Warbird News

[Greyfell]

I wonder what the future holds for US turboprop, fixed wing heavy lifting? As much as I hate to say it, the C-130 has far more ecades behind it than ahead.

That much is undeniable. I did a little googling for reliability stats between the two, and there isn't any, specifically, only by "context", since the A400M is still an on-paper only existence. Parts are being manufactured, and the planes are in the production line, but none are finished, yet. But, Airbus's reputation for reliability, by my understanding, suffers when compared to Lockheed.

 

[DaveM]

New Chief Executive Named for Vulcan to The Sky Trust

PRESS RELEASE

A new chief executive is taking control of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) as the charity confirms the iconic aircraft will remain in Doncaster until the end of the year. After many years working with the Trust Marc Walters, has taken up the role that has remained unfilled since the death of founder Dr Robert Pleming in January 2021.​

XH558 on rollout with her parachute deployed. Enthusiasts should at least get to see this sight in the future during high speed taxi runs, though never after a flight again. (photo by Steven Comber)

During the interim period, Michael Trotter, development director, has led the charity and worked closely with Marc to broker the extension of the lease with Peel Holdings for the iconic XH558 aircraft to remain in situ until the end of the year as options for a permanent home are fully explored. Michael will remain involved in the charity in an advisory role.

Marc said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working for the VTST for seven years, sadly I joined after XH558 had stopped flying, but I have been lucky enough to work closely with Robert, Michael, and our amazing volunteers. This is a very exciting time to take over as CEO and lead the charity through this extremely important period. During my time with the Trust I’ve witnessed the huge adoration for the aircraft. Having talked to many supporters over the years about times they’ve seen her fly I know there’s a lot of emotional attachment to the Vulcan and particularly XH558. My previous role saw me managing the commercial operations for the charity. I’ve seen the challenges the Trust has had to face and been a part of the journey to develop into even more of an education focussed charity, a charity that will continue to showcase Vulcan XH558 to inspire young people into STEM subjects. Our immediate focus is to fully explore all options regarding a permanent home for XH558. This is an opportunity for us to ensure that XH558 is located in a home where her supporters can visit and where she can continue to inspire the next generation of engineers while preserving the heritage of this amazing aircraft. It is a real honor to be at the helm of the charity at this time and I’m looking forward to working with the volunteers and supporters to ensure that we deliver Robert’s legacy and do XH558 proud.”​

XH558 will remain at her current home at Doncaster Sheffield Airport until the end of 2023. John Sharman, chair of Trustees at VTST said: “We are extremely pleased to have Marc as our new Chief Executive. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role that will help us through the thorough investigations into a suitable location for XH558 and he has a great history with the Vulcan. It was also important for us to retain Michael Trotter’s services during this time, he has provided the charity with a level of consistency and a steady pair of guiding hands to help us to negotiate our next steps in the future of this inspirational aircraft. Together we know that Marc and Michael will ensure that The Vulcan Experience is everything Robert dreamt it would be. The VTS Board of Trustees would also like to extend their thanks to Andrew Edmondson who leaves the Trust at the end of May. Andrew worked alongside Dr. Robert Pleming, playing a significant part in XH558’s restoration to flight. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”​

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[DoorPosition]

the A400M is still an on-paper only existence. Parts are being manufactured, and the planes are in the production line, but none are finished, yet.

Unless I read it wrong France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Turkey are currently fielding them. Germany, France and the UK have deployed them to combat and/or humanitarian missions. I believe France has been using them the longest- 2013, same year they received their airworthiness cert.

 

[DaveM]

Restoring F-117A Nighthawk “Toxic Avenger” at Castle Air Museum

by Adam Estes

In February, 2021, we published an article about the U.S. Air Force transferring a retired Lockheed Nighthawk to Castle Air Museum for public display at their facility in Atwater, California. The airframe in question, F-117A 85-0813 Toxic Avenger, was in long-term storage alongside a number of other retired ‘Stealth Fighters’ at the time, hidden away at the Air Force’s secretive Tonopah Test Range in the high deserts of Nevada. It took some time to complete the necessary de-mil procedures to remove any sensitive components from Toxic Avenger, particularly the aircraft’s top secret, radar-absorbent exterior panels, but by July, 2022 the partially-stripped airframe was aboard a transport vehicle headed for Castle Air Museum’s restoration facility.​

Toxic Avenger soon after its arrival at Castle Air Museum back in July, 2022. (image via Castle Air Museum)

Since its arrival, the aircraft has received attention from museum personnel, preparing it for permanent display. The restoration team has had a lot of work to do, given the nature of the de-mil process; even so, its cockpit is remarkably intact. The team reinstalled the Nighthawk’s wings last May, and work is currently underway to reattach the wing leading edges, tail controls, and ailerons. As per the museum’s agreement with the U.S. Air Force, once Toxic Avenger is restored and ready for display, it will be housed in a temporary hangar all on its own while the museum works to build a new Aviation Pavilion to house around twenty aircraft from its collection, including many of the WWII-era aircraft currently on outdoor display.​

The F-117A’s cockpit remains pretty much intact, externally speaking at least. Note Castle Air Museum’s Convair F-102A Delta Dagger (56-1413) lurking in the background. (photo by Adam Estes)

Toxic Avenger has an interesting history. This F-117 first took flight on June 7th, 1985, with Lockheed test pilot Harold “Hal” Farley at the controls. Soon afterwards, the Air Force assigned 85-0813 to the Ghostriders at the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 37th Tactical Fighter Wing. Many F-117s received nicknames, with 85-0813 gaining its moniker from the titular character in the 1984 dark comedy The Toxic Avenger. In mid-December, 1989, Toxic Avenger was one of several 37th TFW F-117s which took part in Operation Just Cause, the U.S. invasion of Panama to overthrow the dictator, Manuel Noriega. This was the type’s first experience of combat. Two F-117s dropped 2,000lb Mk.84 bombs onto the military barracks at Rio Hato airfield, with U.S. Army Rangers soon moving in to seize the base from Panamanian forces. Two years later, Toxic Avenger took part in Operation Desert Storm, helping free the nation of Kuwait following the Iraqi invasion. The aircraft flew 35 combat missions during this conflict, serving as the personal mount of Colonel Alton “Al” Whitley who commanded the 37th TFW at that time. Toxic Avenger remained in service until January 25, 2008, when the Air Force placed the airframe in indoor storage at Tonopah. The entire fleet of F-117s was scheduled to retire at the same time, publicly at least, although we now know that a handful of them have continued to fly in secret, serving, presumably, as test platforms and stealth targets.​

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The author would like to express his thanks to the staff at Castle Air Museum for their assistance in writing this article.​

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[Greyfell]

Unless I read it wrong France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Turkey are currently fielding them. Germany, France and the UK have deployed them to combat and/or humanitarian missions. I believe France has been using them the longest- 2013, same year they received their airworthiness cert.

I sometimes doubt what I read, but this time it was in regard to the A400M as against earlier editions (B,C,D,F,G,J,K versus the M). Many earlier editions that are tried and true, just not the M edition, yet.

 

[DoorPosition]

Maybe I'm still confused here but according to what I've seen the A400M had it's maiden flight in 2009. Luxembourg just christened there's in 2020 so we can add them to the list of operators as well. Spain first flew theirs in 2016, Belgium in 2020. Maybe there's a component here I'm missing.

https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/...rg-armed-forces-a400m-makes-its-maiden-flight

Spanish Air Force's first A400M conducts maiden flight - Airforce Technology

Belgium's A400M conducts first flight


Believe me, I like nothing less than the notion of US aircraft companies dominating allied markets where they can(although some technology should never be exported), but it seems so far that the A400, to include operational M models, are eating our lunch in Europe.

 

[DaveM]

Museum of Aviation – B-17G Restoration Update – June 2023

by Austin Kubacak

It has been a few years since we last reported on the Museum of Aviation’s Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress (44-83690), which arrived at their facility in Warner Robins, Georgia back in August, 2015. This aircraft had spent the previous half century or so on outdoor display at Grissom Air Museum in Peru, Indiana before the National Museum of the US Air Force transferred it to Warner Robins. While the volunteers at Grissom had done their best to keep the Fort’ in good condition, the aircraft clearly needed significant attention following its long exposure to the elements and curiosity seekers.​

The Museum of Aviation has spent the better part of the last eight years working on the B-17G. The steady progress has mounted up as the restoration team closes in on finishing what they refer to as “phase one” of the project. As the images reveal, the Fort’ has undergone a significant transformation. No longer the battered, corroded shell she once was, the aircraft’s gleaming exterior makes it appear almost ready for the flight line, such is the quality of the restoration team’s efforts. Their work, however, is far from complete…

As explained by Michael Woods, a museum restoration team volunteer who has worked on the B-17 since its arrival, “phase one” of restoration focused solely on reconstruction, preservation, and rehabilitation of the aircraft’s structure and exterior fittings. The lower portions of the B-17 suffered from extensive corrosion due to its fifty plus years on external display at Grissom AFB. Repairing this damaged required a lot of new sheet metal and parts fabrication, although some original components were sourced from other B-17s. Parts such as the bomb bay doors, under-wing and lower fuselage fuselage skins (and other structural fittings) had to be remade from scratch.​

The restoration team has worked hard to restore the aircraft to the same condition it once enjoyed while in service with the U.S. Army Air Forces. While they have had to make some concessions to authenticity by replicating the chin and tail turret fairings in fiberglass, this is a common practice with the type since the original parts are virtually unavailable at any price and immensely expensive to replicate. Incredibly, the ball turret system hanging from the aircraft’s belly was entirely remanufactured in-house, aside from the turret itself. While not original to this specific B-17, the ball turret’s addition to 44-83690 was deemed necessary for its historical value despite having not been built with it. The U.S. Air Force primarily used this B-17G for drone flights during the nuclear bomb testing era in the 1950’s. To facilitate remote control during these drone flights, the aircraft fielded a trailing wire communications antenna, spooling out from beneath the aircraft during flight. To commemorate the important mission this B-17 once contributed to, antenna system has been restored to the B-17, and remains visible just behind the ball turret.

Another remarkable feature ‘hiding in plain sight’ involves the aircraft’s engines. When the Museum of Aviation received the B-17 in 2015, it came with its original engines which, understandably, were not in working order. Indeed, at some point in the aircraft’s past, someone had ordered them filled with cement to prevent their operation. Aging and the elements had also wreaked havoc on the engines. To showcase the amount of effort the museum has expended on the project, they currently have a display placing two of these same engine side-by-side; one of them being full-restored condition and the other in the same condition as when it arrived. The B-17 itself currently sports the engines once belonging to its infinitely more famous sibling, B-17F 41-24485 Memphis Belle. When the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) restored the ‘Belle, they replaced its engines with with a set of zero-timed Curtiss-Wright R-1820 engines already in store to expedite the process. The NMUSAF later transferred Memphis Belle’s old engines to the Museum of Aviation for use in 44-83690. Surprisingly, not only do the props still turn on these engines, but the associated turbochargers are also capable of rotating as well.​

The engine display featuring two engines which came with the B-17G to the Museum of Aviation. The engine on the right is in its as-found condition, while the one on the left has been fully restored – demonstrating the level of effort which museum personnel have devoted to this project!

Phase One has involved eight years of enormous effort to rebuild the aircraft structurally and complete the aircraft’s exterior. With that aspect approaching completion, Phase Two will soon begin; this will involve refurbishing the aircraft’s interior. I was given the opportunity to venture inside the aircraft to have a look at the work already expended on this part of the project, and I was astounded by the quality of this endeavor. The duct work, the control cables, floorboards, radio room, and machine gunner positions are all in great condition and almost look like they are ready to use at a moment’s notice. The cockpit, on the other hand, still requires substantial rework, along with the dorsal and central fuselage turrets. Despite these areas remaining largely hidden to visitors, it is still important to restore them to a condition as original as possible/practical.​

Initially, the overall restoration program was budgeted at around $400,000 but, unsurprisingly, given the aircraft’s poor condition, the actual cost is presently approaching $800,000, and may ultimately breach $1,000,000 by project’s end. While the museum is part of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force system, its funding source comes overwhelmingly from private donations, which makes maintaining such an intensive restoration program a considerable challenge – so every dollar counts. When this B-17 is ready for display in the next year or so, it will be a magnificent representative of the breed, and well worth the amount of time, energy and treasure invested in it. To help support the Museum of Aviation’s effort to complete this important project, please do visit the link below…​

To support this restoration, visit www.museumofaviation.org​

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[DaveM]

The Air Zoo’s Dauntless ‘Production Line’

by Adam Estes

The Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan is renowned for not only being one of the finest air museums in the United States, but also for the quality of its restoration department. As a measure of the respect which their team has earned, the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum entrusted the restoration (and display) of the sole surviving Curtiss XP-55 Ascender (42-78846) in December, 2001. This particular project probably cemented the museum’s place as a go-to restoration shop for complex projects, albeit those for static display; they are presently working on the refurbishment of a Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk ‘stealth’ fighter for display at the Air Zoo.​

The XP-55 Ascender on display at the Air Zoo. The unique WWII-era prototype arrived at the Air Zoo on long term loan from the Smithsonian in December, 2001. The Air Zoo’s restoration team spent the next five or so years carefully returning the aircraft to its former glory. It was probably this effort which placed the museum’s restoration team on the map when it came to future work which they received. (image via Wikipedia)

Despite their prowess with the Ascender, the museum has since become most famous for their work with another, far more significant aircraft type, this being the Douglas SBD Dauntless – a dive bomber of singular importance to the U.S. Navy’s success in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. Despite its monumental combat pedigree, the Dauntless served in another vital, although largely under-appreciated role on the home front by helping qualify newly-minted naval aviators in the precarious art of carrier operations. Many of these training flights involved a pair of improvised training carriers in Lake Michigan: USS Wolverine (IX 64) and USS Sable (IX 81). Both of these ships had prior lives as paddle-wheel excursion liners on the Great Lakes: Wolverine operating as SS Seeandbee, and Sable as SS Greater Buffalo.​

USS Wolverine (IX 64) underway in Chicago harbor on August 22nd, 1943. (image via Wikimedia)

These training operations often involved redundant airframes, those pulled from frontline service so that superior variants could take their place in the fight against Axis Forces. Flying from carriers is a dangerous business in the best of times, but when you throw in the added complexities of inexperienced aircrews, tiny flight decks and tired airframes, it is no surprise that dozens of these training flights from Sable and Wolverine ended ignominiously, with the aircraft resting on the bottom of Lake Michigan. While costly in both human life and treasure, the nation was willing to bear these sacrifices in the name of peace and our future security. While lost lives were mourned, the sunken aircraft were quickly forgotten, and would likely have remained where they fell had their modern scarcity not changed the equation. The SBD was already obsolete when the US entered WWII, and barely a handful of the breed survived the mass-scrapping process which followed our victory in 1945. Even then, all but two of these fully-intact survivors (the Smithsonian’s SBD-6 BuNo.54605 and the Commemorative Air Force’s SBD-5 BuNo.54532) were actually former U.S. Army Air Forces A-24 Banshee variants, and none of these had seen combat. (The Army relegated their Banshees to training roles just seven months or so after the U.S. entered the war, so very few of them actually had the opportunity to meet the enemy anyway.)​

SBD-2 Dauntless BuNo.2106 rising above Lake Michigan for the first time since its recovery in 1994 – one of 19 examples of this seminal design recovered thus far from the lake. A veteran of the Battle of Midway, this aircraft is presently on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida following its refurbishment by that museum’s restoration team. (image via Wikipedia)

By the 1980s, although a few SBD hulks had been recovered from the South Pacific and restored, the Dauntless was still such a rare type that those sunken examples on the bottom of Lake Michigan had become economically viable to recover. Many of these airframes had also seen combat during WWII, making them even more significant from a historical perspective. Since the raising of SBD-4 Bu10715 in 1981, eighteen additional Dauntlesses have been been plucked from the bottom of Lake Michigan, bringing the breed back from virtual extinction. The world’s Grumman Wildcat population also benefitted immensely from Lake Michigan recoveries too, along with a handful of even rarer types, but as far as this article is concerned, we will be focusing our discussion on the three Dauntlesses which the Air Zoo has had in their workshop: SBD-1 BuNu.1612, SBD-2P BuNo. 2173, and SBD-3 BuNo.06624.

SBD-3 Bureau Number 06624: This was the first Dauntless to undergo restoration at the Air Zoo. Like the majority of the other Lake Michigan recoveries, this aircraft is actually owned by the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida; BuNo.06624 is presently on longterm loan to the Air Zoo. Originally built at the Douglas plant in El Segundo, California, this aircraft first served with Scouting Squadron 41 (VS-41) aboard the carrier USS Ranger (CV 4). While assigned to Ranger in November, 1942, 06624 provided air support for Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French North Africa (at a time when most of France was under the control of a Nazi-aligned, proxy-regime in the French city of Vichy). Of note was the aircraft’s role in Operation Catapult, attacking Vichy French vessels in Casablanca harbor, scoring a near-miss on the battleship Jean Bart, a devastating hit on the cruiser Primauguet, and damage to the submarine pens nearby.​

80-G-37325: Operation Torch, Battle of Casablanca, Invasion of North Africa, November 1942. View of French battleship Jean Bart, following attack by Allied gunfire and aerial bombardment. Aerial photograph taken by aircraft from USS Ranger (CV 4), 11 November 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (2014/4/3).

Lt. John M. DeVane, Jr. flew many of 06624’s sorties during Operation Torch. The naval aviator would later earn the Navy Cross for the four missions he flew against enemy airfields, vehicles, vessels, tanks, and trucks during the period between November 8th and 11th, 1942.​

An SBD aboard USS Ranger during Operation Torch in November, 1942. (U.S. Navy photo)

Following Operation Torch, the U.S. Navy withdrew 06624 Stateside to join the Carrier Qualification Training Unit (CQTU) based out of Naval Air Station Glenview, near Chicago, Illinois. On September 19th, 1943, the aircraft was on approach to land aboard USS Wolverine, with Ensign E.F. Anderson (USNR) at the controls. The pilot, believing he needed to change fuel tanks, switched to what he thought was the left main fuel tank at that moment. However, the aircraft’s R-1820 engine almost immediately sputtered, losing power he did so. The landing signal officer (LSO) aboard Wolverine gave Anderson the wave off, instructing him to go around, but the trainee pilot tried to make the landing anyway. The Dauntless, failing to snag any arresting wires on the flight deck, went over the side of the ship and splashed into the water. Thankfully, the recovery team hoisted Ensign Anderson out of the ‘drink’ quickly, but 06624 settled with her fate, sinking into the cold, dark depths of Lake Michigan – seemingly forever.​

A U.S. Navy Douglas SBD Dauntless taking off from USS Wolverine (IX 64) on March 20th, 1943. Note the ice in the water, an indication of how frigid the conditions were, and how dangerous it was for any aircrew unlucky enough to ditch in such conditions. (image via Wikimedia)

However, in 1991, nearly half a century later, the National Naval Aviation Museum contracted A&T Recovery to raise the aircraft from its murky grave. Following a period of storage in Pensacola, the Dauntless arrived at the Air Zoo in November 1993; the museum’s restoration team spent the next nine years meticulously refurbishing each part of the aircraft. They to refurbish it with the same markings it wore during its time aboard Ranger in Operation Torch. By mid-May in 2002, the Air Zoo had completed their work, and rolled out the magnificent Dauntless to an appreciative crowd. Her original pilot, E.F. Anderson was still alive at the time; although he was unable to attend the dedication ceremony, his son and grandson were there, and posed for photos in the cockpit of the aircraft. Today, BuNo.06624 remains on display in the Air Zoo’s East Wing.​

SBD-3 Dauntless BuNo.06624 on display at the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The yellow rings around the national insignia were unique to Operation Torch. The intent, much like the black and white striped markings used during D-Day, was to help identify the aircraft’s origin to Allied forces operating in the region at the time. (image by Michael Barera via Wikipedia)

SBD-2P Bureau Number 2173: The airframe was the next Dauntless to receive treatment in the Air Zoo’s workshop. While we have covered that example in previous articles, suffice to say, it is one of the rarest variants of the breed, being one of just 14 photo-reconnaissance versions of the SBD-2 ever built or converted. The SBD-2 itself was only produced in small numbers too, with Douglas manufacturing just 87 total examples before advancing to the SBD-3. After 2173’s construction at the Douglas plant in El Segundo, the Dauntless was initially joined to an ‘aircraft pool’ in San Diego, from where it moved to an assignment with VS-6 aboard USS Enterprise (CV 6) in April 1941.​

SBD-2s of VS-6 flying in formation above USS Enterprise in 1941. (U.S.Navy Image)

On June 30th, 1941, an uneven landing aboard Enterprise resulted in the aircraft suffering a gear collapse and wing damage. This would see the Dauntless temporarily reassigned to an aircraft pool in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on July 11th, before being shipped back to San Diego for further repairs the following month. It was still in San Diego during the Japanese attack on Hawaii in December, 1941, but returned to Pearl Harbor in the following month. During the war, the aircraft’s records became muddled with those of SBD-2 BuNo.2179, which was lost during a hard water landing while serving aboard USS Hornet (CV 8) on April 21st, 1942, a crash which sadly resulted in the deaths of those aboard the aircraft, Lieutenant Gardner D. Randall and Radioman Second Class, Thomas A. Gallagher. Once Navy archivists recognized the issue, they rectified the problem on the BuNo.2173’s movement card, and its story continued…

After serving as part of Bombing Squadron 5 (VB-5) aboard USS Yorktown (CV 5), Carrier Aircraft Service Unit 1 (CASU-1) and Marine Air Group 21 (MAG-21), the SBD’s next assignment was with Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 233 (VMSB-233) until November 1943, just a month before that unit moved to Guadalcanal. But with the arrival of the SBD-5 variant in frontline units, BuNo.2173 returned to the States, spending time at Naval Air Stations (NAS) Jacksonville, San Diego, and Glenview, where it served as part of the CQTU from April 17th, 1943 until its loss in Lake Michigan on February 18, 1944. On that fateful, winter day in early 1944, Lt.(j.g.) John Lendo was making his approach to land aboard Wolverine when the aircraft’s engine failed, likely due to carburetor icing. After ditching the Dauntless, Lindo was fortunate that a recovery team was close at hand to pluck him from the frigid waters, but BuNo.2173 was left to its fate, soon sinking to the bottom of Lake Michigan. The aircraft had to sit there until June 16th, 2009, when the Navy finally permitted A&T Recovery to raise it.​

SBD-2P BuNo.2173 rising out of Lake Michigan on June 16th, 2009. (image via Air Zoo)

After a period of storage in Pensacola, the Dauntless moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2016 so that the Air Zoo’s team of specialists could restore it on behalf of the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (PHAM) on Ford Island in Honolulu, Hawaii. A generous donation to the PHAM had funded the aircraft’s initial recovery, and it seemed fitting, considering the airframe’s wartime history at Pearl Harbor, that the aircraft should eventually return there for display, even though the museum already had a fully-restored SBD-5 (BuNo.36177) in their collection.​

The fuselage of SBD-2P BuNo.2173 under restoration at the Air Zoo during 2019. (photo by Michael Berera via Wikimedia)

Air Zoo volunteers racked up over 40,000 hours over a period of five and a half years restoring the aircraft to its former glory. By October 2021, it was ready for a public unveiling ceremony at the Air Zoo so visitors had a chance to see the magnificence of their labors before the aircraft was disassembled for shipment back to Pearl Harbor.​

SBD-2P BuNo.2173 sits in the Air Zoo’s restoration hangar, complete except for its wheels, after a massive 40,000 hour refurbishment effort. (photo via Air Zoo)

Among those who came to see it were members of the late John Lendo’s family. After completing his carrier qualification training, Lendo joined Fighting Squadron 45 (VF-45), flying F6F Hellcats from the light carrier USS San Jacinto (CVL 30), the same carrier on which a young Grumman Avenger pilot named George H.W. Bush also served, although it is unknown whether Lendo ever knew the future U.S. President during that period. Sadly, on December 14th, 1944, Lt. Lendo was declared missing in action after failing to return from a sortie over the Philippines. His status changed to “killed in action” the following year, although his remains have yet to be found. For the Lendo family, BuNo.2173 became a tangible link to the fallen aviator. Once the aircraft’s restoration was complete, members of Lendo’s family were given the opportunity of sitting in the same cockpit which a young Lt. Lendo had flown from back in 1944; it is easy to imagine how moving that moment must have been for all of them.

In December 2021, 2173 had arrived safely at Pearl Harbor; the aircraft sits on display in Hangar 37, one of several hangars on Ford Island which survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. With the arrival of 2173, the SBD-5 (BuNo 36177) which it replaced moved on to the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Massachusetts, where it is now displayed (still on loan from Pensacola).​

The SBD-2P on display at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. (image via PHAM)

SBD-1 Bureau Number 1612: This is the latest Dauntless to enter the Air Zoo’s restoration shop. It was the 17th production example to role off the factory line and is the only -1 variant known to survive, making it the oldest surviving example of the breed presently in preservation. Much like BuNo.2173, 1612’s story has been covered in previous articles HERE, but to summarize, the US Marine Corps accepted this aircraft for service on September 16th, 1940. It served stateside with VMSB-132 at MCAS Quantico in Virginia from September 1940 until March 1942, when it transferred to VMSB-142 at Camp Kearney (present-day MCAS Miramar), north of San Diego, California. When that unit transitioned to the SBD-4 and sailed for the Pacific Theater in October 1942, BuNo.1612 moved on to the CQTU, but its time there would prove to be exceedingly brief. On November 21st, 1942, the Dauntless ditched in Lake Michigan with Ensign Herbert Welton McMinn of Gouldbush, Texas at the controls. Sadly, the young ensign died in the accident and his body was never recovered.​

SBD-1 BuNo.1612 during her recovery in 1994. (A&T Recovery photo via Air Zoo)

On behalf of the National Naval Aviation Museum, A & T Recovery raised the Dauntless from the bottom of Lake Michigan in January 1994. The aircraft has had a somewhat itinerant life since that day, moving from storage in Pensacola to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama for a planned restoration in 1996, then returning a year later for an extended period in storage. In 2005, the aircraft moved across the country to San Diego, California where USS Midway Museum were supposed to begin its restoration. However, little actual work took place on the aircraft until its 2012 transfer to the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum, then based at MCAS Miramar. The team at Miramar made significant progress on the aircraft, and given 1612’s history at the base, it would have been a great place for the aircraft to end up on display. However, with that museum’s sudden closure due to budgetary concerns on March 28th, 2021, the Dauntless was one of several airframes at Miramar which moved on to other facilities. Considering the significant experience which the Air Zoo team had amassed in working on two previous Dauntless airframes, they were an ideal choice to finish what the Flying Leathernecks volunteers had started. Before arriving at Kalamazoo, 1612 spent a few days on public display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021, accompanied by representatives from the Air Zoo, US Navy, A&T Recovery, and members of the late Herbert McMinn’s family.​

The SBD-1 on display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021. (image via Air Zoo)

McMinn’s family has been a staunch supporter of this aircraft since its recovery. But while it remains certain that the Air Zoo will complete BuNo.1612 before too long, the museum’s restoration department is currently focussed on yet another Lake Michigan recovery, this being FM-2 Wildcat BuNo.57039. That aircraft is destined for display at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, which is expected to open towards the end of 2024.​

A recent image of FM-2 BuNo.57039 under restoration at the Air Zoo. Once this project is complete, the SBD-1 will receive the full attention of the workshop’s exceptional volunteers. (image via Air Zoo)

As for the SBD-1, the Air Zoo may not have room to display the aircraft publicly when it’s restoration is complete. So, with the aircraft still on loan from Pensacola, there is every possibility that BuNo.1612 may one day move to yet another museum. Whatever the future holds, it seems certain that BuNo.1612 will become one of the finest Dauntless restorations anywhere, a testament to the superb effort by both the Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum and the Air Zoo alike.​

The SBD-1 mounted in its jig within the Air Zoo workshop late last year. (image via Air Zoo)

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[DaveM]

Italian Air Force Centenary Air Show

by Moreno Aguiari

The Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding as an independent air arm this past weekend (June 16th/19th, 2023) with three-days of fabulous flying and festivities at Pratica di Mare Air Base, a few miles southwest of Rome. For the occasion, the Italian Air Force showcased the majority of its modern assets alongside several, long-retired but well loved types from its history.​

Officially, the Aeronautica Militare came into being on March 28, 1923, five years after Britain’s Royal Air Force debuted, but almost a quarter-century before the United States Air Force gained its independence from the nation’s Army. Throughout this year, the Aeronautica Militare Italiana has sponsored a number of events and initiatives across Italy – in schools, town centers and, of course, at its military installations. Following the flypast over Rome on March 28th, this weekend’s air show featured some of the key moments of these celebrations.

While several vintage military aircraft participated in the event, there were three in particular which stole the show. For this occasion the Aeronautica Militare collaborated with Florida-based Starfighters Aerospace to bring one of that company’s airworthy, Italian-built F-104s back to the nation of its birth. Former Italian Air Force TF-104G MM54258, nicknamed Black Beauty, was shipped from Cape Canaveral to Grosseto Air Base, home to 4° Stormo (4th Wing), and the one-time base of this very airframe. Starfighter Aerospace personnel reassembled the airframe, in cooperation with a former Starfighter crew chief. On Tuesday June 13th, 2023 Black Beauty flew in Italian skies almost twenty years since the type’s last flight over the nation. After flight testing was complete, PierCarlo Ciacchi flew the F-104 to Pratica di Mare to join in this weekend’s festivities.​

Another iconic, vintage Italian Air Force type joining in the fun was FIAT G.91R MM6305. Dating from the 1950s, and produced through the late 1970s, the G.91 symbolized the rebirth of Italy’s aviation industry post-WWII. Serving many roles within the Italian Air Force, G.91s also served for well over a decade as the backbone of their formation aerobatics team, the Frecce Tricolori, making the type famous across the globe. On Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, with just a few days to spare before the centenary air show at Pratica di Mare, MM6305 made its first post-restoration flight in the capable hands of General Maurizio Lodovisi. This momentous project first saw light in February 2021, but the actual work began in earnest during January 2022 (as we reported here), thanks to a collaboration between Callegari Srl and the Aeronautica Militare. Technicians and specialists involved in this effort came from a variety of sources, including the Italian Air Force’s Distaccamento Aeroportuale di Piacenza, the NVPA (Nucleo Valorizzazione Patrimonio Aeronautico) of Piacenza San Damiano, 1st Aircraft Maintenance Department of Cameri (Novara), from the 3rd Aircraft Maintenance and Armament Department at Treviso, from the 6th Wing at Ghedi, and from the 61st Wing at Galatina (Lecce). The support from ACS and other small to mid-sized Italian companies was also vital in getting MM6305 airworthy again.​

Last, but certainly not least, the replica WWI-era Caproni Ca.3 bomber from Giancarlo Zanardo’s Jonathan Collection also took part in the Italian Air Force centenary celebrations. On June 8th, 2023, eight years after the replica’s first and only previous flight, the magnificent WWI-vintage design flew again near Nervesa della Battaglia airfield in northeastern Italy. Back in April 2014, we reported on the airframe’s first flight (a short hop) near Venice, Italy. Giancarlo Zanardo oversaw the construction of the aircraft over a seven-year period at Francesco Baracca Airfield.​

Photo by Luigino Caliaro

At the centenary air show itself, one of the non-flying highlights for me included the dedicated display area set up as an outdoor museum telling the story of the Aeronautica Militare from its early days until the present day. For this occasion re-enactors, fiberglass replica aircraft, historic vehicles (both private and museum-owned) were assembled along a specific path for visitors to follow a specific path designed around the special logo created for the centenary.​

And as for the flying taking place at the show, the heritage formations were, without doubt, its most exciting features to witness. Until this past weekend, the Legend Formation was the only true heritage formation available at air shows in Italy. This formation features Italian Air Force types, both past and present, which formed the backbone of their pilot training program. Civilian-owned-and-operated examples of the Fiat G.46, T-6 Texan, MB.326 and MB.326K flew alongside an Italian Air Force MB.339CD and T.346, to represent almost 80 years of military pilot training in Italy.​

Photo by Luigino Caliaro

Thanks to the presence of the Starfighter and FIAT G.91, however, two additional formations could add their performances to the mix, much to the jubilation of the hundred thousand plus Italian aviation enthusiasts in attendance at the show. The Fighters Formation saw a present-day Italian Air Force F-35 Lightening II and Eurofighter Typhoon fly alongside the mighty TF-104 Starfighter and F-86 Sabre. For this occasion, the show organizers hired Frédéric Akary’s Canadair CL.13 Sabre Mk.6 (ex-Luftwaffe KE+104) to represent the iconic North American design which served with the Italian Air Force during the 1950s.

The second “first” (when it comes down to Italian heritage flights) involved the Bomber Formation composed of a beloved (and soon-to-retire) Panavia Tornado, AMX Ghibli and the G.91, which once served in a light attack role.​

Given there availability elsewhere in Europe, the P-51 Mustang had to be a feature of the Italian Air Force centenary celebrations, since the type served in the post-war Aeronautica Militare until 1963. To make the most of this opportunity, the show organizers arranged for the legendary Horsemen Flight Team to appear. Ed Shipley, Jim Beasley Jr. and Dan Friedkin are world famous for their close-formation aerobatics in the P-51 and didn’t disappoint! The trio performed all three days, showcasing the Mustang’s precision, agility and stunning beauty to great effect. Reportedly, in addition to the joy and honor he felt at taking part in the centenary celebrations, Friedkin was additionally excited to be performing over Rome, given his majority-ownership of local Italian soccer team, AS Roma.​

The Horsemen Flight Team

To represent the Italian Air Force’s post-war operation of the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (until 1953) and Supermarine Spitfire (until 1952), the show’s organizers imported representative examples of these famous designs from the United Kingdom: P-47D 45-49192 Nelliewas and Spitfire Mk V EE602 piloted by Mark Levy (both operated by Ultimate Warbird Flights).

Another iconic WWII-era fighter, the P-38 Lightning, served with tricolor roundels until 1955, so for this occasion, Red Bull’s polished aluminum example (F-5G 44-53254) flew in from Salzburg, Austria to take part in the show.

Almost three hundred thousand people attended the event across three days! Despite awkward access to the base creating a few hick ups in the proceedings, and the blazing heat requiring extra effort to keep everyone hydrated, the personnel of the Aeronautica Militare were able to deliver an excellent air show which made the nation proud. Being from Italy myself, and knowing how these things can sometimes go, it was especially gratifying to me to see them pull off such a massive undertaking with such flourish.​

As it turns 100, the Aeronautica Militare weilds a modern, balanced, and effective air force. Its mix of F-35s, Eurofighters, G-550 CAEW early warning aircraft, KC-767A tankers, T-346 trainers and MQ-9A drones provides a potent complement for the defense of Western Europe. Meanwhile the service is gearing up to confront challenges in the emerging cyber and space domains. So this weekend’s air show not only celebrated the past, but also heralded the future. Viva l’Aeronautica!​

The past and the present of the Aeronautica Militare italiana. Photovia Aeronautica Militare

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[Qship]

Wow! That's was quite the Airshow.

 

[DaveM]

C-47 That’s All…Brother to Join B-29 Doc in Mason City, IA

One of the lead aircraft that delivered the first Allied troops to France on D-Day in 1944 will join the B-29 Doc History Restored Tour in Mason City, IA, July 20-23. Both historic warbirds will arrive at Mason City Municipal Airport July 19, and will be available for flight experience rides along with ground and cockpit tours during the four-day tour stop.

B-29 Doc is one of only two B-29 Superfortress aircraft still airworthy and flying, and the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Central Texas Wing’s C-47 That’s All…Brother place in history and its service to liberate France during World War II is a remarkable story.​

That’s All … Brother cruising alongside the chalk cliffs near Dover, England. (photo by Rich Cooper/COAP)

“Hosting both of these historic warbirds is a unique and one-of-a-kind event for Mason City and the surrounding area,” said David Sims, Mason City airport manager. “Both aircraft have storied pasts and provide up close and personal access to our nation’s history. We are proud to host this event and give people the opportunity to see two of the airplanes that served to protect our freedom during World War II.”

Ride flight tickets for B-29 Doc and C-47 That’s All…Brother are on sale now for the tour event at Mason City Municipal Airport. Information about rides and flight ticket purchasing can be found here: www.b29doc.com/rides and Tour.

“Having two historic warbirds on the ramp in Mason City for people to see and experience allows us to expand our joint mission of honoring the Greatest Generation while inspiring the generation of aviators,” said Josh Wells, B-29 Doc executive director. “It’s important that we honor the legacy and tell the story of our nation’s World War II heroes by giving people a chance to climb inside these historic warbirds. We are proud to share this common mission with our friends at the Commemorative Air Force.”​

Photo by Brett Schauf

The tour stop in Mason City will be the third time in 2023 that Doc and That’s All…Brother will share a ramp together. The first was in April in San Marcos, TX, and the second will be in Wichita, KS two weeks prior to Mason City.

“When we can partner with organizations and other warbird operations who share our joint mission of preserving our nation’s history and the legacy of the Greatest Generation we’re all-in,” said Deena Clausen, CAF Central Texas Wing leader. “We look forward to continuing to broaden our reach and allow more people to get up close and personal with these historic aircraft.”

Event Details for the B-29 Doc History Restored Tour and C-47 That’s All…Brother in Mason City

B-29 Doc and That’s All…Brother will arrive at Mason City Municipal Airport Wednesday, July 19 and will be available for ground and cockpit tours when the aircraft are not operating ride flights. The ramp will be open for public access Thursday, July 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Friday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The hours on Saturday and Sunday for ground and cockpit tours will be from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. both days, and will be subject to the aircraft ride schedules. Admission for the ground and cockpit tour event will be $10 per person and $20 per family with tickets available at the gate. Ride flight tickets are on sale now for both aircraft:

B-29 Doc: www.b29doc.com/rides

C-47 That’s All…Brother: Tour​

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[DaveM]

C-121A “Bataan” Airborne

by Adam Estes

On June 20th, Lewis Air Legends’ Lockheed C-121A Constellation took off on its first post-restoration flight from Chino Airport around 7:30 pm. The Connie’s crew was composed of experienced warbird pilots and restorers, Captain Stewart Dawson, first officer Steve Hinton, flight engineer Jeff Whitesell, safety overseer Jim “JD” Dale, and safety observer John Hinton made sure that the test flight was a success.​

The Constellation that came to be known as Bataan started life as a C-121A, a militarized version of the L-749 Constellation, being delivered to the USAF in January 1949 for use within the newly-established Military Air Transport Service (MATS). The C-121As differed from their civilian counterparts with the addition of a reinforced floor for carrying cargo and an aft cargo door in the rear fuselage. In practice, however, the C-121As would usually fly as personnel transports and were fitted with a total of 44 seats. During the Berlin Airlift, 48-613 was used to transport personnel and equipment from Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts to Rhein-Main Air Force Base in West Germany.​

This is a black & white USAF photo of General MacArthur’s VC-121A Constellation in Korea in 1950. Photo via Planes of Fame

With the conclusion of the Berlin Airlift in September 1949, 48-613 continued to perform routine missions until it was decided to convert the aircraft to become a VIP transport at Olmstead AFB, Middletown, Pennsylvania. Flown thereafter to the Lockheed factory in Burbank, California, it was the first C-121 to be equipped with weather radar and its engines were modified with turbines to recover exhaust gasses for use in the crankshaft to provide more power. From there, it was flown to Tokyo during the Korean War, where in September of 1950, it became the latest personal transport for General Douglas MacArthur, who christened it Bataan, after the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines from which he had mounted his last defense of the archipelago against the Japanese invasion in 1942 until ordered by President Roosevelt to move to Australia. 48-613 would serve as a flying command post for MacArthur, and in it, he was flown to several bases in Korea to inspect UN forces, and in October 1950, Bataan flew General MacArthur to Wake Island in order for the general to meet with President Harry Truman about the current state of the war. MacArthur would even have his pilots fly him in Bataan and other transport aircraft to survey the battlefields below him. However, when the Chinese took up arms against the UN forces and forced them back across the 38th Parallel, General MacArthur publicly clashed with President Truman in the press resulting in the controversial relief of MacArthur from command. In April 1951, Bataan flew MacArthur and his family back to the United States, marking the first time that MacArthur had returned to the continental US since he arrived in the Philippines as a military advisor in 1935.​

Gen MacArthur deplaning from Bataan

As for Bataan, it was taken over by MacArthur’s replacement, General Matthew Ridgeway, through to the armistice that ended the Korean War. It even had President Dwight Eisenhower and Vice President Richard Nixon onboard in the last days of the war when the newly-elected President fulfilled his campaign promise to go to Korea and resolve an end to the conflict. After the war, it was assigned to the headquarters of Pacific Air Command at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, flying various commanding officers across the Pacific, from Curtis LeMay, Mark Clark, and South Korean President Syngman Rhee. Bataan would serve the Pacific Air Command until being retired from active duty in 1965, and flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in January 1966. Unlike many of her brethren, however, Bataan’s time in the Boneyard was not to be the final page in her story, for just six months later, it had become one of three Constellations employed by NASA for the Apollo space program, becoming NASA 422, with its VIP interior swapped for scientific instruments, but retaining its nose art, including a depiction of the eponymous peninsula and the flags of the countries it had visited. Though it was typically based out of Baltimore Friendship Airport (now Baltimore-Washington International Airport), the NASA Constellations were under the authority of NASA Goddard Center. The three Constellations would fly across the oceans to monitor and communicate with the Apollo astronauts during their monumental missions. But with the minimization of funding and interest after the success of Apollo 11, the NASA Constellations were decommissioned in 1970. Several museums had an opportunity to acquire Bataan from NASA, but it would be the US Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama that would succeed in securing Bataan. On March 9, 1970, Bataan was flown to Fort Rucker by NASA pilots Melvin “Mel” Schmidt and William “Bill” Morgan, with Flight Engineer Carol “Bud” Weddington, There Bataan would remain, retaining its NASA paint scheme, until 1992, when the museum felt that it could no longer sufficiently maintain the old Constellation. If no one came to the aid of Bataan, it may well have faced the scrapyard.​

Fortunately, Ed Maloney of the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California was able to secure Bataan from the US Army Aviation Museum. Starting in October of 1992, a team of mechanics from the Planes of Fame, local volunteers, and members of the US Army Warrant Officer Class 93-06 worked over the course of nine months to ready Bataan for the ferry flight to Dothan Airport, about 20 miles west to utilize the more extensive maintenance facilities. On June 23, 1993, after 23 years on the ground, Bataan roared back into the air after using nearly the entire length of the runway. Such were the concerns over the flight that the trees that had grown at the end of the runway were topped, and the fencing at that end removed. The flight went over smoothly, and at Dothan Airport, Pemco Aeroplex, Inc. stripped off the NASA paint scheme and painted Bataan back to the way it appeared as General MacArthur’s transport. There would be another stop on the way to Chino in Addison, Texas in May of 1994, where the interior was reproduced based on old photographs and drawings by Foster-Edwards Aircraft Company. Finally, on December 6, 1994, after a stopover in Avra Valley, Arizona, Bataan arrived in Chino, California. By this point, however, the Planes of Fame was opening a new auxiliary location, Valle Airport, located around 30 miles south of the Grand Canyon. Bataan became one of the first airplanes flown into the new location on April 27, 1995, and over the next 20 years, Bataan would welcome visitors from spring through autumn, who would be guided by local museum volunteers through MacArthur’s executive transport.

In April of 2015, however, a new chapter in Bataan’s storied history unfolded as the venerable Constellation was acquired by the Lewis Air Legends of San Antonio, Texas. Soon, Planes of Fame mechanics and pilots descended on Valle to ready Bataan for a ferry flight back to Chino for further restoration work. Their efforts paid off on January 14, 2016, when Planes of Fame president Steve Hinton gently nudged the throttles open and Bataan rose up into the winter Arizona sky, with snow covering the desert floor below. Later that day, Bataan arrived in Chino, and the work soon began. Hinton and other pilots and mechanics of Fighter Rebuilders worked on the wings, tail surfaces, engines, and wiring, and treated corrosion on a patch of the airport apron adjacent to the museum.​

Then in 2021, Bataan was towed across the airport from the museum to a hangar across the airport for further restoration work. As is standard practice with many of Fighter Rebuilders’ projects, the latest work on Bataan was kept under wraps, until when in May 2023, Bataan completed its first engine runs.​

The crew of the first test flight. Photo via Lewis Air Legends

Pending the successful series of test flights, it is hoped that Bataan will make its post-restoration appearance at EAA AirVenture 2023 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. After that, Lewis Air Legends hopes to fly Bataan on the airshow circuit, and considering the already impressive under Lewis Air Legends’ belt, from the last airworthy Douglas A-20 Havoc to the P-38F Lightning Glacier Girl, Bataan will be in good company.​

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[Greyfell]

I didn't think there any Lockheed Constellations still flying.

 

[Vector]

I didn't think there any Lockheed Constellations still flying.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc3pUpY7GpM

 

[Greyfell]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc3pUpY7GpM

Thank you! I think they are beautiful; right up there with Amelia Earhart's type, the Lockheed L-10/L-12 Electra. I was crewing for a friend during a sailplane competition at Minden, NV one year, when an Electra flew in for a couple of days. In addition to all the gliders, it made my week.

 

[DaveM]

NASA’s Super Guppy Attending EAA AirVenture

PRESS RELEASE

America’s legacy and future on the moon, unique aircraft, advanced aviation technologies, and a variety of presentations are among NASA’s highlights coming to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 on July 24-30 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

NASA’s activities will be centered at its pavilion in Aviation Gateway Park, just northwest of the FAA control tower on the AirVenture grounds. Other exhibits and programs will be showcased throughout the week at various other locations as well.

Among the other NASA highlights at EAA AirVenture 2023 are:

• Monday, July 24, 8 p.m., Theater in the Woods: “NASA – The Next Bold Step” looks at the Apollo and Artemis programs, from the first steps on the moon to the next steps on the moon. Hosted by former space shuttle commander Charlie Precourt, the program will include NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke plus Gerry Griffin and Rick Weiss from the Apollo program, as well as Dr. John Blevins, Alex Kanelakos, and Dr. Ryan Watkins from the Artemis program.
• Tuesday, July 25, 2:30 p.m., Forum Pavilion 7: “Artemis Audience Astronauts” will cover mission and science objectives, prelaunch preparation, crew training, and human research objectives the crew will likely complete. Experts in lunar and Mars mission planning and spacecraft development will cover what crews can expect while living and working on and around the moon, and how long-duration Artemis missions will function as partial analogs for human missions to Mars.
• Monday-Wednesday, July 24-26, Boeing Plaza: NASA Super Guppy parked on Boeing Plaza. This unique cargo airplane carries large spaceship parts from location to location. The airplane will also carry a full-size test article of the Orion space capsule.
• Wednesday, July 26, 11:30 a.m., Forum Pavilion 8: “Preparing to Fly the X-59” will feature NASA research test pilot David “Nils” Larson discussing preparations for the agency’s first flight of its X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator aircraft. The unique X-59 aircraft is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst program, which seeks to open the future to commercial supersonic flight over land.
• Thursday, July 27, 8:30 a.m., Forum Pavilion 8: “NASA Wicked Aeronautics Innovation” focuses on the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project, which explores various opportunities for aviation transformations for the good of American society. These high-risk expeditions aim to illuminate paths to desirable futures enabled by aviation, as well as the future of flight itself.

Other NASA programs and activities are listed at the AirVenture schedule of events, available online at EAA.org/AirVenture and via the AirVenture app.​

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[DaveM]

Inside Italy’s Newly-Rebuilt Air Force Museum

by Moreno Aguiari

As we reported, the Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare (MUSAM) – the Italian Air Force History Museum – was officially inaugurated on May 4th, 2023 following an intense, 18-month renovation and redevelopment project leading towards the Aeronautica Militare’s centenary celebrations. However, due to permits and authorizations required, it didn’t open to the public until June 16th. Situated at a historically relevant and picturesque site on the shores of Lake Bracciano, in Vigna di Valle, there could be no more beautiful setting for this magnificent collection of Italian aviation artifacts. In our previous article, we discussed the new buildings and overall improvements at MUSAM, but we finally had the chance to visit the museum in person during our recent trip to Italy.​

Photo via Aeronautica Militare

The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, General Aurelio Colagrande, facilitated a private visit to MUSAM, accompanying us on our tour. Amongst his many responsibilities, General Colagrande is in charge of the Italian Air Force’s historical offices, including the museum. Describing the recent efforts he oversaw which both reimagined and expanded MUSAM, General Colagrande noted: “We are extremely proud of the work accomplished. We feel that aviation enthusiasts will appreciate the improvements and layout of the collection. We still have to apply a few tweaks, but the overall result is already impressive.”

I last visited MUSAM as a young man in 1991. So much has changed in the interim, that this visit was essentially like seeing the place for the first time. For this occasion, I wanted to take as detached and impartial an approach as I felt possible. My overall impression is extremely positive, however, there is still plenty of room for improvement… so let me explain.

The museum is located by the shores of Lake Bracciano which helps create a very pleasant overall mood and ambiance, however, its geographical location and layout present some challenges as well. Reaching the museum from Rome via public transportation is extremely complicated presently, meaning that the only practical option is to travel by car. However, once you arrive, the available parking is exceedingly limited. General Colagrande revealed that the Air Force had considered relocating the museum but, after cost analysis and studying the logistic challenges involved, that idea was shelved. A shuttle to/from Bracciano train station would definitely help those tourists who will want to reach the museum without a car.​

Despite the difficulties involved in getting to the museum, once there, it has to be said that the new buildings and collection layout were clearly well thought out. The airplanes are properly spaced and lit by natural light (thanks to the big hangar doors). The new LED lighting system also provides perfect illumination where natural light is insufficient. Each airplane is accompanied by a descriptive sign in both Italian and English, although it also included a simple QR code linked to additional information about the artifact accessible via a cellphone or tablet. Personally, I would also like to see more historical photos and graphics on the walls supporting the overall story of the museum and the airplanes.

The museum’s new sections are supported by well-conceived and stylish architecture, accompanied by flatscreen displays screening well-produced, historical videos. I definitely would like to see these screens throughout all of the museum’s hangars. A special mention must go to MUSAM’s newly-built cafe, which offers an incredible view of the Macchi seaplanes – definitely one of the coolest settings I have seen in museums across the world.​

Thanks to the additional buildings, the collection is now presented in a far more thoughtful and coherent manner than before. Visitors will be stunned by an amazing artifact as soon as they walk through the main entrance, thanks to the new exhibit dedicated to the Garnerin Balloon – the world’s oldest surviving aviation relic, which dates back to the dawn of the nineteenth century.​

On December 2nd, 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France at Notre Dame Cathedral. One of the highlights from that day involved the flight of a spectacular, hydrogen-filled balloon, designed by the Official Aeronaut, André-Jacques Garnerin. The balloon envelope, made of silk and waxed cotton, was contained within a raw silk net, decorated with more than 3,000 small glass lamps. A large sculpture of an imperial eagle hung below the balloon, shaped like an imperial crown. The balloon also carried the manufacturer’s identification card along with a prize of three hundred Francs for whoever found it. Following its launch during the evening of December 16th, a strong wind extinguished the lamps and also set the balloon adrift which, after twenty-two hours and nearly 1,400 kilometers of flight, landed at the gates of Rome in Italy. It struck a monument on the Via Cassia (then, mistakenly, believed to be the Roman Emperor Nero’s tomb). The impact detached the heavy imperial eagle, lightening the balloon, which regained some altitude to then end its flight in the waters of Lake Bracciano. A local fisherman retrieved its deflated envelope, which, since it fell in papal territory, became the property of the Vatican. It remained under Vatican ownership for over 170 years. But on July 22nd, 1978, Pope Paul VI (the first pontiff in history to fly on an Italian Air Force aircraft), donated it to the Museum as a token of his gratitude. In 2023, on the occasion of the Centennial of the Italian Air Force, the balloon was carefully restored, to preserve this exceptional relic for many more years to come.​

The Troster Hangar​

The Troster, the first pavilion on the itinerary, is MUSAM’s oldest hangar. Made in Austria just after World War I, Italy received it as part of its war reparations package. Rectangular in shape, with an area of 1,100 square meters and a height of 12 meters, it is made of a metal lattice structure. Originally, there were two Troster hangars at Vigna di Valle, placed side by side and covered with wooden boards. Construction began in 1925, but by 1929 a camouflage-painted, sheet metal roof had replaced the earlier wooden covering. A concrete ramp was built on the lake shore in front of this hangar to allow seaplanes to transit to and from the water. The western-most Troster hangar ended up being demolished in 1970 to make space for the construction of the Velo Hangar. The remaining hangar underwent a radical renovation during the 1990s; sliding metal access portals were added which could be opened on the lakeside. The pavilion now houses displays with artifacts that date from the earliest aviation pioneers up until the end of World War I. Along with the hydroplane, that is, the prototype of the hydrofoil, several World War I aircraft are on display. There are four thematic areas, ranging from the establishment of the Vigna di Valle air base to the history of flying aces. The pavilion hosts only original aircraft, including the Bleriot XI-2, two combat veteran SPAD S VII, a Caproni CA-36, Ansaldo SV 5, the Hydroplane Crocco- Ricaldoni, the Macchi Hanriot HD1 that belonged to the ace Flavio Torello Baracchini (credited with 21 confirmed and nine unconfirmed aerial victories in only 6 months of WWI). Finally, the Troster hangar collection includes two Austro-Hungarian spoils of war: the only surviving examples of both the Lohner L.127 seaplane and Junkers J4 (fuselage only). The latter is considered to be the first armored aircraft in history.​

The showcases on display contain precious memorabilia from the pioneering era of flight, belonging to important figures of Italian aeronautical history. Among those figures is Francesco Baracca, the Italian Ace of Aces (34 victories) who died in 1918 on the Montello. ln the showcase dedicated to him, it is possible to see the engine and the machine gun of his downed SPAD and other memorabilia, including his emblem, the Prancing Horse. After Baracca’s death, his mother gave this emblem to Enzo Ferrari, who chose to make it the now world-famous symbol for the car Modena-based manufacturer.​

The Velo Hangar​

The Velo Hangar, the Museum’s second pavilion, is named after the company which built it (between 1976 and 1977) to connect the Troster and Badoni Hangars. It consists of two parts; the first being a single-story airplane hangar, while the second (on two floors) accommodates the lobby, cafeteria, restrooms, offices and conference room. Made of prefabricated concrete elements, it spans an area of about 2,500 square meters. The collection of the Velo Hangar describes the golden age of Italian aviation between 1919 and 1939 which saw the rise and development of the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force). The itinerary recounts the polar flights of General Umberto Nobile, the great mass cruises promoted by Italo Balbo, the Schneider Trophy and other prizes awarded by Italian aviators, their war campaigns in Ethiopia, and the Spanish Civil War.​

The “star” of this pavilion is, without doubt, the Macchi MC.72. Designed by the engineer Mario Castoldi, the Macchi MC.72 represented the ultimate expression of aeronautical engineering technology of the time. This sleek racing seaplane was powered by a modified Fiat AS.6 engine, made from two AS.5s connected to two counter-rotating propellers; it was capable of generating more than 3,000 horsepower. The cooling system consisted of radiating surfaces distributed over most of the airframe. Conceived for the 1931 edition of the Schneider Trophy, it was finished too late to compete in the race. Despite its hazardous track record, involving two fatal accidents in 1931, the MC.72 continued to fly with the Reparto Alta Velocita’ (High-Speed Department) as a record-breaking aircraft. Indeed, it achieved a number of world absolute speed records, including 709.202 kilometers per hour in 1934 (with Marshal Francesco Agello at the controls). Despite other aircraft exceeding this speed subsequently, it remains noteworthy as it has yet to be beaten for the piston-engined seaplane category! The aircraft on display is none other than the 1934 record holder.​

The world-record setting Macchi-Costoldi M.C.72, MM 181, at the Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force Museum) in Vigna di Valle, Italy.

The Badoni Hangar​

Built in 1930 by the Badoni company, this 60m x 60m metal hangar provided shelter and maintenance space for large seaplanes. The building still retains some vestiges of its original use. For instance, under the flooring, there are two platforms for balancing and centering aircraft. Furthermore, three deck girders supported manual chain hoists for lifting machinery and engines. And outside the main doors, there are two connections for the fuel pumps, fed by an underground pipeline, which allowed the refueling of seaplanes. These were moved by trolleys on tracks, still partially visible, which allowed them to be moved towards the water ramp or the crane (which still exists today) used for storage in the water. A long gallery built in the 1990s leads to the Skema Hangar. The hangar showcases memorabilia from the 1930s through the end of World War II and the early post-war period. There are aircraft that operated between 1935 and 1949, including Italy’s main fighters (Reggiane Re.2000 and Re.2002, Series 2 fighters such as MC.200 -202 -205, Fiat G.55) and Allied planes (P-51 Mustang) used by the Italian Royal Air Force during the Co-Belligerency Period (Supermarine Spitfire), and later by the Italian Air Force. Also present are the large, three-engined transports and bombers which Italy made famous (SIAI SM.82, SIAI SM.79, CANT Z.506, FIAT G-212) as well as other observation and liaison aircraft. In addition, there are experimental weapons and model airplanes on the balcony. Also worth mentioning is the wreck of a Reggiane Re.2000 recovered from the sea off the coast of La Spezia in late 2013.​

The Skema Hangar​

The Skema Hangar is the fourth and largest pavilion at MUSAM. Designed by aeronautical engineers, it is a steel-reinforced concrete structure that includes some prefabricated elements. Skema began the building’s construction in 1986, beginning by excavating about 100,000 cubic meters of lava rock for its foundations. It is a single bay, roughly 39m x 80m, with a mezzanine some 12 meters deep, also used to display aircraft and memorabilia, which can be accessed via a staircase or elevator. The Skema Hangar connects to the Badoni Hangar via a two-story metal and glass corridor, for a total area of some 4,200 square meters, when including the mezzanine and annex. The latter section, trapezoidal in shape and initially constructed from laminated wood in 2009, increased the exhibition area by about 1,000 square meters. Redevelopment of the Annex in 2022, saw the installation of new cladding, along with wheelchair access ramps. The Skema Hangar is devoted to the period from the end of WWII until the recent past (1946-2012). The exhibition includes both propeller and jet training aircraft, some prototypes, all-weather fighter-interceptor, fighter-bombers, and helicopters. Various exhibition areas are located on the balcony which describe the activities of Air Force Paratroopers, aerial photography cameras used from World War I onwards, and other, regularly rotating themes.​

Hangar 100​

Hangar 100 is MUSAM’s fifth pavilion. Conceived as a modern structure, it was completed in 2022 and provides an additional 1,800 square meter exhibition space for aircraft. The new pavilion consists of two, side-by-side buildings which form a single, rectangular space roughly 30m x 60m, with a maximum height of 11 meters at its peak. The pavilion features seven parallel arches connected to each other by a system of rectangular, galvanized steel tubes braced by steel cables. The pavilion houses aircraft flown between 1952 and 2020; exhibiting aircraft presently in the Italian Air Force fleet, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon (not on display at the time of my visit, Panavia Tornado, AMX Ghibli, F-16 Fighting Falcon, Piaggio P.166, and PD.808. There is also a focus on aerobatic teams, with an F-84G from the Tigri Bianche, and a FIAT G.91 and MB-339 PAN from the Frecce Tricolori.​

With its precious and unique artifacts, a stunning setting – and now a modern exhibition approach – MUSAM is definitely a “must-see” for aviation enthusiasts from around the world. My gratitude goes to General Aurelio Colagrande who facilitated the visit, and for the excellent work he oversaw in redesigning such an iconic facility for Italian aviation history.​

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[DaveM]

RAF Museum Presents Horrible Histories Up in The Air Adventure

PRESS RELEASE

This summer, fasten your seatbelts as the RAF Museum presents Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure. Get ready to experience the (sometimes gruesome) history of flight in the Horrible Hangar. Meet fearless and foolish flyers and solve the clues in this fully interactive experience for all the family.

Based on the Horrible Histories book, ‘Up in the Air’, written by Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brown, the RAF Museum will bring characters from the book to life with some of the truly brainless blunderers pursuing the desire to fly! Legendary aviation pioneers from throughout history will be on hand to steer you around six amazing zones for one fantastic adventure, including the Engineer’s Workshop; Barnstorming Braves; Creation Station; Meet the Inventor; Selfie Zone, and the Up in the Air Challenge.



Barry Smith, Director of Visitor and Commercial Development RAF Museum said: ‘We are incredibly excited about our partnership with the Horrible Histories team at Scholastic. This is our biggest, most exciting family event of the year. Full of all the hilarious mishaps, mistakes, and triumphs we love from Horrible Histories combined with our iconic aircraft and expert knowledge, there is something for everyone. Meet the characters and work together as a family, couple, or group to complete the challenges in each zone.’

Elizabeth Scoggins, Publisher of Non-fiction, Brands and Licensing said: ‘It’s been a joy to see the Horrible Histories collaboration with the RAF Museum come to fruition. A truly entertaining and immersive experience awaits children and families this summer with exactly the right mix of fantastic fun and foul facts that Horrible Histories has delivered for generations.’

Bespoke Horrible Histories activity packs and a free Twinkletoes Trail around the Museum are also on offer for visitors throughout the summer break. Not only did Twinkletoes the cat feature in the book, but she’s also the Transatlantic traveler and lucky charm of Arthur Whitten Brown who flew on the first ever non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919. Twinkletoes is the perfect character to guide you around the Museum and can also be spotted on display at the Museum’s Midlands site over the summer.

This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of Horrible Histories – the world’s bestselling historical book series for children. The Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure runs from Saturday 22 July until 3 September, with three 2-hours sessions daily. Advanced booking is strongly advised for this immersive experience. Tickets are £7.50 per person or £25 for 5 people on our group saver ticket. Book now for a great day out this summer, visit rafmuseum.org/HorribleHistories.​

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[DaveM]

National Museum of the USAF Hosts Air Power History Tour

PRESS RELEASE

The public is invited to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to see three different WWII-era aircraft flown by the Commemorative Air Force during their Air Power History Tour. Aircraft will arrive July 3 and will feature the B-29 Superfortress FiFi, B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, and a T-6 Texan, the legendary trainer of WWII.​

The Commemorative Air Force’s Boeing B-29 Superfortress FIFI sitting on the tarmac in Manassas, Virginia following a storm in the lead-up to the VE Day 70th anniversary celebrations for Arsenal of Democracy Flyover of Washington DC in 2015. While this year’s celebrations for the 75th Anniversary of VE Day may have had to be postponed, they will still go forth at a later date. (photo by Richard Mallory Allnutt)

All aircraft will be on static display to the public on July 4 and July 5 from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. both days. Aircraft crews will be available to talk with visitors, and cockpit tours of the B-29 and B-24 bombers will be available. Schedule is subject to change due to weather or maintenance.

In honor of the T-6 trainer flown by the WASPs, free guided gallery tours featuring Women in Aviation will be offered, taking visitors through the history of women in the Air Force from World War II to space exploration.

Monday, July 3, 2023

10:00 a.m. (approximately)

Aircraft land on Wright Field (behind the museum)

Visitors may watch the landing from Memorial Park or the museum parking lot.

*Note that the aircraft will not be open to the public on this day

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

B-29, B-24, and T-6 static display

Bomber cockpit tours

9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Women in the Air Force free guided gallery tours

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

B-29, B-24, and T-6 static display

Bomber cockpit tours

9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Women in the Air Force free guided gallery tours​

The Commemorative Air Force B-24 “Diamond lil” ( Photo by Scott Slocum)

The B-29/B-24 Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force brings together the aircraft, pilots and crews from more than 70 CAF units across the country to create the AirPower Squadron – an ever-changing assortment of military aircraft touring together to bring the sights, sounds and smells of World War II aviation history to audiences across the United States. (Federal Endorsement Not Implied)

In 2023, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force celebrates its 100th Anniversary. Since 1923 the museum has grown from a small engineering study collection to the world’s largest military aviation museum and is a world-renowned center for air and space power technology and culture preservation. Join us throughout 2023 as we celebrate our storied history with special events and exhibits for visitors of all ages. Visit our website for more information at www.nationamuseum.af.mil.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year thousands of visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.​

Memphis Belle sits nose to nose with Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby in the early evening light at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. (photo by Ken LaRock for USAF)

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[DaveM]

B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Thunderbird’ – Restoration Update – June 2023

As most readers will remember, Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 44-83718 (N900RW) has been undergoing restoration within a hangar at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon since its arrival some three years ago. This aircraft, which flew for many years as Thunderbird with the Lone Star Flight Museum, now belongs to the Mid America Flight Museum. Following the latter museum’s acquisition of Thunderbird in December, 2020, they ferried it to Madras for inspection and repairs – a lengthy endeavor which remains in progress. AeroVintage’s publisher, Scott A. Thompson, recently paid a visit to Madras, and passed along the following information and images regarding the Fort’s return to flight.​

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B-17G 44-85718 has been disassembled into major components. It will be at least another year before the Fortress becomes operational again. Note the painted-over Thunderbird name and nose art. (photo by Connor Bond)by Scott A. Thompson of Aero Vintage

I had the occasion to visit the Erickson Aircraft Collection museum at Madras, Oregon, recently, and took a close look at the B-17. At this point, in June 2023, the airframe remains in disassembled storage awaiting the arrival of some new wing parts. The inner wing panels are in custom jigs with their trailing edges removed. Once the new wing parts arrive (expected later this year) the wing panels will receive some extensive rework to incorporate the new components. As part of this endeavor, the recently-issued FAA Airworthiness Directive which addresses issues with the joint between the spar chord tubes and the wing attach terminal fittings will also be satisfied. The airframe, having already undergone a thorough inspection, will then undergo reassembly for its return to flying condition. That being said, the timeline for its first post-restoration flight remains fuzzy as the latter process will require significant effort. The B-17 will most likely receive a new livery as well, although details on which aircraft the new paint scheme will represent remain closely held at present.​

An excellent view of the forward wing attach fittings on the fuselage side. The fittings match to the terminal fittings on the wings, and are held in place by tapered bolts, three below and two above.

Once the bomber is flying again, it will return to its home at the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas. According to the museum, they presently have no intention of participating in an FAA Living History Flight Experience program, so will not be selling rides nor touring with the aircraft. It will simply operate as part of the museum’s extensive fleet of airworthy historic aircraft, making flights and participating in events of their choosing.​

The outer wing panels and two propellers are seen in storage in the May 2023 view.

A short history of 44-85718: Lockheed delivered this B-17 to the U.S. Army Air Forces on May 8th, 1945. With the war in Europe over, the Fort went directly into storage, winding up in a surplus in Altus, Oklahoma. In 1947, France’s Institut Geographique National (IGN) bought the airframe, along with three other new B-17Gs. The IGN registered 44-85718 as F-BEEC on the French civil registry, one of fourteen examples the organization modified and flew as part of their world-ranging aerial survey operations over the next four decades. F-BEEC finally retired from IGN service in 1984, moving to new owners in the UK before the Lone Star Flight Museum acquired it in 1987. Over the intervening decades, the B-17 regained its military guise, but it still retains a few external vestiges of its French survey modifications – these being the windows installed in the lower nose section just aft of the plexiglass nose, and the plexiglass nose piece itself. The Mid America Flight Museum presently has no plans to return the nose section to a standard B-17G configuration, so the indicator of the aircraft’s prior use will remain intact for now. For those wishing to learn more about this fascinating aircraft, the book Final Cut: The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress and Survivors has a lengthy chapter dedicated its history, complete with numerous images from its past.​

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Many thanks indeed to Scott A. Thompson (and Conner Bond) for allowing us to reproduce this article describing Thunderbird’s present condition… his book, Final Cut: The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress and Survivors as well as other titles are the gold standard when it comes to the airframe history it describes!​

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