Warbird News

[DaveM]

B-29 Doc to Visit Tulsa and the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium in June

PRESS RELEASE

The B-29 Doc History Restored Tour will land in Tulsa, Okla., at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium (TASM), June 8-11, 2023, at Tulsa International Airport. The tour stop will include B-29 Doc Flight Experience rides, along with ground and cockpit tours of B-29 Doc, one of only two B-29 Superfortress aircraft still airworthy and flying today.

“The Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium is an inspiring facility that tells the story of aviation and provides visitors unique and up close exposure to the world of flight,” said Josh Wells, B-29 Doc executive director. “We are excited to partner with the TASM team to bring Doc back to Tulsa to bolster our shared mission of honoring our nation’s heroes, showcasing the legacy of aviation in our nation, and inspiring future generations of aviators.”​

Boeing B-29 Superfortress ‘Doc'(image by Erin McClellan via Wikipedia)

B-29 Doc Flight Experience tickets are on sale now for the tour event at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium. Information about rides and flight ticket information can be found here: www.b29doc.com/rides.

“We are excited to bring a piece of living history to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium and we hope this visit continues to inspire the next generation to pursue a career in aerospace here in Oklahoma,” said Tonya Blansett, TASM executive director.

For questions about TASM and more information, visit www.tulsamuseum.org.

Event Details for the B-29 Doc History Restored Tour in Tulsa

B-29 Doc will arrive at Tulsa International Airport Thursday, June 8 and will be hosted by the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium. Ground and flight deck tours will be available Friday, June 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday, June 10 and 11 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., following morning ride flight schedules both days. For details about B-29 Doc Flight Experience Rides, visit www.b29doc.com/rides. Admission for ground and cockpit tours will be $5 per person or $10 per family with the purchase of a museum admission. Tickets for ground tours will be available at the gate. The public entrance for the event will be through the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium, 3624 N. 74th E Ave., Tulsa, OK, 74115.​

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 the B-29 Doc History Restored Tour and B-29 Doc Flight Experience
Each year, B-29 Doc travels to cities across the United States to allow aviation enthusiasts a chance to B-29 Doc up-close and personal. Doc’s annual tour mission includes an average of 100 flight hours, beginning in early April and spanning through the summer until late October. Tour stops include ground and flight deck tours, as well as B-29 Doc Flight Experiences. The B-29 Doc Flight Experience will last approximately 90 minutes and includes a 30-minute ride. Prior to takeoff, passengers will experience a crew briefing and learn more about the history of the B-29 and the role it played in U.S. history. Passengers will also get to hear and see the sights and sounds of engine starts and run-ups prior to takeoff.​

Photo Brett Schauff via Doc’s Friends

About TASM
The mission of TASM is to inspire science-based learning through discovery touches tens of thousands of students each year through school field trips, day camps, after-school programs, outreach programs, and week-long summer camps. These children will become Oklahoma’s workforce of tomorrow, and they deserve the very best education that we can provide. The museum acts as a window for discovering regional opportunities for careers in aerospace and the advanced education system that is available to pursue those careers. The business community also benefits from this growing employment pool, while young people learn about job opportunities in one of the largest industry sectors in the state.​

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[DaveM]

RAF Museum Saves Scarf VC For The Nation

PRESS RELEASE

The Royal Air Force Museum is proud to announce the success of our campaign to keep the Arthur Scarf Victoria Cross and medal bar in the UK and on display at our London site.

The Victoria Cross awarded to Squadron Leader Arthur Scarf for his bravery during the Second World War is a unique and rare artifact that shares the story of the RAF in the Far East.

This important part of history was at risk of being lost to the nation after being sold at auction to a private overseas buyer. With the help of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, generous donations from the public and other charities, and coverage in the press, the RAF Museum has now matched the £660k winning auction bid in order to keep the medals in the UK.

Maggie Appleton, RAF Museum CEO, said: “A heartfelt thank you to every single person who supported us. Whether you donated or shared our campaign with friends and family, we couldn’t have done this without you. To have raised £660,000 in three months is simply amazing. Special thanks to the National Heritage Memorial Fund for their major donation of £390k, and to our good friends at the RAFHS and the Bomber Command Association. We will be displaying Arthur’s Medal at our London site this summer and will also make short tour of our Midlands site. So come and visit and discover more about this remarkable story.”​

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, said: “I am delighted that the RAF Museum’s campaign to acquire Arthur Scarf’s Victoria Cross has been successful and that the National Heritage Memorial Fund has been able to support this important acquisition with a grant of £390,000. The National Heritage Memorial Fund works to safeguard the UK’s most significant heritage and form a lasting memorial to those who gave their lives. This rare and unusual medal, which will now form part of the national collection, perfectly encapsulates what NHMF stands for.”​

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[Bloodknot]

At Sywell Aerodrome just ten miles up the road from us, the following have been seen.

This Spitfire is the Grace Spitfire.

 

[DaveM]

Walter and Olive Ann Beech Selected as 2023 Paul E Garber Shrine Honorees

PRESS RELEASE

KITTY HAWK, N.C. – The First Flight Society announced today that Walter and Olive Ann Beech have been named the 2023 Honorees to be inducted into the Dr. Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine located in the Museum and Visitors Center at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA.​

This honor is selected annually by a high-level panel appointed by the First Flight Society, from among numerous nominations submitted from around the world as well as compiled lists of qualified candidates. The induction ceremony will be held on Wright Brothers Day, December 17, 2023, with a celebration banquet held on December 16, 2023, in Kitty Hawk. A portrait of the Beeches will be unveiled and presented at the ceremony on December 17th, 2023, celebrating the 120th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers First Flight.

Walter Herschel Beech (January 30, 1891 – November 29, 1950) was an American aviator and early aviation entrepreneur who co-founded the Beech Aircraft Company in 1932 with his wife, Olive Ann Beech, and a team of three others. Olive Ann Mellor Beech (September 25, 1903 – July 6, 1993) was an American aerospace businesswoman who was not only co-founder, but later president, and chairwoman of the Beech Aircraft Corporation. She earned more awards, honorary appointments, and special citations than any other woman in aviation history and was often referred to as the “First Lady of Aviation”.​

Walter Herschel Beech, 1891-1950, and Olive Ann Beech, 1903-1993, viewing World War II aircraft production lines at the Beechcraft Plant I in Wichita, Kansas.

William Douglas, Chairman of the First Flight Society’s National Advisory Committee, served as Chair of the Dr. Paul E. Garber Shrine Selection Panel and managed the selection process.

Honorees for the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine are selected annually by a National Advisory Committee from a list of nominees submitted to the First Flight Society and public that is passed to the Committee for consideration. For 2024 the committee accepts a letter of nomination accompanied by supporting documentation.

The nominee(s) may but does not have to be a “first” but rather “…a person, living or dead, who since December 17, 1903, either personally or with the assistance of others, have made such outstanding accomplishments in support of flight operations that they are generally recognized nationally and internationally for their achievements and contributions to aerospace activities.”

The Nomination Form for the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine can be downloaded from Call for Nominations - First Flight Society

This should be mailed with any supporting documents to: First Flight Society, Post Office Box 1903, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. Nominations may also be emailed to: [email protected].

Nominations are due May 31st, 2023. Questions can be addressed to the NAC Chair, Charlie Davidson at [email protected]

For more information about the Paul E Garber Shrine visit www.firstflight.org/first-flight-shrine/

The First Flight Society created the Paul E Garber Shrine in 1966 to honor individuals and groups for achieving significant “firsts” in aviation development since 1903. Charles Lindbergh, Tuskegee Airmen, Mary Feik, John Glenn, Katherine Johnson (Hidden Figures), Sally K. Ride and most recently Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. among others.

First Flight Society’s vision is: One day people everywhere will be inspired by the dauntless resolution and tireless work of the Wright Brothers. Their mission is to tell the story of the Wright Brothers through community events, education, and the commemoration of the world’s very first powered flight, in Kitty Hawk, NC.

More information about the First Flight Society can be found at Home - First Flight Society - Aviation Society on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, NC​

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[DaveM]

The Pilot King

The Pilot King

As the UK prepares to crown King Charles III, Stephen Bridgewater looks back at the military flying career of the new monarch.

On Saturday May 6th, 2023, King Charles III of England will be crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, England. While many pilots may think that they are kings of the sky, this king really is a pilot!

While he was still the Prince of Wales, King Charles received pilot training from the Royal Air Force and also flew helicopters with the Royal Navy. Up until the 1990s, he would routinely fly himself to and from appointments in aircraft belonging to the Queen’s Flight – also known as No.32 (The Royal) Squadron, RAF.

Britain’s Royal Family has a long flying history; in fact the first recorded flight by a British royal occurred on July 17, 1917th, when the future King Edward VIII (then Prince of Wales) flew over northern France as a passenger in a Bristol F.2B. He would fly several times before the end of the conflict, including a trip over Italy with the legendary Canadian ace, Maj William Barker VC at the controls. However, upon hearing this, the prince’s father, King George V, forbade him from flying any further, a situation which endured until the late 1920s.

The King’s Flight

A brace of Westland Wapitis, which arrived with No.24 Squadron at RAF Northolt in 1928, became the first two aircraft in the King’s Flight; the biplane performing a VIP transport role. In 1929, Prince Edward received permission to take flying lessons, whereupon he bought a de Havilland DH.60 Moth (G-AALG), which his younger brothers, the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent, also used to qualify for their pilots’ wings.​

Westland Wapiti J9095 of the King’s Flight.

By the time he ascended the throne in 1936, the Prince would buy a further eleven aircraft, including two de Havilland Puss Moths (G-ABNN & G-ABFV), a Fox Moth (G-ACDD), Dragon (G-ACGG), several Dragon Rapides and a specially commissioned Vickers Viastra X (G-ACCC). The latter was lavishly fitted out as a ‘Royal Barge’ and, like most of the aircraft in his fleet, it wore a blue and red livery inspired by the Brigade of Guards.​

An example of the Vickers Viastra, a unique variant of which once served in the King’s Flight. (image via Wikipedia)

The Prince employed Flt Lt Edward ‘Mouse’ Fielden as a full-time pilot; he accompanied him on all flights other than those in the Prince’s single-seat Comper Swift air racer. Most of the aircraft were based at RAF Hendon, where they were unofficially referred to as ‘The Royal Flight’.

When he ascended the throne as King Edward VIII in 1936, one of the new monarch’s first decision was to create an official King’s Flight; the world’s first official aircraft unit for a head of state.​

A deHavilland Dragon Rapide painted to represent G-ADDD during its time with the King’s Flight. (image by Richard Mallory Allnutt)

No.24 Squadron at RAF Northolt near London formed the basis for the Flight; the squadron having operated the aforementioned Wapitis as part of its Communications Flight since 1928. ‘Mouse’ Fielden received a promotion to Captain and retained his role leading the Flight, a post he would hold until 1961, when he retired as Air Vice Marshal Sir Edward Fielden.

King Edward VIII abdicated on December 11th, 1936; his younger brother, the Duke of York succeeded him to become King George VI. The new king continued the Flight, adding an Airspeed Envoy III (G-AEXX) in May 1937. The Envoy came equipped with seats for four passengers plus a pilot, wireless operator and steward.

King Charles

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II succeeded her father as monarch in February 1952, and over the coming years, the renamed Queen’s Flight continued to grow. Although the Queen herself was never a pilot, her husband, the late Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh was a keen flyer. It was therefore no surprise that the young Prince Charles was to follow in his father’s wake, developing a passion for the skies.

Whilst studying at Cambridge University, the Prince began two and a half years’ of flight training under the tutelage of then-Sqn Ldr Philip Pinney. Like other pilots of his era, the young Prince undertook his pilot training on the venerable de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk, with Chipmunk T.10 WP903 allocated specifically to him for lessons.​

The then Prince Charles in the front seat of Chipmunk T.10 WP908 during his flying training. (image via Stephen Bridgewater)

Unlike other ‘Chippies’, WP903 wore a Dayglo red livery and had a large rotating warning lamp (dubbed the ‘Parrot’) mounted atop the canopy. WP903 began its service with the Queen’s Flight on September 20th, 1960. Interestingly, both Prince Phillip and Prince Michael, The Duke of Kent, had learned to fly in this same airframe before Charles started his own flying career.

Sqn Ldr Pinney flew a total of 101 sorties with the man who would become King. Starting his training at RAF Tangmere, Prince Charles went on to perform his first solo flight at RAF Bassingbourn on January 14th, 1969, followed by the award of his Pilots Licence in March 1969, and his RAF Preliminary Flying Badge on August 2nd of the same year.

Pinney and the Prince became firm friends, regularly fishing and climbing together and the instructor even attending his famous student’s 21st birthday party.

WP903 itself would serve the RAF until 1974 when Britain’s Ministry of Defence sold it to the Culdrose Gliding Club which used it as a glider tug until December 1996. The Henlow Chipmunk Group then acquired the airframe, restoring it to its Queen’s Flight configuration. Today WP903 can be found at Old Warden aerodrome, the famous home of the Shuttleworth Collection; over the Coronation weekend, it will be appearing at the collection’s first air show of the 2023 season.​

The Chipmunk T.10 (WP903) which King Charles III learned to fly in whilst still a Prince. This image was captured at East Kirkby during 2009. (image by Stephen Bridgewater)

Naval Aviator

After qualifying for the award of his preliminary flying badge on the Chipmunk, the Prince moved on to the Beagle Basset CC.1, clocking up a further 90 hours of multi-engined flying before he transitioned to a jet training course. Pathé News footage of the young Prince flying the Basset is viewable below…

With the rank of Flight Lieutenant, the Prince arrived at RAF College Cranwell in March 1971 to fly the BAC Jet Provost T.5. However, before he could take to the skies, he had to complete the same ground school, technical training, combat survival, emergency drills and cockpit procedures as the rest of his course mates.​

A young Prince Charles at RAF Cranwell. (image via Stephen Bridgewater)

Prince Charles finally started his jet flying on March 19th, 1971, with Sqn Ldr (later Air Chief Marshal and Sir) Richard Johns as his instructor. Whilst his time in the RAF was short, the training he received prepared Prince Charles for a military career in the Royal Navy and gave him his first taste of military flying.

His Majesty transferred to the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Lympstone, Devon in 1972, where he qualified as a helicopter pilot flying the Westland Wessex Mk.5. During his training, the Prince earned the ‘Double Diamond’ trophy as best pilot, before moving to 707 Naval Air Squadron and then to 845 Naval Air Squadron, flying the Commando version of the Wessex from the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes.​

The future Monarch at the controls of a Westland Wessex Mk.5. (image via Stephen Bridgewater)

He received the command of his own ship, the minehunter HMS Bronington, for the final 10 months of his active service in the Royal Navy, which ended in 1976.

Despite stepping down from the military to concentrate on his royal duties, Prince Charles (now King Charles III) has remained close to the armed forces and in 2012 Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the highest rank as Marshal of the Royal Air Force. The new King also holds the honorary rank of Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal Navy and ascended to the position of Air Commodore-in-Chief of the RAF following the death of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II in September last year.

King Charles two sons, William and Harry, also pursued careers in the military – with William flying Sea King search-and-rescue helicopters with the RAF and Harry flying the Westland-built WAH-64 Apache with the British Army Air Corps.

The Pilot King

The fact that Britain’s new monarch was an aviatior was not lost on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who used a historic speech in the UK’s Houses of Parliament earlier this year to praise King Charles’s support for Ukraine. Referring to the King’s own air force training, Zelenskyy said: “In Britain, the king is an air force pilot and in Ukraine today, every air force pilot is a king.”

Even after his military career was over, Prince Charles would regularly fly the aircraft of the Royal Flight. However, the monarch gave up flying in 1994 when the four-engined BAe 146 airliner he was piloting ran off the runway on Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland.​

BAe 146 ZE700 from No.32 (The Royal) Squadron based at RAF Northolt, Middlesex. This particular image was captured in the build-up to the Queens Golden Jubilee Flypast over Buckingham Palace on June 4th, 2002. This is the aircraft which then-Prince Charles had the unfortunate landing accident in during 1994. (image via Stephen Bridgewater)

According to the official accident report, the aircraft landed with a tailwind component of 12kts following an unstable approach that was both above the normal approach path and too fast. The aircraft touched down on its nose landing gear, and ‘wheelbarrowed’, delaying the activation of the weight-on-wheels switches and hence the deployment of the lift spoilers and the selection of ground idle power. The weight-on-wheels switches activated with 509m of runway remaining, but the wheels then locked and the aircraft ran off the end of the airstrip and received damage.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt in the high-profile accident, with the Prince later commenting: “It wasn’t quite a crash. We went off the end of the runway, unfortunately. It is not something I recommend!”

Nevertheless, the future King Charles took the decision to ground himself following the incident, something which St James’s Palace said at the time was a ‘personal decision the Prince took on his own’.

Coronation Flypast

In June 1953, almost 300 aircraft overflew London to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the following month a special Royal Review took place at RAF Odiham. There, Her Majesty the Queen viewed a static park consisting of more than 300 RAF aircraft and later watched a flypast of over 600 aircraft belonging to the RAF and Commonwealth air forces.Pathé News also created a short film covering the 1953 Coronation Flypast, as seen below.​

The Coronation Review of the Royal Air Force by HM Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her coronation which had taken place at the beginning of June.
The event held at RAF Odiham, 15th July 1953 was the culmination of seven month’s planning can be seen in this view of the immaculately parked aircraft and their crews as they wait in the afternoon sun for Her Majesty to inspect them. This display was the largest display of military airpower that this country has ever seen (still to this day). Over 300 static aircraft and a fly past of over 600 aircraft.

The Coronation Flypast for King Charles III will be a far more modest affair (if the fickle British weather allows it to happen at all). If everything goes to plan, around 60 aircraft will fly down The Mall in London and overhead Buckingham palace at 14:30hrs GMT. Types expected to participate include Juno, Wildcat, Apache, Merlin, Chinook and Puma helicopters as well as Typhoon and F-35B fast jets, Texan T.1 and Phenom T.1 trainers and ‘heavies’ including the C-17, A-400M Atlas, Voyager, P-8 Poseidon MRA.1, RC-135 Rivet Joint, Envoy IV (Dassault Falcon 900) and the C-130J Hercules. The latter type will be making one of its final public appearances before retiring from RAF service.​

Six F-35B Lightning jets above RAF College Cranwell. Aircraft from across the UK Armed Forces soared over RAF College Cranwell today in a rehearsal for Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camillas Coronation Flypast that will take place over Buckingham Palace on Saturday 6 May 2023. The Royal Air Force, British Army and Royal Navy were all represented as over 30 aircraft took to the skies to practice the formations which will form part of the Coronation celebrations. The full flypast will see over 60 aircraft, including the iconic Red Arrows and historic Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, put on a spectacular show over London.

Of course no Royal Flypast would be complete without the Lancaster, Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the iconic, scarlet Hawk T.1s of the Red Arrows.

No matter the weather, one thing seems certain – Britain’s new King will be looking up at the flypast with nostalgic eyes and perhaps a twinge of envy that he is not in a cockpit himself.​

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[DaveM]

Fagen Fighters: SB2C Helldiver Rollout & P-47 Arrival

May 4th, 2023: Fagen Fighters WWII Museum announced a major milestone in the restoration of their Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver on social media yesterday, formally rolling out the nearly-completed aircraft from their workshop at Granite Falls Municipal Airport in Granite Falls, Minnesota. Fagen Fighters acquired badly battered hulk of SB2C-5 BuNo.83393 back in 2006, and has been hard at work on its restoration ever since.​

The restoration team standing proudly in front of the Helldiver following its rollout. From the right: Brandon Deuel, Ron Fagen, Darwin Vermaat, Tyler Farmer, Jay Bosch, Matt Luukkenon, David Barber, and Steve Lindquist. (photo via Fagen Fighters WWII Museum)

As readers may remember, this Helldiver owes its survival to the determination of former naval aviator and warbird restorer, Kevin R. Smith, who worked out a three-party trade with the Smithsonian and Naval Aviation Museum to recover this aircraft from its WWII crash site near NAS Dahlgren, Virginia back in the early 1990s. (Until recently, Kevin Smith also once owned the Douglas Dauntless project which is now on its way to New Zealand to supplement the restoration of another example, which we reported upon HERE.) Fagen Fighters hopes to have “the Beast” flying by summers end.​

In related news, Fagen Fighters took delivery of P-47D Thunderbolt 44-32817 on May 4th. The aircraft had, until recently, been a part of the Lewis Air Legends collection in San Antonio, Texas. Noted warbird pilot, Bernie Vasquez performed the delivery flight on May 4th, 2023.​

A smiling Bernie Vasquez sitting on the Thunderbolt’s wing following his delivery flight from San Antonio, Texas. (photo via Fagen Fighters WWII Museum)





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[DaveM]

Role of Aviation Museums in Preserving Military History

All Aviation Museums are particularly important in preserving the history of military aviation. You can often find many unique items and machines in such museums. They supply an incredibly unique opportunity for everyone to learn and tour such places. Even though the topic itself is not very popular, it doesn’t mean it’s not an interesting area. You can admire the achievements of many incredible pilots and their aircrews throughout history.

What Actually is Aviation?

First of all, aviation contains the entire process of the creation and usage of aircraft. This includes the design stages, the whole development, and production. Furthermore, it is also the operation and maintenance of such aircraft. Some of the most popular aircraft are F-16 Fighting Falcon, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and the Boeing 747.

The topic is not the most popular, but it has its fans and enthusiasts. These days there are many movies and games about aviation itself, especially military aviation. You can see the success of the recent Top Gun: Maverick movie as an example. You can also play Microsoft Flight Simulator for the whole simulation of piloting an aircraft. There are also plenty of online slots themed by military aviation. You can play Top Gun or Wings of Gold by Playtech, Flying Colors by Rival Gaming, and more. Visit Joe Fortune for a wide variety of online casino games.

What is the Exact Role of Aviation Museums?

There are many institutes that help collect, preserve, and later display many aviation artifacts, planes, badges, and items of importance or significance for everyone to see. Because of the hard work that is provided, it creates a tangible link to aviation history itself. You can see actual machines and items from the past and immerse yourself in the certain era the specific exhibit is about.

In addition to just being able to see the exhibits you can learn what impact a specific aircraft had, when it was built, who built it, and all the information you desire. Aviation Museums also play a key role in preserving the memories of aviators and pilots who gave their lives in service to their country.

‘© RAF Museum’

What is the Impact of Aviation Museums on Education?

Museums overall are a great tool for teachers in schools and universities to provide tangible history information for their students. Furthermore, specific museums allow one to expand someone’s interests in that area or make someone passionate about that topic. Aviation Museums allow you to truly understand what happened and why it happened.

In addition to aviation, you can also learn about science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). It allows for a firsthand experience that is much more interesting and engaging than theory at school or at the university. You are also able to learn about the impact of aviation itself on conflicts throughout history and be able to understand the sacrifices, losses, and victories military aviation allowed due to aircraft and pilots’ dedication.

Is Restoring Aircraft in Aviation Museums Important?

The whole process of restoration of aircraft is not only important, but it also helps preserve history even further. Some machines were either destroyed or partially damaged and needed the restoration process to fill the gaps in history. Even though most of the aircraft aren’t usable these days, especially from the early historical periods like the early 1900, it still represents a milestone in the whole human history.

A notable example of such a thing is the Wright Flyer, which was the first successful powered aircraft. It was built and flown by the Wright brothers in 1903 in North Carolina. The entire flight lasted 12 seconds and it allowed it to cover 120 feet (37 meters). It was a biplane designed by the Wright Brothers with a wingspan of 40 feet (12 meters). This aircraft is preserved in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The Wright Flyer is the symbolic representation of the birth of the entire aviation industry.

Some of the Most Important Aviation Museums in the World

There are plenty of aviation museums in the United States as well as the entire world. Some of the best and worth mentioning are:

• RAF Museum in London, United Kingdom
• Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridge, United Kingdom
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C, United States of America
• Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, United States of America
• Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in Le Bourget, France
• Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim in Oberschleissheim, Germany
• National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, USA
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Canada
• National Museum of Flight in East Fortune, UK
• Australian Aviation Heritage Centre in Darwin, Australia

All the museums have a wide variety of aircraft and exhibits in their collections. You can see some of the most important, innovative, and significant machines and artifacts in the history of aircraft, and mankind.

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 42-26762. This aircraft flew with the Brazilian Air Force’s 1st Fighter Squadron in Italy during WWII. (photo by Raphael Lopes Pinto Brescia)

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[DaveM]

New Art+Flight Exhibition and Project Opening at The Museum of Flight

On June 10, The Museum of Flight will boldly depart from its traditional flightpath to host a museum-wide, community-focused celebration connecting the region’s vibrant arts scene with its rich aerospace history. The six-month Art+Flight project will exhibit dozens of artworks in all mediums by over 30 artists, including three newly commissioned murals and an installation drawn from the Museum’s art collection.

The project will also host an artist-in-residence, and offer performing arts programs, artist lectures, an interactive mural project and frequent family arts activities through January 7, 2024.​

“The Museum is renowned for its expansive aerospace collections and vivid storytelling,” said The Museum of Flight President and CEO Matt Hayes. “For over 55 years we have shared the physicality of flying machines, their place in history and the people close to them. Now we’re taking a look from new perspectives.”

“As visitors we might have profound impressions and share deep connections to what’s in this museum, but do not have the means to express it. This is when artists can help. Art+Flight will elevate our experience and help us to realize our feelings, enhance our perceptions, and remind us of the awe and joy of flight through the language of art. The project will also engage the Museum with the rich diversity of the local community in entirely new ways for us, and that is very exciting.”​

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​

The main display area of the Museum of Flight, located at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington. (Photo via Wikipedia)

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[DaveM]

Another F-104 Airworthy With Starfighters Aerospace!

The world has just gained another airworthy Lockheed Starfighter following the successful first post-restoration flight of an F-104S ASA-M belonging to Starfighters Aerospace on April 28th, 2023. This Aeritalia-built example served in the Italian Air Force as MM6734, and had not flown since July, 2005. Starfighters Aerospace’s Chief Pilot, PierCarlo Ciacchi, had the honors of making the first flight, taking off from the runway which NASA’s Space Shuttle once used at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida.​

Chief Pilot PierCarlo Ciacchi celebrating the first successful flight in almost 20 years. Photo via Starfighter Aerospace

“What an epic day! This task was no walk in the park, but the team worked amazingly during the last year…and these last weeks of intense Ground Functional Checks. Congrats to all!” said PierCarlo.

“We achieved a major milestone, it was a long and expensive task to get the ASA-M back in the air but we finally achieved our goal thus expanding the company’s capabilities. I am very proud of our team which worked really hard to achieve this goal” said Starfighters Aerospace President & CEO Rick Svetkoff.

MM6734 is now the third active F-104 in Starfighter Aerospace’s fleet. Based at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and operating under authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration, these aircraft are available to government and commercial customers for a variety of missions.

Starfighter Aerospace has recently ramped up its training and flight operations at Kennedy Space Center. The company told us that a series of upcoming missions and cooperation agreements with other organizations have spurred this activity. Starfighter Aerospace is working on a multitude of Air Launch programs. A press release in early December last year revealed that they are now working with the Italian National Research Council, more properly known as the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), which is Italy’s largest public research institution. Starfighters Aerospace is set to perform an intriguing series of flight tests to evaluate a new, air-launched rocket delivery system which CNR currently has under development in collaboration with Italy’s Air Force and Ministry of Defense. This small rocket will eventually have the capacity to place a micro-satellite into near-earth orbit.​

Starfighters Aerospace’s TF-104G-M N991SA with CNR’s prototype rocket mounted on a pylon under the left wing. This test evaluated the test article’s mechanical and aeronautical properties to ensure that it is suitable for launch from the F-104 platform. (image via Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy- Photo by L. Paciucci. )

MM6734 last flew on July 18th, 2005, marked as “RS-6” with the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (Italian Air Force Test Squadron), although it also served with 5th Wing, 9th Wing, 36th Wing during its service career. It was the last Starfighter which Alenia Aerospace delivered to the Italian Air Force (on October 10th, 2002). Many thanks to Daniele Mattiuzzo for these details.​

July 2005, MM6734 parked at Pratica di Mare Airbase. Photo by Ivan Turniano via Daniele Mattiuzzo.

The F-104S ASA-M was the final version of the Starfighter, carrying a new avionics and radio communications suite. The well-regarded website, The Aviationist, features an excellent article detailing the differences between the numerous F-104 variants which served with the Italian Air Force over the five decades which they fielded the type.​

MM6734 when in force with the 9th Wing (codes 9-30). Photo by Luigino Caliaro.

As we have mentioned previously, in addition to their commercial research capabilities with the F-104, Starfighters Aerospace also offers licensed pilots, with both the means and the urge to fulfill a test pilot’s dream, the opportunity to undergo flight training in the magnificent Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. This follows Starfighters Aerospace’s 2018 authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration which opens the skies above NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for pilot training in the legendary supersonic aircraft. An FAA Letter of Deviation Authority, or LODA, allows licensed pilots to receive type-specific training in the same ‘right-stuff’ jets that NASA has used for decades to prepare their astronauts for spaceflight and to conduct aeronautical research. For more information about the company, visit www.starfighters.net

With a veritable squadron of supersonic Lockheed F-104s in their hangar, Starfighters Aerospace is a serious business which offers its unique aircraft as a platform for a variety of aerospace flight testing services ranging from basic research to systems evaluation and beyond. The company serves both the public and private sectors and has generated enough success with its efforts to justify expanding its fleet of Starfighters to include nine airframes. For corporate relationships and business contacts, please visit www.starfightersspace.com​

Photo by Matt Haskell via Starfighters Aerospace

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[DaveM]

Museum of Flight Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Skylab

PRESS RELEASE

The United States’ first space station, Skylab, was launched 25 years before construction began in 1998 on the International Space Station, and two Skylab astronauts will be at the Museum on May 13 for a program celebrating Skylab’s 50th anniversary.​

In a rare reunion, astronauts Ed Gibson and Jack Lousma, plus Skylab Flight Director Neil Hutchinson will look back at their pioneering space station missions done on the heels of NASA’s Apollo flights to the Moon. The Museum’s Adjunct Curator for Space History, Geoff Nunn, will moderate the 2 p.m. program. The program is free with admission to the Museum.

Skylab Anniversary Program
Jack Lousma was a pilot on the Skylab 3 crew, and commander of the third space shuttle mission. He is a retired United States Marine Corps officer and naval aviator. Lousma was on the support crews for Apollo 9 and 10, and CAPCOM for Apollo 13 when the famous “problem” was radioed to him.

Ed Gibson was the science pilot on Skylab 4. He is a pilot, engineer and physicist. Gibson’s NASA career began in 1965, and he was on the support crew for Apollo 12. He retired from NASA in 1982, and into the 1990s he had his own space consulting firm, and published two novels in addition to a textbook on physics.

Flight Director Neil Hutchinson was selected as a NASA Flight Director on Apollo 16 and led the team for the final moon landing crew on Apollo 17 in 1972. Hutchinson later became a Flight Director on all three Skylab missions, and in 1975 during Apollo/Soyuz joint US/USSR orbital mission. In 1976 he was named as the ascent Flight Director for the first space shuttle flight.​

The three members of the Skylab 4 crew confer via “television communication” with Dr. Lubos Kohoutek, discoverer of the Comet Kohoutek. This picture of the three astronauts was reproduced from a TV transmission made by a TV camera aboard the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. They are, left to right, Gerald P. Carr, commander; Edward G. Gibson, science pilot; and William R. Pogue, pilot. NASA photo.

The Skylab Mission
The project began as the Apollo Applications Program in 1968 with an objective to develop science-based human space missions using hardware originally developed for the effort to land astronauts on the moon. The 169,950-pound space station included a workshop, a solar observatory, a multiple docking adapter and systems to allow three crews to spend up to 84 days in space. The space station lifted off unpiloted as Skylab 1 atop a Saturn V launch vehicle, the astronaut crews were launched to orbit by Saturn 1B rockets.

Liftoff of Skylab 1 came on May 14, 1973, and it quickly became apparent to Mission Control that there was a problem with the Skylab’s protective shield and solar array that could jeopardize the future of the crewed missions. The launch of the Skylab crew was delayed to devise a plan of action, and the first crew launch on May 25, 1973. Once in orbit the crew performed special spacewalks to improvise a heat shield and fix the solar array, saving theirs and future Skylab missions.

Skylab 2 launched on May 25, 1973. Duration 28 days.

Skylab 3 launched on July 28, 1973 and included astronaut pilot Jack Lousma. Duration 60 days.

Skylab 4 launched on November 11, and included astronaut science pilot Ed Gibson. Duration 84 days.​

Launch of the modified Saturn V rocket carrying the Skylab space station

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[DaveM]

2023 TBM Gathering Expecting 10 Avengers Plus an SBD, P-40, P-51s and more!

What began as an opportunity for TBM Avenger owners to meet and share mutual concerns regarding best operating practices related to the type, the annual TBM Gathering has fast become a hugely popular event on the air show calendar. TBM-owner Brad Deckert organized the initial three-day event at Illinois Valley Regional Airport (KVYS) in Peru, Illinois back in 2016. Ten TBMs took part – coming from as far away as Massachusetts – but an additional 200 aircraft ( including 52 warbirds) also flew in during the weekend, with a crowd of roughly 10,000 spectators on hand to witness the proceedings (see our 90 Tons of Turkeys Invade Illinois report). Given the overwhelming success and a strong, positive response from the public, it was only natural that Deckert chose to host similar events in subsequent years (see further reports HERE).​

Eight of the ten TBM’s that flew from Peru, Illinois during the Avenger Gathering in 2016. (photo by Greg Morehead)

The Gathering seems to continually grow, with this year’s iteration featuring a full air show on each day of the event, scheduled to take place on Friday May 19th and Saturday May 20th at Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru, Illinois.​

Tri-State Warbird Museum’s TB-25N Mitchell will attend this year’s TBM Gathering in Peru, Illinois. (photo by Mike Fuller via TBM Avenger Reunion)

Presently, the owners of ten TBM Avengers have confirmed that their aircraft will attend. Several other warbird types are also scheduled to take part, including a P-40 Warhawk and P-51 Mustangs. Furthermore, the Tri-State Warbird Museum’s North American TB-25N Mitchell Yankee Doodle and CAF Airbase Georgia’s Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless will be making their debut appearances at the event this year. For those interested in taking a flight aboard the Dauntless, tickets are available for direct purchase from the link HERE.

Regarding this year’s event, Deckert stated: “We are excited to be back with the gathering and honor our Veterans. The event has grown tremendously in just a few years, and it has become a tradition for our small community. Thank you, everyone, for your support, and don’t forget to have May 19th & 20th marked on your calendars for the event….and May 20th and 21st for aircraft rides!”

Given the intimate nature and success of previous installments, the 2023 TBM Gathering seems destined to be a great experience for all who attend… one of the ‘best little air shows of the season’, so be sure to make your plans to join in the fun!​

For more information about the event, please visit www.tbmreunion.org​

The team which made it happen. (photo by Greg Morehead, courtesy of Warbird Digest magazine)

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[DaveM]

Italian Air Force Museum Inaugurated After a Three-Year Renovation

On May 4th, by the shores of Lake Bracciano, in Vigna di Valle, the Historical Museum of the Air Force was inaugurated, after 18 intense months of renovation and redevelopment of the exhibition itinerary.

The event was attended by the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, Honorable Giorgio Mulè, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Luca Goretti, the Chief Inspector General Basilio di Martino, President of the Program Office “Centenary Committee of the Air Force”, numerous civil and military authorities.​

Many innovations were introduced to the Museum, which after about 18 months of construction sees its exhibition area expanded by 30%, reaching a total of over 16,000 sq/m, consolidating its position among the most important aeronautical museums in the world. The Historical Museum of Vigna di Valle, inaugurated in 1977, stands on the oldest aeronautical settlement in Italy; its origin, in fact, is linked to one of the fathers of Italian aviation, Major Maurizio Moris, who in 1907 created the Experimental Aeronautical Shipyard there and in 1910 the Airship Pilots School. Inside the Museum there is also the “Umberto Nobile” documentation center.

A completely new visual identity, with a stylized logo that recalls in an iconic way one of the symbols of Italian aeronautical ingenuity and of the history of the Armed Forces, the Siai-Marchetti S.55 seaplane and an exhibition itinerary organized in chronological order through five pavilions. Thanks to the work of a Technical-Scientific Committee and the support both of external experts for scientific curatorship, for the layout and graphics, and of engineers and specialized personnel of the Armed Forces, the existing spaces have been redesigned – placing memorabilia and aircraft in a more rational and functional way – and created new spaces, with screens and multimedia areas, flight simulators, a cinema hall, relaxation areas for visitors and suggestive connecting tunnels between the hangars with the original shape of an aircraft cockpit.​

Not only aircraft and memorabilia, but many innovations have affected the Museum structures, which have undergone profound redevelopment interventions: new air conditioning systems, new LED lighting systems, new two-tone flooring, and, as mentioned, a new exhibition itinerary. A reception center has been created, adjacent to the visitor parking lot, which will act as an information point before the departure of the visit and where a sales point for aeronautical merchandise will also be built; the construction of a new double-span pavilion has also allowed the spaces to breathe. An old warehouse near the main hangar was also completely redeveloped, which was used as a multipurpose area with an exhibition of engines, uniforms, and memorabilia, teaching areas, exhibition halls, and a multimedia area with flight simulators and virtual reality.

The Museum houses precious and unique pieces, starting from the Garnerin balloon, the oldest aeronautical memorabilia in the world, expertly and patiently restored under the supervision of the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage which also oversaw the restoration of the SIAI S.79 Sparviero.​

A unique collection of its kind with about 80 aircraft on display. From the Blèriot, to the Austro-Hungarian Lohner seaplane and then moving on to the seaplanes: Vigna di Valle is the aeronautical museum that can boast the largest number of seaplanes on display, among which the Macchi MC.72 stands out, holder of the speed record for seaplanes with over 709 km/h on average. We then continue with the IMAM Ro.37 and Ro.43, with the FIAT G.212, the last multi-engine built by FIAT, the SIAI SM.82, and the CANT Z.506 which, when in service, served with the Search & Rescue at Vigna di Valle. And again the jets of the first post-war period and the current ones, with particular attention to missions outside national borders, to the National Acrobatic Team (Frecce Tricolori), to the helicopters and paratroopers of the Air Force. The Museum also welcomes new aircraft in the sector dedicated to the modern period, such as the Tornado IDS with Desert Storm livery, the Eurofighter, and the HH-3F and AB-212 helicopters.​

For the renewal and redevelopment of the Historical Museum of Vigna di Valle, the Air Force extends a public thanks to Avio Aero, which as the financial sponsor has provided its contribution to the realization of the work.​

It will be possible to visit the Air Force Historical Museum within the first ten days of May. All the details will soon be available and will be communicated on the Italian Air Force social profiles, on the Air Force website, and on the “Aeronautica Militare 100” Centenary app.










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[DoorPosition]

Pics from the weekends H2O jump out the "Tico Bell" in Sunny Central FL. The Tico Belle is a retored C-47 that dropped Gliders and Paratroopers into Europe during WW2, ran the Berlin Airlift, and went on to fly for the Danes and the Swedes before coming home to do what she does best.

Her story: C-47 Tico Belle | Valiant Air Command

On 06MAY23 she ran 7 lifts and dropped 14 sticks for the Hardrock Charlie Foundation, a veteran outreach particularly focused on Rangers and SF, but certainly not limited to just that. Winds were calm and the day went perfectly. The crew from Valiant Air Command and the Phantom Airborne Brigade as usual displayed the highest professionalism. They are extremely commited to their craft. Kids from the local JROTC function also provided logistical support this year and it was refreshing to see the future generation getting involved.

Home of the Phantom Airborne Brigade - Phantom Airborne Brigade

The Hardrock Charlie Foundation has been doing this every May for 3 years now and it's becoming bigger and bigger every year. I really got to hand it to the founders and board members. It's become a real solid outreach to help vets and their families heal and deal with civilian transition, which can take some guys years.

HARDROCK CHARLIE FOUNDATION, INC. – Reconnecting our Ranger Brothers

Every year I show up with mixed feelings but I always walk away with renewed inspiration …and a hangover.

 

[DoorPosition]

 

[DoorPosition]

I had a bit of a sloppy exit and a couple line twists, but other than that the jump went well.

 

[DoorPosition]

The recovery operation was a coordinated effort between the Sheriff Dept Marine Patrol and local sport boat owners. Both were outstanding.

@CarlS - You need to be there next year.

 

[DoorPosition]

Video…



You’ll have to guess which one is me.
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O7xhLPZf4QE&feature=youtu.be

 

[Qship]

Cool vid. Nice soundtrack.

 

[Greyfell]

Nice soundtrack.

Yes it is. It is played by the Mongolian band The HU, with guest artist/vocalist William DuVall of Alice in Chains. No, I didn't know that, I had to search it.

 

[Vector]

Video…



You’ll have to guess which one is me.
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O7xhLPZf4QE&feature=youtu.be

That takes balls. My theory is the only reason to jump is if the aircraft is on fire.