2020 Collings Foundation / American Heritage Museum Annual Magazine by American Heritage Museum and Collings Foundation

THE COLLINGS FOUNDATION & AM ERICAN H ER I TAGE M U S E U M

2020 - 2021 NEWSLETTER

KEEPING HISTORY ALIVE THROUGH DIRECT PARTICIPATION

www.CollingsFoundation.org & www.AmericanHeritageMuseum.org

WELCOME This year has been filled with troubles and challenges for everyone.

COLLINGS FOUNDATION 2020 - 2021 NEWS MAGAZINE Executive Director: Rob Collings Co-Founders: Bob and Caroline Collings Director of Marketing: Hunter Chaney Director of Donor Relations and Development: Ryan Keough Director of Operations: Ken Miles Financial Director: Caroline Collings Office Manager: Kim Hull Address: 568 Main Street, Hudson, Massachusetts 01749 Telephone: 978-562-9182 Contact email: info@collingsfoundation.org The Collings Foundation and Collings Foundation Inc. / American Heritage Museum are 501(c)(3) Educational Non-Profits. Primary editor and designer: Hunter Chaney Contributing writers and editors: Nick Veronico Ole Bjørn Sælensminde Joe Scheil Tim Savage John Dibbs Colin Powers Matt Flegal Jim Busha Ryan Keough Contributing photographers: Ole Bjørn Sælensminde Daivd Watts, Jr. Scott Slocum Brit Dietz Mikael Carlson June & Colin Powers Matt Flegal Glenn Perry Rich Oliver

Cover photo: The Collings Foundation’s P-38 Lightning flying over central Massachusetts. The P-38 recently took on a new paint scheme “Pudgy V” in honor of Major Thomas B. McGuire. He was the second highest scoring, and one of the most decorated flying aces in WWII. Photo by Scott Slocum.

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For us, the grief still sits heavy from the B-17 accident on October 2nd, 2019. Further, more of our WWII veterans have left us. Thousands have passed this year and, along with them, their personal histories. It was fortunate we opened in time to ensure that so many of their stories were preserved in our presentations for years to come. We are honored to remain the guardians of their legacies. Their courage and valor will live on in the American Heritage Museum. Even as COVID 19 restricts our ability to connect with our fellow citizens, we recognize the need to preserve and showcase stories of those Americans who defined our heritage. From March through July of this year the American Heritage Museum was closed to the public. Since July, we have been open with reduced capacity as we all try to keep this virus at bay. The national Wings of Freedom Tour has been on hiatus for the year. We believe our Living History Flight Exemption (LHFE) will be reissued so we may continue this extraordinary WWII living history aviation tour. But the virus has complicated our efforts to work with the FAA. Even so, as an educational history foundation, we know that the past is a good indicator of the future. And our future will stay the course, creating a strong, robust and much anticipated presence in 2021. Here is a hint of things to come Some of the restoration projects we have been working on are nearing completion, furthering our ability to share the extraordinary history they represent. One such plane, the WWII L-4 Grasshopper reconnaissance aircraft turned tank destroyer, personifies a true David and Goliath story. In 1944, pilot Major Charles Carpenter, strapped bazookas onto this small Piper aircraft and took the fight directly to the advancing German armor. Miraculously he ended up with six tanks destroyed, including two nearly impenetrable Tiger tanks! The L-4 has been immaculately restored back to its original “Rosie The Rocketer” flying condition. Restoration of the Fw 190 “White 1” will bring to light long forgotten, fierce battles over the fjords of Norway to control the North Atlantic. The remarkable history of this rare German plane, a front-line fighter over the coasts of Norway, is well documented. Working with experts from the West Norwegian Air Historical Group and the Norwegian Defense Museum, we chronicled the miraculous story of “White 1” and its last tangle with a P-51 Mustang, ultimately crashing into a snow covered mountain where it sat for over two decades. Once complete, this Fw 190F-8 will be one of two flying in the world. The American Heritage Museum has received building and interior materials from a portion of the demolished Hỏa Lò Prison, dubbed the “Hanoi Hilton” during the Vietnam War by American POWs. Thousands of original bricks, cell doors, slab

flooring and concrete beds with ankle shackles have been moved to the Museum and will be reconstructed within the Vietnam War exhibit. It will be the only display of this type outside of Hanoi. Important stories of political persecution and the horrific internment of American POWs will be shared in this most remarkable place. Our museum will become an international destination for visitors to honor these brave Americans. Normally, over Columbus Day weekend in October, we host a WWII living history event called “Battle for the Airfield.” This year, to ensure a safe environment, we created an American Heritage program called “Military History Through The Ages.” Since the Museum sits on 100 acres in Stow, Massachusetts we were able to spread out encampments over the expansive grounds. The weekend featured multiple re-enactors with displays from the Revolutionary War up through the Vietnam War. Having such a wide ranging historical time-line represented was a first for us! The event was very well received. Once the pandemic subsides, we have plans to make this event even more comprehensive.

You will find more projects, programs, and restorations throughout this newsletter. Each article reflects on a time, a place, and a human story of real historical value, and now part of the American Heritage Museum. Despite this current period of COVID uncertainty, we strive to bring you encounters, interactions, and activities that are truly special. But we need your help. Museums and educational foundations around the country are struggling. We hope that you will support our efforts by either donating, entering our Tank Driving Experience Sweepstakes (see page 24), volunteering, or visiting the American Heritage Museum. These are lean times, but Americans have always been willing to double down and conquer the challenges facing them. This is the proud and undiminished story of our nation, and one that we have always told in the air and on the ground. Please strengthen that mission in any way you can.

Rob Collings

Bob Collings

Photo Above: General George Washington, portrayed by John Koopman, conducts a field inspection during the “Military History Through the Ages” program at the American Heritage Museum. Photo: David Watts, Jr.

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F E AT U R E S

INDEX 5

Hanoi Hilton comes to AHM

P-51 Mustang “Stars Look Down”

B-17 Flying Fortress Restoration

L-4 Grasshopper

New artifacts to construct an authentic, immersive exhibit.

The Collings Foundation’s P-51C Mustang is transformed into an icon.

Work is underway to restore another B-17 Flying Fortress to flying condition.

The original “Rosie The Rocketer” restored to flying condition.

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Fw 190F-8 Restoration

M4 Sherman “Tiger” Tank

PBY Catalina

Icons of Armor Sweepstakes

Exceptionally rare German fighter soon to fly.

The American Heritage Museum’s M4 Sherman gets an interesting paint scheme.

Unique WWII combat veteran PBY restoration nears completion.

Win the ultimate WWII tank experience at the American Heritage Museum.

Nieuport 28 C.1

A Tank For Two

Great progress restoring this amazing WWI fighter.

The Sherman tank goes through a complete overhaul with a full set of dual controls.

Panzer 1A Restoration

How You Can Help

Iconic WWII German “Blitzkrieg” tank arrived at the American Heritage Museum.

We rely on your contributions and membership. Help us Keep History Alive.

Photo Above: The A-36 was the ground-attack / dive bomber version of the early P-51 Mustang. The A-36 is similar to the P-51A Mustang, with the notable exception that it sports large slatted dive brakes above and below the wings. The A-36 was introduced in 1942 (original designation was NA-97) and retired from service in 1945. Five hundred were built, and they served in the Mediterranean, North Africa, Italy and China/Burma/India theaters. The Foundation’s A-36 # 42-83738 (featured above) went on flying as a trainer aircraft through WWII and then was put in storage. In 1963, Sid Smith in Sheridan, IL, purchased the aircraft. It was transferred to Wings of Yesterday Museum in Santa Fe in 1975 and then to John Paul in 1980. The Collings Foundation acquired the aircraft in the late 80’s. Major restoration work started in 2004 when the aircraft was transferred to American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. At the final stage of restoration in 2009, the Foundation’s A-36 was painted in honor of a 526th FSB, 86th FG aircraft named “Baby Carmen.” This A-36 currently resides at the Worcester Airport in Massachusetts and is one of two flying in the world. Photo by Glenn Perry.

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EXHIBIT

Hỏa Lò Prison - a.k.a. the Hanoi Hilton Very rare segment of the Hỏa Lò prison coming to the Vietnam War exhibit at the American Heritage Museum.

Picture above: The “Little Vegas” area built for American POWs in 1967, shown during a final inspection in 1973 shortly before the Americans’ release. The four cells coming to the American Heritage Museum are from the “Heartbreak Hotel” section. Coined the “Hanoi Hilton” by American prisoner Robert Shuemaker, the Hỏa Lò prison became synonymous with the POW plight during the War, and long after. American prisoners of war in the Hỏa Lò prison were subjected to extreme torture and malnutrition during their captivity. Although a signatory of the Third Geneva Convention of 1949, which demanded “decent and humane treatment” of prisoners of war, North Vietnam employed severe torture methods, including sleep deprivation, malnutrition, beatings, hanging by ropes, locking in irons, and prolonged solitary confinement. The prison was built in Hanoi by the French between 1886 to 1901, when Vietnam was still part of French Indochina. The French called the prison Maison Centrale or Central House, which is still the designation for prisons housing dangerous or long sentence detainees in France. Known locally as Hỏa Lò prison, it was built at the previous location of the Phu Khanh village. The village baked locally sourced earthenware in furnaces, and the name “Hỏa Lò” means “fiery furnace” or “stove.” The prison was originally designed to house 460 inmates, but was often overcrowded. Due to the harsh

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nature of French rule and a vicious justice system, the prison was always oversupplied with inmates. Many were political prisoners agitating for independence who became the subjects of torture and execution. Re-purposed during the Vietnam War, the first U.S. prisoner sent to Hỏa Lò was Lieutenant Junior Grade Everett Alvarez Jr., who was shot down on August 5, 1964. From the beginning, U.S. POWs at Hỏa Lò endured miserable, unsanitary conditions, including meager rations of food and the ever-present threat starvation. Beginning early in 1967, a new area of the prison was opened for incoming American POWs. It was dubbed “Little Vegas,” and its individual buildings and areas were named after Las Vegas strip landmarks, such as “Golden Nugget,” “Thunderbird,” “Stardust,” “Riviera,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and the “Desert Inn.” Hundreds of American POW’s, mostly airmen, endured months of isolation and squalid conditions at Hỏa Lò. Several well-known veterans spent years in confinement there, including John McCain, James Stockdale, Bud Day, Joseph Kittinger, James Robinson Risner, Jerry Coffee and Everett Alvarez, Jr. John McCain was tortured regularly for over five years, as

1. Overhead view of the Hỏa Lò Prison with American designations listed. 2. A concrete bed with ankle shackles that arrived with the materials. 3. Senator John McCain at Hỏa Lò inspecting a cell similar to the one he was locked in. 4. One of four cell doors that arrived at the American Heritage Museum. 5. The cell materials in storage ready for reconstruction in the museum. was Bud Day. Navy pilot Everett Alvarez was interned in the Hanoi Hilton from August 1964 until February 1973, removed from the world for nearly a decade. He went in six months after The Beatles first visited the U.S. and was released three years after they broke up. Alvarez missed the entire British invasion, man walking on the moon and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy because he, and his fellow prisoners, had no news of the outside world. During 1994, the Hỏa Lò site was selected for redevelopment and the prison complex was slated for demolition. Due to the infamous colonial history of the original prison, the entrance house and west side buildings were retained as a museum focusing on French oppression and cruelty. The post 1965 “American” side of the prison, which had been converted to hold captured pilots, was to be destroyed. Through the efforts of Mr. Jeet Mahal, a collector of artifacts for U.S. Museums in the 1990’s, four complete cells were saved, along with associated bricks and artifacts. (Initially, the Vietnamese thought these pieces were going to be moved to a Caribbean island museum to tell the story of French colonial prison history.) Stored for 6 years in Vietnam,

and another 20 in North America, the many pallets of bricks, materials, shackle beds, and cell doors have now been moved to the American Heritage Museum and are awaiting reconstruction within the Vietnam War exhibit. In honor of their resistance and courage against their captors, two Medal of Honor commendations were issued to Hỏa Lò POWs Bud Day and James Stockdale. For this reason, Hỏa Lò prison artifacts are a touchstone for Medal of Honor history and preservation. Exhibiting the original Hỏa Lò prison cells will provide a compelling opportunity to tell the stories of brave POWs who survived, as well as the long and tumultuous history of this notorious prison. The cells will be carefully reconstructed within the American Heritage Museum’s Vietnam War exhibit. This will be the only place in the world where you can see them. The Hỏa Lò display will serve as a tribute to our soldiers’ bravery and a reminder of the horrors they suffered. This important project requires a substantial financial investment. We hope you will contribute this reconstruction, as well as the ongoing educational programs that will help us tell stories of our POWs for generations to come.

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Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 “White 1”

Wrk. Nr. 931 862

One of the most rare WWII German fighter restorations to date. An extraordinary aircraft with an amazing history.

Picture on left: The Fw 190F-8 “White 1” in restoration at GossHawk Unlimited in Casa Grande, Arizona.

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Introduced as a terrible surprise to the RAF Spitfire Mk. V at the disastrous 1942 Dieppe Raid in France, the German Fw 190 wrested control of the air from the RAF. It was not until the debut of more advanced fighters such as the Spitfire Mk. IX that there would be any match for this advanced German plane. The Fw 190 proved to be a lethal fighter through WWII, evolving into a powerful “F” model fighter-bomber or “Jabo.” Close air support roles were greatly expanded by the introduction of this extraordinary aircraft. Serving as a front line fighter, the Fw 190 had heavy armament and speed, with excellent landing gear as well. These advancements offered significant improvement over the notorious German Me 109. Later, its design was further enhanced to challenge advanced Allied fighters such as the improved P-51 Mustang with the Merlin engine. It is a rare honor to restore an original fighter that has such a deep and rich history as Fw 190F-8 Wrk. Nr. 931 862. Currently, there is only one fully restored and flying Fw 190 in the world. Flying Heritage Collection in Washington has a Fw 190A-5 that was assigned to JG 54 near Leningrad during WWII. Once Fw 190 Wrk. Nr. 931 862’s restoration is complete in 2020, this will be 9

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one of two flying Focke-Wulf 190s in the world. The Collings Foundation’s Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 “White 1” (Work Number 931 862) was constructed at Norddeutsche Dornier-Werke in early June 1944. The Luftwaffe immediately threw the aircraft into combat, supporting ground troops of the Wehrmacht that were under heavy pressure from the Russian Red Army. Fw 190 Wrk. Nr. 931 862 was one 6 Fw 190F-8s delivered to Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) squadron in mid-August 1944, together with 13 Fw 190A-8s first stationed at Nautsi in Finland. Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5) was a German Luftwaffe fighter wing that operated in the far north of Europe, primarily Norway, and northern parts of Finland. The unit was responsible for providing fightercover over occupied territories under Luftflotte 5, and also fighter support for the German Army units battling on the Arctic front in the Murmansk area. Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 (Wrk. Nr. 931 862) saw substantial combat while serving in JG 5 stationed in Norway. On August 1st, 1944, Heinrich Ehrler was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (squadron commodore) of JG 5. That lasted until he was court martialed and found guilty of cowardice for his perceived inability

3. 1. The German battleship Tirpitz in the Tromsø fjord camouflaged against the coming attacks from the Royal Air Force. 2. Pilot Heinz Orlowski who was the last to fly “White 1” before being shot down by a P-51 Mustang. 3. Norwegian locals came out to inspect the wreckage of “White 1” just after the crash. Photo courtesy of Luftkampmuseet and Arne Kristiansen. to protect the colossal battleship Tirpitz from relentless British bomber and fighter attacks (he was later re-instated). In early January 1945, following Ehrler’s conviction by the Reichskriegsgericht, Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel ) Scholz assumed command of JG 5. The Tirpitz was the second of two Bismarck-class battleships built for Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine (Navy) prior to and during the Second World War. On November 12th, 1944, Avro Lancaster bombers of RAF Squadrons 9 and 617 attacked the Tirpitz for the last time as it sat moored near Håkøy island, three miles west of Tromsø.

British forces had attacked the Tirpitz many times prior. On September 22nd, 1943, Operation Source had struck the battleship first using mini submarines. Although charges were successfully detonated under the Tirpitz, the ship remained upright. Subsequent attacks including Operations Tungsten, Planet, Brawn, Tiger Claw, Mascot, Goodwood and more were all unsuccessful. These missions resulted in many downed British aircraft due to AAA fire from the Tirpitz and fighter attacks. It wasn’t until Operation Catechism, on November 12th, 1944, that Lancaster bombers with their “Tallboy” bombs were able

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1. to finally sink the massive ship with the loss of over a thousand sailors. Fighters from JG 5 were scrambled to intercept the bombers, but it was too late. Fw 190 “White 1,” piloted by Werner Gayko and Heinz Orlowski, flew many missions with JG 5. On January, 12th, 1945, pilot Werner Gayko flew a special operation, taking “White 1” out of Herdla, Norway to intercept Lancasters, Mosquitos and Mustangs which were attacking the U-boat pens there. During this mission, Gayko, flying “White 1” earned his 13th victory, shooting down a Lancaster (of 617 Squadron) at high altitude. Orlowski, who was flying Fw 190 “White 11” at the same time, also shot down a Lancaster. “White 1” continued to intercept and shoot down bombers and fighters from its bases on the western coast of Norway. “White 1” was eventually transferred to the small island airbase at Herdla, where it stayed for the rest of the war. Our Fw 190 “White 1” flew its last mission during the Battle of Førdefjord, known as Black Friday to the British, on February 9th, 1945. Black Friday was one of the largest and fiercest air battles ever fought over Norwegian soil. Due to Allied victories in France and Eastern Europe, Germany’s surface shipping had become confined to the lower Baltic and Norwegian waters by late 1944. “White 1,” piloted by Heinz Orlowski, was to protect the German destroyer Z33 and its support vessels from Allied Bristol Beaufighters and their P-51 escorts. “White 1” was in the first group of 9 Fw-190s attacking the British raiders consisting of 32 Beaufighters and 10 Mustangs. The force of Beaufighter aircraft suffered many losses during the attack. The German ships had sheltered in a strong defensive position deep in Førde Fjord, Norway, forcing the Allied aircraft to attack through massed anti-aircraft fire. The Allies damaged at least two of the German ships, but lost seven Beaufighters to flak guns. Two Beaufighters and a Mustang were shot down by the Fw 190s. Four or five of the German planes were shot down by Allied aircraft, including one flown by German ace Rudi Linz, who was posthumously awarded the Knight’s Cross of 11

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3. 1. The remains of “White 1” after extraction from the site. 2. A helicopter was used to remove the main fuselage and large pieces that remained. 3. Current picture of the original fighter base at Herdla, “White 1’s” last field to operate from. Photos provided by Ole Bjørn Sælensminde and Knut Strand. the Iron Cross for achieving 70 aerial victories. The Beaufighters continued to suffer heavily at the hands of the Focke Wulfs. Near Gaular, Norway, alarmed civilians witnessed a Beaufighter being pursued by “White 1” piloted by Orlowski. The Beaufighter was hit several times and tried to land on a slope, but the terrain made this impossible. The plane broke in half during the crash and the crew perished. (Flight Officers Knight and Lynch.) A single Mustang had come to aid the Beaufighter, attacking “White 1.” A long aerial duel commenced. The Mustang was hit and caught fire. Its pilot made a wide turn out over a fjord. According to eyewitnesses, the pilot must have been badly wounded. But, instead of bailing out he continued to fly his P-51 Mustang toward the attacking Fw 190. The Mustang crashed in a pine forest. P-51 pilot Cecil Claude Caesar died in the crash. It was the only Mustang loss in this battle. “White 1” remained in peril. Its engine had been severely damaged during the duel, and the pilot Orlowski was forced to bail out. He was too close to the

1. 1. The very rare and coveted BMW 801 D-2 engine is attached to the airframe at GossHawk Unlimited. 2. Every single part in the Fw 190 has been expertly restored. The cockpit is a good example of highly detailed restoration of original gauges. In total, pilots of JG 5 claimed approximately 3,200 aerial victories during World War II. At the end of hostilities, losses had amounted to 435 men either killed in action or taken prisoner of war.

2. ground for his chute to open fully. Amazingly, Orlowski survived the fall by hitting a cushion of deep snow. A small avalanche carried him to the bottom of the hill. During the journey down, the flare cartridges around his leg caught fire, causing severe burns. Local Norwegians found him in a hay shed and took him to the hospital. Heinz Orlowski survived the ordeal. His crashed Fw 190 “White 1” (Wrk. Nr. 93182) sat lodged into the snowy Norway hillside for more than twenty-five years.

Known only by the locals, the “White 1” wreckage sat in place until salvage began in September 1983. The plane was recovered from it longtime resting spot at the crash site on the mountain of Litlehesten near Forde, north of Bergen, Norway. Although the Aviation branch of the Norwegian Defense Museum was just forming, several affiliated parties thought it important to secure remains of German aircraft still spread across Norway. The West Norwegian Air Historical Group was allowed to search for German fighters and became the driving force behind the initial salvage of “White 1.” Using a helicopter and truck, the wreckage was taken to Flesland Airport near Bergen. Eventually, the Norwegian Defense Museum decided to pass the restoration project on to the Texas Air Museum in the United States. For many years, Dr. Mark Timken championed the resurrection of this extraordinary aircraft at his home base in Kissimmee, Florida. Timken sold the project several years ago, and the Collings Foundation took up the challenge, moving the fighter to GossHawk Unlimited in Casa Grande, Arizona. GossHawk has a stellar reputation in aircraft restoration. They are no strangers to the 190 as a breed, having restored the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum’s Fw 190A-5 and the Fw 190D-13 of the Champlin Fighter Collection. After 25 years of work, Fw 190 “White 1” is expected to fly in the next few months.

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P-51 Mustang

The Collings Foundation’s P-51C Mustang restored as Eisenhower’s iconic reconnaissance aircraft “The STARS LOOK DOWN”

1. Capt. Wallace Emmer, 353rd FS and cameraman 1st Lt. A.R. Madsen stand by the original “The STARS LOOK DOWN.” 2. Major General Elwood ‘Pete’ Quesada in the pilots seat with Commander-In-Chief General Eisenhower in the rear seat. Excerpts from “Big Friend, Little Friend: Memoirs of a World War II Fighter Pilot” - By Richard E. Turner, C.O. 356th FS. Describing the flight Eisenhower took in a modified P-51 on July 4th, 1944 over Saint Lo, France: “Soon the recon flight returned, and I rushed out to the hardstand of the twin-seater. As I arrived General Eisenhower was being helped out of his cubbyhole with a wide grin on his face. He was so pleased with the mission that he could hardly wait to get back to his planning staff and start the gears grinding.” 13

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“This was the first time in history that a ground general had personally reconnoitered the terrain of a planned battle operation from a fighter aircraft in the presence of the enemy. “ “Toward the end of July we took part in this operation which became known as ‘the breakthrough at Saint-Lo.’ In these operations General George S. Patton and his famed Third Army made the dramatic gains on enemy territory. Their advance was not halted until the supply line was weakened by distance before the defenses of Metz.”

Top: The P-51C’s previous markings in honor of Col. Charles M. McCorkle, P-51 pilot and Commander of the 31st fighter group based in Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy. Below: Restoration progress at American Aero Services in Florida. After many years providing flight instruction for thousands of people on the national Wings of Freedom Tour, the Collings Foundation’s P-51C Mustang is getting a full restoration and new paint scheme. It is being painted as Eisenhower’s high speed reconnaissance aircraft, later dubbed “The Stars Look Down.” Gary Norville and his expert team at American Aero Services in Florida have been working on a complete restoration of this very rare dual control P-51C Mustang. We should have the fighter finished and flying by the end of 2020. We hope you can make a donation to support the on-going operation of this amazing fighter. See pages 31 and 32 for details. The story of Dwight D. Eisenbower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe, taking the July 4th, 1944 flight in a modified P-51 is fascinating. Major General Elwood “Pete” Quesada of the 354th fighter group flew with Eisenhower during this personal reconnaissance in the Saint-Lo area. (Quesada went on to become the first Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration in 1959.) It is believed the name “The Stars Look Down” was put on the aircraft after the mission commemorating this rare event! From that point forward, this P-51 Mustang received great notoriety through the rest of World War II. For some great reading on this highly classified reconnaissance mission we recommend visiting the 354th Fighter Group website or reading the book Big Friend, Little Friend: Memoirs of a World War II Fighter Pilot - by Richard E. Turner. COLLINGS FOUNDATION - AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

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T R A N S F O R M AT I O N M4A3 Sherman Tank Receives a unique Korea paint scheme. Recent visitors to the American Heritage Museum were greeted with a startling sight. As they crossed from the World War II side of the museum to the Korean War section they came face to face with huge angry eyes! Painted on a bright yellow M4A3E8 Sherman tank, the bizarre gaze, and below it, a mouth full of sharp teeth frame a tiger-like beast that could swallow a man! Normally, machines of war, especially tanks, are covered with camouflage. Most often, they are painted colors similar to the landscape in which they will be operating, or have branches and foliage added to break up their silhouette. The paint scheme on this tank is quite the opposite. It is even more incredible to learn that this type of Sherman tank, sporting its wild paint scheme, rode into combat! It was part of a little known military plan. In 1950, somewhere deep in the Psychological Warfare Department of the US Army, an astute soldier realized that 1950/1951 was, according to the Chinese Zodiac calendar, the year of the Tiger. In late 1950, with North Korea leaning on China to provide soldiers, word went out to tank crews all over Korea to paint tiger faces on their tanks. The idea was that “superstitious” Chinese would not shoot at these tanks for fear of bad luck, or, perhaps, that they would hesitate long enough for the tankers to get the first shot off. At the American Heritage Museum, our M4A3 76(W) HVSS (or, M4A3E8/“Easy Eight”) is painted

5th Regimental Combat Team “Tiger” Tank

exactly like the 5th Regimental Combat Team, 4th platoon’s TK-45 that fought around Ichon in January of 1951. Perhaps because the 5th RCT was known as the “Bobcats,” their TK-45 (and likely, a few other tanks in the platoon) got the most frightening and complete tiger scheme of them all! It is not known how effective the paint schemes were and difficult to find accounts from either side that address its success. After about a month, for unknown reasons, the Tiger on TK-45 was painted over and the rest, as they say, is history. (As a side note, by the time the tanks were actually deployed into combat in March 1951, the Chinese New Year had passed, and it was the Year of the Rabbit.) Because of the short time the tank was painted as a tiger, reference photos are hard to find. Thanks to the research of AHM Volunteers and off-site experts and historians, we are confident this “Tiger” tank is true to the original. In the picture below, dated February 18th, 1951, the original crew left to right are: Corporal John T. Clark (of Union, SC), Corporal James E. Kishbaugh (Nescopeck, PA), Sergeant Frank C. Allen (Etiwanda, CA), Sergeant Theodore R. Liberty (Bushton, MA), and Corporal William J. Bohmback (Boston, MA). The picture was taken in the Han River area. Pictures Below: Original pictures of the M4A3 operated by the 5th Regimental Combat Team. Restoration expert Dan Wrightington, who duplicated the paint scheme, worked directly from these photos for details and layout.

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B-17G Flying Fortress Restoration of this iconic WWII bomber underway. We need your support for this important project.

Top photo: The B-17 on the tarmac at American Aero Services in Florida prior to disassembly for restoration. Bottom pictures: Work underway on the fuselage, wing spar, nose and tail sections thanks to initial support from the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum collection in Oregon sold their B-17G Flying Fortress in 2015 to help the Museum during its reorganization. With generous donor support, the aircraft was transferred to the Collings Foundation where plans began for restoration to its original WWII B-17G configuration. Our B-17G has a fascinating history. During the 1950s, the CIA recognized the B-17s durability and utility and began operating them in special roles. Penetration of the Iron Curtain was an important goal for the Cold War CIA. The B-17s were utilized for surveillance and agent insertion, as well as clandestine eavesdropping missions near and over hostile territory. Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new intelligence organization found the B-17s a stalwart platform for difficult missions. Five modified B-17s, painted matte black, where chosen to penetrate Chinese airspace at 17

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night. Facing Chinese MIG-17 jet fighters, three were shot down. Our Flying Fortress is the only CIA special operations B-17 that remains. In 2017, our B-17 was flown to American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida for a complete restoration to its original B-17G model configuration. We are committed to making this one of the finest B-17 restorations in the world. Doing this will demand an incredible effort from American Aero Services. It will also require tremendous financial commitment. We hope you will join us in supporting this important project. This B-17 Flying Fortress will be an interactive memorial to our WWII veterans and will act as a platform to pass down the stories of all the brave young men who risked everything flying missions over the skies of Europe and the Pacific.

PBY

Gets a face lift

PBY-5A Catalina

Legendary WWII amphibious aircraft credited with sinking three U-boats being restored to original configuration.

Top photo: PBY Bu. No. 2459 as it flew with a civilian operator out of Lleystad, Netherlands. Bottom left: Work on the nose gunners position. Bottom right: Engine inspection on the Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92. The Battle of the Atlantic was the part of the Second World War that most worried Winston Churchill. That the Island Nation was under siege was not new, but the effectiveness of the Kriegsmarine’s U-Boat campaign was a grave concern. The British Isles were being starved by the actions of the U-Boats. The Allies first triumph in the Battle for the Atlantic was modifying the prewar PBY Catalina patrol plane into the ASW, for Anti-Submarine Warfare. The PBY Catalina was capable of excellent endurance (15-20 hours) over the hostile North Atlantic. It began to protect convoys before the advent of aircraft carriers and the evolution of surface ship technology. PBY type aircraft destroyed 38 German U-Boats during the war. The Collings Foundation’s PBY-5A Catalina (Bu. No. 2459) served the Allied forces well in WWII. This aircraft was the United States’ highest scoring U-boat destroyer in

history, and is the oldest operational PBY Catalina. In 1942 it was sent to Iceland as part of Squadron VP-73. There, it made one of the first acoustic homing torpedo attacks, sunk three U-boats, and shared a fourth kill. For years, this PBY was operated by a civilian organization in Lleystad, Netherlands. Then, in 2019, this PBY made an epic flight from the Netherlands, across Iceland, down through Labrador to American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. PBY Bu. No. 2459 is being restored back to a PBY 5-A configuration. It will be repainted in the original markings it sported in VP-73 squadron based in Iceland. To do this requires work to the nose section and waist gunners positions, as well as interior reconfiguration. We hope that you will help support this restoration with a donation of any size. See pages 31 and 32 for details.

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R E S T O R AT I O N

Bazooka Charlieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s L-4 Flies Again Restoration of a very special L-4 Grasshopper is complete. A true David and Goliath story. Written by Jim Busha

Scan QR code to see video on this extraordinary aircraft. 19

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the first pilot to receive the Medal of Honor and at the time of his death the country’s leading ace, was, like Carpenter, unconventional and aggressive in combat. Scheil says Luke and Carpenter had the same casual pose and the same sad look. By the time Carpenter’s photo was taken, “all the ineptitude, naiveté, and bewilderment of the Americans as we were getting ourselves killed in North Africa was gone,” Scheil says. What he saw in Carpenter was the grind of the war after Normandy and the grief born by airmen who had witnessed its horrors.

Picture above: Joe Scheil Joe Scheil is a numbers guy. When he sees an interesting airplane, he looks for its serial number in an online database or published reference work to learn what he can about it. He adds the information he finds to one of several Excel spreadsheets he has created with details on hundreds of airplanes organized by their serial numbers. In 2017, while reading an article in the Experimental Aircraft Association’s magazine Warbirds of America, Scheil came across a photo of a famous World War II Piper L-4 Grasshopper, serial number 43-30426. Immediately intrigued, Joe set out to find more information. The article was about Charles Carpenter (photo on left), an L-4 pilot who became known as “Bazooka Charlie” for his exploits against German tanks. The Grasshopper - a Piper Cub as a civilian - was flown during the war as an observation airplane, but Carpenter, war-weary and homesick, became dissatisfied with flying as an artillery spotter, scouting ahead of the advancing 4th Armored Division of General George Patton’s 3rd Army. Instead, he bolted six M1A1 bazookas on the wing struts of his Piper and rained fire on Panzer columns. “It was like a sparrow trying to attack an elephant,” says his daughter, Carol Apacki, who had written the article Joe Scheil read, “except this sparrow had fangs.”

After the war, Charles Carpenter resumed his life as a school teacher and father to his daughter Carol. Charles Carpenter and his small airplane were also similar in some ways. Innocent in its early days, the Piper Cub was painted sunny yellow with a black lightning bolt running the 22-foot length of its fuselage. Nothing beats a Cub on a warm summer afternoon with the side door open: Pilot and passenger can watch the world float slowly by. With a gross weight of 1,220 pounds, a cruising speed around 80 mph, and Model T simplicity, the Cub gently introduced thousands of pilots to flight from the late 1930s to 1944 through the U.S. Civilian Pilot Training Program. Carpenter could also be considered a trainer. Before America’s entry into World War II, he taught history in a Moline, Illinois high school. After the war, “In the summers, he ran a boys’ camp in the Ozarks,” his daughter writes in Warbirds, “a camp that focused on teaching outdoor skills and building character.”

Carpenter wasn’t the first pilot to hang weapons on an L-bird—as reconnaissance airplanes like the Aeronca L-3, Stinson L-5 Sentinel, and the L-4 are known—but he was almost certainly the most effective at using them. In October 1944 alone, he destroyed four tanks and an armored truck. On the side of his airplane, he painted “Rosie the Rocketer,” as a tribute to the women working in aircraft factories back home, who were nicknamed Rosie the Riveter.

When the war began, the Cub traded its yellow paint for olive drab, and Carpenter enlisted in the U.S. Army, commissioned as a second lieutenant. Flying at an altitude of 1,500 feet, the L-4 Grasshoppers could speed the advance of tank columns by reporting the positions of the enemy. Initially German soldiers feared giving away their positions by firing on L-birds, but the calculus quickly changed. Once Carpenter started firing bazookas, the Germans saw him as a threat. “Every time I show up now, they shoot with everything they have,” he told a Stars and Stripes reporter. Even before Carpenter turned his L-bird into an attack aircraft, spotter pilots were in danger. In June and July 1944, General Omar Bradley’s 1st Army lost 49 artillery spotting aircraft and 33 pilots. Flying at low altitude made the pilots vulnerable even to light anti-aircraft fire.

Besides picking out the Piper’s registration number, Scheil—a Collings Foundation liaison and Cub owner who reads a lot of military aviation history—saw something else in the photograph of Carpenter and his airplane: a reminder of another photo, often included in histories of World War I. “It’s the picture of Frank Luke in front of his SPAD, the day before he died,” says Scheil. Luke,

Watching mayhem from his 1,500-foot perch and barely escaping gunfire eventually took a toll on Carpenter. In a poem he wrote after the war, “Incident in the Woods,” he tries to capture the impact of combat on vanquished and victor alike. He describes coming upon an enemy officer tending to a soldier who had been shot: “The soldier dead, the man had returned/ To save some seeming trifle./

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It was a baby thing, blue, and partly burned./ He folded it and kicked his loaded rifle./ I led him from that torn and stinking spot;/ May fire and grassy time soften memory./ Willing guards took him at the prison lot, / And smiled, and wrongly guessed me free.” In early 1945, Carpenter was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease (a type of cancer), given a prognosis of no more than two years, and sent home. (Instead, he lived another 21 years.) His airplane was assigned to another pilot. When the hostilities ceased in Europe, Piper L-4 aircraft, which had cost the government only $2,500 each, weren’t worth shipping home; they were either scrapped or sold as surplus. The Piper L-4 flown by Carpenter met one of those two fates. Until Scheil decided to look into it, no one cared which one. Within hours of reading Apacki’s article about her dad, Scheil found that the L-4H, serial number 43-30426, had been left in a German surplus yard in September 1946. He first searched a list of military aircraft serial numbers on joebaugher.com, a website familiar to most warbird fans and packed with information about U.S. military airplanes. And there it was: On the site, the military serial number is linked with the manufacturer’s serial number 11717. With that manufacturer’s number, Joe Baugher’s source—he also lists on his website the people who email him information—found

that after the war, the airplane was registered in Switzerland as HB-OBK and in April 1956, re-registered in Austria as OE-AAB. With further research, Scheil learned that Heinz Wullschleger of Olten was the first to register the Cub and that when the registration changed in 1956, the aircraft, sporting yellow Cub colors, became part of the Austrian Aero Club in Vienna, where it towed gliders. For a number of years, the little Piper flew as a civilian until, as the second aircraft ever registered in Austria (signified by the designation AAB; AAA being the first), it was acquired by the Österreichisches Luftfahrtmuseum at Graz Airport. That’s where it was in 2017, when Scheil tracked it down. Bingo. Scheil called Rob Collings. One of the foremost warbird collectors in the United States, the Collings Foundation and the American Heritage Museum has supported the restoration and display of over two dozen historic warbirds, including a Curtiss P-40 that had been in a hangar at Pearl Harbor on the day of the Japanese attacks and a Supermarine Spitfire that had flown 121 combat missions. The foundation also supported the Wings of Freedom tour, which provided flight experience and flight training aboard the P-40, a P-51, and several large bombers.

Picture above: Charles Carpenter’s grand daughter Erin Patha used a variety of archival and family photos to re-create his “Rosie the Rocketer” design on the L-4’s fuselage. Every aspect of the L-4’s restoration is intertwined with its amazing legacy. 21

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Left photo: The first sight of Charles Carpenter’s L-4 Grasshopper as it sat in storage at the Österreichisches Luftfahrt museum. Right photo: A bullet hole is seen in the aileron passing through the wing and exiting out through the top. Scheil, one of the pilots who had flown the B-17 and a B-24 on the Wings of Freedom Tour for many years, knew that Collings was looking for a combat aircraft that had seen action during the war. “There are none that are obtainable,” Scheil says. “There’s no P-47 from the Eighth [Air Force]. We were looking for something that could capture the fight from Normandy to Germany—for an aircraft that was doing air-to-ground work.” Surviving P-51 Mustangs had all been spoken for, Scheil says. “So when this Cub showed up with an unknown number of tanks and armored cars killed, it was oddly enough the most destructive aircraft that we had extant from the ground war across Europe! A truly rare find.” Scheil says Carpenter and his Grasshopper are credited with stopping a German counterattack in one battle. “That was a very significant accolade paid in 4th Armored Division records to a liaison aircraft,” he says. Rob Collings traveled to Graz, Austria to examine the Piper Cub then registered as OE-AAB. “When I first saw the L-4 in person it had recently been recovered and was being restored as a static display,” says Collings. “We didn’t know too much about it because it had fresh fabric on it, and they weren’t keen to let us start cutting into it.” The museum was unaware of the airplane’s service in World War II, but Collings could see the serial number on the data plate. Not until the airplane was returned to the United States and stripped to the bare frame, however, could he confirm the parts numbers against Piper records. In 2004, Colin Powers, the restoration manager for the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, won a trophy for the restoration of a Piper Cub that had served in the Pacific. “I bought it in pieces,” says Powers, “and I thought it would be a fun project to do.” The trophy was awarded by the National Aviation Heritage Invitational, which for many

years has invited vintage airplane owners to display their airplanes at the national air races in Reno, Nevada, where they’re judged for the authenticity of the restoration. (Powers is now a Heritage judge.) More than 200,000 people attend the races and stroll among the classics in the Heritage competition, and one morning during race week, Powers saw on his L-4 a business card that had been tucked in its door. It was from the Reno fire marshal with a note saying that he was the nephew of famous L-4 pilot Charles Carpenter. From him, Powers learned that Carpenter’s daughter lived in Ohio. When the Heritage Invitational went to the Dayton Air Show the following year, Powers invited Carol Apacki to visit the airplane. She had never seen a Piper L-4. “I had her get in it and she became very emotional,” says Powers. “She didn’t really realize how vulnerable her father was while he was flying. We became friends after that.” Later, Powers restored another airplane and won a trophy from the EAA for Reserve Grand Champion Warbird. After Collings finalized negotiations with the Austrian museum, he chose Powers to restore the L-4 because of his experience (Powers restored two more L-4s after his first one) and because Powers had such a strong connection with Carpenter’s daughter. Rosie the Rocketer was packed into a cargo container in Austria, trucked to Spain, and loaded on a cargo ship to New Jersey. The airplane traveled by train across the United States and arrived in Powers’ Oregon shop in January 2019. “Once we got it back to Oregon and had the fabric stripped off, we were just blown away,” says Collings. “We didn’t want to make everything perfectly new because what was underneath was in great condition. The original wooden spars still had great varnish on them. The ribs were bare aluminum but they were all clean. The grease pencil handwriting was there from the factory, with names and dates. These are things that you could never duplicate.”

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Photo above: The final touches to Charles Carpenter’s L-4 Grasshopper “Rosie the Rocketer” were deeply personal, both to Colin Powers, who restored the aircraft, and to Carpenter’s family. A picture of Carpenter’s wife and child was placed in the cabin.

With three L-4 restorations under his belt, Powers wasn’t expecting any surprises from Rosie the Rocketer, but he got a few “bullet holes,” he says. “One bullet had passed from the bottom through the leading edge of the aileron into the wing, went through the steelplate hinge for the aileron, tore a big chunk of metal out of one of the ribs and exited out through the top of the wing. I’ve retained all of that [damage]; except on top of the wing, I’ll just put a patch where it exited.” Powers also located a double patch on the front strut where the Army had patched both sides after a bullet had apparently entered on one side and exited on the other. Collings is intent on bringing the L-bird back to look exactly like it did in 1944. To do that, Powers has a long list of tasks. “The airplane was modified,” he says. “The cowling and boot cowl and a lot of the instrument panel are all different and need to be replaced. They replaced the engine with a Continental C90.” As a glider tug, he says, it would have needed the increased power. “We have a period-correct, 65-horsepower Continental to install.” They also replaced three of the instruments with German instruments. “Rob’s got a copy of the Piper build sheet,” says Powers, so he can determine what instruments were in it in 1944. “Keystone Instruments in Pennsylvania has refurbished all the original instruments for us,” he says. Finding six original M1A1 bazookas was daunting. Powers used photographs unearthed by Carol Apacki to guide him in mounting the bazookas. He knows they

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were mounted on a piece of plywood on the struts, but figuring out the proper angles is going to be trial and error. Carol Apacki’s daughter, a graphic designer, re-painted the nose art that her grandfather had painted 75 years earlier. “It gives me a lot of pride that I was asked to restore Rosie,” he continues, and says he hopes to fly it when it’s finished. In an August 1944 letter home, Charles Carpenter wrote, “Lately I have been taking quite a few chances but my luck has been marvelous. Yesterday I got a bullet hole through the wing and hit a church steeple with one wheel. It was very little for what might have happened under the circumstances.” More than 75 years later, Bazooka Charlie’s Grasshopper flies again! The newly restored L-4 was packed up and trucked to the Foundation’s headquarters in Massachusetts. There it was reassembled and took to the skies in its complete and original form. Soon it will be operating and on display at the American Heritage Museum. The story of Charles Carpenter and his bravery against all odds will be told through this unusual aircraft for generations. It is one of the last World War II veterans to return home, bullet holes and all.

S W E E P S TA K E S An American Heritage Museum Sweepstakes:

Icons of Armor - The Ultimate WWII Tank Experience One lucky person and their guest will win the ultimate two-day World War II Tank Driving Experience! Visit www.WinWW2TankExperience.org to enter. The American Heritage Museum’s very own tank driving grounds will be the site of this extraordinary prize! The winner and their guest will participate in a fantastic two-day adventure, including WWII Tank Driving Experiences in three iconic American tanks: the M24 Chaffee, M4A3 Sherman, and M26 Pershing, and a remarkable guided exploration inside rare American, German, Russian and British tanks. Scan QR code for more information and to enter now. Add promo code MAG20 for 30% more! As the winner, you and your guest will don tank coveralls for exclusive one-on-one driving instruction in each of the three American tanks. Here is your chance to experience how our tank crews lived as they fought their way through Europe in the closing days of World War II. This is not a ride. YOU will be in control of each iconic tank as you learn to make turns at various speeds, climb a hill, and cross obstacles. This opportunity will allow you to drive as your guest rides along in the tank commander’s turret position, then switch places to ride in the turret while your guest drives! Additionally, the winner and their guest will enjoy an extraordinary “Inside the Hatch” tour of five rare British, Russian, German, and American tanks. Hosted by Rob Collings, President of the American Heritage Museum, this one-of-a-kind exploration shares complete behind the scenes investigation, and authentic history, of each tank. M24 Chaffee Tank – The Light Tank Leader through Three Wars Your driving experience begins with the M24. Developed to replace the M5 Stuart, and equipped with a lightweight 75mm cannon as used on the B-25 Mitchell, the M24 Chaffee became the dominant light tank for the United States in the closing years of World War II and remained in service beyond the Vietnam War. The Chaffee was fast, rugged, and a better match against enemy armor than the M5. Equipped with dual controls and an automatic transmission, the Chaffee will familiarize you with tank operations, turns, and power management. M4A3 Sherman Tank - World’s Only Full Dual Control Sherman Next, your are ready to drive our M4 Sherman! During WWII, the M4 Sherman was the United States’ and Western Allies’ most widely used medium tank. It is easily the most recognizable Allied tank of the war. Used in every theater of operation, the Sherman had one of the most adaptable tank designs of WWII. The American Heritage Museum’s very own Sherman played a starring role in a Hollywood film! Back in 1984, Universal Pictures produced the movie “Tank,” featuring our M4 alongside well-known actors James Garner (Tank Commander), Shirley Jones and James Cromwell. M26A1 Pershing Tank - Most Advanced American Tank In WWII Then, climb into a third tank for a truly rare driving experience! The famous M26 Pershing tank was used in the last months of WWII during the invasion of Germany and extensively during the Korean War. Its awesome firepower, mobility and protection made the Pershing the best American tank to challenge Germany’s advanced Panther and Tiger tanks. The American Heritage Museum is the only place in the world where you can actually drive a fully restored and operational M26 Pershing tank. Inside the Hatch: Explore Allied and Axis Armor of WWII with Rob Collings To provide deeper appreciation for the American armor you have driven, the American Heritage Museum will give you and your guest the exclusive opportunity to explore the interiors of five additional, exceptional pieces of World War II armor from both the Allied and Axis sides, with your tour guide, Rob Collings, President of the American Heritage Museum. Your challenge will be to select the five tanks you wish to explore! Proceeds from the Tank Driving Experience sweepstakes and fundraising campaign will help support the living history mission of the American Heritage Museum. A 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation, the American Heritage Museum is committed to honoring our veterans, preserving, and restoring the vehicles and technology they used, and educating future generations. Winner will be selected in March, 2021. Prize scheduled at your convenience. No limit to entries. COLLINGS FOUNDATION - AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

R E S T O R AT I O N

NIEUPORT 28 C.1 RESTORATION PROGRESS The Nieuport 28 C.1 project has made incredible progress over the past year as the American Heritage Museum comes closer to bringing America’s first fighter back into the air! This extraordinary aircraft honors the designers, pilots, and mechanics of the First World War. When complete, it will be the sole airworthy original Nieuport 28 in existence, and one of only four on display in the world. Currently, The Nieuport 28 is in the incredibly skilled hands of Mikael Carlson in Sebbarp, Sweden. It was shipped from Texas in the summer of 2019. Mikael is arguably one of the world’s leading restorers of pre1920 aircraft, and is a master historian when it comes to the unique designs and constructions of WWI planes. Mikael has previously restored two original Bleriot XI’s, and exact flying reproductions of a Swedish Tummelisa from 1919, Fokker DR.1, Fokker D.VII, and a Pfalz D.VIII -- all with original power-plants.

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Once the Nieuport 28 was delivered to Mikael, he quickly began the process of evaluating the aircraft’s original structure and condition for restoration to airworthiness. The first order of business was careful disassembly of all components. Being a wooden structure, and more than a century old, it was understood that some parts would be useful only as patterns for exact new-build components. But, to Mikael’s surprise much of the original structure was in excellent Mikael Carlson condition.

ENGINE AND PROPELLER

Surprisingly, the original nine-cylinder Gnome Monosoupape 9N rotary engine was in outstanding condition, despite its age. Mikael was able to break down the engine last winter and, drawing on his intimate knowledge of the type, fully overhaul it. The original cowling for the engine was no longer with the aircraft, having been replaced with an inaccurate piece in the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. So the cowling, a single piece of spun aluminum, is planned for recreation. But first, the entire airframe will be finished and the engine mount and engine installed. This way, Mikael will be able to form the cowling to correct size and shape, within the very tight tolerances of the original design. Though the original propeller is intact and in great condition, we decided to craft an exact reproduction of the laminated wood propeller with new glue to use for flight trials. The original propeller will be reserved, and installed when the aircraft is placed on static display. Mikael has begun construction of the template (photo on the right) which will be used to build the new propeller.

Left photo: Cockpit seat basket of woven birch plywood. Right photo: Elevator with poplar veneer installed on the bottom side.

FUSELAGE AND CONTROLS

The primary fuselage structure of the Nieuport was in fantastic shape, with original factory markings and stampings of the late-war manufacturer, LiorĂŠ et Olivier, throughout. Though the stringers and upper bulkheads were not original, and would need to be replaced, this primary structure was retained. All metal components were also found to be in excellent condition and will be utilized in the restoration.

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R E S T O R AT I O N

Panzer IA

Germany’s First Blitzkrieg Tank - Restoration Project

After WWI, the Treaty of Versailles strictly forbade Germany from owning tanks, armored cars or armored vehicles. Further, the Treaty forced Germany to demobilize its military, end the manufacture and stockpiling of chemical weapons, stop production of military aircraft and reduce its Army to only 100,000 troops. German rearmament began on a secret, small, and informal basis shortly after the Treaty was signed, but it was openly and massively expanded after the Nazi Party came to power in 1933. Covert operations were carried out to mask Germany’s true intentions. Glider clubs trained pilots, sporting clubs trained soldiers. Aircraft like the Heinkel He 111 were used for “transport” and tanks such as the Panzer I were called “tractors.” The few tanks built in 1917-18 never had the power to change the outcome of the Great War (WWI), but the potential for this new weapon was well understood. Officially called the Sd.Kfz.101 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug/ Special-Purpose Vehicle), the Panzer I became the first mass-produced tank of the Wehrmacht. In 1936 it got its modern name, the Panzerkampfwagen I Ausführung A (Ausf.A). The first fifteen were delivered without turrets, for training purpose only. Increased production of the military model began soon after. By the late 1930s, the German military had become easily capable of overwhelming its neighbors. Successful German conquests of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, 27

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Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France took the form of “Blitzkrieg” attacks. The Panzer I played a key role in furthering Hitler’s initial exploits by being quick, lethal and able to repel small arms fire. The Panzer I first saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and then in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Experiences with the Panzer I during the Spanish Civil War helped shape the German Panzerwaffe’s invasion of North Africa in 1935, Poland in 1939 and France and Russia in 1940. By 1941, the Panzer I chassis design was used as the mechanical foundation for tank destroyers and assault guns. There were efforts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its service history, including by foreign nations, extending the design’s use. The Panzer I’s performance in combat was limited by its thin armor and minimal armament, which consisted of two machine guns. This light tank was never intended for use against heavily armored targets, but it was ideal for infantry suppression. The Panzer I formed a large part of Germany’s mechanized forces, and was used in all major campaigns between September 1939 and December 1941, performing useful service against entrenched infantry and other targets that were highly vulnerable to machine gun fire. Canadian forces captured this Panzer IA in Europe during WWII and brought it to Canada where it eventually ended

1.The Panzer IA as it sat in Jacques Littlefield’s collection in California prior to restoration. 2. The Panzer I was picked up from Greg Taylor’s shop in Nevada and trucked to the American Heritage Museum. Our task is to put the remaining pieces back together. 3. Restoration detail in the drivers compartment. 4. Evidence of shrapnel through the swing arm and wheel. up in the Canadian War Museum. Jacques Littlefield, with the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation, wanted to add the Panzer I to his collection. He traded several of his own tanks for this single Panzer I. After Jacques passing, the majority of his collection, including the Panzer IA, was donated to the American Heritage Museum. Greg Taylor, of Taylor Restorations and Consulting, had restored many of Jacques Littlefield’s tanks. He decided to take on the monumental effort of restoring this Panzer back to its original condition. After years of incredibly detailed work, Greg was nearing completion of the project. Unfortunately, Greg passed away in May of 2020. With nothing left to do but to put the meticulously restored parts back together, the Panzer IA was moved from his shop in Nevada to the American Heritage Museum where re-assembly has begun. Once reassembled, the Panzer IA will sit adjacent to the Vikers Mk VI British light tank in the American Heritage Museum’s War Clouds exhibit. Both are historic treasures; the only ones of their kind on public display in the

United States. The Panzer IA will provide a key addition to the story of Nazi Germany’s clandestine efforts to build its military and rampage through Europe and Russia. It will provide a window on a critical moment in time, the story of Germany’s incursions through Czechoslovakia and Poland, starting what would be World War Two. The War Clouds exhibit offers an educational interpretation of the inter-war period and the rise of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. In clear view are the weapons used by people who stoked nationalism, conspiracies, racism, and antisemitism. The dissolution of democracies and rise of fascism and militarism around the world in the 1930’s can be studied and understood in this space. The visitor experience in the War Clouds exhibit culminates when a screen playing the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor lifts, revealing the great variety of chronological exhibits highlighting the war in Europe.

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EXPERIENCE

A Tank For Two

The American Heritage Museum’s M4 Sherman has been transformed into the world’s only dual control trainer.

Scan QR code to see a video of the Sherman tank driving experience. Photo above: Driving instructor, trainee and turret guest drive the full dual control M4 Sherman on the American Heritage Museum’s Tank Training Grounds in Stow, Massachusetts. During WWII, the M4 Sherman was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies. The tank was named by the British for the American Civil War general, William Tecumseh Sherman. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It was also the basis of several successful tank destroyers, such as the M10, Achilles and M36. Tens of thousands M4s were distributed to the British Commonwealth and Soviet Union through the Lend-Lease program. Several variants of the M4 Sherman were produced,

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and it served as the basis for a number of related vehicles. The wide array of duties such a tank could perform were just being discovered by Armies around the world in the early 1940s. Since WWII, some nations have modernized Shermans or converted them for a variety of tasks. The restoration staff at the American Heritage Museum completely overhauled our M4 Sherman. The tank was disassembled and every major piece was meticulously restored. A full set of controls was added to the bow gunners position, making it the only full dual control Sherman

4. 5. 1. Picture of the interior with the turret removed prior to restoration. The driver’s controls can be seen at the top left. 2. Every part in the Sherman has been expertly restored back to original working order. In this picture is the electric hydraulic turret drive assembly that has been completely restored with the help of an original operators manual for guidance. 3. With the turret drive installed in the restored turret basket, the unit is lifted into position prior to the turret and gun assembly going on. The body of the Sherman is covered in red primer prior to the Army green paint and markings. 4. There is nothing quite like the “new tank” smell! Rob Collings is seen taking the Sherman for a drive after completion. trainer in the world. This second set of controls utilizes an ingenious driver to co-driver linking system of actuating bars and gears. An identical gauge cluster was installed, so the co-driver can read engine temperature, RPM and pressures. Coveted unused tank tracks replaced the old ones, and new paint proudly displays Army Markings. Our mechanics utilized original operational manuals to refurbish many of the actuating parts within the Sherman. The turret now rotates smoothly on its freshly restored drive assembly. All the M6 periscopes were replaced. The only “new” piece of equipment in the Sherman is the latest intercom system donated by the David Clark Company that allows the instructor and trainee to communicate clearly over the engine noise.

You Can Learn How To Drive A Sherman The Tank Driving Experience Program features the M24 Chaffee and M4 Sherman. This personal encounter with history was developed by former tank instructors, veterans who now offer their time and knowledge as museum docents. In addition to driving these icons of armor, you will also learn basic procedures, history, and tactics used by tanker crews from WWII through today. The Tank Driving Experience is a tax-deductible donation to the American Heritage Museum. This revenue provides critical ongoing maintenance of these historic treasures. For more information go to: www.AmericanHeritageMuseum.org/drive

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SUPPORT

Challenges will be overcome. Your dedication is how we do it.

Seventy-five years ago, our weary veterans headed home after long and hard years of war. The nation yearned for normalcy following a half decade of sacrifice, sadness, and struggle. As tough as it was, the World War II generation persevered, and as a result America emerged, a stronger nation after the war was won. This year has brought challenges once again to America. Its effects have touched every home. As you have read in this magazine, our organization has felt it too. This year, the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, was anticipated with special purpose. It was to be one of our last opportunities to honor the veterans of that war while they are still with us. But, with the far-reaching impact of COVID, many commemorations and public programs, including ours, were forced to cancel. Through the roughest times, one truth has become abundantly clear: when things get tough, we come together and lift each other up. During our closure, we continued to receive donations and memberships from you, looking ahead to better days. Your dedication to our mission has been steadfast and we have worked hard to make your donations count. With new restorations being completed, new exhibits being designed, and new events being planned for 2021, we look forward to bringing you a growing and evolving American Heritage Museum, Wings of Freedom Tour, and Collings Foundation. We do this because you have shown us that living history is more relevant than ever before. It is an essential part of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabric. Living history gives us experiences that cannot be duplicated by reading books, watching films, or listening to lectures. Seeing, feeling, and hearing history come alive in front of you make an impression that is hard to forget and inspires passion like nothing else. These experiences change our lives. You have been touched by our programs. Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you like to see these kinds of experiences continue well into the future? We invite you to consider becoming an even more important part of our mission now, as a contributor. There are many ways to make a lasting impact. Your generosity could have an immediate effect with an annual fund gift, or a donor advised fund (DAF) distribution. Specific programs like those you see to the right of this page are also available to earmark your donation. Please also consider a longer-term legacy, making the Collings Foundation and the American Heritage Museum an important part of your planned giving strategy. We would love to discuss how we can work together to connect your special passion with a program that preserves your legacy as part of our mission.

We can do it... together.

We realize it has been a difficult year for many of our supporters, but we sincerely hope you will consider the Collings Foundation and the American Heritage Museum in your year-end giving plans. Your financial support means more than ever as we continue to move forward and grow... keeping our mission alive. Every penny of your donation goes right into the living history programs, restorations, exhibits, and events that you deeply care about. Please help us develop a brighter future, keep the memories of our veterans alive and educate future generations for decades to come.

You can make a difference by helping us make a difference... see some of the ways you can >>>>> 31

COLLINGS FOUNDATION - AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR MISSION... Give to our educational endowment...

Prior to COVID-19, an American Association of School Administrators survey found that 50% of schools did not plan field trips for the coming year due to dwindling budgets. In the post-COVID school environment, we fear this will only worsen. We have developed an endowment to assist with admissions and provide bus funding so that the American Heritage Museum can bring much needed history and STEM content to students in both large groups and one-on-one.

Preserve your legacy in a gallery...

The American Heritage Museum in Stow offers an unparalleled way to connect your family or corporate legacy to pivotal events in American history through Gallery Sponsorship. We have a variety of opportunities including new galleries and exhibits planned and available in our world-class museum that will assure your impact is visible for generations to come. Contact us for naming opportunities.

Fund a restoration...

The Collings Foundation is committed to identifying, recovering, and restoring historic artifacts from around the world, preserving the valuable history that they embody. Donors play a critical role in funding these major efforts. One special project, our B-17 Flying Fortress, s/n 44-83785 requires a projected budget of $800,000 for this extraordinary piece of American history to join the Wings of Freedom Tour in the future.

Become an annual or lifetime member or sponsor...

Membership provides sustaining support to the Collings Foundation and American Heritage Museum with some great benefits. Individual and Family programs are available! Consider going the extra distance with a Lifetime Membership or become a Plane Sponsor or Armor Sponsor to support the aircraft or tank you love most! Your directed support helps us fund new restorations and expansions. Corporate memberships are also available.

Make a lasting impact...

We hope you believe, as we do, that the mission of the Collings Foundation and American Heritage Museum is crucial to future generations. There are many different Planned Giving options available to preserve your legacy, provide valuable charitable benefits to you and your family, and even preserve income well into the future. We accept common stock, either public or private, real estate, and other appreciated assets as donation options to continue our mission.

REACH OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE...

There are many ways you can join us and help keep our mission alive. Reach out to Ryan Keough, Director of Donor Relations and Development at 978-562-9182 or rkeough@collingsfoundation.org and let us help you develop a plan that matches your passion today.

LEARN MORE ONLINE AT HTTP://GIVE.CFDN.ORG COLLINGS FOUNDATION - AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

OUR HONORED CONTRIBUTORS

The mission of the Collings Foundation is to keep history alive for our future generations and to preserve our national heritage through our programs. The level of resources required each year to accomplish this is immense, but through the generosity of our supporters, we have not only sustained this mission, but have also greatly expanded our reach in the past decade with new artifacts, restorations, and major program additions like the American Heritage Museum. We are extremely grateful to the supporters who have made this possible.

2020 DONORS

LIFETIME SUPPORTERS

Lifetime supporters of the Collings Foundation have risen above and beyond to help keep history alive for future generations. Their support has helped to ensure the future of the American Heritage Museum, Wings of Freedom Tour, and Vietnam Memorial Flight.

DIAMOND

Anonymous Donors The Bassick Family Foundation Huisking Foundation Stewart McMillan

PLATINUM

Anonymous Donors Darmochwal Family Glen Hanson George Kuchenbecker

GOLD

Virginia M. Ballard Stuart Bemis Henry W. Bull Foundation Curtis Burton Daniel B. Clark David L. Craven Mark Dunham

The William J. & Deborah S. Nutt Foundation Bill Shea and Family William M. Sheriff Rob and Susan Vincent

Dorothy A. Metcalf Foundation Tony Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill Joe J. Osentoski Kevin Schuerman Gary B. Grainger Mick Hanou Ed Harder Thomas G. Harrison Michael Lam Brad Lemons Foundation Michael Malcolm

Chuck McElwee W.L. Miller Carl F. Moore James R. Moriarty Jim X. Mullen Norris Foundation Paul Parfrey

Eric M. Stroud David J. Walker

Mike Poirier Dr. Roy Reardon Charles Robidart Scott & Pam Sheeler Warren Reed Sprinkel David O. Swain Stephen D. Wolfe

SILVER Davey L. Adams, Jr. James Allison James Althoff Craig M Arellano Lawrence Bachman William J. Bachschmidt Anna Bailey Trust Richard L. Bellmer Bret Berry Bob Best Frank Bilotta Barry Birdwell Barbara Bishop-Ward James Blake Letha S. Blankenship James W. Blatchford III Mark Jon Bluth Lawrence Borger David D. Borland Jim Bryant Ann M. Burger John Burnett Beth Butler Joel Caldwell Donald J. Campbell Jerry Carlson Bob D. Carufel Ray Cawley Michele Ciancio Maudie Clark Patrick B. Clark Kenneth Clendenin Brian Cleveland Thomas R. Cockfield Pamela Coe

Philip K. Coleman Keith E. Collett John C. Cooke David L. Craven Bruce P. Creighton Christopher Dale Frank Darabont Paul Darmochwal Dale H. Davenport Richard E. DeKostic Tracy Delahunt-LaPelusa John Dillman Ken Eldred Gregory Fang Helga M. Felsch Caruthers S. Jean Fernandez Michael K. FitzSimons Thomas J. Flaherty John K. Flanagan Ricky Foster Glenn L. Frizzell Robert J. Galloway Ethan Galstad Johnny Gates Jere Gerszewski Robert D. Gilligan Patricia P. Greenhood Dirk Griffin Steve Grogan Thomas Haddock Stephen Han Douglas Hart William T. Hawkins Alan Heffron Bruce R. Hegdahl

Barry Hennings Norman Henry Steven J. Herson Larry Hinton Stephen J. Hoffman James M. Holley Chris R. Huber Charlene Hunter Laura Huston J.D.M. Foundation Paul Jernigan Thomas D. Johns James A. Joki Kenneth Jones James L. Joslin Ed Kirik Leroy Kirk David W. Kuhenbecker Matt Kuehn David Kuntz Bob Laverty David A. Lintz David Littlefield Manuel J. Lozano Roderick MacLeod Gunard O. Mahl Maurizio Maranghi Ron A Marquis Clifford Martin Bruce Martini William Maxwell Mike McCune Joseph McGrath Betty McMicken William T. Meehleis

COLLINGS FOUNDATION - AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

George Michel John Miller Don Miller Thomas Mueller John Muhr Andrew Munson Mark Nickerson Kevin Nish Mark P. Norman Mary L. Norton Robert G. Oneglia Brad Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill Paul Orr Walt Orth Joan Patterson Mary Paulin, Jr. David W. Payne Matthew M. Perez Paul Peterzell Eric Pintard David T. Plakias Robert D. Poole Melissa Pozarowski Scott Prawat Jack Quinn Dennis Paul Rego Lloyd Robidoux Donna Rosenkrans Peter C. Rosenthal Jeff Rusk James Rust Andrew H. Schmidt Susan Schueller Cesare Segalini Barry Semler

Nathan Simpson Stephen Skalski George Slye Cynthia P. Smith Richard J. Smith Richard Spatz Robert Stack Robert Stanford Carl & Barbara Stanley Family Trust Cory Stirling Susan F. Swanson James Taiclet Alexander B. Taylor Phillip Tenwick Jack N. Thornton Robert Torres Michael Martin Tull Ellie Unum Michael E. Vadvilavich L.A. Vander Putten George Waal Jimmie Waldon Robert Warmack Harry Warner Urs Wettstein M.J. Winer George Wiseman Alan Wolnek Howard B. Young Justin Zabel Stan Zeiden Nancy Zverina

MAJOR DONORS

Anonymous Donors Bailey Family Foundation Inc. Brad Lemons Foundation Brian Jones Carl & Barbara Stanley Family Trust Charles F. Dalton Christopher W. Seely Daniel H. Lawlor Charitable Foundation David L. Craven David O. Swain Don Kerndt Eric Hayes Frank W. Dworak Gerard B. Lambert Foundation Gregory Booze Harry Warner Hobson Motzer Incorporated Howard S. Reid Jim Wilkerson John Muhr Lloyd B. Wallis Mark Dunham Mark P. Norman Ronald P. & Susan E. Lynch Foundation Dr. Roy Reardon Stephen Gulo Stuart Pratt The Huisking Foundation William H. Everett Rob and Susan Vincent

2020 LIFETIME MEMBERS

Kevin Chapman Julianne Glowacki Mark P. Norman Robert C. Rooke Dr. Alberto Savoretti Chuck Thornburg

MEMBERSHIP I N FO R M AT I O N

All memberships help support the programs of the Collings Foundation. By becoming a member, you join the ranks of others who have taken the extra step each year to keep history alive! ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS

Annual Memberships include one year of unlimited admission as outlined below to the American Heritage Museum and the Wings of Freedom Tour, a 20% discount to special event tickets at the American Heritage Museum, a 10% discount to the museum store or PX, a window decal, and a subscription to member publications. Individual Membership - $60 - Membership for one person includes standard annual membership benefits as described above, with admission for the member. Participating Membership - $100 - Membership for one person includes standard annual membership benefits as described above, with admission for the member. Also includes a $50 voucher to use toward a flight or armor experience. Family Membership - $140 - Membership for two adults and all children under 18. Includes standard annual membership benefits as described above, including admission for the family.

COLLINGS FOUNDATION & AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP & CONTRIBUTIONS

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP

PHONE

SELECT BELOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OR SPONSOR � Individual Membership: $60 annually � Participating Membership: $100 annually � Family Membership: $140 annually � Lifetime Membership: $2500 one time contribution � Plane / Armor Sponsor of _________: $7000 one time OR, SUPPORT US WITH AN ANNUAL CONTRUBUTION Support our Annual Fund where your donation is applied to the most urgent needs.

I wish to support... (select one) ADVANCED MEMBERSHIPS Advanced Memberships include lifetime unlimited admission as for the member and up to three additional people to the American Heritage Museum and the Wings of Freedom Tour, a 50% discount to special event tickets at the American Heritage Museum, a 10% discount to the museum store or PX, a window decal, and a subscription to member publications. Additional benefits are outlined below. Lifetime Membership - $2500 - Membership for one person includes the advanced membership benefits as described above. Also includes two (2) certificates for a flight experience on a Wings of Freedom bomber (when available) OR two (2) certificates for an Tank Experience ride at the AHM. Plane Sponsor - $7000 - Support a specific aircraft of your choice from our collection. Membership includes the advanced membership benefits as described above. Benefits also include flying privileges for member and one (1) guest on between-city move flights (not local flights) on the Wings of Freedom Tour bombers when available. Member will also receive either a personalized A-2 Leather bomber jacket, or a model of the aircraft they sponsor. Up to $3500 of previous flight donations may be applied to this level. Armor Sponsor - $7000 - Support a specific tank or vehicle of your choice from our collection. Membership includes the advanced membership benefits as described above. Benefits also include two (2) Tank Experience rides per year for sponsor on available vehicles. Member will also receive a personalized WWII Tanker jacket customized for the tank they sponsor.

� American Heritage Museum programs and restorations (Collings Foundation, Inc.) � Wings of Freedom Tour and Vietnam Memorial Flight (Collings Foundation Trust)

Donation Amount

� $1000

� $500

� $250

� $100

� $50

� Other ___________________

PAYMENT DETAILS PAYMENT: � CHECK

� CREDIT CARD

CARD #

EXPIRATION CVV CODE

SIGNATURE Make your check payable to COLLINGS FOUNDATION and Mail your donation to:

The Collings Foundation Attn.: Membership & Contributions 568 Main Street Hudson, MA 01749

Give or Become a Member Online at: http://give.cfdn.org COLLINGS FOUNDATION - AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

Collings Foundation Inc. American Heritage Museum 568 Main Street Hudson, MA 01749 (978) 562-9182

Non Profit Org US Postage Paid

THE

COLLINGS FOUNDATION

PX STORE

The online PX Store features a great selection of gifts for the aviation and history buff in your family. L i m i t e d E d i t i o n B - 2 4 Wa t c h

M o d e l s , To y s , B o o k s a n d U n i q u e G i f t s

We have many new Cobi building block toys, models and vintage WWII tin signs now in stock at the American Heritage Museum and Collings Foundation gift shops.

Great selection of books for the aviation and history buff. We also carry custom challenge coins, a variety of custom pins and patches, key chains and magnets. Proceeds help the Collings Foundation. Every purchase helps!

Geoffrey Roth Watch Engineering has partnered with the Collings Foundation to pay tribute to the B-24J “Witchcraft” Liberator. For every watch sold, Geoffrey Roth will donate $250 to support the non-profit’s important work and keep the B-24J Liberator flying.

We have many more items to choose from! See all items in our store at: www.AmericanHeritageMuseum.org YOUR PURCHASE HELPS SUPPORT THE COLLINGS FOUNDATION AND AMERICAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US “KEEP HISTORY ALIVE”