flyover of more than 30 international aircraft to drop over 200 paratroopers over the original 1944 drop zones in Normandy commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The event honored the citizen soldiers of the War, whose bravery led the Allies to the liberation of France, and then to an end of the devastating War in Europe. The Squadron’s education program takes the compelling story of the citizen soldier to audiences at airshows and events off the flight line to honor these brave Americans and ensure their memory and significance are appreciated for generations to come. The group’s efforts are funded through the generous tax-deductible contribution of their supporters. In 2024, the DDS will return to Europe for DDay80, Berlin75 and other notable commemorations, a Legacy Tour.​

To support the D-Day Squadron and its mission, visit www.ddaysquadron.org/donate​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Take a Ride on a Combat Veteran Huey Helicopter at The Air Zoo

PRESS RELEASE

Have you ever flown in a Huey helicopter with the doors wide open and the wind rushing over your face? Experience flight on July 29th and 30th in the iconic workhorse of the Vietnam War at the Air Zoo located on 6151 Portage Road in Portage, MI just south of the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Airport. This encounter is not your typical airplane ride; you’ll feel the difference from lift-off to landing.​

Come and see how a Huey operates and then decide if a ride is for you! For only $125.00, you can take a thrilling 10-minute flight with a new perspective from the air. Book your ride/time in advance or take a chance and walk up that day. Rides occur from 11:30 am until 4:00 pm each day; to order tickets advance visit Historic Plane Rides | Yankee Air Museum | Southeast Michigan or just walk up at 10:30 am to see what’s available. Passengers check in at the Air Zoo’s Flight Discovery Center on 3101 East Milham Avenue; please see map at Air Zoo Maps | Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum | Kalamazoo, MI.

The Yankee Air Museum Huey, Greyhound, served in the Vietnam War from 1967 until 1971. It was part of the 240th Assault Helicopter Company known as The Greyhounds, Mad Dogs, and Kennel Keepers. The Greyhound Bus Company was honored by the name and gave the company permission to use its logo. A versatile helicopter, the UH-1 was used as a gun ship, medical evacuation and for utility purposes.

About Yankee Air Museum: Established in 1981 the Yankee Air Museum is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. The Yankee Air Museum dedicates itself to educating individuals through the history of American aeronautics, aerospace industry and its associated technologies while inspiring generations through personal experiences to instill pride in our national accomplishments. Visit www.yankeeairmuseum.org to discover more or call 734-483-4030.​

Photo By Rick Hamman

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Attorneys for Warbird Adventures, Inc. Troubled by 11th Circuit Decision

PRESS RELEASE

Easton, Maryland – On July 6, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled that 14 C.F.R. § 91.315 which precludes the operation of limited category aircraft “carrying persons or property for compensation or hire” prohibits paid flight instruction in those aircraft, aircraft often loosely referred to as “warbirds.” Overlooking the 70-year history of the regulation and the FAA’s own contradictory statements upon its meaning, the Federal Appellate Court simply concluded that any person aboard an aircraft is being “carried,” and that, therefore, paid flight instruction is now unavailable to that segment of the industry.​

The Texas Flying Legends. A limited category special airworthiness certificate is issued to operate surplus military aircraft that have been converted to civilian use under the following conditions: The aircraft has a limited type certificate. The aircraft conforms to its type certificate. Image credit Luigino Caliaro

The limited category aircraft airworthiness certificate first issued in 1946, just after the conclusion of World War II. Robert D. Schulte, Warbird’s Counsel, remarked that “14 C.F.R. § 91.315 and its predecessor regulation pre-dates the FAA itself” to 1950. He notes that “it is inconceivable that all of the hours of paid flight instruction that occurred in these aircraft over the last seven decades were somehow prohibited – and that only now has the FAA decided to enforce that prohibition.”

While the FAA argues that it was merely interpreting its own regulation, Schulte points out that “it is not an interpretation when an agency reverses over 70 years of practice; it’s a new rule subject to the Administrative Procedures Act, which is a Congressional mandate.” Schulte further notes that “the FAA sometimes forgets that it is not the law, but rather is bound by it.”

The decision is problematic for a number of reasons. First, it blindsides and sidelines an entire segment of the flight training industry. Second, it robs the economic vitality of several very expensive aircraft; and perhaps most strangely, makes it more difficult to secure flight training in aircraft that demand a high level of proficiency from instructors who do not and should not work without compensation, given their formidable skill set. While the FAA prides itself on maintaining “air safety,” and often publicly celebrates the importance of flight training, its nuevo position has made securing that flight training more difficult.​

Doug Matthews flying the grey S-211 and PierCarlo Ciacchi flying the white one in the back. ( Photo by Luigino Caliaro)

For its part, the FAA has announced that it may grant discretionary exemptions to allow those with “regular access” to limited category aircraft to receive paid flight training in them, but it has not defined what “regular access” means or made clear whether a pilot who simply wants to learn how to fly a limited category aircraft may do so or whether the administration will simply claim that the pilot simply has “no need to know” how to do so.

For now, it appears that only a select group of people will be permitted to pay for flight training in limited-category aircraft, thereby putting downward pressure on their economic value and the pool of individuals who can safely operate them.

“The Warbird decision is not simply about flight training, it too is about the rule of law itself,” Schulte notes. “When courts simply rubber-stamp agency decisions, they cede power to the executive branch, undermining the former’s very role in our three-part system of government. Courts have a constitutional duty to closely examine the actions of administrative agencies, including the FAA, whose power and size has exploded over the last four decades.”

Otherwise, he quips, “We are subjected to the dictates of unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats who have appeared on no ballot and who have stood for no election.”

“We rejected that manner of governance before – in 1776”. Further appeals are being considered.
Schulte Booth, P.C.

Schulte Booth, P.C. is a law firm based in Maryland’s Baltimore / Washington D.C. metropolitan region. While the firm offers services in several other fields, founding member Robert Schulte has focused his practice largely on aviation law for nearly 30 years.

For more information, please see Schulte Booth | Baltimore, Easton, Central Maryland. Schulte Booth, P.C.
Counsel for Warbird Adventures, Inc.​

The Lone Star Flight Museum flying in formation with the CAF SB2C Helldiver. ( Photo by Luigino Caliaro)

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

B-29 Doc and ACES Systems Announce Partnership to Keep History Flying

PRESS RELEASE

B-29 Doc and ACES Systems have announced a critical partnership that will allow B-29 Doc to remain airworthy and sustainable for future generations.

ACES Systems will be providing Doc’s Friends and the B-29 Doc maintenance team with the ACES Viper 2E Analyzer as part of the partnership to become the official propeller balancing provider for B-29 Doc. The Viper 2E is ACES Systems’ flagship model 4-Channel Analyzer, which is the premier choice for vibration spectrum analysis and propeller balancing operations in all conditions. The gear will help Doc’s maintenance team ensure the historic aircraft and its propellers and engines are operating at maximum efficiency.​

“When Doc’s Friends called ACES with a propeller balancing opportunity for the B-29, our team knew this was the mission for us,” said Daniel Becnel, ACES Systems director of sales. “Our equipment is actively in use with the U.S. military and is also trusted by most aircraft and helicopter operators around the world. ACES is thrilled to add the B-29 to the list.”

With the Viper 2E from ACES Systems, Doc’s crew will be able to keep all four engines running smoothly with precision propeller balancing, engine vibration surveys, and on-demand vibration analysis for any need that might arise.

“The core mission of B-29 Doc is maintaining an airworthy aircraft to be able to operate a living, flying museum to tell the story of the Greatest Generation and inspire the next generation of aviators,” said Josh Wells, B-29 Doc executive director and general manager. “Partnering with the team at ACES Systems will provide a critical conduit to ensure we are able to keep our mission alive and protect our historic warbird. We are honored to welcome ACES Systems to the B-29 Doc team and we are excited about the future collaborations that this partnership can provide for both organizations and the warbird family.”

B-29 Doc and its warbird partners will greatly benefit from this partnership as Doc’s maintenance team continue to build a network of resources dedicated to keeping Doc, and other warbirds, flying for generations to come.​

Photo by Brett Schauf

---

About Doc’s Friends and B-29 Doc
Doc’s Friends, Inc., is a 501c3 non-profit board managing the operation of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress known as Doc. Doc is a B-29 Superfortress and one of 1,644 manufactured in Wichita during World War II. It is one of only two remaining B-29s that are still airworthy and flying today. The mission of Doc’s Friends is to HONOR the men and women who sacrificed so much for the freedom of others, including those who designed, built, maintained and flew the B-29 during and after WWII. CONNECT people with the rich heritage of the B-29 and allow aviation enthusiasts to experience the thrill of a B-29 up close. EDUCATE today’s and future generations on the contributions of the Greatest Generation during wartime.

About ACES Systems
ACES kits and analyzers combine cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing. For that, they are valued by aviation teams all over the world. Our commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and military spec test kits are fast, accurate, and user-friendly. Over 1,000 ACES units are used today by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, with another 4,500 kits installed internationally. That’s because our products allow maintenance crews and technicians to get clear-cut data at striking speeds. We deliver unbeatable capability with precise insight into aircraft systems performance and repair needs. The parent company of ACES Systems, Technology for Energy Corporation (TEC-USA), provides simple solutions to complex problems for several critical industries: nuclear power, materials testing, electric power, and aviation.​

Read more on this...

 

[DaveM]

Blue Angels Launch at Jet Blast Bash Festival

The Museum’s annual Jet Blast Bash flightline festival is Seattle’s closest seat to the Blue Angels’ thunderous takeoffs and landings for the Boeing Seafair Airshow Aug. 5-6. Jet Blast Bash is also the Museum’s biggest and most popular outdoor family festival, offering live music by The Afterparty Band and C89.5 DJs, food trucks, a beer garden, dozens of family activities, plus a Blue Angels jet and three World War II aircraft that will be in the airshow.​

Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornet being lifted into place, and on its new pedestal. (Photo Ted Huetter/The Museum of Flight, Seattle.)

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels pilots will be at the festival to greet the visitors and sign autographs following their performance in the Airshow on Sunday.

Jet Blast Bash will be Aug. 5-6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and all activities are included with Museum admission (required). A detailed schedule is on the Museum website, while airshow details and schedule are online with Seafair.

Big World War II Aircraft

Three big planes from World War II will be based at the festival and available for ground tours when they are not flying in the airshow:

PBY Catalina Flying Boat, Princess of the Stars

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Sentimental Journey (as part of the Flying Legends of Victory Tour).

Boeing B-25 Mitchell, Maid in the Shade (as part of the Flying Legends of Victory Tour).​

CAF Arizona Airbase B-17G “Sentimental Journey” flying low over the Arizona desert. (Image by Tony Granata).

The Blue Angels Number 7 F/A-18

This Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet is assigned to the team’s event coordinator, Number 7. It has two seats instead of one like the planes flying during the Seafair airshow, but it’s also a spare for the team and can be flown in the show if-needed.

Art+Flight

In addition to the aviation action there will be Art+Flight-themed family activities including live painting, Seattle Art Cars, crafting activities, chalk art, face painting and more.

Corvettes, Military and Community Partners

There will be nearly two dozen Chevy Corvettes of all vintages on display, plus activity booths from military and community partners:

Project Recover

Veterans Last Patrol

Puget Sound Honor Flight

Connections Museum Seattle

Yowen Productions

Gage Academy of Art

Puget Sound Naval Air Museum

Commemorative Air Force

Puget Sound Naval Museum

Naval Undersea Museum

Distinguished Flying Cross Society

Corvette Club​

About The Museum of Flight

Founded in 1965, the independent, nonprofit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, serving 600,000 visitors. The Museum’s collection includes more than 160 historically significant airplanes and spacecraft, from the first fighter plane (1914) to today’s 787 Dreamliner. Attractions at the 23-acre, 5-building Seattle campus include the original Boeing Company factory, the NASA Space Shuttle Trainer, Air Force One, Concorde, Lockheed Blackbird and Apollo Moon rockets. In addition to the Seattle campus adjacent to King County International Airport, the Museum also has its 3-acre Restoration Center and Reserve Collection at Paine Field in Everett (not currently open to the public).

With a foundation of aviation history, the Museum is also a hub of news and dialogue with leaders in the emerging field of private spaceflight ventures. The Museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 150,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum’s onsite and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field halfway between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Museum admission for adults is $26. Youth 5 through 17 are $18, youth 4 and under are free. Seniors 65 and over $22. Groups of ten or more: $20 per adult, $13 per youth, $18 per senior. Admission is free from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month. Parking is always free. There is a full lunch menu café operated by McCormick & Schmick’s. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org.​

Read more on this...

 

[Rocky]

Just catching up with this thread, Great pictures

 

[DaveM]

Fairchild F-27 Fuselage Arrives at Hagerstown Aviation Museum

The Hagerstown Aviation Museum in Hagerstown, Maryland has just taken delivery of a Fairchild-Hiller F-27A airliner, an aircraft originally built in 1958 at the now-dormant Fairchild Aircraft factory located at the same airfield as the museum (Hagerstown Regional Airport). Interestingly, the museum’s present home is the old Fairchild Aircraft Flight Test Hangar, dating from 1943!​

The F-27’s fuselage, still on the delivery vehicle, sitting inside one of the Fairchild factory buildings following its arrival in Hagerstown, Maryland on July 27th, 2023. (image via Hagerstown Aviation Museum)

As many will know, the Fairchild F-27 is actually a license-built version of the Fokker F-27 Friendship, a successful turbo-prop commuter aircraft designed in the Netherlands during the early 1950s. Fairchild-Hiller built just over two hundred examples at their factory in Hagerstown, Maryland. The type enjoyed some success in the U.S. market, with a number of significant regional airlines operating the type.​

The first F-27 to roll off Fairchild’s production line in Hagerstown, Maryland during 1957. (image via Hagerstown Aviation Museum)

Fairchild’s F-27 production line in full swing during the late 1950s. (image via Hagerstown Aviation Museum)

A Fairchild F-27 under construction in Hagerstown, Maryland circa 1960. (image via Hagerstown Aviation Museum)

This particular example first flew in early 1959, the thirty third example off the production line. Butler Aviation (Pepsi Cola Bottling) registered the aircraft as N1004 in April, 1959. It underwent conversion into a freighter (F-27F) soon after in 1961. Ross Aviation of Albuquerque, New Mexico acquired the airframe in 1975. Then in 1980, the U.S. Navy made use of the aircraft as “UC-27A” BuNo.161628, initially basing it at the Naval Air Development Center (NADC) in Johnsville, Pennsylvania, where it took part in various assignments. During the latter stages of its military career, Imperial Aviation Inc operated it on the Navy’s behalf to support the Atlantic Underwater Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) on Andros Island in the Bahamas. The F-27 closed out its U.S. Navy service in 1988 while flying from the Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Patuxent, Maryland.

The legendary Hawkins & Powers (H&P) aerial firefighting operator acquired the F-27 from the Navy in August, 1988, basing it at their home in Greybull, Wyoming and re-registering it as N127HP. H&P leased the aircraft to to various operators overseas, with periods of storage until D&G Incorporated’s acquisition in 2000. The aircraft then passed through a handful of additional owners, but remained at Greybull until withdrawn from use and stored there in 2008.​

The Hagerstown Aviation Museum’s Fairchild F-27 as seen in Greybull, Wyoming shortly before the disassembly process began for the journey home to Hagerstown, the city of its birth in 1959. (image via Hagerstown Aviation Museum)

Circa 2014, the The Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting placed it on display at their facility in Greybull, with the Hagerstown Aviation Museum acquiring the airframe as a donation in 2016. While the aircraft was in excellent condition, with a fully-equipped passenger cabin and cockpit, the Hagerstown museum decided against trying to fly the F-27 to its new home, as it had remained idle for too long. This summer, the museum had the opportunity to disassemble the airframe and transport it to Maryland on a flatbed truck through the generosity of several donors. The main fuselage arrived in Hagerstown on July 27th, and is now safely in the museum’s hangar. The wings and center section await delivery on a second shipment, which will hopefully take place sometime soon.​

D&G Incorporated disassembled the F-27 within their hangar in Greybull, Wyoming. (image via Hagerstown Aviation Museum)

Anyone wishing to help this remarkable museum preserve the important heritage of Fairchild Aviation should click HERE to find out how.​

Read more on this...

 

[DoorPosition]

Ran across this amusing short. The story of how Israel acquired their first bombers in 1948… 4 former USAAF B-17's stripped for commercial service, although one didn't make it to actual delivery. Very interesting is the dedicated FOB that was apparently set up in Czechoslovakia that modified and retrofitted aircraft for the Israeli Air Force. For example they integrated many German internal components and .30 cal defensive MG's instead of the standard .50's on these B-17's. It was a sort of "chop shop" for the IAF.

Someone should make a film about this exploit. Spielburg was actually involved with pardoning the American B-17 smugglers.

 

[Vector]

And Israel bombed the USS Liberty killing US Navy personnel .

 

[DoorPosition]

And they've shot down several British fighters. They've also fired on their own armored columns, more than once. Tell me something I don't know.