1
2
Welcome to the 2015 edition of “Warbirds Over the Beach”! If you are reading this, you are in for one of the most unusual experiences that Virginia Beach has to offer. In fact, there are so many people like you that this museum has become the #1 rated attraction in all of Virginia Beach according to TripAdvisor.com. Our guests come from all over the world to enjoy the sights, sounds, and even the smell of the “glory days” of military aviation. Many of you grew up reading the exploits of military heroes, and you’ve watched all the great aviation movies, but when you hear the thunder of a Merlin, Allison, or a Wright engine coughing to life and then see and hear them throttle up, you are transported to an entirely different level of understanding of history.
The Military Aviation Museum features one of the world’s largest private collections of historic military aircraft. Each aircraft has been painstakingly restored to flying condition, using original parts whenever possible, and features the paint markings of the days when it was flown with the armed forces of its origin.
The Military Aviation Museum is not just unique locally. How many other museums have you ever been to that have no velvet ropes around their exhibits? How many other places can you be this close to the action with planes flying off of a grass runway not even a stone’s throw from your beach chair? How many places do you know of where you can picnic with dinosaurs?
The museum was founded in 2005, and its ongoing mission is to preserve, restore, and fly these historic aircraft. The museum ’s collection allows a new generation to experience and learn from what their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers might have endured on the lonely airfields and in the skies so very far from home.
Our mission is to help the generations born after World War Two understand exactly what Americans and their allies can and have achieved when they are called to action with a just cause. Each one of the airplanes in our collection tells a unique story about the men and women who designed them, built them, flew them, and all too often, died in them in order to very literally save the world seventy-five years ago.
The founder of the museum has spent years collecting and restoring these beautiful aircraft. As time went on, the passion for obtainin g and restoring these rare aircraft eventually laid the foundation for today’s Military Aviation Museum. In the process, it was learned that the real discovery was not just the aircraft themselves, but the history they were part of and the stories of the brave men and women who flew them.
We invite you to seek out those stories. Many of them are told in this program booklet. Some are on the placards in front of the exhibits. Many more stories can be yours by just talking to our blue or yellow-shirted volunteers as you enjoy walking among the airplanes. If you enjoy your visit with us, tell your friends and neighbors about us, and consider supporting us as a member of our Leading Edge Circle of donors, or even as one of our many volunteers. As a volunteer, there could be a ride in your future in a real P-51 Mustang. Ask anyone in a volunteer shirt how to make that happen to you! Come back soon! Mike Potter, Museum Director Military Aviation Museum 3
Gerald Yagen, President
The Military Aviation Museum is truly a living museum that continues to grow. New aircraft are always undergoing restorat ion around the world and are added to the museum’s collection upon completion. At the same time, the museum complex, at the Virginia Beach Airport, is being transformed with additional building s. Bring your family and friends often and enjoy exploring what’s new in history. Buy a family membership and return as often as you’d like. For information about scheduled flight demonstrations , seminars, and visiting aircraft, please contact the museum at (757) 721-PROP or visit www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org.
On the Cover ...........................................................................6 Mosquito.................................................................................................6 Spitfire.....................................................................................................7 Hurricane................................................................................................8 Tiger Moth.............................................................................................9 American Planes ...................................................................10 Wildcat...................................................................................................10 Corsair ...................................................................................................11 P-40 .....................................................................................................12 Mustang ...............................................................................................13 Peashooter ..........................................................................................14 P-64 ......................................................................................................15 Avenger ................................................................................................16 Skyraider ..............................................................................................17 B-25 .......................................................................................................18 Catalina ................................................................................................19 PT-19 .....................................................................................................20 Trojan ....................................................................................................21 Mentor ...................................................................................................21 Canary ..................................................................................................22 AT-6 .......................................................................................................22 Piper NE-1 ............................................................................................23 Dauntless (Guest) ............................................................................24 Air Show Pilots ......................................................................25 British Planes ........................................................................29 Chipmunk ..........................................................................................29 MAM Engine ..........................................................................28 German Planes ......................................................................35 ME 262 ................................................................................................35 FW 190 Dora .....................................................................................36 FW 190 A-8 ........................................................................................37 FW 190 .................................................................................................38 JU 52 ..................................................................................................39 BF 109 .................................................................................................40 BF 108 .................................................................................................41 208 ........................................................................................................41 FW 44J ...............................................................................................42 Jungmeister ......................................................................................43 Blohm & Voss ...................................................................................44 Fliegende Panzerfaust ..................................................................45 BMW TLJ-2 ........................................................................................45 Russian Planes ......................................................................46 Lavochkin ..........................................................................................46 Yak ........................................................................................................47 MIG-3 ...................................................................................................48 PO-2 ......................................................................................................49 Italian Planes .........................................................................50 Fiat .......................................................................................................50 Entertainers & Schedule .......................................................53 MAM Property........................................................................56
4
For the third straight year, Denver, Colorado artist Kevin Weber has provided the custom artwork for the Warbirds Over the Beach air show. This year’s design features a selection of four of the museum’s most recognizable British aircraft flying over the coast of Yorktown, Virginia, circa 1943. In the foreground you can see the world renowned de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito, followed in formation by the Hawker Hurricane XK XII-B, Supermarine Spitfire MK IXE and de Havilland DH82-A Tiger Moth biplane. When the American colonists and the British troops last met at Yorktown in 1781, it was for the surrender of General Cornwallis at the end of the Revolutionary War. Mr. Weber is a member of the American Society of Aviation Artists. His art has appeared in exhibitions and galleries nationwide and is displayed in small collections internationally. He has artwork permanently on display at the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia and at our own museum.
Copies of the 2015 Warbirds Over the Beach poster are available for purchase in the museum gift shop. For more information and to view more examples of Kevin’s work, be sure to visit www.kweberart.com.
This year’s air show announcers are Mark Whall and Jonathan Lichtenstein. The two have worked together as the voices of our air show for several years and are happy to be working together again. Mark comes to us from the rural countryside of England. He has flown military jets and worked in commercial aviation, and he spent 26 years as a program editor with BBC Radio. Mark is involved in the world-famous Shuttleworth Collection of historic aircraft and cars in England, where he has been a commentator for its air shows. Since first visiting the museum in 2011, Mark has been a loyal supporter and friend helping announce air shows and Flying Proms. Jonathan is a Virginia Beach native and graduate of Old Dominion University. He has worked as a host and producer for WHRO Radio and spent some time as the museum’s events coordinator before leaving earlier this year. Jonathan has served as our air show announcer since 2010. He also helps the museum research music for the annual Flying Proms and he is the Principal Bass Clarinetist with Symphonicity.
12:00PM
T-6s Take Off and Fly Formations
12:40PM
C-46 Takes Off for Paratrooper Drop
1:00PM
Waiver in Effect - Field Closed Paratroopers Drop from C-46
1:10PM
U.S. Trainers and Liaison Flights: Stearman, Stinson L-5, North American AT-6G, Piper NE-1
1:25PM
Foreign Trainers & Liaison Flights: de Havilland Tiger Moth and Chipmunk, Focke-Wulf Fw 44J, Polikarpov Po-2 Messerschmitt 108
1:45PM
U.S. Navy Pacific Theatre Flights: PBY Catalina, TBM Avenger, FG-1D Corsair, AD-4 Skyraider, FM-2 Wildcat, SBD-5 Dauntless
2:20PM
U.S. Aircraft European Theatre Flights: B-25 Mitchell, Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk, P-51D Mustang, North American P-64
2:30PM
German and British European Theatre Flights: Junkers Ju 52, Hawker Hurricane, Spitfire, Messerschmitt Me 262
2:55PM
British Fighter Flights: Hawker Hurricane, Spitfire
3:00PM
European Theatre Flights - The Fast and Heavies: de Havilland Mosquito, Yakovlev YAK-3, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8
3:30PM
All Flights Land
4:00PM
Field Open for Departing Visiting Planes
All times are approximate and subject to change due to weather and mechanical conditions and advance printing deadlines of this book.
WINGS is produced and published by the Military Aviation Museum. © 2015. Graphic Design: Shari Evans, Historical Research: Felix Usis
5
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
In 2013, the long-awaited de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito, serial number KA 114, joined the Military Aviation Museum. This British aircraft served many roles during the war. Variants served as fighters, bombers, fighter-bombers and other roles. The museum’s Mosquito is a fighter-bomber variant, FB Mk VI. These aircraft were unique in that they were constructed nearly entirely out of wood, giving them the nickname “Wooden Wonder”. The Mosquito was first produced by the de Havilland Company in 1940 and when it entered mass production in June 1941, it was one of the fastest, if not the fastest, aircraft in the world. This particular Mosquito was manufactured in Toronto, Canada and flew for the first time in early 1945. It was too late for combat service in WWII, so it was flown directly into storage with Eastern Air Command of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). It enjoyed a very short stint of flying with 7 OUT, based at Debert, Nova Scotia. Then once again entered storage, this time at Vulcan, Alberta. At the conclusion of WWII, the aircraft was purchased by a farmer in April of 1948 and stored on his property in Milo, Alberta. Unfortunately, the weather took its toll on the aircraft and it deteriorated over the years. In 1978, it was purchased by the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transport (CMFT). As CMFT took possession of the aircraft, the forward section of the fuselage disintegrated and the fuselage broke in two behind the wing area. It was also missing both engines, as well as parts of the landing gear. It spent several years in storage at CMFT before being sold to the Military Aviation Museum in 2004. Once purchased by the museum, it was sent to AvSpecs in New Zealand
2 x Rolls Royce Merlin V12 1,480 hp each 366 mph 900 miles 29,000 ft. 54 ft. 2 in. 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon, 4 x .303 in. Browning machine guns, 4,000 lb. of bombs
for restoration. Although the wood was in terrible condition, most of the metal parts could be salvaged. Glyn Powell of Auckland, New Zealand, was enlisted to create a new fuselage, wings and tail sections. Powell employed a top boat builder to assist with creating the molds and applied a modern epoxy, opposed to glue, to join many of the pieces. Otherwise, Powell says that he was “absolutely faithful to the original drawings and specifications”. It took almost three years to build the wooden airframe. During that time, AvSpecs had restored the hydraulic and electrical systems, made pipes and constructed new cowlings, along with other parts. Two former Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Merlin 25s were located in Australia, complete with genuine engine mounts. These were sent to California to be restored by Vintage V-12s. The museum’s Mosquito is painted in the markings of 487 Squadron RNZAF as EG-Y, in honor of the Royal New Zealand unit that flew Mosquitos during WWII. The squadron flew a number of high profile raids, including the attack of Amiens Prison in February of 1944. The attack destroyed a wall, which enabled hundreds of prisoners of war to escape. The New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued the Mosquito a certificate of airworthiness in September 2012. It took its first flight in over 60 years on September 29, 2012 at Ardmore Airport near Auckland, New Zealand. This was the first public flight of a de Havilland Mosquito in over 16 years. The museum’s Mosquito finally arrived in Virginia Beach, Virginia in March 2013, where the Fighter Factory’s crew, assisted by a few members of the AvSpec team, reassembled it. Altogether, the Mosquito spent a total of eight years and thousands of hours undergoing its restoration. Today, it remains the only airworthy Mosquito in the world.
RE-ENACTORS The Provisional Parachute Group The Provisional Parachute Group is a military historical group that is dedicated to honoring the American Airborne of World War II. The group is comprised of veteran re-enactors and living historians from central North Carolina.
6
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 1,720 hp 404 mph 434 miles 42,500 ft 32 ft. 6 in. 2 x 20mm hispano cannons 2 x .50 cal Browning M2 machine guns up to 500 lbs. of bombs
In 1943, the largest single contract for Spitfires was produced at the Castle Bromwich factory near Birmingham, England. One of these aircraft was Royal Air Force (RAF) registered MJ730, a Mark IXe Spitfire, first test-flown on December 10, 1943. Within a couple of weeks, it was dismantled and crated for shipping to the port of Casablanca in North Africa. The first operational unit that MJ730 served with was 417 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). There, its first mission was escorting a group of U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25 Mitchell bombers during the Italian campaign. It was involved with the Allied landings at Anzio and flew 15 sorties over twenty-four days. On May 9, 1944, the aircraft was transferred to No. 154 Squadron RAF and its fuselage squadron identifying code letters were changed to HT-W. It operated from the island of Corsica on 95 missions, flying bomber escorts for the American forces over northern Italy and in support of the invasion in southern France. It was during the operations from Corsica, the MJ730 was filmed in color by William Wyler (who was the famed director of the Memphis Belle documentary and later Ben Hur). After the fighting in northern Italy, on October 9 1944, MJ730 was transferred again to No. 32 Squadron RAF at Kolomaki, Greece (note: this was the former base of Luftwaffe IV./JG27 and Heinrich Bartels). The aircraft was chosen by Squadron Leader George Silvester (DFC) as his personal aircraft. During the Second World War, it was common in the RAF for the squadron commander to put his initials on the side of the airplane indicating that it was his personal airplane—‘hands off’. The ground crew asked the commanding officer what identifier he wanted applied to his personal airplane (our MJ730). Corporal (later Sergeant) airframe fitter, Graham Tylee of No. 32 Squadron, was the ground crew member who painted the squadron code letters on all newly arrived aircraft. Below is his account of how the '?' came about. It is taken from a letter he wrote to a researcher about the aircraft's history on behalf of its then owner, David Pennell. Graham Tylee wrote: "I would find out from the engineering officer what letter was allocated to the aircraft. I liked to paint and normally did this myself. I remember having a template made with small holes in suitable places." When the CO came back from satisfactorily test flying this aircraft, Cpl Tylee asked what code letter should put be put on the Spitfire. "He jokingly said that there was a bit of a question mark over which identity letter to giver his Spitfire...because he was neither A Flight nor B Flight". According to the former airframe fitter, the ground crew took the initiative and Corporal Tyler painted a large question mark where a code letter would
normally be positioned. Squadron Leader G. Silvester DFC was amused by this and said it could stay. It was thenceforth known by squadron personnel as "The CO's Query". Former World War II pilots and ground crew at one of the 32 Squadron's annual reunion weekends at RAF Northolt confirmed Graham Tylee's account. Furthermore, Betty Silvester, Squadron Leader Silvester's widow, produced documents and photographs in which her husband referred to MJ730, in its GZ-? coding, as "his kite". Although there is at least one other Second World War squadron using a question mark coding on a Spitfire, it was not the start of a Commanding Officer's tradition. The war ended with the aircraft being flown by No. 249 Squadron RAF from Yugoslavia in harassment of the retreating German forces. After the war, it was ferried to RAF Brindisi in Italy. Here it was stored for almost a year before being sold to the newly reformed Italian Air Force. The aircraft underwent a major overhaul by Aeronautica Machhi at Varese and was accepted by the Italian Air Force at Centocelle Airport on the outskirts of Rome, registered as MM4094. In 1951, MJ730 was among a batch of Spitfires sold by the Italian government to Israel. The Israeli Air Force assigned the number 66 to the aircraft and it served in an Operational Training Unit (OTU) at the Ramat David Airfield. It was finally decommissioned in June 1956, when most of Israel's other Spitfires were sold to Burma. MJ730 was saved to provide young Israeli children with a subtle desire to become fighter pilots. It was moved to a playground at a kibbutz in Kabri, near the border of Lebanon. It was here that the aircraft was found in a dilapidated condition during the early 1970s and transported back to England in 1978. A firm in the south of England began the initial restoration work. But in August 1986, the project was sold to Fred Smith, founder and President of Federal Express. The work was completed in November 1988, but immediately offered for sale. At first, Fred Smith requested a different paint scheme from earlier in the war while it fought over Italy. When David Pennell, an electronics manufacturer in Birmingham, England, purchased it, he preferred the current paint design used in early 1945 in Greece and Yugoslavia. The aircraft spent the next 10 years in the Midlands area performing at many charity events and memorial functions. In 1998, the Military Aviation Museum learned about the possible availability of this aircraft while in New Zealand searching for assorted Curtiss P-40 parts. An inspection in England was arranged and a contract was signed at the May 1999 Duxford air show. The aircraft finally arrived at the Fighter Factory facilities in Suffolk, Virginia in early 2000. 7
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Packard Merlin 29 V12 1,300 hp 330 mph 486 miles 36,000 ft. 40 ft. 12 x .303 in machine guns
is almost completely original including its Packard-built Merlin-29, 1,300 horsepower liquid-cooled engine. It first flew again as N2549 on May 10, 1994. Unfortunately, 12 days later the aircraft was damaged while landing in Yakima, Washington. It was obtained by the museum in 2001 with Civil Registration N2549 and no Squadron Codes. It was repainted as 151 Squadron aircraft DZ-O with serial number V6793 and the Civil Registration changed to N943HH.
The museum’s Hawker Hurricane (c/n 56022) was built in Canada by the Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF) at Fort William (Thunder Bay) plant under license from Hawker. CCF plants in Fort William, Amherst, NS and Montreal produced 1,400 Hurricanes. This Canadian-built Hurricane LF Mk XII was essentially an Mk II with a 1,300 hp Packard Merlin 29, replacing the original Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine. Canadian built Hurricanes were designated as Mk X, opposed to their British counterparts that were simply designated Mk. Mk XIIs were armed with twelve 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns. You can see the gun ports for the 12 machine guns on the museum’s aircraft today. The museum’s Hurricane was accepted by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as RCAF 5667 on February 3, 1943. It was sent to Eastern Air Command and assigned first to No. 1 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RCAF Bagotville, reassigned to the Victory Loan Drive (Ottawa) on October 23, 1944, then assigned to No.1 Air Command on January 15, 1945 and finally to No. 2 Air Command on May 9, 1945. Two conflicting reports indicate that it was either stricken from military records on January 1, 1946 or October 1, 1946. It was stored and finally sold in 1948, where it sat derelict on a farm in Saskatchewan from 1948 until 1965. Reports state that in June 1965, the Hurricane was sold to Mr. Neil M. Rose of Vancouver, Washington. Mr. Rose performed a beautiful restoration using parts from another RCAF Hurricane Mk XII (RCAF 9409). The Hurricane 8
This Hurricane is painted in the markings of Pilot Officer John Kenneth Haviland, an American who flew with 151 Squadron in the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. Haviland was born on January 19, 1921 in Mount Kisco, New York. He spent most of his early life in England, starting school there at the age of five. Haviland went to Nottingham University at 17. He obtained his pilot’s license and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (R.A.F.V.R.). He was called up at the outbreak of war and posted to the Initial Training Wing at Pembroke College, Cambridge in November 1939. After completing his flying training, he went to the No. 1 School of Army Co-Operation, Old Sarum. He volunteered for Fighter Command, was posted to No. 6 Operational Training Unit Sutton Bridge in August 1940, and after converting to Hurricanes, joined No. 151 Squadron at Digby on September 23, 1940. In late 1940, 151 Squadron was converted to Boulton Paul Defiants in a night fighter role. Haviland continued with 151 Squadron as they converted to the night fighter version of the de Haviland Mosquito. After a period with 151 Squadron, he transferred to 141 Squadron, a part of 100 Group Bomber Command. 100 Group specialized in flying intruder operations against German night fighters, shooting them down as they returned to their bases. On February 16, 1945, Haviland was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for exceptional valor. Haviland flew some 1,562 hours with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. After the war, Haviland continued his education earning a degree in mechanical engineering at London University and later earned a PhD in aeronautical and astronautical engineering at MIT. He joined the University of Virginia faculty in 1967, teaching first in the Hampton Roads area and then at Charlottesville for 27 years. Dr. John Kenneth Haviland died in 2002 as the last remaining American survivor of the Battle of Britain.
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span:
de Havilland Gipsy Major 130 hp 109 mph 302 miles 13,600 ft. 29 ft. 4 in.
The Tiger Moth was one of the primary trainers used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and others in the 1930s. Originally derived from the de Havilland Gipsy Moth, the Tiger Moth was introduced in 1932. The aircraft included improved access to the front cockpit designed to make escape easier for a trainer wearing a parachute. They accomplished this by shifting the upper wing forward while sweeping it back to maintain the center of lift. Other enhancements over the Gipsy Moth included a strengthened structure, fold-down doors on both sides of the cockpit, and a revised exhaust system. The Tiger Moth entered into service with the RAF in February 1932. By the time World War Two began, the RAF had 500 in service, and over 4,000 were built during the war. It was the primary trainer for the RAF, with thousands of pilots taking their first flights in this aircraft. It was an excellent trainer because it flew docile and forgiving during the normal flights of early training, but when used for aerobatics and formations, it required definite skill and concentration, enhancing the training and weeding out weaker pilots. Following World War Two, large numbers of the aircraft were sold to flying clubs and individuals to take on new roles as crop dusters,
aerobatic performers, aerial ambulances and other such purposes. The Military Aviation Museum’s aircraft was built by the Morris Motor Car Company in Cowley, England and delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force Training Command in 1940. After twelve years of service, it was sold to the Royal Singapore Flying Club. The organization used it for flight instruction and delivering payrolls to jungle plantations throughout Singapore until 1957. The Tiger Moth was then sold to the Delhi Flying Club and then the Madras Flying Club, both in India. In 1972, it was dismantled and shipped to Canada, where it was reassembled and then flown on to Denver, Colorado. The records run cold until it resurfaced in Bakersfield, California, where it was restored in 1990. It was sold again to an individual in South Carolina in 1994 and again in 1998. The museum acquired the Tiger Moth from a business in Greenville, South Carolina in 2004.
RE-ENACTORS Southeast Historical Allied Expeditionary Force The Southeastern Historical Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) is a group of historians who focus on the allied forces in the European Theatre 1943-1945. At the air show this weekend, they are portraying C Co. 505th Parachute Infantry. The 505th made its first regimental size combat parachute attack as part of operation Husky on 9 July, 1943 in Gela, Sicily. Come meet the SHAEF and hear more about this first mission, and others. The uniforms, weapons, web gear, tents, kitchen equipment and vehicles are all actual WWII-era equipment or faithful reproductions. Great care is taken by every member to research their impressions for historical accuracy. For more information about SHAEF, visit www.shaefgroup.com. 9
1944 FM-2 "WILDCAT"
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Wright R-1820-56 1,350 hp 322 mph 1,350 w/ external tanks 35,600 ft 38 ft. 4 x .50 cal machine guns; 6 x 5 inch HVAR rockets
The FM-2 Wildcat, manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Company, had its first test flight in 1937. This retractable gear carrier-based fighter was accepted by the U.S. Navy in 1940, and in 1941, the name “Wildcat” was officially adopted. With a top speed of 322 mph, the Wildcat was outperformed by the more nimble 331 mph Japanese Mitsubishi Zero, but the Wildcat’s ruggedness and tactics gave it an air combat kill-to-loss of 6 to 1 for the entire war. The Wildcat served in many major battles during the war. Four Marine Corps Wildcats played a prominent role in the defense of Wake Island in December 1941. Naval and Marine Corps aircraft were the fleet’s primary air defense during the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway. And land-based Wildcats played a major role during the Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942-43. Lt. Butch O’Hare became the U.S. Navy’s first fighter ace and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt for shooting down five Mitsubishi twin-engine bombers attacking the USS Lexington carrier off Bougainville in 1942. Today, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago is named in honor of him. The museum’s FM-2 Wildcat was built in 1944 at the General Motors/ Eastern Aircraft plant in New Jersey. It was assigned to San Pedro, California and then moved on to serve in the Philippines. After that, the Wildcat was assigned to the Norfolk region as a training aircraft, and it was transferred to the small training field in Pungo, Virginia on July 3, 1945. The airfield was located behind present-day Pungo Pizza on Princess Anne Road. At the end of World War II, the aircraft was still stationed in Virginia, and it served with various training commands throughout the Navy. It was stricken from the records and sold to an Eastern Airlines pilot in 1952. It was then sold to its next owner in Delaware 10 years later. This Wildcat was acquired by the Military Aviation Museum in 2010 and made its first appearance back in Virginia in over 60 years at the 2010 Warbirds Over the Beach air show. It is the most original example of a Wildcat still flying today. Its folding wings are operated by small hand cranks imbedded in the wing fold mechanisms, and the retractable landing gears require 31 turns of the hand-operated wheel in the cockpit. The aircraft is powered by its original Wright R-1820 radial engine that produces 1,350 horsepower. During the war, it was armed with four 50-caliber wing mounted machine guns and could carry two 250 lb. bombs or six rockets. In 2011, the aircraft underwent a restoration process with the Fighter Factory, including a new paint scheme matching the Atlantic colors, restoring it to its original condition as when it first left the factory in 1944.
10
1945 GOODYEAR FG-1D "CORSAIR"
The Corsair was one of the most maneuverable planes built during the war. It was the first radial engine fighter to surpass 400 mph and capable of outfighting the best Japanese fighters. U.S. Marines stationed in the Pacific during WWII called the Corsair “Our Workhorse,” while the Japanese forces referred to it as “Whistling Death.” Camouflaged in indigo-blue, the plane was difficult to see from the ground until it was too late. The FG-1D was equipped with six Browning M2 .50 caliber machine guns, up to eight 5-inch HVAR rockets and the ability to carry two 1,000 lb. bombs. The Corsair’s combination of ruggedness, maneuverability, and firepower quickly made it the premier fighter in the Pacific. The museum’s FG-1D was produced by Goodyear under license from the Vought Aircraft Company in May 1945 and was delivered to the U.S. Navy two months later under the Bureau of Aeronautics Number 92508. Not much is known about the naval history of BuNo. 92508. However, due to the extremely low engine time and excellent body condition after its 13 years of military duty, it is not likely that the aircraft was used in combat. In fact, the museum’s FG-1D is believed to have one of the lowest total flight times of any remaining Corsairs
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Pratt & Whitney R2800-8W 2,250 hp 425 mph 1,015 miles normal 2,100 miles w/ external fuel tanks 37,000 ft. 41 ft. 6 x Browning M2 .50 cal machine guns; 8 x 5 in. HVAR rockets; 2 x 1,000 lbs. bombs or 160 gal. external tanks
flying today. In 1964, the Corsair was purchased by a family in Santa Rosa, California. Underestimating the power and speed of the aircraft, it was exchanged for a North American AT-6 trainer in March 1968. After a quick refurbishment, the plane flew in the opening ceremonies of the Reno Air Races that same year. Less than one year later, the Corsair was sold again and ferried to Stratford, Connecticut. The plane changed hands several more times and was based with subsequent owners in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and finally Virginia. It was purchased by the museum in 1999. During 2001, the Fighter Factory undertook a massive project to restore the FG-1D back to its original wartime configuration. It was repainted to replicate the colors and markings of a former nearby North Carolina resident, Ray Beacham, who was born in Norfolk, Virginia. Beacham joined the U.S. Navy in 1939 and earned his wings the following year. In 1943, Lt. Beacham was assigned to the VF-17 fighter squadron. The Skull and Crossbones adorned the nose of the Corsairs in this squadron and can be seen on the museum’s FG-1D, as well. 11
1941 Curtiss P-40E “Kittyhawk” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armament:
Being one of the most popular and successful American aircraft of the Second World War, it’s no surprise that the Curtiss P-40 flew on the front lines of the war and remained there until the very end. The model was crafted from the Curtiss P-36 that first flew in 1935. Its new and improved design boasted a much faster development time as well as an Allison liquid-cooled V-12 engine that would boost achievable airspeeds to over 300 miles per hour. By 1944, it had become the third most-produced American fighter with more than 13,500 having been built. Unfortunately, by the time the war actually kicked off, the P-40 was already behind the times in Europe. It proved obsolete against their standards of contemporary aircraft and began working more effectively in other areas of the war. Most notably, it played a critical role in North Africa, the Southwest Pacific and China. Although it was considered out-of-date, it still demonstrated itself admirably wherever it flew, including Pearl Harbor. The P-40 was also supplied throughout the war to England, China, Russia, and many other Allies in need of air support through the Lend-Lease program. Some of the most widely known P-40 operations are those of the Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group in Burma. They may be widely known now, but the group was originally recruited in secret by President Roosevelt. With tensions growing and war on the horizon, the AVG were to stop the advance of the Japanese in Southeast Asia and therefore cut the supplies being
Allison V1710-39 1,150 hp 360 mph 650 miles 29,000 ft. 37 ft. 3.5 in 6 x .50 caliber Browning machine guns; 2,000 lbs. of bombs
provided through Burma to the Chinese army fighting Japanese troops. In just 6 months, the Flying Tigers and their P-40’s destroyed 286 Japanese airplanes and lost a mere 12 of their own. The museum’s P-40E is painted to replicate the colors of the plane flown by the great AVG fighter pilot, David Lee “Tex” Hill. Long been considered a hero of the war, “Tex” and his fellow fighters managed to trap Japanese troops at the Salween Gorge and end their advance into Kimming, China. And the memorable shark teeth found chomping at the clouds as it flies came from the British P-40 airplanes that operated in North Africa. Manufactured in Buffalo, New York during 1941, this Curtiss P-40E made its way to the United States Army Air Corps, then to Great Britain through the Lend-Lease program, and finally off to the Soviet Union to defend the homeland from a Nazi invasion launched out of Norway. Lost in action, the airplane stayed in the Arctic Circle for more than fifty years, slowly losing parts to locals as the years ticked by. Then, in 1992, it was brought state-side and began its restoration in 1996 at Virginia’s Fighter Factory. On April 14, 2003, the restoration came to a successful end with a small subcontracted company in New Zealand, and the P-40E took to the skies after more than 50 years, once again chomping at the clouds like it had done so many years before. Don’t forget to ask one of the museum docents if you can see “Tex” Hill’s signature on the inside of the compartment door on the fuselage. It’s not every day you get to see a heroic plane and a heroic signature together!
RE-ENACTORS Deutscher Volkssturm/Flakhelfer Berlin, 1945 This re-enactor unit represents the Deutscher Volksstrum, or “People’s Storm” of the German Army in 1945. Following the disastrous summer of 1944 when hundreds of thousands of soldiers were lost to the Soviet offensive, the Germans realized they could not win a war of attrition and developed a new strategy. Since all able-bodied men were already fighting, they turned to young boys, old men, and invalids to form the Volkssturm, or “People’s Storm”. Young boys served mainly in the Flakhelfer and Youth Unit of the Jung Volk going into battle to reinforce the desperately under-manned Wehrmacht Heer battalions. Some Volkssturm soldiers were as young as 12 to 15 years old. Occasionally they worked as messengers, but more often, they worked on anti-tank details, set up against approaching Soviet armored T-34 and T-85 tanks. Armed with a hodge-podge of weapons, the boys stalked Russian tanks in an effort to demoralize the enemy by denying them armored support. In addition, Flakhelfer soldiers manned all aspects of anti-aircraft artillery, utilizing 20 mm light flak guns to the massive, heavy 128 mm flak cannons, in their efforts to thwart the Allied bomber attacks of the Ruhr valley. Men who were too old or handicapped to fight filled non-combat roles like fire suppression, first aid and rubble clearing after bombings. They also worked in sanitation control, searching for the dead and wounded in the rubble. 12
1945 North American P-51D Mustang
In April 1940, the British Purchasing Commission gave the North American Aircraft Company 120 days to produce a flying advanced fighter prototype. When introduced, the P-51 Mustang I variant easily achieved outstanding marks from the British. It featured the 1150 hp Allison engine and a duct coolant radiator under the fuselage. The aircraft could also carry sufficient amounts of ammunition with four .50 caliber guns and four .303 caliber guns. It could also carry two to four times the amount of fuel as its rivals, making it ideal for long-range missions. As air-to-air combat began to occur at higher altitudes later in the war, the thin air diminished the performance of the Allison engine. The Mustang was then reduced to low altitude recon and photographic missions. The U.S. Army Air Corps realized the capabilities of the Mustang and began placing large orders of different variants of the P-51 in 1942. At that time, North American began to test the Rolls Royce Merlin 60-series engine (a Packard license-built version). The P-51D was the most highly produced variant of the Mustang with over 8,000 built. A new sliding Plexiglas “bubble” canopy improved visibility, and the P-51D’s firepower was substantially increased with the addition of two more .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns, bringing the plane’s total to six. Previous problems with jamming guns were addressed with upright mounting, and the aircraft’s targeting was improved with the K-14 gun sight. This innovative sight system required the pilot to dial in the wingspan of the aircraft he was chasing, along with the range. An analog computer would calculate a targeting ring on the sight that the pilot would use to determine if he was on target. This was a major factor in many of the aircraft’s aerial combat victories. These improvements, along with its
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Packard V 1650-7 1,695 hp 437 mph 1,300 miles 42,000 ft. 37 ft. 6 x .50 cal Browning machine guns; 2,000 lbs. of bombs; 6 x H.V.A.R rockets
substantial range and speed, made the P-51D a perfect choice for nearly any situation. The museum’s P-51D, serial number 44-72483, was built in 1945 and was immediately sent to England where it was assigned to the Eighth Air Force. In September 1947, it was transferred to Sweden and in 1955, the Swiss sold it to Nicaragua. Seven years later, it was sold to Maco Sales in Illinois. It changed ownership several times from 1962 until it was bought by the Military Aviation Museum in 2004 from an owner in Switzerland. It is painted as “Double Trouble Two” with black and yellow checkers on the nose to represent the aircraft flown by Deputy Commander “Wild” Bill Bailey of the 353rd Fighter Group. Bailey flew from England during WWII and named this plane “Double Trouble” for the two women he was dating back home and “Two” because it was his second Mustang.
RE-ENACTORS Libre France French Resistance Libre France French Resistance 1940-1945 is a unit portraying members of the Resistance. The French Resistance was very active in France supported by the Allies through airdrops of supplies and a network of spies from the OSS and OSE. We have members that portray these people who provided much organization and help to those in the Resistance. The first Resistance groups in France where the Communist under the FTP. In 1943, De Gualle sent Jean Moulin to organize under the Free French Forces of the Interior, or FFI, and would unify the various groups for the upcoming invasion. Many of the Resistance would rescue downed Allied Airmen and get them back into the fight through the Comet Line which involved many of the countries in Europe's resistance. The Resistance also had the Marquis, which were much like Partisans in the East and were a form of a underground army, to fight a guerrilla war against the Nazis in France. We show all the various sides of the Resistance. 13
Boeing P-26D “Peashooter” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
The Boeing P-26 Peashooter first flew in March 1932. It was a single-seat pursuit fighter aircraft built at a time when many were skeptical of new advances in engineering. So to appease conservatives in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Boeing included several obsolete features that resulted in hampering its development potential. For example, aviation experts of the time were doubtful about the value of retractable landing gear believing that any reduction in drag would be offset by the added weight of the retraction mechanism. The early retractable landing gears, which were manually operated, were also notoriously prone to malfunction. Therefore, the Peashooter was designed with fixed landing gear in streamlined fairings called spats. Despite some of these challenges, the aircraft was cuttingedge in many respects. It was Boeing’s first monoplane fighter and the USAAC’s first all-metal fighter constructed entirely of aluminum.
Pratt & Whitney R 1340–7 600 hp 230 mph 635 miles 27,400 ft. 28 ft. 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns
Six countries flew the Peashooter: the United States, Republic of China, Guatemala, Panama, Philippines and Spain. The first aircraft was delivered to USAAC squadrons in December 1933. It was in service over 23 years and the last was retired from the Guatemalan Air Force in 1956. Only two original Boeing P-26 Peashooter aircraft exist in the world today, both from the Guatemalan Air Force. It is believed that there are only five P-26 replicas in the world today, of which the Military Aviation Museum’s is one. The museum’s P-26D (NX26PX, s/n 32-06) was built by Mayocraft of Bolton, Massachusetts in 2006. The aircraft is painted to represent the 1st Pursuit Group, 94th Pursuit Squadron, based at Selfridge Field, Michigan, circa 1935-36. This peacetime color scheme is blue for the fuselage with the wings and tail painted yellow. In combat areas like the Philippines, the color was changed to olive drab, making it more difficult to locate. (Not flying today)
Commemorative Air Force is one of two companies on-site at the air show offering rides. Stop by and see them just east of the museum building for details.
Commemorative Air Force (CAF) The Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force will be at this year's air show offering rides in their P-51 Mustang "Red Nose" and SBD-5 Dauntless. "Red Nose" was the plane that launched the Confederate Air Force (now known as Commemorative Air Force). Restored to its original WWII configuration, Dixie Wing's SBD-5 Dauntless is one of only two airworthy SBD-5's still existing in the world. To schedule your flight, please visit the Dixie Wing booth east of the Navy hangar.
14
North American P-64 Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Wright R-1820-77 870 hp 270 mph 965 miles 27,500 ft. 37 ft. 3 in. 2x 7.62 mm MG, 2x 20 mm cannons,
P-64 was the US Army Air Corps’ designation for the North American NA-68 fighter, which was built as an upgrade to the NA-50. The NA-50 was originally designed in the late 1930s, and most were sold to Peru. The NA-68/P-64 model followed in 1940. The NA-68/P-64 was a single-seat fighter like its predecessor. It featured the ability to carry heavier armament, a redesigned tail, new outer wings and modified landing gear.
the Flying Ranch. It is a replica aircraft built from a North American SNJ-4 as a project funded by Tom Dodson of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The project was completed in 2001 and flown for several years before being donated
Once designed, the Royal Thai Air Force ordered several of the NA-68 single-seat fighters, but while en-route to Thailand, the export clearance was cancelled, and they were returned to the United States. The USAAC designated these aircraft the P-64, disarmed them and used them for advanced fighter training.
to the Tulsa Air and Space Museum for static display. In 2007, the aircraft
In 2014, the museum acquired this example of a North American P-64 from Robbie Vajdos of Louise, Texas, owner of a private airport called
the engine with a Wright 1820-80A engine producing 1425 hp. It joined
was acquired by a group in Corpus Christi, Texas and flown for several more years. While there, it suffered an engine failure but landed without incident on a ranch strip. After that, it was disassembled and stored. The most recent owner purchased the aircraft in 2010 and replaced the Military Aviation Museum collection in May 2014.
RE-ENACTORS USS Canopus As9 The USS Canopus AS9 was a submarine tender stationed in the Philippines at the beginning of WWII. Trapped after the Japanese invasion, she was damaged by bombs and was disguised as a wreck to prevent further Japanese attack. Her machine shops and skilled sailors provided service to US forces fighting on Bataan. The remainder of her crew went ashore to fight as naval infantry. When Bataan fell, the survivors became POWs. Few made it home alive. This display represents the shore detachment and also the chief's mess from the Canopus. The ship is named after the brightest star in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Paper Dolls
RE-ENACTORS
The Paper Dolls are a female re-enacting group founded in January 1999. They portray women from all walks
British Royal Navy in Mediterranean This group of re-enactors focuses on portraying the activities of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, with an emphasis on Crete. The British Royal Navy and other Allied naval forces fought the Italian Royal Navy and Axis partners in the Mediterranean from June 1940-May 1945. In May 1941, the German Luftwaffe won a significant victory in Crete costing the British Royal Navy eight ships and damaging seven others. Nearly 2,000 British sailors died. Visit this re-enactor group at the show to hear more about this famous battle between air and sea.
15
1945 tbm-3e“avenger”
In the late 1930s, the United States Navy began searching for a replacement for the Douglas Devastator. The search ended when Grumman presented the XTBF-1 prototype, later called the TBF Avenger. Production of the TBF Avenger began in 1941, and by June 1942, the U.S. Navy flew these planes into combat during the Battle of Midway. The aircraft was quite popular and Grumman could not meet demands causing it to contract much of the production to General Motors Corporation. Of the 9,836 Avengers built, 7,546 actually came off the assembly line at General Motors-designated TBMs. The final Avengers rolled off the General Motors assembly lines in 1945 and remained in naval service well into the 1950s. The Avengers were used as torpedo dive bombers to destroy enemy U-boats. They were often accompanied by F4F Wildcat fighters that would strafe surfaced U-boats with gunfire forcing them to submerge, negating the U-boats' large anti-aircraft guns. Once submerged, the Avengers would follow behind with Fido torpedoes that could detect, target and destroy the submarine.
Engine: Curtiss Wright R2600-20 Horsepower: 1,900 hp Max Speed 267 mph Range: 1,130 miles w/ internal fuel 2,130 miles w/ all extra fuel tanks Ceiling: 31,000 ft. Wing Span: 52 ft. 2 in. - 19 ft. (wings folded) Armament: 2 x 12.7mm forward-firing, 1 x 12.7mm dorsal-mounted, and 1 x 7.62mm ventral-mounted machine gun; up to 2,000 lbs. of bombs in bomb-bay; Wing-mounted rockets/drop tanks/radar pod
Christi in December 1953 and was eventually put into storage at Litchfield Park, Arizona in February 1954. The U.S. Navy officially retired the aircraft on April 2, 1956, with only 1,227 hours logged. Civilian duty for the Avenger began in Boise, Idaho, where it was registered
Aircraft carriers could carry many of these aircraft because of the small amount of space they occupied with folded wings. Sometimes, Jet Assisted Take-Off (JATO) engines were used allowing the aircraft to use short runways on ships and land. Many other countries used Avengers including Canada, Britain, France and New Zealand.
as N7030C with Idaho Air Tankers (1963-1964). Navy TBMs were converted
The Military Aviation Museum’s 1945 TBM-3E Avenger (BuNo 53454) was first delivered to Naval Air Station (NAS) San Diego and listed as a Pool aircraft, ready to be assigned to any squadron at a moment’s notice. In July 1945, it was dispatched to Guiuan Airfield (Samar Airfield), Samar Province, Philippines, again as a Pool aircraft and remained there until February 1946, when it was shipped to Pearl Harbor to serve as a Pool aircraft.
to Texas where it was on display in Corpus Christi until 1992. It was sold in 1998
From November 1946 through August 1948, it spent time at NAS San Diego, NAS Olathe at Olathe, Kansas and NAS Squantum in Boston, Massachusetts. In September 1950, it was transferred to NAS Norfolk, Virginia, where it remained for seven months until leaving for Miami in April 1951 with Anti-Submarine Squadron 22. It was deployed aboard the USS Palau (CVE-122), in February 1952 and transferred to an anti-sub squad aboard the USS Monterey (CVL-26) in August 1952 to return to Norfolk. The TBM remained at NAS Norfolk until January 1953, and then it went on to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. In September of that year, it was assigned to Advanced Training Unit 400 Anti-Submarine. It returned to NAS Corpus 16
to handle slurry drops, becoming the first aircraft dedicated solely to aerial firebombing capable of dropping 600 gallons of retardant on a single sortie. In 1966, it was transferred to Reeder Flying Service in Twin Falls, Idaho, and it remained there nearly twenty years. During the mid-1980s, the plane returned and underwent restoration work in East Troy, Wisconsin. After the mechanical restoration was completed, the aircraft was test flown in July 1999. The current paint scheme represents the early anti-submarine markings of blue/gray upper surfaces and light gray undersides used in the Atlantic Theater. The final touch was to represent the aircraft flown by U.S. Navy ‘Ace’ Captain Richard “Zeke” Comier of Composite Squadron 1 (VC-1), based on the USS Card. The Avenger was acquired by the Military Aviation Museum and delivered in January 2001. That year, restoration work returned the rear gun turret to working condition. On January 10, 2010, the Avenger flew over the commissioning of USS George H. W. Bush (CN-77) in Norfolk, Virginia. Former President Bush received his Navy Wings of Gold before the age of 19. He flew a TBM Avenger with Torpedo Squadron 51 (VT-51) aboard the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) and was shot down by the Japanese.
1949 Douglas AD-4 “Skyraider”
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Ceiling: Wing Span: Range: Armaments:
Wright Cyclone R-3350-26WD 2800 hp 370 mph 27,500 ft. 50 ft. 1,386 nautical miles with external tanks 4 x 20mm cannons; up to 12,500 lbs. of ordnance with 17 attach points
Chinese Communist Forces were using the sluice gates in the Hwachon Dam to flood the lower Pukhan River, preventing the United Nations Forces from crossing the river and proceeding northward. Skyraiders dropped Mk-13 torpedoes on the sluice gates, preventing the Chinese Communist Forces from controlling the flow of the Hwachon River. The attack earned them the nickname “Dambusters.” The Skyraiders attack on May 1, 1951, was the last time the United States Navy used torpedoes in an actual act of war.
In mid-1944, the U.S. Navy was looking for a replacement for its obsolete SBD Dauntless dive-bomber. By March 1945, Douglas had redesigned, built and flown the new Dauntless II, and the Navy bought the initial production order just before the end of the war in the Pacific. The term “Able Dog” for the Skyraider was originally coined from the phonetic alphabet for ‘AD.’ The first version of the AD-1 had gradual improvements made to its design, which eventually led to the introduction of the AD-4 Skyraider in 1949. There were seven different models of Skyraiders built and several versions of each type. Skyraiders were used for combat in all weather situations, refueling, target towing, troop transportation, medical transport, photo reconnaissance, submarine detection and other missions. The final Skyraider rolled off the Douglas assembly lines in February 1957. Skyraiders continued to serve through the Vietnam War, and the Navy retired its last Skyraider in April 1968. The aircraft also served with various foreign governments such as South Vietnam, Sweden and France. The museum’s Douglas AD-4 Skyraider was built in 1949. During its first tour of duty, it was part of the VA-55 squadron that was deployed in the Korean War. Its third and final tour of active duty ended in February 1956 with the Marine Corps Squadron VMAT-20. It then spent 10 years on static display in Atlanta, Georgia, before being purchased in 1966 and restored back to flying condition. It was sold several more times, and the Military Aviation Museum acquired the plane in August 2000. In the spring of 2001, it was repainted to replicate the airplane flown by VA-195 Commanding Officer Harold “Swede” Carlson. LCDR Carlson led the VA-195 Squadron on the torpedo strike of the Hwachon Dam. In 1951, the 17
1944 North American B-25J “Mitchell” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
2 x Wright R 2600-29 1,700 hp 275 mph 2,500 miles (with aux. tanks) 25,000 ft. 67 ft. 7 in. up to 18 .50 cal machine guns; 6,000 lbs. of bombs
The B-25 medium bomber was one of America’s most famous airplanes of World War II, seeing duty in every combat area. In addition to being flown by American forces, it was flown by the British, Dutch, Chinese, Russians and Australians. The B-25 was first built by North American Aircraft Company in August 1940, with the first aircraft being accepted into service by the U.S. Army Air Corps in February 1941. By the end of the war, a total of 9,816 B-25s were built in California and Kansas in different modifications. The B-25J Mitchell at the Military Aviation Museum was built in Kansas City, Kansas in late 1944, and registered to the U.S. Army Air Corps as serial number 44-30129 (North American C/N 108-33414), The aircraft was originally equipped with a dome in the nose and surveillance equipment in the fuselage. Following World War Two, the surveillance equipment was removed, and it was converted into a training aircraft and re-designated a TB-25J. It was later modified into a TB-25K trainer. Norton Air Force Base, California, was home to this Mitchell for several years, where it was finally re-designated as a TB-25N trainer. By December 1957, it was declared surplus and stored at Davis-Monthan AFB. The USAF removed the aircraft from inventory in 1958. It was registered with a series of civilian owners over the years. The first was P. J. Murray, of California, who purchased the B-25 from the USAF in June 1958. He registered it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and received the registration number it has today (N7947C). The next owner was American Investments Syndicate of La Mesa, California, who transferred ownership internally multiple times from 1958 until 1962. Mr. C. C. Wilson, of San Diego, California, purchased it from the last registered owner of AIS in November 1962 and sold it almost immediately. The museum’s B-25 bomber was next owned by Arthur Jones, the inventor and founder of the Nautilus exercise equipment company. Prior to Nautilus, Arthur Jones was an importer of wild animals from South America, had a zoo in Slidell, Louisiana and also a television show called “Wild Cargo”. He made movies and TV shows of his exploits capturing the animals, which he would later import. In February 1963, Arthur was scheduled to do a live animal show in the Cincinnati area. He owned three B-25 Mitchell bombers to transport his animals and planned to use one of them and land it at that city’s main airport at Lunken. Since Jones was eager for free publicity, he devised a secret plan. He would fly into Lunken in advance bringing along his camera equipment. When the B-25 carrying the animals approached the Lunken Airport, it would announce mechanical trouble. While waiting for the plane, Arthur would set up his camera to film the resulting “crash”. In order to reduce the “potential loss of life,” the co-pilot 18
Lunken Airport Crash, 1963 would perform a parachute jump from the plane, and the pilot was instructed to perform a wheels-up emergency landing on the runway. There was no actual problem with the plane, and the employees performed their duties as instructed. After the co-pilot, Roy Hurst, bailed out, the pilot, Leonard McGee Downe, brought the B-25 down onto the Lunken Airport runway with its landing gear retracted. The plane promptly started to slide. What neither Arthur nor the pilot considered was what would happen when the plane was sliding down the runway. The aluminum skin scraped against the pavement producing a cloud of dust. To the pilot, it appeared as smoke so he popped the top hatch, jumped out and proceeded to run down the runway in front of the plane. The co-pilot glided in his parachute across the river to Kentucky and safely landed in the top of a tree. Arthur Jones succeeded in getting his publicity, however he never returned to claim the plane, and the local sheriff’s office eventually auctioned it off. It was purchased by Cincinnati Aircraft Inc, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Walter Soplata purchased the plane in September 1964, and with the help of his son, dismantled the aircraft and took it to his home in Newbury, Ohio. After almost three decades of sitting on his property, Soplata sold the plane to Vintage Aircraft, Inc. in December 1990. The museum acquired the B-25 in October 1997, but the plane remained with Vintage Aircraft, Inc. in Woodstock, Georgia for restoration. During the restoration, the clear nose was restored on the aircraft, which made the aircraft a B-25J again. Still known as “Wild Cargo”, this B-25's first flight since the landing gear accident in 1963 occurred on November 19, 2005. Eventually, it was flown to the Fighter Factory facility in Suffolk, Virginia, for additional work in preparation for final painting in Canada. The painting was complete in August 2008, and it arrived at the Military Aviation Museum on August 29, 2008.
1943 PBY-5A "Catalina" Engine: Horsepower Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
2 x Pratt & Whitney 1830-92 1,200 each 179 mph 2,520 miles 15,800 ft. 104 ft. 3 x .30 cal machine guns; 2 x .50 cal machine guns; up to 4,000 lbs. of bombs or depth charges
The Military Aviation Museum’s PBY-5A Catalina was built in San Diego for the U.S. Navy by Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Company. It completed its acceptance flight in October 1943, was registered as Bureau of Aeronautics Number (BuNo) 48294 and delivered to Fleet Air Wing (FAW) 14 at Naval Air Station San Diego in November 1943. Two weeks after arriving at NAS San Diego, the PBY undertook the longest flight of its wartime career, flying 19.2 hours non-stop to NAS Norfolk. Once in Norfolk, the aircraft was accepted by Headquarters Squadron (Hedron) 5-2. Beginning in December 1943, the PBY flew wartime patrols from Agadir, French Morocco, south to the Canary Islands, north to the Strait of Gibraltar, and as far west as the Azores. Late in 1944, the squadron was transferred to the Caribbean, and at the end of that year, it was transferred to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, to undertake patrols and anti-submarine sweeps protecting the approaches to New York. The aircraft’s armaments were removed in 1945, and it was loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard. While with the USCG, it was stationed in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Miami, Florida. In January 1946, the PBY spent nearly a year undergoing a major overhaul and refurbishment at NAS Seattle, Washington and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It saw little flying time after that and was formally stricken from the Navy’s inventory in 1956 with 3,567 flying hours. In 1961, the aircraft gained its civilian registration (N9521C) in Little Rock, Arkansas. The nose turret was removed and the side blisters were replaced with cargo doors and a new seat arrangement was installed. Following all the modifications, the aircraft received its civilian airworthiness certificate in December 1967.
The plane was sold to a company in Palmer, Alaska, in 1977 to ferry passengers to fishing sites throughout the state. In 1978, bulk liquid cargo tanks were installed, allowing it to haul as much as 1,500 gallons of fuel to remote parts of Alaska. The FAA has no record of ownership change over the next seven years, but it is believed that some of the records were removed for legal reasons. In September 1985, the PBY was seized by U.S. Marshals as part of a drug-smuggling case. It was forfeited to the federal government and sold the following year. The new owner removed the bulk fuel tanks and began restoring it to World War Two specifications. Six years later, the aircraft was sold to an individual in Florida who planned to operate it in Europe. It was painted with the U.S. Navy wartime two-tone blue and white color scheme and the International Red Cross insignia and sent to Milan, Italy in May 1995. While in Europe, it toured air shows before it was sold and ferried to South Africa in 1997. In the summer of 1999, the aircraft began its flight back to the United States to appear at the Oshkosh Air Show, but it never reached its final destination. Instead, it ended up stopping in England where it was stored until the Military Aviation Museum obtained it in late 2001. Over time, the different owners of this aircraft had changed its paint scheme, so the museum took steps to return it to its original U.S. Navy three-toned color scheme as it might have been displayed during World War Two. The work was done in 2011 in Canada.
RE-ENACTORS Luftwaffe FLAK Crew The 62nd FLAK Regiment is a non-political, non-profit living history organization based in the Hampton Roads area. The group’s primary activities include the crewing, maintenance, and firing of the museum’s 88mm dual purpose gun. The impression is generally that of a German Air Force heavy anti-aircraft gun crew circa 1941-42. During that period of the war, the 62nd was formed in East Prussia and went on to serve in Belgium, Northern France, and Southwestern France. By the end of the war the FLAKKORPS was only superseded by the Infantry in terms of size within the German Wehrmacht. 19
1943 Fairchild PT-19A Engine: L-440-3 Horsepower: 200 hp Max Speed: 132 mph Range: 400 miles Ceiling: 15,300 ft. Wing Span: 36 ft.
Several years before the beginning of World War Two in Europe, the US Military set out to acquire a large number of new trainer aircraft. At a competition at Wright Field in 1939, Fairchild Aircraft, lead by Sherman Fairchild, showed his M-62 and won the contract for 270 airplanes. The M-62 was a low wing monoplane with Fairchild’s own inverted 6 cylinder ranger engine. The military designated the aircraft PT-19 and it was powered by the L-440-1 engine. The first PT-19 left the Hagerstown, MD factory in February 1940. Shortly thereafter, the military ordered the PT-19A model with a 200 hp Ranger 6 engine and ordered larger numbers of the aircraft in anticipation of the thousands of pilots needed if the US entered the war. Fairchild could not meet demand and over 3,700 PT-19s were built by the Aeronca and St. Louis aircraft companies. A shortage of Ranger engines led
20
to the introduction of the PT-23, which used the PT-19 airframe and a 220 hp Continental R-670 radial engine. Altogether, over 7,700 PT-19s were built for the US and additional aircraft were built for Canada, Norway, Brazil, Ecuador and Chile. The Military Aviation Museum’s PT-19A was built in Hagerstown in 1943 and accepted into the USAAF in February 1944. The aircraft was initially assigned to the AAF Basic Flying School at Greenville AAF, Mississippi and later transferred to Fletcher Field, Mississippi. The museum acquired the PT-19 from a Texas museum in November 2013. (Not flying today)
1949 North American AT-28D “Trojan” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
In 1948, the United States Air Force (USAF) held a design competition for a trainer to replace the SNJ/T-6 Texan, which would combine primary and basic training characteristics in a single airplane. North American Aviation (NAA) won this competition with the T-28 Trojan. In practice, the T-28A was found to be less satisfactory as a trainer than expected, and the USAF eventually adopted the lower-powered T-34 to provide the 30-hour course for the students before they passed on to the T-28A. In 1952, the Navy contracted to build an improved version of the Trojan. A more powerful model, the T-28B, was developed as a training aircraft for the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. This model was powered by a 1,425 hp Wright R-1820-863 radial piston engine and had a top speed of 340 mph. In 1959, 245 surplus “A” models were shipped to France and were modified with the R-1820 engine, structural improvements, and armament for combat use. These converted airframes were referred to as T-28Ss, T-28Fs, or FENNEC models. The T-28 remained a training aircraft with the USAF until the early 1960s.
Wright Cyclone R-1820-863 1,425 hp 343 mph 1,060 miles 35,500 feet 40 ft. 1 in. 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns
Some of the many different adaptations made to the Trojan for specific training purposes include tail hooks for landing on carriers, more powerful engines, sliding cockpits, and under-wing armament points for attack training. The T-28’s service career in the U.S. military ended with the T-34C turboprop trainer in early 1984. After success of the FENNEC models in combat in Algeria in the early sixties, many older T-28As were converted and designated as T-28Ds. This conversion of the T-28A involved a re-engine with the R-1820-56S, and the addition of six wing hard points. The museum’s T-28D Trojan was built in 1949 as a T-28A-NA trainer, USAF serial number 49-1634. In 1951, it was returned to the factory to be transformed into an attack version of the T-28 as N9978C. During its modification, a Curtis Wright R1820-863, 1425 hp engine and wing mounted guns were installed. U.S. registration was cancelled in 1971 when it was transferred to the Zaire Air Force. It left the Zaire Air Force in December 1997. Between then and the time the museum purchased it in August 2000, it passed through many owners. (Not flying today)
1956 Beechcraft T-34B “Mentor” Engine: Continental IO-550B Horsepower: 300 hp Max Speed: 252 mph Ceiling: 18,600 ft. Range: 500 miles Wing Span: 32 ft. 10 in Armament: None
re-started in 1975 for deliveries of T-34Cs to the U.S. Navy. The Beechcraft Model 45, T-34 Mentor is a propeller-driven, single-engine military trainer. The T-34 Mentor began as a private venture designed by Walter Beech shortly after the Second World War. He felt that there was a market for a military trainer based on the Model 35 Bonanza, which had been flying for about a year. Beech hoped to sell it as an economical alternative to the North American SNJ/T-6 Texan, in use by all services of the U.S. military and the United Kingdom throughout the 1940s. The last T-34B was completed in October 1957. Then, after 15 years, in 1973, the T-34C Turbo-Mentor was developed and powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25 turboprop engine. Mentor production
The Beechcraft Company manufactured the Military Aviation Museum’s T-34 in 1956. Little is known about this aircraft, a Model 45, serial number G-778. It was originally delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF) as a T-34A-BH (55-0221). It is believed that it was deemed surplus in October 1964. But between its USAF service and 1975, very little is known. Since April 1975, the T-34A spent most of its time in Virginia and North Carolina as it passed through four owners registered as N56GP. It was used at public air shows in formation aerobatics. During the years, it was brought up to T-34B standards with a new engine. The museum acquired it in August 2000. (Not flying today)
21
1941 Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 “Canary” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Crew:
Wright R 760 Whirlwind Radial 235 hp 126 mph 470 miles 15,200 ft. 34 ft.0 in. Two
high-visibility yellow. The N3N served as the last operational piston biplanes in U.S. military service when they flew on floats from the The “Canary” was first flown in 1935 as the need for training aircraft
Severn River at the Annapolis Naval Academy until 1961.
became apparent to the U.S. Navy. It was built in the only aircraft factory
The Military Aviation Museum’s N3N was built in Philadelphia in April 1941.
ever owned by the U.S. government, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, which
It first served as a primary flight trainer at NAS Pensacola. In October 1943,
first built American Zeppelins following World War One. The Canary was
the aircraft received its civilian registration. When the museum purchased the
used as both a land and sea plane with removable floats. It shared the
aircraft in 2007, documents indicated that it had not flown since the 1950s.
name “Yellow Peril” with other trainers whose predominant color was
Restoration work was completed in May 2011. (Not flying today)
1958 North American AT-6 “Texan”
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp Horsepower: 600 hp Max Speed: 208 mph Range: 730 miles Ceiling: 21,500 ft. Wing Span: 42 ft. Armament: None
It wasn’t called “the pilot maker” for nothing! With the U.S. air war commitment expanding and the shortened training time for combat pilots, the military needed a reliable trainer and the AT-6 was up for the challenge. Versatile equipment, great maneuverability, and easy maintenance made it a perfect fit for the Allies. By 1940, of the just 200 hours required for combat pilots, 75 were spent in the AT-6. From the start of its production in 1935, the T-6 trained 22
several hundred thousand pilots and reached a total production number of 15,495 planes. Though it was primarily used as a trainer, the AT-6 did win honors in the war and went on post-war to be used by many other countries as a fighter plane, most notably in South Africa. The model featured at the museum was manufactured in 1958 and was stricken from military record in 1963. It landed with a gentleman in Minnesota and continued to travel around the country ending up in areas to include, Colorado, North Dakota, Washington and New York.
Piper ne-1 “Glimpy” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wingspan:
reconnaissance During World War II, various methods were considered for making blimps more useful in support of military forces. One method, tested in
Continental A75 75 hp 85 mph 225 miles 12,000 ft 35’ 3”
1944 at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in New Jersey, was to take a military version of the Piper J-3 Cub, the NE-1, and hook it as a companion vehicle to a blimp. The NE-1 would be dropped when reconnaissance photographs or other important material needed to get back to base while allowing the blimp to continue its mission. Unlike some other blimp and aircraft configurations, there was no way for the blimp to recover the plane until it returned to base. (Not flying today)
RE-ENACTORS
Battle of Crete, May 1941 (German Paratroopers) The “Battle of Crete, May 1941” display educates public visitors on the very first large scale airborne invasion in history. On 20 May 1941, German airborne and air-landed troops launched a 10-day campaign that resulted in the capture of this strategic Mediterranean island. The location for this interactive display is inside the museum’s original Luftwaffe Cottbus Hangar, with the group focusing its attention on German airborne preparations the day before their famous airborne assault. The display area features authentically uniformed German paratroops, demonstrations of German airborne school training techniques, parachute packing training, equipment and weapons used by German paratroops in the Battle of Crete, and informational stations showing battlefield maps, opposing forces and historical context. Be sure to visit their jump school training demonstration at the Cottbus hangar on Saturday afternoon! 23
1944 Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Wright R-1820-60 Radial Engine 1,200 hp 255 mph 1,115 mi 25,530 ft 41 ft., 6 3/8 in. 2 x 0.50 in. forward-facing Browning M2 machine guns, 2 x 0.30 in Browning machine gun in rear, 2,2500 lb. bombs Photo by David F. Brown
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing is joining Warbirds Over the Beach this year with its SBD-5 Dauntless. This airplane is one of the only two airworthy SBD-5s in the world and is restored to its original WWII configuration, including a fully restored and operational rear gunner station. The Northrop Corporation began design of the Dauntless in 1935, and when the Douglas Aircraft Corporation took over Northrop in 1937, it continued development. The SBD first entered service in 1939. Most of the SBD-5 versions were produced at the Douglas plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Over 2,400 were built. Though considered obsolete on that "Day of Infamy" in the skies over Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, the SBD was the first American combat aircraft to shoot down a Japanese Zero fighter. It may have been slow, but it was deadly, as that Japanese pilot found out that day. The SBD’s most important contribution to the American war effort came during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Four squadrons of Navy SBDs attacked and sank or fatally damaged all four Japanese fleet carriers present and heavily damaged two of the four heavy cruisers. This particular Dauntless was delivered to the Navy in April 1944. Throughout its career, it was assigned to the Bureau of Aeronautics General Representative in Los Angeles and Baltimore. In December 1946, it was assigned to NAS Norfolk as a Pool aircraft. There is no evidence that it ever saw combat, and it was stricken from the Navy’s inventory in February 1947 and transferred to the War Assets Administration. The aircraft was later registered to Andy Stinis of the Skywriting Corporation of America. Stinis’s family indicate he initially purchased the Dauntless to be a high altitude skywriter, but the fuel consumption was too high, and he eventually sold the aircraft. It went on to serve with the Mexicana Aerophoto and the Movie World Planes of Fame Museum before being sold to Robert Griffin in March 1971. Griffin was one of the CAF’s early donors. He nicknamed the SBD “Speedy D”. Griffin purchased and donated the Dauntless, as well as the SB2C Helldiver and the FM-2 Wildcat currently in the CAF fleet. In 1991, Speedy D was assigned to the Dixie Wing of the CAF to undergo an extensive, multi-year restoration project. In February 1999, the work was done and Speedy D took to the air for the first time in almost a decade. The aircraft has appeared in hundreds of air shows since then and continues to honor the memory of the Greatest Generation that designed her, built her and took her into battle. 24
The Military Aviation Museum marked the passage of a man integral to its earliest operations, one of the first pilots of the Fighter Factory, Capt. Walter E. Ohlrich, Jr. (USN ret.) last fall. After a prolonged illness, Mr. Ohlrich passed away on 21 November, 2014. He joined the US Navy and became a fighter pilot in July 1946. In 1978, Capt. Ohlrich retired from active duty as Commander, Nuclear Weapons Training Group Atlantic, Norfolk, VA. During his years of service, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, five Air Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal. In 1965, Walt founded the EAA’s “Warbirds of America”, serving as the first president. In 1995, Walt was inducted into the Warbirds of America Hall of Fame, and in 2006, he was accepted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame. Walt started flying for the Fighter Factory in 2000 and undertook the training of future pilots on such aircraft as the Corsair, Curtiss P-40E, and AD-4 Skyraider.
Nelson Eskey Virginia Beach, VA Nelson Eskey, a Norfolk, Virginia native, grew up across from Naval Air Station, Norfolk watching the seaplanes and fighters take off and land. He took his first flight at age 14 in a NAVY R5D. He began flying sailplanes and towing banners and sailplanes in 1963, then, in 1968, started his career with Piedmont Airlines, US Airways and COPA Airlines. He’s been part owner of a Pitts S1C, a Monocoupe 90AL and owned a Luscombe 8A. He’s retired, and began volunteering as a docent and pilot at the museum in 2009. He has nearly 19,500 hours flight time, holds an Airline Transport Rating (ATP) AMEL, Boeing 737 and a Nihon YS11. Second-in Command(SIC) rating, Junkers Ju-52. Commercial rating, ASEL and Private rating, Gliders. He has a passion for flying and the museum. John Ferguson Washington, DC
Phill “Soup” Bragg, North Carolina Phill “Soup” Bragg is one of the museum’s newest volunteer pilots. Soup has worked in a wide variety of capacities flying both civilian and military aircraft. He recently returned to the United States after having spent time in the Middle East serving as an instructor for foreign air force pilots. Soup also spent eight years working for the U.S. State Department spraying illegal coca fields in Colombia and he flew aerial firefighting aircraft in the Western United States. When not flying, Phill spends time writing, and his newest book, entitled Needle, Ball, and Alcohol is about flying an open-cockpit biplane across the country (available in the museum’s gift shop). Bob Cope Nashville, TN Bob Cope took his first solo flight one year after high school in 1972. He flew charters and worked as a flight instructor during college. Bob went on to serve as a Director of Operations of a Part 135 charter operation until he joined the FAA in 1983 as an Air Traffic Controller. After seven years as a controller, he transferred to the FAA Flight Standards Service as an Aviation Safety Inspector. Bob is type rated in the Cessna Citation and the Embraer EMB-145 and holds Second-In-Command type ratings in the PBY Catalina and the B-25 Mitchell. He began volunteering as a pilot for the museum in 2003.
John Ferguson learned to fly in the Scouts and has been flying professionally since 1989. He has also been in the Warbird community since 1989, primarily as an air race mechanic on the P-51 Mustang “Risky Business” and the Sea Fury “Bad Attitude.” John is a B-25 pilot and B-17 pilot and flies the B-25 for the museum. On January 1, 2004, John and his wife Caroline were married in flight in the B-25 “Executive Sweet.” Currently, he is employed as a Gulfstream Captain by Northrop Grumman. John spent most of his life in Granada Hills, California, until he recently relocated to the east coast. Ray Fowler Carrollton, GA Raymond Fowler has over 12,000 flying hours and flies the F-16C+ Fighting Falcon with the Air National Guard and is a civilian pilot for a major airline. Maj. Fowler was called to active duty in January 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the largest activation in his unit’s 50 year history. His squadron deployed as the lead unit, commanding a mixture of Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Active Air Force and British Air Force units comprising the 410th Air Expeditionary Wing to prevent Iraqi missile launches. In 2004, 2006 and 2009, the unit again deployed to Iraq, and Maj. Fowler and his unit performed overwatch flights and air support. In 2008, he was the aircraft commander for a momentous Atlantic Ocean crossing to Europe in the Boeing B-17 “Liberty Belle.” Ray is actively involved with multiple flying museums and can be found flying at air shows in a variety of WWII fighter and bomber aircraft. 25
John Glen Fuentes Warrenton, VA John Glen Fuentes, originally from Chicago, Illinois, has been flying for over 30 years and is a Check Pilot for a major airline. For the past 20 years, he has spent much of his spare time flying vintage World War II aircraft like you see at the Military Aviation Museum. He has flown the Boeing B-29, the Consolidated B-24, and the North American B-25 bombers. As a flight instructor pilot, John flies the de Havilland DHC-1, Consolidated BT-13 and the North American T-6. John currently pilots the museum’s Chance Vought FG-1D Corsair, the Hawker Hurricane, the FM-2 Wildcat, and the TBM Avenger. Robert “Bob” Hill Nashville, TN Bob Hill grew up near Rochester, New York. As a young child, Bob was fascinated with airplanes and spent hours watching old WWII movies and building WWII model airplanes. He never imagined that several of his favorite models, such as the B-25 Mitchell and B-17 Flying Fortress, were destined to re-appear in his adult flying career. He began his adult flying career during college in a D-18 Twin Beech. Bob's professional career allowed him to operate many different aircraft, including carrying freight in the venerable DC-3. For many years, Bob piloted forestry airtankers, including the DC-4, CL-215, and CL-415. Bob has also flown many different seaplanes and was the first airman in the United States to receive a type rating in both the CL-215 and CL-415 water bombers. He is type rated in five large flying boats, and has flown over 110 types of aircraft. Bob has acquired over 14,000 hours, and holds the level of Airline Transport Pilot in all four classes of airplanes. He is a Certified Flight Instructor for single and multi-engine airplanes, instrument airplane, and glider. Bob is also a volunteer pilot for The Liberty Foundation and has over 1500 hrs. in the B-17 Flying Fortress. For the Military Aviation Museum, he pilots the B-25, PBY Catalina, and the TBM Avenger. He has flown for the museum since early 2003. Mike Hogan Washington, D.C. Mike Hogan is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and now lives in Washington DC. He has been flying for over 30 years and is President of Pelican Aircraft Consulting. Mike's passion is World War II aircraft. Some of the planes Mike has flown are the Consolidated BT-13, Stinson L-5, Percival Provost and the North American T-6. Mike currently pilots the museum's SNJ-2. John “Pappy” Mazza Chesterfield County, VA John “Pappy” Mazza has been flying his entire life; as a matter of fact he took his first plane ride at the age of 1 month. When he was nine years old he was given a check ride by an FAA flight examiner and passed the check ride for a private pilot’s license–unfortunately the examiner could not issue the license due to John being only nine years old. On his 16th birthday, he soloed and went on to get his commercial license, single engine land, multi-engine land and instrument rating. Pappy has over 4,600 hours in over 50 different aircraft and has flown everything from a J-3 to an F-16. He has flown in aerobatics competitions and raced in both the formula “V” and formula one class of air racing. Today, 26
he flies the museum’s Spitfire, P-40, FM2 Wildcat, SNJ, PT-17, Chipmunk, Fokker DVII and is copilot on the B-25 and PBY Catalina. Pappy is President of Medallion Swimming Pool Co Inc., a swimming pool and spa manufacturer located in Colonial Heights, VA. Dave Morss Redwood City, CA Dave Morss began flying at age 14 and has logged over 28,000 hours on more than 300 types of aircraft. He is founder and president of Myriad Research and conducts flight tests on experimental aircraft of all types, including first flights on 39 prototypes. One of aviation’s top test pilots, Dave holds ATP, AMEL, Learjet, B25, Commercial ASELS, RH, G, Flight Instructor ASMEGI, A&P, DAR, DE, EAE, and Flight Engineer Turbojet certificates. In 1998, in recognition of his test career, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots awarded Dave the Spirit of Flight Award honoring his accomplishments in flight testing. He also holds the record for the most races at the Reno National Air Races, at 204 races and counting. In total, Dave holds thirteen world speed records, ten of which stand. He currently flies the museum’s FM2 Wildcat and P-51 Mustang. Robert R. “Boom” Powell Virginia Beach, VA “Boom” Powell loves aviation and will fly anything... almost. He flew Skyhawks and Vigilantes for the Navy in Vietnam and became an instructor pilot in both those carrier aircraft. As a civilian, Boom flew for Pan Am and then hauled freight around the world in B747-400s for Atlas Air. He’s a glider and tow pilot with his own Libelle sailplane. When not flying, Boom writes for magazines, has two novels published and two non-fiction books (and is working on a third); all on military aviation. He is originally from Long Island, New York. Lou Radwanick Virginia Beach, VA Lou Radwanick is a retired Army pilot and a retired airline captain with over 24,000 hours in military airplanes, civilian airplanes, and helicopters. He began flying in 1964 while still in high school and started flying for the Fighter Factory in 2000. Since then, he has flown most of the trainers plus the Hurricane, Spitfire and Ju 52. He spends his time restoring antique airplanes, most recently, a Stearman PT-17 and Piper Pacer. He also enjoys giving people rides in his biplane, introducing them to the thrill of open cockpit flying. Lou is a recipient of the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of safe flying, civilian and military. Kevin Sinibaldi Virginia Beach, VA Kevin was raised in the northeast and commissioned in the US Navy where he flew A6 Intruders for ten years of active service and DC9 Skytrains for two years of reserve service. After the military, he owned and operated a parachute drop zone in Chesapeake, and now flies for a major airline and the Skytypers. Kevin has over 17,000 flight hours in a wide variety of aircraft. and flies multiple trainers, fighters, heavy multi-engine, and World War I aircraft for the museum.
Mike Spalding Ahoskie, NC
Josh Wilson Norfolk, VA
Mike Spalding is a Corporate Pilot in Norfolk and a Warbird Demonstration Pilot with over 13,000 hours flight time. He has flown more than 150 different types of aircraft, with many of them being their first flights. Mike grew up around airports with his father and first soloed when he was 16. He learned to fly in the Civil Air Patrol and built his initial flight hours doing search and rescue for downed aircraft. Today he owns a Stearman and a 210hp Globe Swift. To Mike, the Stearman is the perfect airplane, but his favorite airplane is whichever one he is flying at the moment. In 2002, he began flying the museum’s Stearman. He also flies the museum’s Mosquito, FG-1D Corsair, FW-190, AD-4 Skyraider, TBM Avenger, Spitfire, FM-2 Wildcat, P-51 Mustang, Yak-3 and others. Mike became the Chief Pilot for the museum in January 2011. Mike is an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic with Inspection Authorization (IA) and enjoys working on Warbirds when he is not flying them. Wolfgang “Wolf” Czaia Whidbey Island, WA Wolf Czaia wanted to be a pilot since his early childhood in Germany. He started flying gliders in high school and joined the Luftwaffe in 1959. After flight training in the US, he flew F-84Fs for two years before transitioning to the F-104. He remained with the Fighter Weapons School as an instructor until leaving the German Air Force for the United States in 1970. Working as an instructor and charter pilot, he joined AirCal (later American Airlines), and retired as a Boeing-757/767 check airman and FAA designee. Since 1988, he has flown civilian Starfighters in air shows and served as a test pilot and instructor at the USAF Test Pilots School at Edwards AFB and the International Test Pilots School at Cold Lake CFB. Since 1992, Wolf has been the test pilot for the Me 262 Project. He has authored a book on flight testing the Me 262, and can look back on more than 28,000 hours of flight time in more than 150 types of aircraft.
Josh Wilson has been flying for 17 years and has over 4,000 hours flying more than 100 aircraft from Piper Cubs to F-22s. Very early on in his training he was involved in a spin, which left him wary of slow speed maneuvering and stalls. To overcome the fear of being out of control, Josh learned how to perform spins, rolls, loops, and hammerhead maneuvers and now has a love for aerobatics. Over the years, he has taught aerobatics and dogfighting in a WWII AT-6 Texan. In 2001, he joined the military and began flying the Venerable F-16. He has two volunteer tours in Iraq with nearly 500 combat hours on over 100 sorties. Josh currently flies F-22s from Langley AFB. Jerry Yagen Virginia Beach, VA For over fifty years, Jerry Yagen has flown as a general aviation pilot in his own business and for personal enjoyment. The first tail wheel military aircraft he ever flew was the museum’s yellow Stearman in 1997. Soon thereafter, he soloed in the museum’s SNJ-4 (AT-6 trainer) when it initially arrived from South Africa. The first true fighter that he flew was the Navy Corsair acquired by the museum in 1998, and in 1999, he flew the Spitfire, before the plane was relocated from England to Virginia. He still thinks of the Spitfire as his favorite and most exciting airplane of the many museum aircraft. However, he now mostly flies the P-51 Mustang, because it has a back seat in it to bring along a friend or museum visitor. His greatest interests lie in helping the museum locate rare aircraft overseas in far-away remote locations. These rare finds are then assigned to restoration shops throughout the world to return them to a like-new condition, so that they can continue their flying careers here in the United States for others to enjoy seeing them in the air.
RE-ENACTORS 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was established in July 1942. It served in Europe where it landed at Normandy on D Day, 6 June 1944. It also participated in the Battle of the Bulge and later dropped on the River Rhine as part of Operation Varsity. After the end of the war, the Battalion returned to Canada where it was disbanded on 30 September 1945. This battalion stands out among so many fine units during World War Two as they never failed to complete a mission, they never gave up an objective once taken, and they advanced further than any other Canadian unit. The recreated unit strives to honor the commitment and sacrifice of all members of the wartime battalion by researching the original unit, collecting relevant equipment, experiencing some of the things they did in tactical simulations and sharing their knowledge with the general public. For more information, please visit their website: www.1canpara.org
27
From Fromthe the the British British Collection Collection of of From Bristish Collection of the the the Military Military Military Aviation Aviation Museum Museum Aviation Museum
Mail Mail boxes with with style style Mailboxes Boxes with Style
Bright Bright red red English English mail mail boxes boxes Bright red English mail boxes are are are easy easy to to spot spot and and very very easy to spot and very distinctive distinctive distinctivein intheir theirdesign. design.This This in their design. This genuine English genuine genuine English English mail mail box box or or mail box or “Pillar Box”, as they “Pillar “Pillar Box”, Box”, as as they they are are known known are known in England, sits at the in in England, England, sits sits at at the the main main main entrance to the museum. entrance entrance to to the the museum. museum. The The The initials on the box represent initials initials on on the theEngland box box represent represent King George of when the King King George George of of England England when when box was first cast. the thebox boxwas wasfirst firstcast. cast.
The Classic London Double-Decker Bus The The classic classic London London double-decker double-decker bus bus The double-deck Routmaster bus is indeed a classic. Our bus started life in London in 1962 and was later converted an open topbus bus for the The The double-deck double-deck Routmaster Routmaster bus busis isindeed indeedaatoclassic. classic. Our Our bus started started “Castle Tours” in Edinburg, Scotland. Although the bus is still a life life in in London London in in 1962 1962 and and was was later later converted converted to to an an open open top top right bus bus hand the passenger doors hadScotland. to be modified to open on the for for the thedrive, “Castle “Castle Tours” Tours” in in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Although Although the the bus bus isis right hand side use in the USA. The museum’s now boasts still still aa right right hand handfor drive, drive, the the passenger passenger doors doors had had to tobus be be modified modified to toa variety of our plane decals and may be seen daily in the summer bringing open open on on the the right right hand hand side side for for use use in in the the USA. USA. The The Museum’s Museum’s bus bus visitors to the museum from the beach.
now now boasts boasts aa variety variety of of our our plane plane decals decals and andmay may be beseen seen daily daily in in the thesummer summerbringing bringingvisitors visitorsto tothe theMuseum Museumfrom fromthe theBeach. Beach.
Long Long before before cell cell phones phones
Long Before Cell Phones A genuine English phone booth,
AA genuine genuine English English phone phone on display in the museum, was booth, booth, on on display display in in the the commonly used back in the 1940s. museum, museum, was was commonly commonlyused used “We’re sorry, call cannot be back back in in the theyour 1940’s. 1940’s. “We’re “We’re connected as dialed.” sorry, sorry, your your call call cannot cannot be be connected connected as as dialed. dialed. Pictures Pictures and and text text messages messages are are not not allowed!” allowed!” MAM EQUIPMENT
The Military Aviation Museum’s 1938 Royal Air Force Fuel Bowser is both historical and functional. Bowser is a generic term for a tanker, and during the Second World War, the RAF utilized several different designs for portable aircraft refueling tankers to meet the demands of its growing fleet. Both towable and self-propelled bowsers were used throughout the war, and the museum’s bowser, the Mk V, is a unique, three-wheeled self-propelled
28
unit. It was built by Thompson Brothers in Bristol, England. The Mk V carries two fuel tanks and one oil tank allowing it to service a variety of aircraft and other military vehicles. Many of these units were used well into the 1990s at civilian airfields. This particular bowser was used by the famous RAF North Weald Airfield, near Essex. The field was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain.
1952 De Havilland DHC-1 “Chipmunk”
Engine: de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 MK.2 Horsepower: 145 hp Max Speed: 138 mph Range: 280 miles Ceiling: 15,800 ft. Wing Span: 34 ft. 4 in Armament: None
Nicknamed “Chippie,” the DHC-1 Chipmunk was developed just after WWII by de Havilland Canada to replace the de Havilland Tiger Moth as a single engine basic trainer aircraft. The Chipmunk first flew on May 22, 1946. Initially, 218 were built for the Royal Canadian Air Force. After changing to the Gipsy Major 10 engine, 740 more planes were built for the RAF’s primary pilot training bases, designated T-10. The first RAF Chipmunks were delivered to the Oxford University Air Squadron in
1950. Soon thereafter, the Chipmunk became standard equipment in all 17 University Air Squadrons and was chosen as the basic type for the 20 or so Reserve Flying Schools of the RAF Voluntary Reserve. The last of the Chipmunks were delivered in October 1953. Today, more than 500 Chippie airframes remain airworthy, with more being rebuilt every year. The museum’s DHC-1 Chipmunk served a long military career with the RAF College Cranwell. It appears today in its 1955 paint scheme when attached to 663 AOP Squadron based at RAF Hooton Park, Cheshire, England.
29
MAM ENGINE
A pulsejet engine is a very simple combustion engine that has few moving parts. They were a lightweight form of jet propulsion invented in the early 1900s and were on the cutting edge of technology until after the Second World War. Pulsejets can run on a wide range of fuels, can be scaled to various sizes and are surprisingly powerful for their simplicity. The first working pulsejet was patented in 1906 by Russian engineer V.V. Karavodin. This influenced Paul Schmidt to pioneer a more efficient design based on modification of the intake valves (or flaps), earning him government support from the German Air Ministry in 1933. In 1934, Schmidt and Georg Madelung proposed to the Air Ministry a flying bomb powered by Schmidt's pulse jet. Schmidt's prototype bomb failed to meet Air Ministry specifications due to poor accuracy, range and high cost.
30
Basing off of Schmidt’s work, the Argus Company perfected the pulsejet and designated it the As 109-014.The first unpowered V-1 drop occurred at Peenemünde in October 1942 and the first powered flight in December 1942. The pulsejet was evaluated to be an excellent balance of cost and function. It would run on any grade of petroleum and the pulsejet motor was not intended to last beyond the V-1's normal flight of one hour. Ignition in the As 014 was provided by a single automotive spark plug mounted behind the valve array. The engine produced 500 lbs of static thrust and approximately 750 lbs in flight. Although this is insufficient thrust for takeoff, the V-1 could be launched off an inclined ramp powered by a steam catapult or drop launched from a Heinkel He-111. The range of the flight was predetermined and set before it was launched. Some V-1s were fitted with radio transmitters so their flights could be monitored. In some cases, the bombs were shadowed by fast aircraft like the Messerschmitt 410 to observe their flight. The museum’s Fieseler Fi 103, also known as the V-1 “Buzz Bomb,” was recovered from the Nordhausen munitions factory, hidden deep inside the Harz Mountains in Southeastern Germany. It was manufactured in 1945 by labor supplied from the Buchenwald Concentration Camp and is believed to have one of the only surviving radio homing devices. This V-1’s compressed air starter bottles were recovered and are extremely rare.
31
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
Boeing P-26D Peashooter
North American B-25J Mitchell
Grumman TBM-3E Avenger
Douglass AD-4 Skyraider
Stearman PT-17 Kaydet
fairchild PT-19A
North American T-28D Trojan
de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito
Supermarine Spitfire MK IXE
Hawker Hurricane MKXII-B
The Beautifully Restored Aircraft of the Military Aviation Museum Polikarpov Po-2 Mule
32
North American P-64
Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk
North American P-51D Mustang
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina
North American SNJ-2
North American AT-6 Texan
Beechcraft T-34B Mentor
N3N-3 Canary
Piper ne-1 Glimpy
de Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth
DE Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
Yakovlev Yak-3
Polikarpov I-15bis
Polikarpov I-16
Polikarpov I-153
33
34
LaVOchKIN LA-9
Mikoyan-gurevich mig-3
Fiat G.46-3B
Focke Wulf FW 190 A-8
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Dora
Focke-Wulf Fw 44J
b端cker B端 133 jungmeister
Junkers Ju 52
Messerschmitt BF 108
Messerschmitt 208
Messerschmitt BF 109 G-4
Messerschmitt Me 262
Blohm & Voss P-214
Zeppelin Fliegende Panzerfaust
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the world’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Aircraft deisgns actually began prior to WWII in 1939, but problems with the engines prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the German Luftwaffe until mid-1944. This was one of the most technologically advanced aviation designs in use during the war with two primary roles. The Me 262 A-1 Schwalbe (Swallow) was designed as a defensive interceptor, and the Me 262 A-2 Sturmvogel (Stormbird) served as a fighter/bomber. The Me 262 lacked the maneuverability of propeller driven Allied fighters but was very effective in intercepting Allied bombers. In March 1945, 37 Me 262s intercepted a force of 1,221 Allied bombers and 632 fighter escorts. The German force shot down 12 bombers and 1 fighter and only lost three Me 262s. Because of their speed, Me 262 pilots were relatively safe from Allied fighters. However, the Me 262 was not able to make a sizable impact because it represented only one percent of the attacking force. Allied pilots learned that the best way to deal with the jets was to attack them on the ground and during takeoff or landing. Luftwaffe airfields identified as jet bases were frequently bombed, and Allied fighters patrolled over the fields to attack jets landing. The Luftwaffe countered by installing extensive flak alleys of anti-aircraft guns along the approach lines to protect the Me 262s from the ground. They also provided top cover during the jet’s takeoff and landing with the most advanced Luftwaffe single-engine fighters, the Focke Wulf Fw 190D. Despite these defenses, in March and April 1945, Allied fighter patrols over Me 262 airfields resulted in numerous losses and serious attrition of the force.
Engine: 2 x Junkers Jumo 004 B-1 turbojets Thrust: 8.8 kN (1,984 lbf) Max Speed: 559 mph Range: 652 miles Ceiling: 37,565 ft. Wing Span: 41 ft. 6 in. Armaments: 4 x 30mm MK 108 cannons in nose 2 x 550 lb bombs (optional) 24 x wing mounted 55mm R4M rockets (optional)
template. This original Me 262 was badly deteriorated, and the U.S. Navy agreed to allow Classic Fighter Industries, Inc. to dismantle the aircraft to use as a template. In return, Classic Fighter returned the Me 262 fully restored at no cost to the Navy. Work began in 1993, and in 2000, the original aircraft was returned to
Mutke at Fi ghter Factor y
Willow Grove NAS. The museum’s Me 262 completed its test flight in the fall of 2011 and arrived at the Fighter Factory’s Suffolk facility in October of that year. It is powered by modern General Electric jet engines like those in Lear jets. It is painted to match the color scheme of the aircraft flown by famed
Because of its late introduction, limited production numbers, maintenance problems and a lack of fuel late in the war, the overall impact of the Me 262 was negligible in Germany’s war effort. Just over 1,400 Me 262s were produced and of those, as few as 200 actually made it to combat units because of fuel shortages, pilot shortages, and lack of airfields that could support the aircraft.
Luftwaffe pilot Hans Guido Mutke, “White 3”. Mutke believed he had
The museum’s Me 262 was reconstructed by Legend Flyers of Seattle, Washington, working from plans developed by Classic Fighter Industries, Inc. This aircraft, along with several others, was built using an original Me 262 from Willow Grove Naval Air Station in eastern Pennsylvania as a
on April 25, 1945. He claimed to have gotten lost during a mission, but
exceeded Mach 1 breaking the sound barrier in a straight down, 90-degree dive on April 9, 1945, as he was protecting another Me 262 from attack. This is widely disputed, though, and most regard Chuck Yeager as being the first to break the sound barrier in 1947. Mutke went on to end his war career by landing his Me 262 two weeks later in Dubendorf, Switzerland others believed that he was defecting. The Swiss did not try to fly the plane and kept it in storage until they returned it to Germany in 1957. The aircraft is now on display in the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany. 35
Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 “Dora” The Military Aviation Museum acquired a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, model D-9 Dora, in 2012. It was built by Flug Werks of Germany, in Romania. When the Luftwaffe started to fly the Fw 190s in August 1941, they quickly proved to be superior to the RAF Spitfire Mk V in all ways except turn radius and high altitude performance. When the RAF introduced the Spitfire Mk IX, it helped balance the air power between the RAF and Luftwaffe again. Soon after, the Fw 190D was introduced, featuring a supercharged liquid-cooled Junkers Jumo 213A-1 engine. To keep the design as simple and as aerodynamic as possible, the Germans used an annular radiator installed at the front of the engine. The radiator includes adjustable cooling gills and a row of six short exhaust stacks on either side of the elongated engine cowling. Both the nose and tail of the aircraft were lengthened to accommodate the new engine and maintain balance and weight distribution.
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Junkers Jumo 213 A-1 2,240 hp 426 mph 520 miles 40,000 feet 34 ft. 5 in. 2 x 20mm cannons; 2 x 13mm machine guns
After all of this, the Fw 190D still struggled with high altitudes, and its designer, Kurt Tank, said he intended the aircraft to serve as a stop-gap until the Ta 152 was available. Regardless, it was put into full production in August 1944 and entered service in September of that year with Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54). A total of 1,805 Fw 190D-9s were produced. The aircraft had excellent handling and performance as a medium altitude, high-speed interceptor. The museum’s Dora is painted as “Black 12” of 10./JG54 flown by Leutnant Theo Nibel. On January 1, 1945, Lt. Nibel was participating in Operation Baseplate. He was flying with 64 Fw 190D-9s following Junkers Ju 88 guide aircraft to Grimbergen, Belgium. During the attack, he was forced to make a belly landing in a nearby field when a bird strike impacted the radiator. The British captured Nibel, and his aircraft was the first intact Fw 190D-9 to fall into Allied hands. (Not flying today)
RE-ENACTORS Hochgebirgsjäger Battalion 4
The Paper Dolls mountain troop reenactment groups in the country. 5th Kompanie / Hochgebirgsjäger Battalion 4 is one of the premiere The Paper Dolls are a female re-enacting group founded in January 1999. They portray women from all walks of life who served their countries in their own unique way, from the hometown sweetheart to French Partisans. Some impressions include American Red Cross volunteers, Army and Navy Nurses, ATS, WAAF, USMC, WAC, CWAC, WAVE, ENSA, USO, German DRK Nurses and Helferin, as well as Russian pilots, snipers and infantry women. The group has civilian and military impressions for almost every WWII nation and are proud to do it well, in the US and the UK. www.thepaperdolls.org
The Paper Dolls
RE-ENACTORS
The Paper Dolls are a female re-enacting group founded in January 1999. They portray women from all walks
Grossdeutschland Grossdeutschland is one of the oldest World War Two reenactment units with over 30 years of experience in Living History interpretation. The unit has participated in Living History Displays throughout the eastern United States and has won numerous awards and accolades from prestigious institutions such as the Aberdeen Proving Grounds (MD), Ft. Indiantown Gap (PA), Jamestown Historical Foundation (VA), Picatinny Arsenal (NJ), and West Point Military Academy (NY). Members organize and attend battle reenactments, volunteer with period restoration projects, and educate the general public on life in the German Army. Grossdeutschland is unique in that they focus their efforts on a Unit Impression–not an individual one. By doing so, they can best represent the German Army as it was during the tumultuous days of World War II. Currently, they have a growing and stable membership base of over 130 people on the East Coast. 36
1944 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 “Blue 4” The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was first designed in the late 1930, and the Luftwaffe began flying it in August 1941. The aircraft was superior to the RAF’s Spitfire in many ways, and as more entered into service, the balance of power in the air began to shift. It was used as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and night fighter. The Fw 190 joined with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 to form the core of the Jagjwaffe. There were many variants of the Fw 190, and the A-8 model entered production in February 1944. The Military Aviation Museum acquired this original 190 A-8, Blue 4, in 2013 It was originally flown by Leutnant Rudi Linz. On February 9, 1945, the RAF launched an attack with Beaufighters, Warwicks and Mustangs against German ships off Norway. The attack was intercepted by the Fw 190s of III./JG 5 based at Herdla. Just after claiming his 70th kill, Leutnant Linz was shot down himself. The mission and the day were later named “Black Friday” by the Allied aircrew. One Mustang and nine Beaufighters were shot down. Eleven men were lost and one taken prisoner from the 404 (RCAF) Squadron alone. Despite all of this, Leutnant Linz’s Fw 190 was recovered. It was originally built at the Ago factory in Oschersleben between July and August 1944. It was assembled for static display at the Texas Air Museum in San Antonio, Texas. The museum acquired the aircraft five years ago and placed it on display in the 1934 Cottbus Hangar in 2014. (Not yet airworthy)
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
BMW 801 D-2 1,700 hp 408 mph 500 miles 37,430 ft. 34 ft. 5 in. 2x 13mm MG, 4x 20 mm MG
RE-ENACTORS
24th Infantry Division, 31st Regiment, German Wehrmacht This group represents the 31 Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division in the German Wehrmacht. They portray an Army light flak unit that includes the Flak 38 (a 20mm AA gun), a 6 wheeled Krupp Truck, a meteorological section, as well as an aircraft ID, weapons ordnance and communications section. Both men’s and women’s roles will be discussed and covered in detail.
37
Focke Wulf FW 190 A-8 Engine: 3 x BMW 132-A3 (Pratt & Whitney) Horsepower: 725 hp each Max Speed: 171 mph Range: Up to 800 miles with aux. fuel tanks Ceiling: 18,500 ft. Wing Span: 95 ft. 10 in. Armaments: 1 x 13 mm M131 machine gun in dorsal position; 2 x 7.92mm M15 machine guns
fw 190 new
Back by popular demand…one of the newest additions to the Military Aviation Museum’s Luftwaffe collection is another Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8. Those of you familiar with the recent history of the museum may know that our previous A-8 was sold in 2013. In December of 2014, the Military Aviation Museum acquired this aircraft from its previous owner, Bob Russell, in Camden, South Carolina. The aircraft is a Flugwerks kit built Fw 190 with a serial number of 990005. The museum’s previous 190 was also a Flugwerks kit. This aircraft is particularly unusual in that Russell fitted it with the four-bladed propeller, hub, engine and modified cowling from a Soviet Tupolev TU-2 bomber. This gives the aircraft a slightly unusual look, but when viewed from a short distance with the engine running, it appears to look just like an authentic Fw 190. The adaptation of the tried and tested TU-2 engine system actually makes a lot of sense considering the cooling issues long-associated with the Flugwerks Fw 190 replicas, or even the early wartime radial engine Fw 1-0 variants. The TU-2’s powerplant configuration uses the same Russian Shvetsov Ash-82 engine as most of the other Fw 190 A-8s currently flying.
RE-ENACTORS 601 Squadron
RE-ENACTORS
601 Squadron (County of London), RAF, Recreated was founded in 1991. It is a group of dedicated individuals striving to accurately recreate a wartime squadron of the RAF. Many members are ‘old salts’ of the hobby, having ten, or even twenty years of experience in historical re-creation. The original 601 Squadron was dubbed the “Millionaire’s Squadron” and included prominent individuals such as Roger Bushell (‘Big X’ of Great Escape fame), Max Aitken, the American Billy Fiske, and Willie Rhodes-Moorehouse. The 601 was very active during the Second World War seeing action in France, the Battle of Britain, the Western desert, Malta, and Europe. They flew Blenheims, Hurricanes, the ill-fated Airacobras and the famous Spitfire. The group focuses on the early war years with an emphasis on the Battle of Britain. While striving to accurately portray the pilots involved in the squadron, they also place great emphasis on the airmen. Without the stout service of the common everyday “erk”–from fitter to rigger and mechanic–a normal squadron would not be airworthy. All of the historians in the unit understand and deeply appreciate the significance of the Battle of Britain and the aircrew that played a part defending Britain during those pivotal summer months. www.601Squadron.com 38
1949 Junkers Ju 52 Engine: 3 x BMW 132-A3 (Pratt & Whitney) Horsepower: 725 hp each Max Speed: 171 mph Range: Up to 800 miles with aux. fuel tanks Ceiling: 18,500 ft. Wing Span: 95 ft. 10 in. Armaments: 1 x 13 mm M131 machine gun in dorsal position; 2 x 7.92mm M15 machine guns
and Quebec. The aircraft first touched down in the United States in Bangor, Maine, where they landed during an air show, and then flew on to Harlingen, Texas, by way of Chicago, Denver and southeast to Texas. The CAF had the initial restoration and maintenance done by the Colorado and Southern Lake Michigan (SoLaMich) Wings of the CAF. The aircraft was repainted as a Ju 52 of the 7th Staffel KGzbV1, 1st Bomber Wing of Special Operations. After further research, the tactical/operational markings of 1Z+AR and markings for the invasion of Crete on May 21, 1941, were added. Luftwaffe Lieutenant Franz Lankenau flew the original aircraft in these markings on approximately 250 missions in Poland, Norway, Netherlands, France, Greece, Crete and Russia. He donated his log book to the CAF and supplied much of the information required for the restoration. He also provided pictures of the coats of arms on the nose nacelle: Brandenburg, for the city where the Staffel was first based, and Hapsburg, for their commanding officer. In 1990, engine problems grounded the plane for about eight years. It The Junkers Ju 52 (nicknamed Tante Ju, “Auntie Ju” or “Iron Annie”) was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 until 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. As a civilian aircraft, it flew with over a dozen air carriers as an airliner and freight hauler. As a military aircraft, it flew with the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and briefly as a medium bomber. The Ju 52 continued post-war service with military and civilian air fleets well into the 1980s. The Military Aviation Museum’s Junkers Ju 52 was built by CASA in Getafe, Spain. The official designation was CASA 352 and only 170 were built. The Spanish Air Force (SAF) assigned it serial number T2B 176. Originally, it was believed to be CASA 352L serial number 67, built in May 1950. Further research revealed a second data plate, inside the cabin under multiple layers of paint, which matched a second data plate on the outside of the fuselage indicating CASA serial number 77 with construction date of January 1949. The aircraft was overhauled in 1971-1972, and by 1976, it had only accumulated 1,500 flight hours with the SAF. In November 1976, the Material Disposal Agency of the SAF sold the Ju 52 to the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). This Texas-based non-profit works to preserve historic aircraft. As the Ju 52 undertook its trans-Atlantic flight from Spain to Texas, it made several stops. In Biggin Hill, England, auxiliary fuel tanks, an oil tank, and LF radios were installed. By then, winter weather had set in over the North Atlantic, and the flight was postponed. The ten day, 8,000 mile flight to Harlingen, Texas began in July 1980. Pilots flew a northern Atlantic route via Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Baffin Island
flew again in May 1998 after another restoration that included converting to Pratt & Whitney 1340 engines, 3 blade constant speed props, complete rewiring and circuit breaker panels, and new control and instrument panels. The Military Aviation Museum purchased the Ju 52 from the CAF in 2010. The best count indicates there are seven Ju 52s flying in the world, and the museum’s is the only one in North America.
RE-ENACTORS SS Fallschirmjager Battalion 600 The SS Fallschirmjager Battalion 600 is a re-enactment unit that portrays German Paratroopers of WWII. This non-political group of WWII history enthusiasts includes members covering the area from Virginia to Pennsylvania,where they participate in living history events and WWII tactical battles. For more information, please visit www.ssfallschirmjager.com 39
1941 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 Engine: Daimler-Benz DB 605A Horsepower: 1,450 hp Max Speed: 398 mph Range: 528 miles Ceiling: 36,499 ft. Wing Span: 32 ft. 6 in. Armaments: 2 x 13 mm synchronized MG 131 machine guns; 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon; 2 x 21 cm Wfr. Gr. 21 rockets
as equipment for high altitude squadrons. And in 1942, the Bf 109 first experienced some World War Two action. By 1943 the Bf 109G was used in small numbers by high-altitude squadrons and A need for speed captured the Ministry of Aviation in late 1941. They needed higher altitude capabilities and faster speeds to keep up with air warfare during the Second World War. The Bf 109G was the key. The aircraft was designed with the idea of reaching those higher airspeeds and altitudes at the expense of higher wing and power loading risks. The Bf 109G was equipped with a new kind of engine, the DB 605A, that boasted a take-off output of 1450 hp and 1250 hp at 20,000 feet. Though similar to the DB 601E, which was the popular engine of the time, it had a redesigned block that featured oversized cylinders while maintaining the same centers. Although the engine stayed the same size-wise, the added power in torque as well as increased weight had consequences. The aircraft struggled with reduced handling and maneuvering characteristics, which called for some structural re-design. The Bf 109G-1 was born in autumn of 1941 as a single-seat, highaltitude fighter with a pressurized cabin and went to 11/JG1 and 11/JG26
the Erganzungsjagdgruppe West (the Reserve Fighter Group West). 1942 came along and the Bf 109G really started to see some action, being produced in considerable numbers and entering into active service. The Military Aviation Museum’s Bf 109G-4 is has been fitted with the DB 605 engine at Meier Motors in Bremgarden, Germany. The paint scheme was inspired by Klaus Quaet-Faslem, a Luftwaffe expert of the 1/JG3 who was known to have flown the BF 109F-2. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in recognition of his extreme battlefield bravery, totaling 49 confirmed victories. The Bf 109G-4 continued to grow with the war with its last model in the G series supplied in 1944 to JG 4,76 and 77 in France. At the time of this printing, the Bf 109 is waiting to take its test flight in Germany before leaving for the United States. We apologize if it does not make it here in time for the air show. (Photo: Meier Motors, Germany 2015)
MAM CARS
so he shifted manufacturing to cooking utensils, prefabricated houses and electric power supply masts. By 1953, the company signed an agreement to manufacture Fritz Fend’s Kabinenroller three-wheel microcar. Fend originally began designing a muscle-powered, three-wheeled vehicle in 1946 for war invalids. The car sold well, and Fend’s small company could not meet production demands, so Messerschmitt was called in to assist with production. A team of Messerschmitt engineers refined the design for large scale production, but the early KR-175 version had numerous flaws. When the KR-200 made its debut in 1955, it was a fast, fuel efficient, reliable vehicle with a comfortable suspension and great handling.
At the end of World War Two, aircraft manufacturer Willy Messerschmitt lost control of his factories and served prison time. After he regained control of his business in 1948, he was not permitted to produce aircraft,
40
Soon thereafter, Fend and his new partner, axle manufacturer Valentin Knott, bought the three-wheeler division of Messerschmitt. Together they made production of the KR-200 profitable. But time for microcars quickly reached an end, as larger post-war vehicles entered the used-car market. By 1964, all production ended.
1945 Messerschmitt Bf 108 Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span:
Argus As 10C V-8 237 hp 190 mph 620 miles 20,300 ft. 34 ft. 5 in.
The German forces used the Bf 108 as a personnel transport and liaison aircraft. During World War Two, the Bf 108 was used as a liaison The Messerschmitt Bf 108 was designed by Bavarian Aircraft Works (Bayerische Flugzeugwerke) in 1934. It was designed as a four-seat sports aircraft for competition. The initial variant (designated M 37) was outperformed at the Challenge de Tourisme Internationale that year, but its low fuel consumption rate, good handling and excellent takeoff and landing characteristics made it a popular aircraft. In 1935, a German woman named Elly Beibhorn flew from Berlin to Istanbul and back for a 2,230-mile flight in one day. She named her aircraft “Tiafun”, which means typhoon, and this nickname stuck for all 108s.
aircraft. Nearly 900 Bf 108s were built, with 170 built in occupied France at the Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du Nord (SNCAN, or Nord). Construction moved here in 1942 and continued on after WWII. Following the war, the aircraft was called the Nord 1000 Pingouin. The museum’s Bf 108 was built by Nord Aircraft of France in 1945 and is actually a Nord 1002. It was purchased from a gentleman in Albany, New York, in August 2004.
1948 Messerschmitt 208
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span:
Renault 6Q-10 233 hp 189 mph 745 miles 19,355 ft. 37 ft. 8 in.
served as communications aircraft with the French Air Force and French Navy throughout the mid-1970s. The Messerschmitt 208 was an improved, larger version of the
The museum’s Me 208 was built by Nord Aircraft of France in 1948 as
Messerschmitt Bf 108 featuring a retractable tricycle landing gear. The
a Nord 1101, c/n 162. It was first registered in French and then transferred
aircraft was developed late in the war, and not many of them were
to British registry. In July 1983, it was purchased by a man in California
built before the war ended. It was built in France at Nord Aircraft, and
and travelled to the United States, where it remained until 1996 when it was
after WWII, the plane was known as the Nord 1101 Noralpha. Like the
sold to a person in New York. The Museum purchased it in 2005. It is painted
Bf 108, the 208 included seating for four. Nord built 200 1101s which
as “Yellow 14” from JG 53 “Ace of Spades”. (Not flying today) 41
FOCKE-WULF FW 44J
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Crew:
Siemens Sh 14a 160 hp 115 mph 340 miles 12,790 ft. 29 ft. 6 in Two; instructor and student
were held in connection with the Olympic Games. Only glider events were featured in the Olympics, but at the International Aerobatic Competition of the Championships, Otto von Hagenburg won the Gold for Germany in a Fw 44 Stieglitz. Many other famous German pilots, such as Ernst Udet, Gerd Achgelis, and Emil Kopf, flew the Stieglitz in aerobatic displays and air shows all over Germany, which led to large aircraft orders from glider and flying clubs. In the years leading up to the war, demand for the Stieglitz actually reached the point where Focke-Wulf opened a new factory
Focke-Wulf was one of the more notable aircraft manufacturers during the Second World War. But in 1931 after the merging with Albatros-Flugzeugwerke, it was struggling to survive. Once the merger was complete, Albatros engineer and test pilot Kurt Tank became head of the technical department and began work on the Fw 44. Tank, who would go on to become one of the world’s most renowned aeronautical engineers, also designed the famous German fighter, the Fw 190. The Focke-Wulf Fw 44, otherwise known as the “Stieglitz” (German for “Goldfinch”), first flew in 1932. It was a two-seat biplane used for pilot training and as a sport aircraft. In 1936, the World Aerobatic Championships
dedicated solely for the purpose of producing the Fw 44. The individuals from these organizations would go on to form the nucleus of Germany’s Luftwaffe. The Fw 44 continued to be used by Luftwaffe training units throughout the Second World War. The aircraft was so popular that it is said that virtually every German pilot of the period flew this plane at some point. After numerous tests and modifications to improve the plane’s strength, durability, and aerodynamic performance, the final version of the aircraft, the Fw 44J, proved to have excellent airworthiness. The museum’s aircraft is an example of the final version of the Fw 44 series.
RE-ENACTORS Fallschirmjaeger Regiment 6 This historical group consists of military history enthusiasts who focus research efforts on the German paratroopers, or Fallschirmjaeger, of WWII. Their goal is to preserve military history and present the most authentic representation of WWII German airborne troops whenever they participate in historic displays and battle recreations. The group is rather unique among re-enactor groups in the United States as they have maintained ties with Fallschirmjaeger veterans in Germany through membership in Bund Deutsches Fallschirmjaeger (Federation of German Paratroopers). They have attended several German Paratrooper reunions in Germany, conducted battlefield tours in Europe, and attended historic commemorative events like the 60th Anniversary of the Crete battle in Greece and the 60th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, as guests of the Fallschirmjaeger veterans. Their direct connections with these actual veterans has resulted in a most accurate portrayal and enabled keen insight into the largest conflict of the twentieth century. www.FJR6.com 42
1940 BÜcker BÜ 133C “Jungmeister” Introduced and first flown in 1935 by Carl Bucker, the Bü 133C Jungmeister was a sport and training biplane. The upper and lower panels were equipped with ailerons that were interchangeable, and the outer wing panels had an 11-degree sweep-back. The fuselage was a steel tube consisting of welded pipes covered with a metal shell, whereas the middle body of the fuselage and the tail unit were covered with fabric. The Jungmeister entered the aerobatics scene in the mid 1930s and quickly achieved legendary status. It was unbeatable because of its unrivalled handling characteristics and agility. From the 1936 Berlin Olympics onward, this classic biplane won at almost every international competition.
Engine: Siemens SH14 seven cylinder radial piston Horsepower: 185 hp Max Speed: 150 mph Range: 311 miles Ceiling: 14,756 ft. Wing Span: 21 ft. 7 in Armament: None
In preparation for the Second World War, the German Luftwaffe relied heavily on the Jungmeister for aerobatics and combat maneuver training. The Bü 133 models were produced by CASA in Spain and A-G für Dornier-Flugzeuge in Switzerland. The museum’s Bücker Bü 133C, (serial number 38), was Swiss built in 1940. The Swiss Air Force used it for combat and fighter training until 1968, when it was sold to the Swiss Aero Club, and later sold again to a German flying club. The Fighter Collection of Duxford then purchased the Bü 133C and registered it in Great Britain. While flying with the Fighter Collection, it was given the current colors and marking of LG+01. It was obtained by the Military Aviation Museum and received the US registration N-38BU in 2006. (Not flying today)
43
Blohm & Voss P-214 "Mistletoe"
Wing Span: Length: Armament:
HISTORICAL DISPLAY
19 ft., 8 in. 16 ft., 5 in. 2,204 lb. bomb
One of the newest editions to the Military Aviation Museum collection arrived last month. The Blohm & Voss P-214 static display. Nicknamed “Mistletoe�, this was one of the last-ditch efforts of the Germans to regain air superiority during the final stages of WWII. It was designed by Blohm & Voss in the winter of 1944/45 to serve as a rocket bomb. A small manned aircraft was attached to the top of a bomb to ferry the bomb to its target. Both the aircraft and bomb were to be transported near their destination atop a
bomber, like the Do 217. When within range, the bomber would move into a flat fast path angle flight to allow the ramjet engines of the bomb plus aircraft to ignite. Once this took place, the Mistletoe would climb higher to spot the target. Once identified below, the rocket bomb would go into a fast dive and release the bomb within two kilometers of the target. The aircraft would then go on to land at a designated position on its three-point skids. Blohm & Voss was founded in 1877 as a shipbuilder. During World War Two, it began to design and build aircraft. It was known for building the largest aircraft used by the Axis forces, the Bv 238. The P-214 was never put into production. This particular example on display is a non-airworthy replica built by Holger Bull in Germany using original parts and new construction.
Bay Aviation is one of two companies on-site at the air show offering rides. Stop by and see them just east of the museum building for details.
Bay Aviation Chief Pilot Michael Kuhnert and his team will be offering flights in a Fairchild PT-19. Less than 100 of these aircraft still fly today, so join Bay Aviation for an historic ride! Contact Bay Avaition to book your flight at Warbirds Over the Beach. Flights available Friday-Sunday, May 15-17. www.bayaviationonline.com
44
Fliegende Panzerfaust, “Flying Bazooka”
HISTORICAL DISPLAY Wing Span: 14 ft., 9 in. Length: 19 ft., 6 in. Flight Weight: 2,645 lbs. Max Speed: 528 mph
A second static display to arrive at the Military Aviation Museum last month is the Fliegende Panderfaust. This is a 100% to-scale reproduction built by Holgar Bull in Germany. The original prototype was created in 1944 by the Zeppelin company. By 1940, the last of the Zeppelin airships were scrapped and future development was stopped. In 1942, Zeppelin founded an aircraft constructiondivision with plans to develop large commercial aircraft. From 1942 to 1944, Zeppelin designed several of these airlines both independently and in conjunction with the Messerschmidt company.
compartment of the fuselage and parachute to safety – in theory. The design was never fully built and tested.
Zeppelin also experimented with two small fighter designs in 1944 for the war effort: Rammer and Fliegende Panzerfaust (Flying Bazooka). This second experimental aircraft is the one on display at Warbirds Over the Beach. This particular design was developed in the winter of 1944-1945 and was designed to actually ram enemy aircraft. It was to be towed by a Messerschmidt Bf109 to its service altitude. Once there, the pilot would fire six solid-fuel rockets and aim the aircraft at the enemy. The pilot was positioned in the aircraft laying down, and just before ramming the enemy, he would open the lower
Builder Holger Bull, began building full-scale World War II aircraft in recent years. His interest grew from his father’s career as a pilot for the Messerschmidt factory, where he flew Me 262s among other aircraft. Mr. Bull built this Fliegende Panzerfaust by starting with a small three-view drawing and a type description. While not intended to fly, he still takes the greatest care in getting the details correct using original documentation and research. He uses original parts, like instruments, wheels and electrical components when possible and constructs other components from comparative types at the time.
BMW TLJ-2 – Strahljager Projekt II Wing Span: Length: Armament:
22 ft., 10 in. 27 ft., 5 in. 2 x MG 151/20 (20mm) or 2 x MK 108 (30mm)
During World War II, EZS, a subsidiary of BMW, developed new designs to compliment the jet engines developed by BMW at the time. Four designs focusing on simplicity and easy construction were submitted
HISTORICAL DISPLAY
in November 1944 with the direction of engineer Dr. Huber. The second design had several variants with the pilot either prone or sitting and with short and long wingspans. The air intake was in the nose and ducted
Last month, the BMW TLJ-2 (Strahljager Projekt II) arrived at the Military Aviation Museum. This unique static display was built by Holger Bull in German working from drawings using original parts and new construction.
under the cockpit to the BMW 003 engine mounted in the rear fuselage. These were only prototype aircraft and none were ever put into production or flown. 45
1947 Lavochkin La-9
Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Shvetsov Ash-82FN 1,850 hp 428 mph 1,077 miles 35,433 ft. 32 ft. 9 in. 4x NS-23 cannons
design and performance, it was seen as the equivalent of the American Bearcat and the British Sea Fury. Following World War Two, large numbers of the aircraft were delivered to China and some to North Korea where they were involved in early fighting during the Korean War. The museum’s Lavochkin is the only airworthy example of a Lavochkin La-9 from amongst a very small group of survivors (estimates range from 3-5 airframes worldwide of the 1,559 built). Unfortunately, we do not know much about the military history of this particular aircraft (c/n 828). It flew with the Soviet Air Force before being transferred to the Chinese Air Force in 1950. This La-9 was removed from service in the early 1960s and became a technical exhibit at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In 1996, the aircraft was delivered to Duxford, England for restoration. However, after initial inspection, it was decided that the aircraft should The Lavochkin La-9 was built as a continuation of the Soviet Lavochkin line of fighters that began with Semyon Lavochkin, Vladimir Gorbunov and Mikhael Gudkov (LaGG) in 1938. The three opened the Experimental Design Bureau (OKB) in Moscow to design and build tactical fighters. After many designs, some being built and placed into service, such as the LaGG-3 and LaGG-5, the La models followed in 1941 and on through the war. The Lavochkin La-9 was first flown in 1946, and full production began in 1947.
go on to Auckland, New Zealand to be rebuilt to flying condition by Pioneer Aero Restorations. The engines and propeller were overhauled in the Czech Republic in 2002. It was first test flown in February 2003 and flew at the Auckland Air Show in March 2003. The aircraft then appeared as a static display at the Paris Air Show in June 2003 and returned to Britain making its debut flight at Duxford Flying Legends show in July of that year. The Military Aviation Museum acquired the La-9 in 2010, and it joined the museum display in 2013. Its paint scheme represents a Russian aircraft
The La-9 was lighter than its predecessors and could carry more fuel and armaments. The La-9 was flown throughout the USSR and East Germany. In
in accordance with Russian regulations regarding the use of national insignia. (Not flying today)
RE-ENACTORS Hochgebirgsjäger Battalion 4
Luftwaffe Aircrew Reenactors Association 5th Kompanie / Hochgebirgsjäger Battalion 4 is one of the premiere mountain troop reenactment groups in the country. The Luftwaffe Aircrew Reenactors Association (LARA) is a multi-national group of re-enactors and living historians who portray members of the flying branch of the WWII German Air Force. The LARA has worked in and around Luftwaffe aircraft since 2001 presenting at air shows around the world. Some members of this diverse group even maintain replica aircraft such a the Fi156 Storch, Me109G and Ju 87 StuKa. www.luftwaffereenactors.com
46
Yakovlev Yak-3 Engine: Klimov VK-105PF Horsepower: 1,300 hp Max Speed: 407 mph Range: 405 miles Ceiling: 35,000 ft. Wing Span: 30 ft. 2 in. Armaments: 1 20mm ShVAK Cannon, 2 12.7mm Berezin machine guns
The Yak-3 was a Soviet fighter plane that entered into service in 1944. It was a favorite of both pilots and ground crew because it was small, robust and easy to maintain. The Yak-3 was one of the lightest major combat fighters used by anyone during the war and was highly successful in dogfights, flying low over battlefields and engaging in dogfights below
13,000 feet. As it reached the front lines in the summer of 1944, the 91st IAP of the 2nd Army was tasked with using it to gain air superiority. They flew over 430 missions and shot down 20 Luftwaffe fighters and three Ju 87s, while only losing two Yak-3s. The Yak-3 seen at the museum today was actually recreated in 1991 by the Yakovlev company using original parts and dies in Orenburg, Russia. It is powered by an American V-12 Allison engine.
47
1941 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
Mikulin AM35-A 1,350 hp 398 mph 510 miles 39,400 ft. 33 ft. 5 in. 1x 12.7 mm MG, 2x 7.62 mm MGs, 2x 220 lb bombs
The MiG-3 was a Soviet fighter developed by the Experimental Design Department (OKO) of Zavod in 1941 as an improvement over the MiG-1. The two aircraft shared the same powerplant, a Mikulin AM35-A, and the same armament. In June 1941 at the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, over 980 MiG-3s were in service with the V-VS, the Soviet Air Defense Forces and Russian Naval Aviation. The MiG-3 was designed for increased performance at high altitudes, but that meant when it was forced into use in other combat roles, it proved difficult to fly. Aviators reported excellent handling at high altitudes (above 12,000 feet), but the majority of the air battles fought over the Eastern Front were at the lower altitudes fghthing the German Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Nearly 3,200 MiG-3s were built between 1940 and 1941. The Military Aviation Museum’s aircraft, c/n 4958, was one of the last production aircraft in 1941. It is believed to have been assigned to the 147th IAD, V-VS in defense of the Arctic region. Only 14 MiG-3s served in this unit over a six-month period. There are no records of its loss, but research leads us to believe it suffered damaged during combat in the winter of 1941 flying from its base at Afrikanda. In 2001, the aircraft was found in the Murmansk region, and the Aviarestoration company of Novosibirsk, Siberia reconstructed it from parts of six recovered wreckages. Most of the equipment is original but the Mikulin engine was replaced with an Allison V-1710. It is believed to be the only flying MiG-3 anywhere in the world. (Not flying today)
RE-ENACTORS The 175th Engineers The 175th Engineer Regiment left out of Hampton Roads and was involved in Operation Torch for the landings in North Africa on November 8, 1942. The unit was also involved in the whole Sicily campaign and the entire Italy Campaign ending at the Po River for VE Day and was in Rome for the liberation of the city on June 5, 1944. This June 5th will mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation. The founding members of the 175th Engineers re-enactment unit are brothers, Mark and Ken Jones. The unit was founded in honor of their father, Harry Jones, who started as a buck private in 1941 and was with the unit through the whole war. He continued his military career serving in the Korea and Vietnam wars and retiring as a Colonel. The unit has a fully restored and operational 1943 GMC CCKW dump truck. The CCKW was at Normandy in 1944. After the war, she served with the Dutch Army. When the cold war ended, she returned to Normandy for the 50th anniversary in 1994 and then returned back to the US. The 175th Engineers re-enactment unit got it in 2000. With the help of Ken’s sons Nathan and Eric Jones, the truck was restored with the markings of one of the Regiment’s Engineer Trucks.
48
Dine In or Carry Out 1824 Princess Anne Rd. (757) 721-4900
1936 Polikarpov Po-2 “Mule” Engine: Horsepower: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span: Armaments:
The Polikarpov Po-2 was a general-purpose Soviet aircraft. Originally named the U-2, it was designed by Nikolai Polikarpov to replace the U-1 trainer and Avro 504. Following his death in July 1944, it was renamed the Po-2 in his honor. The Po-2 first flew in January 1938 and more than 40,000 were built between 1928 and 1953, making it the second most produced aircraft in aviation history. It was used in liaison, ground attack, observation, training and
Shvetsov M-11 5-cylinder air-cooled radial 125 hp 97 mph 249 miles 13,125 ft. 37 ft. 4 ¾ in. 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine-gun
psychological warfare. German troops called the plane the Nähmaschine or “sewing machine” due to the odd rattling noise made by the engine. The plane was used very effectively by the all-female 588th Night Bomber Regiment, “Night Witches.” Their goal was to harass enemy ground units by bombing them at night and depriving them of sleep. The museum’s Po-2 was found in a forest outside Vladivostok and restored in far eastern Russia. A handful of Po-2s are still flying today; some even with the original engine. The great numbers built and the long service time proves that this plane was truly excellent in its field. The name Mule seems extraordinarily appropriate for this little aircraft: undemanding, unglamorous, durable, efficient and forgiving. Yet at times, able to deliver a nasty kick!
RE-ENACTORS
Virginia-Carolina Military History Association The Va.-Carolina Military History Association was founded in 2009 and serves Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The group is registered as a 501(c)3 non-profit working to educate the public about military history. While they mostly focus on World War II, they do have other areas in the association. They host several events and attend many other events throughout the year as part of their mission. At Warbirds Over the Beach, the Association is representing Kampfgruppe Peddinghaus, which is comprised of several German World War II re-enactment units. The main one being 116 Panzer, 6 Kompanie. 116 Panzer, 6 Kompanie has been reenacting since 2004 and is a founding member of the Va.Carolina Military History Association. They have over 30 members spread across several states and attend about an event a month. They are always looking for people who are interested in military history and would like to help them educate about this period of history. 49
1950 Fiat G.46-3B Engine: HP: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wing Span:
115-Iter Alpha Romero 215 hp 194 mph 560 miles 17,400 ft. 34 ft. 1.25 in.
The Fiat G.46 was a military trainer developed in Italy shortly after the Second World War. Designed by Ing. Giuseppe Gabrielli, the intermediate trainer was the first new model produced by Fiat at Turin after WWII and the first all-metal trainer in the Italian Air Force. The G.46 was a conventional, low-wing monoplane with tail wheel landing gear and retractable main gear. The pilot and instructor sat in tandem under a long canopy. The first prototype, G.46-1, was powered by an 195 hp Alpha Romeo 115-Ibis inverted six-cylinder in-line watercooled engine. It flew for the first time on June 25, 1947, with Ing. Vittore Catella at the controls. Testing revealed excellent flying characteristics and suitability for aerobatics, and the type was ordered into production. The production version was the G.46-1B and 25 were built for the Italian Air Force, the first being delivered in 1949; a further ten were delivered to the Syrian Air Force. The second aircraft built became the prototype for the Argentine version and was flown for the first time as the G.46-2B, on February 2, 1948, also piloted by Catella. Argentina received 70 aircraft of the G.46-2B model powered by the 250 hp de Havilland Gipsy Queen Srs.30 (also an inverted six-cylinder
in-line water-cooled engine), the first being delivered in 1949. These were followed by the two-seat G.46-3B and single-seat G.46-3A, both powered by the 215 hp 115-Iter version of the Alpha Romeo engine. In 1951/1952, refined and updated G.46-4A and G.46-4B models were built, also powered by the 215 hp 115-Iter engine. A total of 223 aircraft of all versions were built. In 1958, a number of the Italian Air Force aircraft were transferred to the Italian Aero Club, and five former Italian Air Force G.46-4Bs were supplied to the Austrian Air Force. Survivors from the military squadrons eventually wound up with aero clubs where they were used as aerobatics trainers. Several were still around into the new millennium. The Military Aviation Museum’s Fiat G.46-3B was delivered to the Italian Air Force as s/n MM53091 in 1950. In July 1961, it was released from service and received the civilian registration I-AEHX. It was later exported to the United States where it was registered as N46FM on June 15, 1972. The museum acquired the plane from a man in Milford, Connecticut this spring.
RE-ENACTORS
The Capital Wing of the Airman’s Preservation Society Formed in 1997, the Capital Wing of the Airman’s Preservation Society is a group of dedicated WWII historians and re-enactors who portray all aspects of the Army Air Forces and Army Nurse Corps/Red Cross. At air shows, group reunions or military history events, the Capital Wing erects a US Army Air Corps encampment of the type common with tactical (mobile) air units of the European or Pacific Theaters of combat in WWII. The visitor will find historically authentic operations tent, mission briefing tent, communications facilities, living quarters, medical/Red Cross facilities, and a weather station. Members "staff" the various locations in WWII period uniforms/gear and strive to re-enact the daily lives of the men and women who lived and fought in these same settings during the war, including re-creating the aircrew mission briefings–using actual Air Force Historical Archives data for the mission details. 50
“Remember, Honor, Serve” Engine: Horsepower: Max Weight: Max Speed: Range: Ceiling: Wingspan: Passengers:
Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 2,000 hp each 48,000 lbs. 269 mph 2,950 miles 27,600 ft. 108 ft. 62
The Airborne Demonstration Team participates in active parachute jumping in the style of the WWII airborne soldiers utilizing aircraft that actually participated in the invasion of Europe. In 1945, the War Bond Demonstration Team was created at the request of the U.S. Treasury Department. This paratrooper team travelled throughout the United States performing dynamic airborne operations for the public in order to generate war bond sales. Now, the Airborne Demonstration Team performs similar jumps to educate people about this unique group of infantrymen, while generating excitement and interest in military history and research.
to cargo and troop haulers as WWII began. The aircraft was used in all theaters but primarily served in the China Burma operation carrying supplies over the Himalayas, or the “Hump”. Tinker Belle was named after the Tinker Air Force Base, which was named in honor of Major General Clarence L. Tinker, the first Native American Major General. The base assisted with its restoration, and today, Tinker Belle is the only operating C-46 in the lower 48 states. The aircraft is owned by the City of Monroe, North Carolina Tourism Bureau and maintained and operated by Warriors & Warbirds, Inc.
At Warbirds Over the Beach, they are jumping from the C-46F Curtiss Commando Tinker Belle. The Curtiss C-46 Commando was the heaviest and largest twin-engine aircraft used during World War II. It was originally designed as the first pressurized airliner, but production quickly changed
This year, if the weather permits, the ADT is jumping from the museum’s Ju 52, as well. With only one flying Ju 52 in North America and just seven flying in the entire world, it will be quite a sight! Its markings are of the 7th Staffel KGzbV1, 1st Bomber Wing of Special Operations. 51
Coming soon!
52
Frank Cubillo is the voice and energy behind a Frank Sinatra-style entertainment act called “Frank Sings Frank.” Frank retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2009 after serving 37 years. A New York native who now calls Virginia Beach home, Frank has been singing all his life. His repertoire includes over 150 “Standards” and all of Sinatra’s Greatest Hits. Complete with a tux and Sinatra’s trademark Fedora, Frank sings and performs with an energy and style all his own, guaranteed to have you tappin’ your feet and singing along with this upbeat entertainer. Frank has performed as a main entertainer at Virginia Beach’s Beach Street USA and on the J.P. “Gus” Godsey radio talk show on WHKT 1650 AM.
www.FrankSingsFrank.com
The Victory Belles, direct from New Orleans, are a charming vocal trio who will take you on a nostalgic journey through World War Two-era musical classics. Take a trip down memory lane as you enjoy such hits as Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Don’t Sit under the Apple Tree, Chattanooga Choo Choo and I’ll Be Seeing You, all sung in rich three-part harmony. The Victory Belles have performed at Warbirds Over the Beach the past four years. They regularly perform at the National WWII Museum’s Stage Door Canteen and travel the world entertaining GIs, performing with the USO. The Victory Belles also sang the National Anthem at the home of the Super Bowl XLIV Champion New Orleans Saints!
www.VictoryBelles.org
Theresa Eaman began performing jazz standards in her early teen years in Reading, Pennsylvania. A classically trained vocalist, she specializes in jazz standards and reenacting the music of the World War II era. She presents the listener with renditions of all their favorites featuring the stylings of the original recordings, while incorporating her own personal touches. Theresa’s performances celebrate an era where music made people laugh, cry, and fall in love. Theresa has performed in New York City, San Diego, California, and throughout Idaho and Pennsylvania. She has appeared at Warbirds Over the Beach since its inaugural year in 2009.
www.Reverbnation.com/ TheresaEaman
53
Bill Riley and Joe Ziegler transform themselves into Bud Abbott and Lou Costello to bring you their unique Tribute Show. Vintage dress and an authentic recreation of the team’s mannerisms and vocal stylings will transport you back in time and give you the opportunity to interact with the famous comic duo. Sit back and laugh as they perform the vaudeville and burlesque routines, including the classic baseball routine, “Who’s On First?”
The Hampton Roads Metro Band, originally called the Norfolk Fire Division Firemen’s Band, was formed in the early 1930s by its first conductor, Pacific Romeo. After his death in 1970, he was succeeded by Hal Peterson. In 1981, the Norfolk Fire Department was no longer able to sponsor the band, and at this time, it adopted its present name, Hampton Roads Metro Band. Over the years, the Band’s membership grew and shrunk and grew again. Conductors included several notable retired military musicians and music educators. The current conductor, Dick Schroeder, assumed the post in 2005. Currently, there are over 45 members and the Band proudly continues to provide music for the citizens of Hampton Roads.
www.HRmetroband.org
54
Bill Riley is an actor, comedian, and musician from Paterson, New Jersey (Lou Costello’s hometown). He moved to Baltimore in 1985 and is currently Director of Broadcasting at The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts. Joe Ziegler was born in Baltimore and has been a professional performer since the age of fifteen. Joe and his wife, Sherry, have won numerous awards for their portrayal of another famous duo–Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Riley and Ziegler have performed as Abbott and Costello since 1994. In May 2004, it was their great pleasure to perform in Washington, DC at the Disabled American Veterans’ Dinner as part of the WWII Monument Celebration and Dedication Ceremony. Jason Crutchley began working with the team as their sound engineer and announcer in 2002. In 2004, Jason joined Bill and Joe as “Scoop Fields-Ace Press Agent.”
www.UltimateAandC.com
Yes, we know our dino friends are not from the World War Two era, but they are a lot of fun! Stop by the museum gift shop for a Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt map and take the little ones down the driveway to Jurassic Park. Walk among the dinosaurs and see how many you and your kids can identify. Just watch the time, the park is in waivered air space and will be closed from 12:00 until 4:00 for the flying part of the air show.
The Mark Michielsen Big Band joins us at this year’s Warbirds Over the Beach as the feature of the Saturday evening hangar dance. Mark has been playing trombone for over 30 years, and his band has been entertaining crowds since 2010. Mark Michielsen is originally from Midland Park, New Jersey. He began his music career in the Marine Corps in 1981, and he has performed around the world at both military and civilian venues with various Marine Corps bands, the Virginia Symphony, Hawaii Symphony and others. He also taught at the Armed Forces School of Music and is a talented composer. Mark has a Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition from Old Dominion University and a Master of Music Degree in Composition from Norfolk State University. The 17-member Big Band plays all sorts of venues across the country and has a huge collection of big band music in their repertoire. This rambunctious crew of gifted musicians has performed throughout Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and of course, the United States. The musicians have worked individually and together on numerous recording projects for movie soundtracks and CDs, and most have had the honor of performing for various United States Presidents and the US Congress, as well as other dignitaries and heads of state around the world. Join us in the Army hangar Saturday evening and dance to all your favorites from the World War Two era. You may even hear a Mark Michielsen Original performed! The band’s CDs are also on sale in the museum gift shop.
www.CreativeComposerMark.com
ARMY HANGAR Entertainment Schedule Saturday « May 16th
SUNDAY « May 17th
10:00AM « Theresa Eaman 10:30 « Frank Sings Frank 11:00 « Ultimate Abbott & Costello 11:30 « The Victory Belles 12:00 « National Anthem - Theresa Eaman 12:05 « Frank Sings Frank 12:30 « Theresa Eaman
10:00 « Frank Sings Frank 10:30 « The Victory Belles 11:00 « Ultimate Abbott & Costello 11:30 « Theresa Eaman 12:00 « National Anthem - The Victory Belles 12:05 « Frank Sings Frank
1:00-3:00PM « AIR SHOW 3:30PM « Frank Sings Frank 4:00 « The Victory Belles 4:30 « Theresa Eaman 5:00 « Ultimate Abbott & Costello 5:30 « The Victory Belles 6:00 « Mark Michielsen Big Band 6:45 « Ultimate Abbott & Costello 7:00 « The Victory Belles 7:15 « Mark Michielsen Big Band 8:00 « Theresa Eaman 8:15 « Frank Sings Frank 8:30 « Mark Michielsen Big Band 9:00 « Conclusion of Dance
12:30 « The Victory Belles
1:00-3:00PM « AIR SHOW 2:15 « Hampton Roads Metro Band 3:00 « The Victory Belles 3:15 « Ultimate Abbott & Costello 3:30 « Hampton Roads Metro Band 4:00 « Theresa Eaman 4:15 « Frank Sings Frank 4:30 « Hampton Roads Metro Band 5:00 « Conclusion of Air Show
55
MAM PROPERTY
In late fall 2012, the 1934 Cottbus hangar opened to the public at the northwest end of the museum property. The Military Aviation Museum obtained Hangar 6 in 2004 from the Cottbus Air Field in Cottbus, Germany, a small town southeast of Berlin. The hangar was disassembled and shipped to Virginia Beach, and in 2010, the Woodard Group began reassembling it at the museum. Hangar 6, as well as the other hangars at the Cottbus Air Field, was designed by World War One fighter pilot Gotthard Sachsenberg. During the war, he shot down 31 Allied aircraft flying Fokker Eindekker monoplanes and Fokker D.VII biplanes. Following the war, he founded the company which designed these hangars. The museum has a Fokker D.VIII in
its WWI hangar painted in the bright yellow and black markings of Sachsenberg’s aircraft. During reconstruction of the hangar, the crew found an inscription on one of the support beams of a person’s name and date, which is believed to have been written by a Polish forced laborer in October 1944. You can see this inscription and read the story inside the hangar. Today, the hangar is home to our Luftwaffe aircraft, and during the air show, is “occupied” by the re-enactor group, Battle of Crete, May 1941. This German paratrooper re-enactor group will be giving jump school training demonstrations on Saturday afternoon.
The Flying Proms is a beloved English tradition that showcases the beauty of vintage aircraft flying maneuvers accompanied by live music performed by a symphony orchestra. This year, you and your friends or business colleagues can enjoy the event in your own chalet. Reserve your chalet online at www.TheFlyingProms.com 56
• 10’x20’ front fencing tent with side walls and lights •Ten General A dmission Ticke ts • Two Tables/Te n Chairs • Group Signa ge
MAM PROPERTY
The Military Aviation Museum has begun reconstruction of the Goxhill Aerodrome Control Tower in 2014. This tower was part of the airfield when it opened in June 1941 as the No. 1 (Bomber Command) base. Between 1941 and 1945, the airfield was used by various bomber, towed target flight and fighter groups. From August 1942 until March 1945, the USAAF Eighth Air Force used the airfield as a fighter operational training base. The 52nd Fighter Group, along with others, was given theatre indoctrination at this base. In December 1943, the 496th Fighter Training Group, comprised of P-51 Mustangs and Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, was based here. In January
1945, the base was transferred back to the RAF and used for training and maintenance until it was deactivated in 1953. The actual control tower acquired by the museum is similar to other airfield buildings hastily built during the war. The two-story building was constructed of brick with a runway balcony and small rooftop tower. The tower was dismantled and its bricks were shipped to Virginia, where they were cleaned and inspected. When construction is finished and the tower is opened to the public, it will be fitted with authentic RAF furnishings and equipment from World War Two. It is expected to be open to the public in 2016.
57
On Friday, May 8, five of the Military Aviation Museum’s WWII aircraft joined with dozens of others from around the country to participate in the Arsenal of Democracy World War II Victory Capitol Flyover. The event celebrated the 70th Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and honored all who fought in the war, as well as those who supported the effort on the home front. The flyover featured 15 historically sequenced warbird formations representing the war’s major battles, from Pearl Harbor to the final air assault on Japan. It also included a missing man formation. The museum’s Curtiss P-40 flew with two other P-40s in the Pearl Harbor formation. The Grumman FM2 Wildcat and Consolidated PBY Catalina flew alongside another Wildcat and Dauntless in the Battle of Midway formation. The Grumman TBM Avenger flew as part of a group of Avengers, a Hellcat, a Helldiver, and a Bearcat in the Leyte Gulf formation. Finally, the museum’s FG-1D Corsair flew in the Iwo Jima formation along with three other Corsairs. The formations flew south down the Potomac River and over the Washington Mall above the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial, then down Independence Avenue and south past the U.S. Capitol. Never before has such a collection of WWII aircraft been assembled at one location. It was truly an honor for the large assembly of veterans gathered at the WWII Memorial for the ceremony. The following day, May 9, the aircraft were on display at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport for a one day exhibition.
58
The Military Aviation Museum is excited to hold its “Warbirds & Wings” Aviation Summer Day Camp for the fifth year. The 2015 camp dates are:
July 13-17, 9:00am 4:00pm daily During the week, children spend time at the Military Aviation Museum among one of the largest private collections of flying vintage and reproduction aircraft in the world. They will have the thrill of getting up close to World War I and World War II era fighters, bombers, trainers and seaplanes, while they learn everything about them and aviation in general. The curriculum includes lessons on the fundamentals of flight, as well as a brief history of flight from one of the museum’s pilots. They will build and fly their own gliders and build a model airplane. Kids will also learn the basics of rocketry and will build and launch their very own model rockets. Ground crew training includes learning the important safety measures and hand signals required to handle aircraft. Children will take field trips to the Virginia Air & Space Center and to the museum’s own Fighter Factory. At the Fighter Factory, they can talk with the mechanics who keep them flying. The final day will be marked with demonstration flights of several of the museum’s restored aircraft and a picnic with games and prizes. The 5-day camp is for children ages 9-14, and the cost is $200 per child. To register your child, call 757-721-7767 or download the registration form at www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org.
JUNE
JUNE 6 Virginia Beach Crime Solvers Annual Pig Pickin’, 1:00pm-5:00pm Attend the annual Crime Solvers Pig Pickin’ on Saturday afternoon. Enjoy BBQ, entertainment, flight demonstrations and help raise funds for the Crime Solvers. June 13 Flying Proms, Gates open at 3:00pm, Concert begins at 7:00pm The Military Aviation Museum brings you Flying Proms for the fifth year. This show pairs the soaring sounds of Symphonicity with breathtaking maneuvers of vintage aircraft, ending in a light-up-the-sky fireworks finale. Tickets are available at the museum gift shop or at www.TheFlyingProms.com. june 20 Virginia Craft Beer Festival & Food Truck Rodeo, Noon-6pm Presented by Coastal Virginia Magazine, this inaugural event features 10 Virginia craft breweries, food truck cuisine and live entertainment. Visit www.coastalvirginiamagazine.com for more details.
JULY
SEPTEMBER
July 13-17 Warbirds & Wings Aviation Summer Camp, 9:00am-4:00pm daily Bring your children to the museum for this unique summer camp, where they will learn the fundamentals of airplane flight and rockets and get ground crew training. Perfect for children ages 9-14. September 12 Plane Pull Competition, 10:00am Annual Plane Pull team competition to raise funds for Promise Places, an organization that helps build independence for the mentally disabled. To register your team, go to www.PromisePlaces.org. September 26 Wings & Wheels, 8:00am-3:00pm It’s time for the annual Wings & Wheels car show at the museum. Come see vintage cars alongside our military aircraft from the same era. September 30-October 4 WWI Radio-Controlled Planes “Mid Atlantic Dawn Patrol” Show See enthusiasts fly their RC aircraft across our field performing tricks the big ones can’t! Learn how to build, maintain and operate these miniature aircraft.
October
October 3-4 Biplanes & Triplanes World War One Air Show The Biplanes and Triplanes Air Show is our way of honoring the men fighting during the earliest days of aviation. The museum’s collection of reproduction aircraft from England, France, Germany and the United States will fly and be on display along with period entertainment and re-enactors. October 17 Air & Auto Classic, 11:00am-4:00pm Have an interest in cars of a certain caliber? Then come to the Air & Auto Classic. Dozens of Porsches from throughout the years will be on display alongside our vintage aircraft.
NOvember
November 14 Runway 5K, 7:30am The Virginia Beach Runway 5K raises money for Untamed Spirit, a program designed to enhance and enrich the lives of individuals with special needs through a partnership with horses. Come join us among the historical aircraft and have a go at the 3.1 mile course (or half miler for the kids). Register at www.UntamedSpirit.org. November 14 Brute Strength Plane Pull, 11:00am Get a group together and come out to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. Groups test their strength pulling one of our aircraft across the tarmac for prizes and bragging rights. Register your group at www.BruteStrengthGym.net. November 27-29 Trains, PlanEs & Santa Claus The Military Aviation Museum, in association with The Tidewater Division of the National Model Railroad Association, hosts its annual model train show. Santa will fly in to see the little ones on Saturday and Sunday. See the museum website for more information as the date approaches.
december
December 11-12 Home for Christmas Join us at the museum for this free holiday concert sponsored by the McWaters Family Foundation. It’s truly a musical Christmas card for the community. Tentative Event
Follow us on Facebook for the latest on our events! 59
BECOME A MUSEUM MEMBER!
MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION 501 (c)(3) Tax Deductible Foundation
www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org www.FighterFactory.com www.VBairport.com (757) 721-PROP
60
Military Aviation Museum Leading Edge Circle The Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the largest collections of operational historic aircraft in the world, and we are proud give our visitors the opportunity to experience the thrill of seeing these aircraft fly. The Military Aviation Museum is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation supported by revenue from ticket sales, special events and private donations. However, the cost of maintaining the aircraft and museum property, as well as restoring newly found aircraft, continues to climb. Add to that fuel, maintenance and repair, facility upkeep and improvements, flight insurance and the expenses rapidly soar. This is why in 2014, the museum launched the Leading Edge Circle, a program designed to recognize and thank donors for their support. Benefits offered at all levels are for a one-year term Silver Membership Benefits ($500 donation): · Free general museum admission for the donor and members of their immediate household. · 10% discount in the museum shop. · Quarterly Newsletter subscription. · Two adult one day tickets for Warbirds Over the Beach air show. · Invitation for two to an annual dinner with a notable aviation speaker. Gold Membership Benefits ($2,000 donation): · All the benefits of the Silver level. · Two general admission lawn tickets to the Flying Proms. · Reserved parking area for Warbirds Over the Beach air show. · A 30 minute flight in the museum's 1941 Boeing Stearman biplane. Platinum Membership ($5,000 donation): · All the benefits of the Silver and Gold levels. · 10% discount on one rental of the museum facilities. Corporate Membership: · The benefits of the above levels. · Free general admission entrance tickets for eight employees. · A corporate table for eight at your choice of the annual Valentine's Hangar Dance or the annual Donor Dinner.
**Donation is Tax Deductible**
q Check Enclosed
Signature_______________________ Date ______
Security Code____________ Exp. Date __________
Credit Card No. _____________________________
Name on Card______________________________
Credit Card q VISA q Mastercard
$_____________________ Additional Donation
Select Method of Payment:
$_____________________ q Corporate
$_____________________ q Gold - $2,000+
q Platinum - $5,000+ $_____________________
$_____________________ q Silver - $500+
Select Level of Donation:
E-mail __________________________________
Phone __________________________________
_______________________________________
Address ________________________________
Name __________________________________
1341 Princess Anne Road Virginia Beach, Virginia 23457 www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org (757) 721-PROP (7767)
LEADING EDGE CIRCLE
Additional benefits and sponsorship/underwriting opportunities are available by arrangement with Mike Potter, Museum Director. You are invited to join the ranks of the inaugural class of Museum Donors, at your desired level of participation. See Mike Potter, Museum Director, for additional details. Return the form below to the museum gift shop today.
61
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
62
63
64