FROM THE EDITOR

From the From the Editor Editor

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We’ve mentioned it a lot, I know, but the Royal Air Force Museum’s programme of loans and disposals has — while provoking some criticism, not least from us — been transformational for the wider UK aviation museum scene. is is emphasised again this month, in which our news pages are dominated by the latest round of airframe moves. Who can deny that the B-25 Mitchell, while it was never displayed to best advantage at Hendon, will be a signifi cantly more exciting sight ground-running at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre? e Avro 707C is clearly far better as a star attraction at the Avro Heritage Museum, rather than spending periods in and out of storage at Cosford, while the CASA 352 will end up a much more educative exhibit in Luftwaff e Ju 52/3m colours at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum than it is in prewar British Airways livery. In both of the latter cases, the addition of these aeroplanes is helping spur broader expansion eff orts, thanks to the longer-term need to get them under cover. Good news all round.

However, to see one of the RAFM’s two P-51D Mustangs being gifted to a collection in Australia has, understandably, raised eyebrows. is is in no way a slight against its recipient, the Hunter Fighter Collection, which will doubtless give the aeroplane a very good home. It is also a perfect destination for the other aircraft it’s receiving from the RAFM, Vampire FB5 WA346, given how it will be restored to represent Australia’s fi rst example of the type. But I still can’t help but think how the addition of a genuine Mustang would have been a major boost to many a UK collection or museum, just as the likes of the Avro 707C and CASA 352 are at Woodford and Hawkinge. ere were, the RAFM says, British-based applicants for the Mustang, but they failed to score as highly against its application criteria. Given the P-51’s signifi cance in Britain, might it, in this instance, have been worth off ering a little more leeway?

Still, given how the same process will hopefully end up with the B-25 running by night at East Kirkby, in RAF markings, exhausts fl aring and glowing, I’m sure any disappointment will be forgotten.

e whole Aeroplane team wishes all of you reading this a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. May it be an enjoyable time for you! And we’ve got plenty to look forward to during 2023, especially the 50th anniversary of Aeroplane Monthly. We’ll be celebrating in style with our May issue, which you won’t want to miss. And that’s just one of the highlights we’ve got planned. We look forward to bringing them to you.

Ben Dunnell

BRUCE HALES-DUTTON: A TRIBUTE

We were deeply sad to learn of the death on 21 November of Bruce Hales-Dutton, one of Aeroplane’s foremost contributors. Having spent a decade as a journalist, he joined the Department of Trade and Industry’s press offi ce, heading up its aerospace desk, before becoming public relations manager with the British Airports Authority. Moving to the Civil Aviation Authority, he retired as its head of public relations. In retirement Bruce resumed his writing career for a very wide range of publications, mostly on commercial aviation topics, but also taking in many other subjects that fascinated him. He tackled all of them with the same aplomb, keen to interview those who were involved — and, as a result, he gained insights from some great names, such as Eric Brown and Harold Bamberg. He also volunteered at the Brooklands Museum. On a personal note, editing diff erent magazines for nearly two decades, Bruce was one of my favourite writers to work with, always entertaining to talk to, never missing a deadline and generating immaculate, well-researched and above all stimulating articles. Some of his work will continue to appear in our pages — the most fi tting tribute possible, I feel. Bruce will be very sorely missed indeed, and we send our condolences to his family and friends. BD

ESTABLISHED 1911

Aeroplane traces its lineage back to the weekly The Aeroplane, founded by C. G. Grey in 1911 and published until 1968. It was relaunched as a monthly in 1973 by Richard T. Riding, editor for 25 years until 1998. CONTRIBUTORS THIS MONTH ADAM BERRY

Adam is an historian on troop carrier and airborne operations in World War Two, with a particular focus on the US 82nd Airborne Division and IX Troop Carrier Command. He has written three books on the subjects, with four more in the pipeline, many of which have been co-authored with Dutch historian Hans den Brok. Adam juggles the history work with his day job in the family security business, with what’s left of his time dedicated to his wife and daughters. THOMAS McKELVEY CLEAVER

A published aviation historian for 40 years, Thomas has maintained a lifelong interest in the aircraft and the people who fl ew them in the Second World War. During three decades as a screenwriter in Hollywood, he wrote the cult classic The Terror Within and worked as a supervising producer on a number of TV series. He served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War and currently lives in Encino, California. DONALD NIJBOER

Donald is a best-selling aviation author, historian, documentary writer/producer and Smithsonian Speaker who lives in Owen Sound, Canada. He is the author of 19 aviation titles to date, including The Mighty Eighth — Masters of the Air over Europe 1942-45, his latest for Osprey Publishing. In addition, he has contributed to several of the world’s leading historic aircraft magazines. SVEN VAN ROIJ-REICHGELT

A photo-journalist based in the Netherlands, Sven took his fi rst images at GilzeRijen air base during 2005. It didn’t take too long for his passion for photography to grow signifi cantly. While his day job is as a primary school teacher, he dedicates a good deal of his free time to seeking out beautiful areas with unique photographic opportunities. Since 2016, he’s also been doing air-to-air shoots.