Aeroplane Monthly 2014-11

NOVEMBER 2014

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More than a Century of History in the Air

®

Fury at 70

Spitfire

Flights g For All

Air Experience Flights by 2015?

Survivors’ Stories

Including rare colour archive

Wonderful Wellesleys

47 Sqn’s ’ Battle B ttl Honours H

Flying Barrel

Airborne A i b with ith Grumman’s F3F

Lancaster on Tour Avro Duo a Sell ll Out

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

16

PAGES OF DETAIL

NOVEMBER 2014 £4.30

Photo courtesy of Paul Rowland

A4A060814

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Kelsey Media, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berrys Hill Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG

Editorial Editor Steve Bridgewater e-mail: [email protected]

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ABOVE: East Kirkby 2014 or 1944? Avro Lancasters PA474 (flying as KC-A/Thumper) and FM213 (flying as ‘KB726’/VR-A and nicknamed ‘Vera’) overfly East Kirkby-based NX611 Just Jane on September 7, 2014. STEVE BRIDGEWATER RIGHT: The Funky Little Monkeys children’s clothing shop in Tattershall, Lincs has really got into the spirit of the Canadian Lancaster’s UK tour. As well as Canadian flags and bunting, the shop window contains special Lancaster artwork welcoming ‘Vera’ to our shores. A nice and personal touch that warmed the cockles of the editor’s heart! STEVE BRIDGEWATER

M

uch has been written in recent months about the visit of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Lancaster to the UK, and rightly so. As Steve Slater astutely points out in his Hangar Talk column, the aircraft has managed to score some major publicity coups during its time in Britain and has regularly appeared on TV, radio and in newspapers as well as the specialist media. I live in a small village in Derbyshire and regulars in the ‘Carpenters Arms’ (which I frequent merely to keep up on village gossip, you understand…) have been asking me when and where the Lancasters are appearing, with many locals travelling significant distances to see the two aircraft fly in formation. These are not aviation enthusiasts by any stretch of the imagination, but the media coverage and the desire to be part of history has meant they have been caught up in the Lancaster ‘fever’ that has gripped the UK. Tony Harmsworth and I were recently among the large crowd at East Kirkby to see the two Lancasters overflying the resident, taxiable, Just Jane. The sight, and more especially the sound, of three Lancasters and 12 Merlin engines will live long in my memory. However, it was on the way home from East Kirkby, when I stopped off briefly in the nearby village of Tattershall to buy a pint of milk, that I saw perhaps the best example of Lancaster ‘fever’. The entire village was bedecked in a mixture of Canadian and Union Jack flags proclaiming a warm welcome to our Canadian visitors. With bunting hanging from homes, pubs, shops and other businesses, the pretty village was transformed into a fluttering example of British eccentricity and hospitality. It genuinely warmed my heart to see the efforts the locals had gone to, so I can only imagine how the Canadian crews must feel every time they pass the spectacle on the way to nearby RAF Coningsby. This summer has seen the Lancaster duo appearing at airshows the length and breadth of the UK and while they have certainly been star acts at many an airshow, we have also been blessed with a myriad of other special formations this year. We’ve seen mass aerial gatherings of DC-3/C-47s to commemorate D-Day, a trio of RAF B.E.2s to mark the centenary of the Great War and the recent Dunsfold Wings & Wheels show saw a mixture of B-25, C-47, Spitfire and Mustang leading in the Lancaster duo and BBMF fighters. Elsewhere we’ve been treated to the Travel Air Type R ‘Mystery Ship’ in formation with two different Percival Mew Gulls, a grouping of Ryan Navion, Cessna Bird Dog and Beagle Auster AOP.11 and even a flypast by a Canberra, Sea Vixen and Hunter. The recent Shoreham show saw a Spitfire I, Hurricane I and Gladiator in formation for the first time in almost 70 years, while the Gnat Display Team (see p38) has joined forces with the Red Arrows on a number of occasions and even escorted the Vulcan. I think it’s fair to say that 2014 has been a year of unique formations and proof, should it be needed, that the historic aviation and airshow scene in the UK is stronger than ever. I, for one, would like to give thanks to the aircrew, ground crew, show organisers, volunteers and airshow attendees who have helped make this year one to remember. Finally, while I’m thanking people, I’d like to once again thank the Aeroplane team and you, our dedicated readers, for making me so welcome in this post. Here’s to a bright and exciting future. Blue Skies.

Steve Bridgewater – EDITOR

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Contents November 2014. Vol 42 No 11 Issue 499 (on sale September 26)

Features

16 SPITFIRE FLIGHTS FOR ALL? 30 SEA FURY FIELD OF DREAMS With some very important regulatory changes looming on the horizon, the Boultbee Flight Academy is gearing up for the day when it will be possible for non-pilots to buy rides in historic aircraft. Richard Paver reports from Goodwood

24 MACCHI’S RECORDBREAKING RED RACER

On the 70th anniversary of its World Speed Record, Luigino Caliaro looks at the beautiful Macchi M.C. 72 seaplane

28 SEVENTY YEARS OF FURY

Popular today as both a warbird and an air racer, the Hawker Sea Fury traces its history back 70 years to September 1, 1944 when the land-based Hawker Fury first took to the skies

See page 96 for a great subscription offer to

Doug Fisher uses recently uncovered colour photographs to tell the story of ten surplus Royal Canadian Navy Hawker Sea Fury FB.11s

36 MOROCCAN MYSTERY

COVER IMAGE:

The Sanders family’s Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 N19SF is based upon the cockpit section of Sea Fury TG114 (former N232J), which was itself restored from parts of VR918 and VR919. All three aircraft were rescued from McEwan Field, Canada as discussed in our Sea Fury Field of Dreams article on page 30 of this issue. Today the Sea Fury has had its original Bristol Centaurus engine replaced with a Wright R-3350-26WD engine (driving a Douglas Skyraider propeller) and the aircraft is raced as Argonaut. SCOTT GERMAIN

58 LEARJET LEGACY

Page 16

Spitfire Flights for All?

Fifty years on from the delivery of the first Learjet Sebastian Morgan looks back at the iconic business jet’s first half a century

60

FLYING ‘VERA’

Concluding his coverage of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Lancaster, Doug Fisher speaks to the crews who maintain and fly FM213

DATABASE

Doug Fisher looks at the brief and mysterious history of the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s four Hawker ISS Fury fighters

38 A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY YEAR

The 2014 airshow season has been memorable one for the Gnat Display Team, as Steve Bridgewater reveals

48 GRUMMAN’S FLYING BARREL

Grumman’s F3F was the last biplane fighter to be embarked on an American aircraft carrier and one of the final fighters of the US Navy to fly in the vivacious colours that characterised American military aircraft at the end of the 1930s. Luigino Caliaro looks at a very special airworthy warbird

71 THE MCDONNELL ELL DOUGLAS DOUGLA LAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

16

PAGES OF DETAIL

Amongst the most successful combat aircraft of all time, the F-4 Phantom II served the USAF operationally from 1962 to 1996. Peter Davies presents the amazing story of the F-4 Phantom in USAF service.

In News

Sea Fury Field of Dreams

Page 30

Gnat Team’s Special Year

Page 38

Shoreham success

Page 6

B-17 to fly again

Page 8

RICHARD PAVER

BELOW: The popularity of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Lancaster tour has exceeded all expectations. Visit page 60 for an in-depth feature looking at what it’s like to maintain and fly ‘Vera’. STEVE COMBER

88

EARTH ROUNDERS

first to circumnavigate the globe. The trip took 175 days and covered 27,533 miles – as Steve Bridgewater 90 explains

Nowadays we take round the world air travel for granted, but just 90 years ago a team of United States Army Air Service pilots became the

Regulars

6

15

22

NEWS

HANGAR TALK

Steve Slater’s ‘insider’ comment on the historic aviation world

BATTLE HONOURS – 47 SQUADRON

‘Harassing the Italians out of East Africa.’ Martyn Chorlton investigates 47 Squadron’s Vickers Wellesley operations in East Africa in 1940-1941

56

64

PRESERVATION PROFILE

Richard Lake’s Hispano Buchón

CUTAWAY CLASSICS – DORNIER DO 335 PFEIL

68

FROM THE ARCHIVES

On April 17, 1959, The Aeroplane published a special Missiles and Astronautics edition, and from the following issue the title was rebranded The Aeroplane and Astronautics. The November 13, 1959 magazine duly ran an in depth piece on North

Page 11

MRCA remembered

Page 12

Collings gets a Goose

Page 14

American X-15 rocketpowered research aircraft

Q&A

Your questions asked, and answered, with Mike Hooks

92

BOOKS

94

EVENTS

95

FLYING VISIT

In the first in a new series exploring the mass of cutaway drawings held in the Aeroplane archive, Steve Bridgewater turns his 98 attention towards the unique Dornier Do 335 Pfeil

AIRCREW – HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

Author James Kightly and Illustrator Ian Bott explain how they turn thought into words, images and artwork

42

G-AWHE is now a familiar part of the British airshow ‘scene.’ Gary R Brown tells its story

All the latest preservation news, compiled by Tony Harmsworth

Swiss P-51 debuts

A selection of the latest books reviewed Event listings for October 2014 By way of an introduction to our new editor we asked him to complete our traditional Flying Visit questionnaire

NORFOLK PETREL

In the wilds of Norfolk the sole surviving Percival Q.6 Petrel is slowly being nursed back to airworthiness. Mike Shreeve reports

102 SKY WRITERS 103 HAIRY MOMENT

This month’s Hairy Moment was provided by Bruce Onkin, who suffered an ‘exciting’ engine failure in a heavily loaded Curtiss C-46 Commando

established 1911

Aeroplane traces its lineage back to the weekly The Aeroplane, e, founded by the legendary C.G. Grey in 1911 and published until 1968. It was relaunched as a monthly magazine in 1973 by Richard T. Riding (Editor for 25 years until 1998)

News

Tel: 01959 543596 E-mail: [email protected] Write: Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry's Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG, UK

Record-breaking RAFA show at Shoreham MARTIN DIGHTON / SHOREHAM AIRSHOW MEDIA TEAM

A previously unseen formation of early war fighters was a highlight at Shoreham, with Gloster Gladiator Mk II N5903/G-GLAD leading Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 R4118/ G-HUPW and Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1, N3200/G-CFGJ. The latter made its first post restoration flight at Duxford on March 26. figh ghters ghte ters iin serv service rvic ice at tthe ic he sta start tart ta rt o off 25 years at Duxford. Duxf Du The The 25th 25th a ann annual nnua uall Ro Roya Royal yall Ai Air pilot pilo pi lot Ro lo Rod d De Dean an now now w wor working orki king ng as WWII when Duxford-based Display Director Rod Dean Force Association show at the show’s display director, a Mark One Partners’ Spitfire says: “all the pilots love this Shoreham, Sussex broke all wide variety of warbirds were Mk 1 N3200/G-CFGJ, flown by show, which has a great, end of attendance records, and is present, including a rare Dave Radcliffe joined forces with season ambiance, with the expected to push the amount appearance away from Duxford Peter Vacher’s Hawker Hurricane by the Fighter Collection’s crowd contributing so much of money raised over the past G-R4118/G-HUPW, with Carl and applauding after every quarter of a century by the Goodyear FG1-D Corsair G-FGID, Schofield at the helm, and the display act.” The dates for the Shoreham Branch of RAFA to Grumman F8F Bearcat G-RUMM Fighter Collection Gloster 2015 RAFA Shoreham show – more than £2m. and Grumman F6F Hellcat Gladiator Mk II, N5903/G-GLAD, which many now regard as the Highlights included a never G-BTTC; the latter making one flown by Pete Kynsey. best family air show in the UK before seen formation of the of its final appearances before it With highly-regarded display – are August 22- 23. three single-seat frontline RAF heads back to the USA after

Sea Vixen to Yeovilton Gnat fighter at ’Weald The Fly Navy Heritage Trust’s subsidiary company, Naval Aviation Ltd, was presented with de Havilland Sea Vixen XP924/ G-CVIX on September 16 at Yeovilton, Somerset, from where the former Fleet Air Arm two-seat fighter will be operated

on the airshow circuit. The twin boom, twin Rolls-Royce Avonpowered machine has been donated by Julian Jones, who operated the aircraft under the DS Aviation banner from Bournemouth Airport in recent years.

DARREN HARBAR

JAMIE EWAN

Folland Gnat F.1 E296 emerges from its packaging container at North Weald. The aircraft will be unveiled during a special event at the airfield on October 25.

De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2, XP924/G-CVIX is seen in formation with Hawker Hunter F.58 G-PSST and Canberra PR.9 XH134 during the Bournemouth Air Festival on August 31. The Navy fighter was presented to Naval Aviation Ltd at Yeovilton, Somerset on September 16.

6 www.aeroplanemonthly.com

A Folland Gnat F.1 is now under restoration with the Heritage Aircraft Trust/Gnat Display Team at North Weald and is set to become the first single-seat example of ‘Teddy’ Petter’s graceful design to fly in the UK for more than half a century. The former Indian Air Force fighter, E296, is a genuine British-built machine, not a Hindustan Ajeet, the Indian development of the Gnat. The aircraft has been acquired by the Trust from Sonoma, California-based George Perez. It

will be registered G-SLYR, an abbreviation of ‘Sabre Slayer’ – the nickname the Gnat gained in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan wars when the type is thought to have been responsible for seven Canadair Sabre kills. It is hoped that E296 will be airworthy in about two years. The Gnat team has had a very busy 2014 season, including display appearances with the Red Arrows at RAF Waddington in July, and alongside Avro Vulcan XH558 at Dunsfold in August and at Duxford on September 14.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

TONY HARMSWORTH

Lancaster

tour a triumph

MAIN PICTURE: On August 21, the CWHM and BBMF Lancasters joined forces with Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558 to overfly the turf cutting ceremony for the Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial and Interpretation Centre at Canwick Hill, just south of Lincoln. The new centre will commemorate the 25,611 ,6 Lincolnshire-based Bomber Command crew who lost their lives during g the war.

the airport. The replacement of the Packard unit with a Rolls-Royce manufactured engine made the process more involved than a standard engine swap, but after several 12-hour days FM213 flew back to Coningsby on September 3. On September 7, FM213, accompanied by the BBMF Lancaster B.1 PA474, made the first of two consecutive Sunday afternoon displays over the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (LAHC) at East Kirkby, where the resident Lancaster B.VII, NX611 ‘Just Jane’ sat in the middle of the old bomber base, with all four of its Merlins running. Andrew Panton from LAHC said: “We had 5,000 visitors for each of the three Lancaster events, which were ground breaking for the centre in terms of visitor numbers and sheer magnitude. We are extremely proud of our involvement in the Canadian Lancaster tour and the two events have raised much-

needed funds for FM213, NX611 Just Jane and a charity chosen by the BBMF. The events have given the public a unique experience and a taste of what happened here at East Kirkby 70 years ago. The following weekend, sell-out crowds at Duxford and the Goodwood Revival in Sussex

thrilled to the sight of the two Lancasters in formation. Al Mickeloff from the Canadian Warplane Heritage says: “The tour has been a phenomenal success. The opportunity to connect with so many Bomber Command veterans has been amazing, and everywhere we visited we have received tremendous support.”

ALAN MARKHAM

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Avro Lancaster X FM213/C-GVRA was due to have started the 3,700-mile return journey back to Hamilton, Ontario on September 23, following the hugely popular six-week tour in the UK. By mid September, FM213 had fulfilled most of the scheduled display commitments, only missing the Sywell Great War Air Show on August 17 due to strong crosswinds at RAF Coningsby, and the Shoreham and Bournemouth shows on August 30-31, following failure of a seal in the supercharger of FM213’s number four Packard Merlin engine over Teeside on August 29. The loan of a replacement Rolls-Royce built engine by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) was arranged and the unit was fitted at Teeside Airport by five CWH engineers, with assistance from engineers from Retro Track and Air (who travelled up from their base in Gloucestershire), and many volunteers from

The world’s only airworthy Avro Lancasters overfly the LAHC’s taxiable Just Jane at East Kirkby on September 14.

Sparkling Cessna wins at Goodwood

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

took approximately 8,000 man-hours, work starting back in 1979 under owner Ralph Jones of Southern Sailplanes at Membury. Following Jones’ death in 2009, the rebuild became a full-time project under the leadership of David Findon and the Memburybased Flight Composites, aided by half a dozen volunteers.

G-AHAG flew again on August 19, 2013, painted in the colours of Scillionia Airways, with whom it was operated on Flights to Lands

End from the Scilly Isles from 1966-1969. It is now operated under the revived Scilliona banner from Membury.

BOTH TONY HARMSWORTH

The winner of the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation Concours d’ Elegance at the Goodwood Revival historic motor racing meeting on September 14 was Dirk Sadlowski’s Germany-based, 1949 Cessna 195 Businessliner N159RS. A 30-strong contingent of vintage aeroplanes was gathered on the Goodwood motor-circuit infield for the prestigious event, with second place going to The Fighter Collection’s Gloster Gladiator II, N5903. Third spot went to David Findon’s Membury, Wiltshirebased de Havilland DH 89 Dragon Rapide G-AHAG, which recently gained a full public transport Certificate of Airworthiness and is equipped and approved for full Class-A/ Airways IFR flight. Restoration

ABOVE ABOV AB OVE OV E RI RIGH RIGHT: GHT: GH T: The garlanded, Freddie Mar March winning Cessna 195 Businessliner, in the late afternoon sun at Goodwood on September 14. ABOVE LEFT: Third place went to David Findon’s de Havilland Dragon Rapide, G-AHAG.

www.aeroplanemonthly.com 7

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Pole-mounted B-17 to fly again restaurant. But exposure took its toll on the airframe, and Lacey’s family decided to take action. They lowered the forward fuselage to the ground in 1996, and had it partially restored. However, it was a costly adventure, and the project ran out of steam after Art Lacey died in 2000. The remainder of the aircraft lingered on, and it became pretty clear that something needed to be done in order to save the old bomber before it disintegrated. So Lacey’s family, with the help of friends, formulated a plan to save the old bomber. They set up a non-profit organisation, which is now known as the B-17 Alliance Group, to supervise the aircraft’s recovery and restoration. The group has a hangar at nearby Aurora State Airport, where the forward fuselage and a significant number of other parts are now housed and under active care. The B-17 Alliance Group then started a crowd-sourcing campaign to help fund bringing the old bomber down from her perch. This had a successful resolution and in mid August a team of engineers gently lowered the B-17 to the ground with hydraulic jacks. The whole

SEAN O’BRIENT

The B-17G Flying Fortress Lacey Lady which sat atop a now-disused petrol station in Oregon for past six decades has finally come in from the cold, reports Richard Mallory Allnutt. This famous B-17, 44-85790, was licence-built by Lockheed in Burbank, and never saw action in WWII. It served in the US military only briefly before being put up for disposal, Art Lacey bought the bomber from a government surplus storage yard in Altus, Oklahoma on March 5, 1947, and legend has it that Lacey flew the aircraft himself up to his home near Portland, Oregon a few days later. This is likely apocryphal due to his limited flying experience. Once in Portland, Lacey moved the B-17 by road to his business in Milwaukie, Oregon, and had it hoisted up onto columns above his gas station to serve as a local attraction. He later opened a restaurant nearby. The aircraft became a local icon, and world famous in the warbird scene. Lacey’s gas station closed down in 1991, but the bomber still served as a significant draw for the

After more than 60 years sitting atop poles at an Oregon petrol station, Boeing B-17G, 44-85790 Lacey Lady finally comes down to earth during August. good condition. For instance, the endeavour took only about an hour. team recently took apart the The process of disassembling the old bomber then commenced within propellers to find the internal components remarkably well the protective confines of a chain preserved. It will take many years, link fence. Throughout the rest of a great deal of effort and a lot of August and into September, volunteers carefully separated major money before the old bomber is ready to fly again, but it is off to a airframe sections for transport to great start. Those wishing to help Aurora. The rudder, vertical get Lacey Lady back in the air stabiliser, horizontals etc. have all again should visit the B-17 Alliance come off, and the difficult task of Group’s website www. separating the wings has begun. Many of the parts are in surprisingly b17alliancegroup.com.

Scout to fly in 2015 Bosch magneto and the stick, which was specially extended by 2in so that the 6ft 3in tall Bremner’s hand would clear his knees. The aeroplane has been built using all the correct materials, and the team of three – which is completed by Theo Willford – have utilised spruce, ash, walnut, hickory, and malacca cane and used original Bristol Scout drawings. The engine is an 80hp Le Rhône, sourced from The Vintage Aviator in

MIKE HOOKS

Four years after construction began in a workshop at Milson, Salop, David and Rick Bremner’s Bristol Scout project was unveiled at the Light Aircraft Association Rally at Sywell on August 29. The machine is based on parts of a Royal Navy Air Service Bristol Scout C, 1264, flown by their Grandfather, Flt Sub Lt FDH Bremner during WWI, which the brothers discovered in his workshop following his death in 1983. The parts included the rudder bar,

With the newly completed propeller and 80hp Le Rhone in place, the Bremner family Bristol Scout reproduction is seen at Sywell on August 29.

8 www.aeroplanemonthly.com

Wellington, New Zealand, and just before the unveiling a propeller, an exact copy of the original Bristol prop for the Scout/Le Rhône combination was fitted. An original prop was borrowed from the Shuttleworth Collection and laser scanned before being built up by Hercules Propellers in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Flt Sub Lt Bremner’s Scout was originally built in August 1915 at Filton and shipped to No. 2 Wing, RNAS at the island of Imbros, near the Dardanelles peninsula. Bremner flew the aeroplane during the Gallipoli campaign and from January-July 1916 operated from Imbros against the Turks, and from Thasos, against the opposing Bulgarians. The machine was one of the first Scouts to have the oil tank in front of the pilot, instead of behind, and the tailplane is the small lifting type fitted to the first batch of model C Scouts. The RNAS modified 1264 to have a single Lewis gun on the starboard side, and a small bomb rack under the firewall, both of which will be replicated on the resurrected machine. Flt Sub Lt Bremner had 1264’s original 80hp Gnôme engine replaced with the lighter and more highly rated

Le Rhône. He also had the standard Avia magneto replaced with a German-made Bosch, which he acquired from Bartolomeo Constantini – a member of the Aquila Italiana motor racing team in Turin, who later became a racing driver and ultimately the sporting manager for Bugatti. Constantini sourced the magneto through his motor racing contacts in Germany. He was part of a French squadron also based at Thasos, and assisted Bremner in maintaining the Le Rhône. After trading in Scout 1264, Bremner kept the Bosch magneto, fitting it to every fighter he subsequently flew, and after the war had it mounted on a piece of propeller hub and used it to light candles! No original Bristol Scouts survive, although several replicas have been built. David Bremner says: “This will be the only example containing original parts, and the only airworthy Bristol Scout in the world. We also have my grandfather’s logbooks and photos. Anywhere we’ve deviated from original construction methods has been fully recorded. For example, we don’t use un-plated bolts with the threads hammered over, using aircraft quality rolled-thread plated bolts with modern locknuts instead. But they are still BSF threads! We plan to have 1264 flying in the spring.”

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

News

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Biggles Biplane gets ‘First in France’ tailcode events in France for 2015. Interestingly, the original ‘347’s failure to cross to France ensured that it became one of the longestsurviving early B.E.2s. Royal Flying Corps records show that following repairs at Farnborough, it remained on the airfield’s establishment well into 1915. In contrast, ‘471’ survived for less than a month. On September 11, 1914, while being piloted by Captain ‘Ferdie’ Waldron, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and force landed near Nanteuil.

Waldron then set fire to the aircraft with his Very pistol to prevent it falling into the hands of advancing enemy forces.

MATTHEW BODDINGTON

The Sywell-based ‘Biggles Biplane’ diary page contained a list of each Royal Aircraft Factory B.E. 2 replica, a, aircraft and the pilot flying it.” G-AWYI, now wears serial number “It was a bittersweet moment for ‘471’, following recent research us,” said Slater. “On one hand we had establishing that a similarly marked ed uncovered a piece of history. The B.E. 2 of No. 2 Squadron, Royal bad news was, that having flown as Flying Corps (RFC), was in fact the ‘347’ for the past three years since first aircraft to land in France on we restored our aircraft, we now had August 13th 1914. to remake the rudder with a new “There has always been fabric covering, painted with the discussion about which of the RFC correct code.” aeroplanes was the first in France” Sadly, storm-force winds in the said co-owner and Aeroplane wake of Hurricane Bertha thwarted columnist Steve Slater. “It is well plans for ’WYI to make a channel recorded that Lieutenant Hubert crossing on August 13, the intention Harvey-Kelly was the first to land, having been to land in Amiens one but until we uncovered some hundred years to the day from the exciting new information earlier original deployment. However, the this summer, we were unable to Biggles Biplane team are already positively identify which aeroplanee working on further commemorative he was actually flying.” Past assumptions that HarveyKelly’s mount had carried tail code ‘347’, were based on a photograph which shows the pilot reclining against a haystack next to his aircraft. It was in fact, a piece of early 20th century ‘spin’, used by contemporary newspapers to illustrate “The First in France”. However, the photograph was actually taken on the moors above Whitby in North Yorkshire, when No.2 Squadron was heading south from its base at Montrose in Scotland. B.E.2 ‘347’ was subsequently damaged while landing in Northamptonshire. Determined not to miss out on the crossing, it seems Harvey-Kelly made his way to the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough and took over another, newly-built aircraft. “Earlier this year, in preparation for WWI centennial commemorations, we had been liaising closely with the Western Front Association and its vice-president, Graham Parker. One day he said he had an interesting document for us to see,” said Slater. “It turned out to be a faded, typewritten copy of Major Burke’s diary for the day of the crossing. In addition to giving a first-hand account of the crossing crossing, ng, the

IWM

ABOVE: Biggles Biplane B.E. 2c replica G-AWYI, seen at Sywell with the new tail code 471. LEFT: The photograph taken on the moors above Whitby showing Harvey-Kelly with his B.E.2, 347. This was used by newpapers at the time to illustrate their ‘The First in France’ story, and has stoked confusion regarding the identity of the first aeroplane to actually land across the Channel.

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

Over & Out Obituary Eleanor Lettice Curtis, February 1, 1915 - July 21, 2014

AEROPLANE

Air Transport Auxiliary legend and champion of women in aviation, Lettice Curtis died on July 21 at the age of 99. She was the first woman to qualify to fly a four-engined bomber, and was founder and life member of the British Women Pilots’ Association. Lettice Curtis was raised in Denbury, near Newton Abbot in Devon, the fourth of seven children. At the age of six she went to the first of several boarding schools she was to attend in the West Country, before moving to the newly-established girls’ public school at Benenden, Kent. In 1933 she went up to St Hilda’s College, Oxford to study mathematics. Lettice had always excelled at sport and at Oxford she captained women’s tennis and fencing teams, and was named a ‘woman of the year’ by the student magazine. During the summer of 1937 Lettice learned to fly at Yapton Flying Club (Ford) near Chichester, Sussex, soon gaining her

Lettice was the first woman to be cleared to fly four–engined bombers, her first ‘heavy’ being the Handley Page Halifax.

commercial B licence. In May of the following year she was taken on by CL Aerial Surveys – initially at Eastleigh, and from June 1938 at Doncaster – where she worked flying de Havilland Puss Moth G-AAXO, which had been fitted with a survey camera, wireless and autopilot, photographing various parts of England for the Ordnance Survey (OS). At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Lettice transferred to the OS’s research department, and the following June, as the air battles of the UK began to intensify, she received a letter from Pauline Gower, the organiser of the Air Transport Auxiliary women’s section, inviting her to join. She made her first flight as an ATA pilot, in a de Havilland Tiger Moth from Hatfield. Women pilots were initially barred from flying operational types, but in the summer of 1941 this ruling was relaxed, and Curtis flew her first fighter, a Hawker Hurricane I, up to Prestwick in early August. The Hatfield women’s ferry pool closed in April 1942, and greater opportunities opened up for Lettice at No.1 Ferry Pool, White Waltham, where, in her first week, she flew the RAF’s most potent twins of the war, the de Havilland Mosquito and the Bristol Beaufighter. She ferried her first Hawker Typhoon on June 24 and on October 26 Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the US President, visited White Waltham, accompanied by Mrs Clementine Churchill, to meet the women pilots. Standing under the wing of a Handley Page Halifax in pouring rain, Curtis was introduced to Roosevelt as the first woman to be trained on four-engined bombers. The encounter stirred up several sensationalist newspapers headlines the following day, one of them reading: ‘Mrs Roosevelt meets Halifax girl pilot.’ Although Curtis had brief ‘stick time’ on the Halifax, the story was wildly exaggerated and only served

Lettice Curtis was a regular on the aviation lecture circuit, and spoke at the Aeroplane Meet The Pilots day at the Brooklands Museum during the summer of 2000.

to increased the pressure on Lettice when, on February 13, 1943, she arrived at RAF Pocklington, Yorkshire to train on the Halifax. She soon became the first woman to qualify to fly a four-engined ‘heavy’, and by the end of the war she had ferried 222 Halifax, 109 Short Stirlings, many Avro Lancasters and Consolidated Liberators, and one Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. In February 1946, Curtis joined the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA), initially as the personal assistant to the Deputy Director in the Directorate of Operations, but a year later answered an advertisement for a position as a government test pilot, at either RAE Farnborough or Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) Boscombe Down. The application was submitted under the name E.L. Curtis, Esq, so the interviewers had no idea the applicant was female. When Lettice arrived at the interview, a roar of laughter went up, but the panel had no option but to go through with the interview. There were many ex-service pilots queuing up for work as test pilots, and although Lettice was not selected, she was put at the top of the waiting list. Her abilities soon saw Lettice taken on as a technician and flight test

observer at the A&AEE, and in 1948 she began racing the American Air Attache’s Supermarine Spitfire XI PL983/N74138, achieving a number of good placings. She also raced an Ercoupe and her Foster-Wickner Wicko, G-AFJB, and in 1953 returned to White Waltham to become the senior flight development engineer with Fairey Aviation. In 1960 Lettice moved to the flight development department at Folland’s at Dunsfold, working on clearance for the Gnat, and two years later went back to the MCA, working on the initial planning of the joint Military and Civil Air Traffic Control Centre at West Drayton. That was followed by a period with the Flight Operations Inspectorate of the Civil Aviation Authority, and after leaving the CAA in 1976 she took a job as an engineer with Sperry Aviation. She retired in 1981, and in 1992 she gained her helicopter licence on a Robinson R-22 at her old stamping ground, White Waltham. In 1995, at the age of 80, Lettice finally decided that her flying days were over. Although no longer a pilot, Lettice stayed very active in aviation circles, becoming one of the first patrons and supporters of the Yorkshire Air Museum, and remaining in great demand on the lecture circuit.

P-51D goes Swiss for centenary wore 364th Fighter Group markings and the nose art Lucky Lady VII. An air-to-air feature on this aeroplane will appear in the December issue of Aeroplane. The show, which attracted 160,000 visitors over the weekend, also marked the 50th anniversary of the Patrouille Suisse, and the 75th anniversary of the Pilatus Company.

NIGEL HITCHMAN

One of the highlights of the Swiss Air Force 100th anniversary show at Payerne, western Switzerland on August 30-31 was the public debut of Christoph Nöthinger’s North American P-51D D-FPSI in a post-war Swiss Air Force scheme. The fighter, which is based at Bremgarten Airfield, south west Germany, previously

RIGHT: Christoph Nöthinger in his specially painted ‘Swiss Air Force North American P-51D, D-FPSI, at Payerne on August 30.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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Tel: 01959 543596 E-mail: [email protected] Write: Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry's Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG, UK

PATRICK MIHALEK PATR

Lend lease recovery aids Sandbar B-25

B-25J 44-28898, seen at Nome Alaska in late April, 2014, before recovery by the Nome Aviation and Military Museum. It will now go to the Warbirds Of Glory Museum in Brighton, Michigan. was a lend-lease machine, which had In Brighton, Michigan, the Warbirds been picked up by a Soviet aircrew at Of Glory Museum has acquired the Fairbanks, Alaska, and after a stop at recently recovered centre section of Nome was due to be flown across the a North American B-25J, parts of Bering Straits to Siberia. Due to the which will be incorporated into the airworthy rebuild of B-25J, 44-30733. limited repair infrastructure at Nome, 44-28898 was abandoned and ended The centre section comes from up a stripped hulk on the dump. The 44-28898, a lend-lease aeroplane B-25 remained where it sat for 70 which suffered a serious groundyears, suffering further abuse until a loop on landing at Nome, Alaska recent recovery by the Nome Aviation during 1944 while being flown to the and Military Museum (NAMM). Soviet Union. The medium-bomber

Unable to do much with the battered, bullet-riddled remains, the NAMM team decided to donate the B-25 to Warbirds of Glory. The Warbirds Of Glory B-25J, 44-30733/N9088Z also spent many years as an abandoned hulk, and last saw service as a fire- bomber. Operated by Missoula, Montanabased Edgar L. Thorsrud, the machine suffered a double engine failure on June 27, 1969 after taking off from Fort Wainright near Fairbanks, while involved in fighting a fire at Manley Hot Springs. Pilot Herm Gallaher skilfully performed a wheels-up landing on a sandbar in the Tanana River. The R-2800 engines, wheels and control surfaces were retrieved, but, with B-25s being relatively cheap, it was uneconomic to recover the airframe, and it was to stay in situ for the next 44 years. It became known as the Sandbar Mitchell, and was used as a turning point marker for pilots flying in to Fairbanks International Airport. In July 2013 a team from Warbirds of Glory recovered N9088Z (see News,

September 2013 Aeroplane) and over the past year have made good progress on the restoration, stripping away damaged parts, repairing what they can and replacing what they can’t. They have also been gathering components for direct use in the project, or to trade for other goods and services. The museum recently took delivery of the original right hand vertical stabiliser and forward nose section from N9088Z, which someone had removed from the wreck during the 1990s. They resurfaced in storage with Aero Trader in Chino, California, who kindly made them available for the project. Parts from 44-28898 – thought to be the last remaining Russian lend-lease B-25 – will be salvaged for the Sandbar B-25, but the bulk of the remains will eventually be passed on to another party. The airworthy restoration will eventually emerge in the colours and markings of a B-25J from the 340th Bomb Group.

TSR.2 remembered

cockpit section continued to be used at Farnborough for thermal and materials tests during the development of Concorde. Its last, somewhat ignominious role was to have bird carcasses fired into it during birdstrike trials, after which it was mercifully sent to the Farnborough dump. Following rescue by the Brooklands Museum, it was refurbished and put on display. Other relics to arrive at Newark included a Mk 8A ejection seat, canopy and radar scanner from the RAF Museum Reserve Collection at Stafford, and a main wing apex section and engine access door, which are resident at the Newark Air Museum.

NAM

A ‘Tribute to the TSR.2 Day’ event was due to be held at the Newark Air Museum at Winthorpe Showground on September 27, 50 years to the day after the maiden flight of XR219, the first and only TSR.2 ever to fly. Among the many TSR.2 relics to be gathered for the event is a cockpit ‘test’ section, which arrived at Winthorpe on September 3 on short-term loan from the Brooklands Museum at Weybridge, Surrey. The cockpit section was built using TSR.2 production jigs, and intended for use in air conditioning and ejection seat trials. Following the government’s cancellation of the TSR.2 project in April 1965, this

The TSR.2 ‘test’ cockpit section following arrival at Winthorpe on September 3. The cylindrical projection where the radome should be was a mounting point for the original stand, which enabled rotation of the cockpit to various angles for blower tunnel escape system tests.

Prototype scheme for MRCA 40th ANDREAS ZEITLER

The 40th anniversary of the first flight Manching airfield near Ingolstadt, of the Panavia MRCA was marked at southern Germany on September 3,

A blast from the past, as Luftwaffe Tornado IDS, 4461, painted up as the prototype MRCA, streaks by at Manching on September 3.

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when Luftwaffe Tornado IDS, 4461, was flown wearing a red and white scheme similar to that seen on the first prototype P.01 D-9541, when it made its maiden flight from Manching on August 14, 1974. Unfortunately, the aircraft could not be painted with the original prototype’s tri-national roundel, which P.01 wore on the starboard side of the fuselage, or the British and Italian roundels seen on the wings. The original serial of P.01, D-9541,

was also absent from the fin, but the representative scheme was a spectacular reminder of just how ‘right’ this long-lived type looked when it first appeared, four decades ago. The aircraft chosen to represent D-9541 is itself nearly 30 years old. Part of the fourth production batch, it is c/n 407, and was delivered to Jagdbombergeschwader 32 at Lechfeld, just south of Augsberg, in May 1985.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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Collings get a Goose

The latest recruit to the rapidly expanding Collings Foundation collection was ferried from Anchorage, Alaska to Stow, Massachusetts during August, in the shape of Grumman G-21A Goose N985R. The 72-year-old amphibian had previously been operated by PenAir, Alaska’s second largest commuter airline. Crew for the flight were Joe Shiel, aircraft sponsor Frank Dworak, and Rob Collings Jnr, son of the man who started the foundation back in 1979, Robert F. Collings. A former US Navy machine,

this Goose was originally delivered to NAS New York on September 30, 1944. Two months later it went to the U.S. Coast Guard Air (CGAS) Station at Biloxi, Mississippi, where it stayed until July 1946, when it went to the CGAS base on Annette Island, in the Pacific just off the south eastern coast of Alaska. In March 1951, N985R was auctioned to Ellis Air Lines, Ketchikan, the most south eastern city in Alaska. The unserviceable machine was towed by the Ellis Air Lines crashboat the short distance

from Annette to Ketchikan, where, during overhaul, the undercarriage was removed to increase the payload, and the aeroplane was used as a pure flying boat during the ten years it was operated by Ellis. The Goose was seriously damaged during October 1961, when it hit a log on landing and sank; the pilot diving into the water and rescuing a trapped woman passenger as the aeroplane went down. Following salvage and repair, in 1962 the aeroplane went to Alaska Coastal Airlines, based at the Alaskan capital,

Juneau, and over the next few years the Goose was flown by several well-known operators, including Anchorage-based Reeve Aleutian. After spending time in Florida it went back up north in April 2003 for PenAir, where it was flown on the government subsidised route between Unalaska and Akutan, a journey that, even in good weather takes about five hours by boat. PenAir, the last operators of this charismatic amphibian on scheduled services, retired the Goose on December 21, 2012.

Another SPAD for Zanardo At Nervesa della Battaglia airfield near Treviso, Italy Giancarlo Zanardo is now building a SPAD XIIIR replica, which will eventually be operated as part of his Fondazione Jonathan Collection, Aerei Storici Famosi collection

alongside a replica WWI Caproni Ca.3R tri-motor bomber. It will be the second airworthy SPAD XIIIR built by Zanardo and his team, the first, I-GIAG, having made its maiden flight in March 2008 (see News, June 2008 Aeroplane). This

aircraft was built in collaboration with the Museo del Piave Vincenzo Colognese at Caorera di Vas in northern Italy and is currently displayed as static exhibit inside the main terminal building at Venice airport. It will remain there until January 2018. The new aircraft will benefit from om the experience ga gained ed duringg

PAOLO FRANZINI

PAOLO FRANZINI

ABOVE: The SPAD XIII fuselage, coming together in Zanardo’s workshop kshop near Treviso Treviso, North of Venice. It will be powered by a Lycoming. ABOVE RIGHT: Giancarlo Zanardo flying his first SPAD XIII, near Treviso in March 2008. It wears the markings of 34-victory ace Francisco Baracca.

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construction of the first, which should improve the handling. It will be painted in the markings of Italy’s highest scoring WWI ace, Francesco Baracca, with his prancing-horse emblem – later adopted by Enzo Ferrari – on the rear fuselage. On June 19, 1918, Francesco Baracca was shot down by ground fire during a strafing mission mi on Austrian trenches. Once flying, it will see use in re-enactments re of the many air battles ba that took place in local skies close cl to Nervesa della Battaglia. Meanwhile, Me Giancarlo Zanardo is waiting wa to receive permission to start st the flight test programme for the th Caproni Ca.3R, with a first flight anticipated an before the end of September. Se The Caproni, I-ZANA, made ma a series of short test ‘hops’ during April (see News, July 2014 Aeroplane).

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

COLLINGS FOUNDATION

The ex-US Navy Goose, BuNo 84791/N985R, en route from Alaska to a new home with the Collings Foundation at Stow, Massachusetts during August.

Hangar Talk

Steve Slater’s “insider” comment on the historic aviation world

I

MUCH HAS ALREADY been written about the majestic sight and sound of the two Avro Lancasters that have graced the summer skies across the UK this year. While their appearance has been a justifiable highlight of the decade for many aircraft enthusiasts, what is particularly impressive is that the general public, of all ages, seem to have been equally enthused and excited.

International Ambassadors

the distinctive twin-tailed silhouette. Tony Hooper’s 18ft span radio-controlled Lancaster handled the gusts and turbulence with seeming impunity, completing its display with a perfect ‘wheeler’ landing that drew spontaneous applause from Lancaster veterans who were VIP guests at the show. With all respect to the full-size flyers, to safely fly that big model in the gusting wind was possibly the display of the day!

As well as being a private pilot and enthusiast, Steve Slater is a commentator on the vintage aviation scene and chairman of the Vintage Aircraft Club. www.vintageaircraftclub.org.uk

Authentic sound tracks Old aeroplanes sadly normally only appear on the front pages of national newspapers or on national TV news broadcasts Despite the conditions, the Sywell show presented a superb when something goes terribly wrong. In the case of the variety of performers. One which stood out was the display ‘Lancaster Tour’, they have managed to grab both column debut of David Beale’s scarlet Percival Mew Gull replica, inches and airtime in their own right and have acted as powered by the only genuine, original specification de international ambassadors for vintage aviation’s cause. The Havilland Gipsy Six R racing engine still flying. While over the publicity that the two Lancasters created has maybe gained years other 1930s racers have been re-engined with still some new sonorous, but less highly tuned Gipsy converts to our Queen derivatives, cause. It certainly the crackle and reflects positively, bellow of the Mew on the whole Gull’s original historic aircraft racing engine has presentation brought back to movement. life a sound we Of course it probably have not wasn’t all plain heard in over half sailing. The skills of a century. the engineering Other aircraft team were clearly offer original and demonstrated unique after an engine soundtracks too. failure temporarily Recent displays of grounded the Canadian aircraft authentic Battle of at Durham Tees Britain veteran Valley Airport. I Hurricane and suspect even Spitfire aircraft are former wartime accompanied by a ground crews completely were impressed at different, softer, Although the two Lancasters didn’t make it to Sywell, this large scale Lanc’ built by Tony the ability of the exhaust note to Hooper (left) did fly. Second left is Sywell display co-ordinator Ian Castle, who is accompanied team to get the later model by two members of Tony’s ny ‘Lanc’ team. STEVE SLATER aircraft back into Merlins, with the air with a new Spitfire Mk1a engine just a few days N3200 also later. emitting a distinct The weather too, high-speed whistle. gave the Lancaster It is apparently a duo some challenges. Those who ho attended ded the th bi-annual bi l sound d ba barely ly h heard rd since in the he B Battle tl of Britain as it emanates charity air show at Sywell in Northamptonshire were perhaps from the rear-view mirror, unique to early Mark 1 aircraft, unsurprised, given the gale force winds in the lee of Hurricane atop the windscreen! Bertha, that the Lancasters’ appearance was cancelled. Symposium anticipation Conditions were so bad at Sywell, at one point ground crews had to manhandle some of the WW1 aircraft from the display As the airshow season (in Europe at least) winds down, there line into the lee of one of the hangars to stop them being blown remains one event that is traditionally attended by pilots away, but things were apparently even worse at the Lancasters’ and enthusiasts alike. The Historic Aircraft Association’s base in Lincolnshire. The wind was so strong it was above the annual symposium at the RAF Museum Hendon will this year limits which even allowed the hangar doors to be opened! cover subjects ranging from the flying of WW1 aircraft to D-Day glider operations, seen from both a historical and a Masterful modeller pilot’s viewpoint. If like me, you regard this as a ‘don’t miss’ The full-size Lancasters may have thus been grounded, but their event, more information can be found on the HAA ‘display slot’ was admirably filled by another aircraft displaying website www.haa-uk.aero

“The wind was apparently so strong it was above the limits which even allowed the hangar doors to be opened!”

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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Spitfi re Flights For All? With some very important regulatory changes looming on the horizon, the Boultbee Flight Academy is gearing up for the day when it will be possible for non-pilots to buy rides in historic aircraft. Richard Paver reports from Goodwood

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

T

he Boultbee Flight Academy was launched by Steve BoultbeeBrooks and Matt Jones in July 2011 with the aim of presenting a new training concept to a whole new generation of General Aviation (GA) pilots, enabling them to be professionally trained to military standards with the ultimate aim of being able to fly solo in a Spitfire. Since then the academy has become very successful, moved to a new permanent training facility at Goodwood and, from 2014 onwards, has two Spitfire TR.9s at its disposal. It can also call on a large cadre of extremely experienced instructors lined up to run the various course programmes.

Conversion training

LEFT: Until recently the Boultbee Academy’s sole Spitfire has been SM520. Built as a HF.IXe variant in 1944, the aircraft went straight into storage before being sold to the South African Air Force in 1948. It was later discovered in a scrapyard near Cape Town and eventually returned to the UK. In 2002 it was acquired by Paul Portelli who commissioned Airframe Assemblies and Classic Aero to rebuild it as a Tr.9 variant. BELOW: Dr Ann Smith with Spitfire instructor Richard Verrall after her instructional flight in Spitfire MJ627. As part of her conversion course in July 2014 Dr Smith flew the Tiger Moth, Chipmunk and Harvard over a twoday period before progressing to the Spitfire. Richard Verrall acquired MJ627 earlier this year from the estate of the late Maurice Bayliss.

Although most famous for its work with the classic Supermarine Spitfire, the academy was established to provide pilot training and conversion to various taildragger types, be they the Spitfire, Harvard, Chipmunk or Tiger Moth. The range of courses available includes the ‘Introduction to the Spitfire’, approved formation training and fighter tactics appreciation courses and then individual courses for pilots to convert on to the Tiger Moth, Chipmunk or Harvard. The introduction course starts by teaching the basics of tail-wheel aircraft operation for each type, including approved emergency procedures and drills. During this course the student will fly the Tiger Moth (or Chipmunk), Harvard and Spitfire over a two-day instructional period. The course includes all phases of ground and flight handling including three-point landings in the Tiger Moth and Chipmunk. Due to the higher performance of both the Harvard and Spitfire, pilots on the introductory course are handed control just after takeoff, with the actual take-off and the landing conducted by the instructor. Students can also request a short amount of Spitfire and/ or Harvard aerobatics as part of their course, this component being very much tailored to the individual needs of each student. For advanced students who have already been through the introduction and conversion elements, there are also further courses taking them up to full Spitfire solo standard and display flying.

These courses have proved very popular and have been continually refined and improved – for example, the fighter appreciation course was introduced as a new element for the 2014 season to cater for the demand from experienced students who wished to gain further training and experience in the art of aerial combat manoeuvres, leading attacks and flying as a wingman. Currently a key pre-requisite for all students applying for any of the Boultbee courses is that they must hold a current Private Pilot License (as a minimum) and a valid medical certificate. This is because the organisation operates under a CAA approval that only authorises the academy to carry out approved ‘pilot training’ as opposed to fare paying ‘passenger’ flights.

Flight experiences?

There has long been ambiguity in the UK surrounding what actually comprises a ‘training flight’ and what is a ‘flight experience.’ However, there are some very important changes looming on the horizon, which, if implemented in full, will potentially provide a valuable new source of revenue for operators of historic aircraft. In other countries, the level of regulation regarding the carriage of paying passengers in historic aircraft has varied considerably. In New Zealand, for example, GA regulation includes an ‘adventure aviation’ category which allows operators of historic aircraft to charge money for passenger flights. This is strictly against current UK regulations – however, significant change is now very much on the CAA’s agenda.

Red Tape response

In November 2013 the UK CAA issued an eagerly anticipated consultation document called ‘CAP 1123 – The CAA Response to the GA Red Tape Challenge’. This document was published to air views on whether the UK GA sector had suffered adverse impacts caused by over-regulation. In it the CAA stated their intent to eliminate any unnecessary regulation in order to help GA in the UK to grow and prosper in the future. For historic aircraft owners and enthusiasts, this policy document brought some very welcome news, namely the CAA’s chief executive, Andrew Haines’ indication that one of the key aims was to ease the definition of ‘commercial activity’ with regard to Permit to Fly (PtF)

ALL RICHARD PAVER UNLESS STATED

ABOVE: Flight of a lifetime. Dr Ann Smith is briefed for her sortie in MJ627. It is hoped these Spitfire flights will be extended to non-pilots for the 2015 season.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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ð

ABOVE: Although SM520 was restored for Paul Portelli, he sadly passed away before it took to the skies in 2008. In April 2009 the aircraft was then put up for auction at Bonhams, where it was purchased by Steve Boultbee-Brooks. Steve wanted to return the aircraft to a British wartime scheme and the decision was made to paint it in the KJ-I codes of a Spitfire V that was unofficially converted to two-seat configuration by 4 Sqn SAAF in Sicily.

aircraft, including warbirds. At the same time, the CAA has consulted with the Historic Aircraft Association (HAA) to introduce the principle of Self-Admistration, which opens the door to allowing passengers to be legally flown through Adventure Aviation arrangements in historic aircraft during certain revenue generating promotional flights. The CAP 1123 response document was followed by a further consultation paper (CAP 1188) in May 2014, this intended to firm up the idea and obtain feedback from UK historic aircraft owners and operators on the proposed new policy framework.

Types of risk

A key part of the proposed new policy would be to allow aircraft operators to conduct flights for profit without the need for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) – which is a current requirement. Instead, operators would be permitted to conduct fare-paying flights through a process known as Safety Standards Acknowledgement & Consent (SSAC). Passengers flying under SSAC will be briefed on the very different types of risks that are specific to different types of aviation activities. For example, the risk encountered by a passenger flying in a two-seat Hawker Hunter with live ejection seats is very different from that experienced by a passenger flying in a Tiger Moth – and application of the proposed new SSAC process would cater for this.

The CAA requested consultation period for this latest document closed at the end of July 2014 and the historic aviation world has been waiting with baited breath for the outcome. With a favourable response received in mid August the Boultbee Academy intends to extend its current range of flight training programmes to include fare paying passenger flights in the Spitfire, Harvard and Chipmunk. Passengers on these flights will not be permitted to touch the controls. The academy is hopeful that these flights can be introduced at the beginning of the 2015 season and now has more than 20 instructors on its books.

Fleet expansion

Since it was launched in 2011, the academy has averaged around 60 students a year going through the Spitfire introduction course, plus a further 40 students undertaking other courses. Following Steve Boultbee-Brooks’ purchase of SM520/G-ILDA in April 2009, the Spitfire has proved to be a wonderfully reliable aircraft. It has been extensively flown for training and air displays work and has now logged more than 300 hours since it was acquired. However, with more than 400 students having passed through the academy’s doors since it opened – and increasing demand for courses in 2012/13 – the organisation has also been operating the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Spitfire Tr.9 PV202/G-CCCA on an ‘as needed’

basis during peak times. Now, with these regulatory changes on the horizon the academy has taken the bold step to double its fleet of two-seat Spitfires. Richard Verrall’s newly acquired Spitfire Tr.9 MJ627/G-BMSB joined the fleet earlier this year and is now based at Goodwood where it is flown by the Boultbee Academy care of RV Aviation.

Arnhem vet’

Built as a Spitfire LF.IXc in 1943, MJ627 saw operational service during World War Two with 441 (Silver Fox) Sqn RCAF in September 1944. The fighter flew operations over Arnhem during Operation Market Garden and is credited with shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on September 27, 1944. MJ627 then flew a number of other operations between October and December 1944 including fighter escorts for Lancasters and Dakotas but after 441 Sqn was posted to the Orkney Islands at the end of 1944, it was damaged in a forced landing and didn’t see any further operational service. After the war MJ627 was repaired and then went to Air Service Training at Hamble but eventually passed back to Vickers Armstrong in 1950 for conversion into a two-seat Tr.9 trainer variant. Work was completed in 1951 and the aircraft was sold to the Irish Air Corps (IAC), with whom she flew as IAC 158. After retirement from the IAC, the Spitfire passed through various owners

RIGHT: The best seat in the house? This could soon be a view shared by enthusiasts as well as pilots. BELOW: Training in the Tiger Moth and Chipmunk includes all phases of ground and flight handling but due to the higher performance of the Harvard (and Spitfire), pilots on the introductory course are only handed control after take-off. The actual take-offs and the landings are conducted by one of the 20 instructors now working with the academy.

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RIGHT: Spitfire MJ627 was owned by the Bayliss family for more than three decades but following the sad passing of Maurice Bayliss, it was put on the market in late 2013. The aircraft carries its original 9G-P codes from the time it served with 441 (Silver Fox) Sqn RCAF in 1944. The Spitfire flew operations over Arnhem during Operation Market Garden and is credited with shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 on September 27, 1944.

ABOVE: When it firstt returned ABOVE retu d to the he skies, ski SM520 520 carried rried the markings rki of the Royal R l Neth Netherlands etherland Air Force, one of only three nations to operate the Tr.9 variant of the Spitfire. It is seen here on an early test flight with Jonathon Whaley and Dave Ratcliffe at the controls. VIA CLASSIC AERO

before being acquired by Maurice Bayliss in 1976. He soon began a long-term restoration to flying condition at his home in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The aircraft flew again on November 8, 1993 when BBMF Commanding Officer Sqn Ldr Paul Day took it into the skies from Coventry’s Baginton Airport. Sadly in April 1998 the Spitfire suffered a wheels up landing at Coventry after a loose bolt fell into the undercarriage selector and jammed it. The aircraft was damaged and the propeller destroyed but it flew again in February 2002, once again with Sqn Ldr Paul Day at the helm. Between 2003 and 2008 the Spitfire was based at East Kirkby but then moved to RAF Waddington. Following Maurice’s death in May 2013 his family announced their intention to sell the Spitfire and it was acquired by RV Aviation in early 2014. It was flown to Duxford for inspection and renewal of its PtF before being deployed to Goodwood for

service with the Boultbee Academy. The delivery flight of MJ627 to Duxford on March 21, 2014 also comprised Paul Day’s final solo flight. He announced his retirement from flying at the same time that the Spitfire was sold, bringing to an end a Spitfire flying career spanning three decades. The new owner plans to thoroughly overhaul MJ627 this winter and refresh the paintwork, but very little work will be necessary as it is in such original condition with very few modifications or changes since its first post rebuild flight in 1993.

New home

The academy is now based at the all-grass Goodwood airfield (formerly RAF Westhampnett) in West Sussex where it has its own dedicated hangar together with a range of support facilities including a very well equipped lounge plus crew rooms, briefing rooms, clothing and equipment stores and associated offices.

ABOVE SM520’s door ABOVE: d has been b si signed db by several veteran pilots. Earlier this year Prince Harry added his signature to the collection.

The airfield is situated in a beautiful part of the British countryside with the added benefit of having the lovely Sussex Downs, plus beautiful coastal scenery in close proximity for students to enjoy from the air. Fittingly for a Spitfire operator, the airfield was also home to the legendary fighter during World War Two, when it was a satellite airfield for nearby RAF Tangmere. On August 9, 1941 Wing Commander Douglas Bader took off from RAF Westhampnett to fly a fighter sweep mission over France. He was shot down over France and spent the rest of the conflict as a prisoner of war. Today a statue of Bader stands in a small park area close to the Boultbee-Academy.

Royal Visitor

In February 2014 the Boultbee Academy hosted a special VIP visitor when HRH Prince Harry called in to launch the ‘Spitfire Scholarship.’ ð

BELOW: With regulatory changes on the horizon, the Boultbee Academy has taken the bold step to double its fleet of two-seat Spitfires. MJ627 (foreground) has now joined SM520 at the fleet’s base at Goodwood.

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ABOVE: Upcoming regulatory changes could prove to be a huge boost to historic aircraft operators such as the Boultbee Academy, with revenue making flights helping offset the huge costs associated with flying, maintaining and insuring warbirds and other classic aircraft.

This is a new project being run in conjunction with the Royal Foundation’s Endeavour Fund to assist wounded, sick and injured service personnel. HRH Prince Harry is the patron of the Endeavour Fund. The key intention is for the foundation to open up new opportunities for injured service personnel to learn to fly and this initiative is being run in cooperation with the Aerobility

ABOVE: Sur ABOVE Surely ely th the most ost unusual briefing room in use at a British airfield today?

charity and Flying for Freedom. Two candidates have now been offered the opportunity to begin training with the Boultbee Academy, with the ultimate goal being to solo the Spitfire to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 2015. Training is being sponsored by the Endeavour Fund, RollsRoyce plc and Walter Scott of Scott Investment.

With high profile clients such as these, combined with the availability of two airframes, competitive pricing and the ability to offer customers Spitfire flights along the coast, the Boultbee team expect a great deal of interest to be generated in the new flying opportunities that will be specifically aimed at non pilot customers.

ABOVE: The Bo ABOVE Boult Boultbee ultbee ult bee Ac Acade Academy ade fleet eet also also includes incl incl nclude udess the ude the Harvard, Har d, Chipmunk Chi nk and this this attractive att tiv Tiger Moth. Training courses include individual conversion courses for pilots to convert onto the Tiger Moth and the syllabus covers the basics of tail-wheel aircraft operation.

ABOVE: Richard Verrall and Dr Ann Smith aloft over the Sussex coastline in July 2014. The scenic coastal scenery within minutes of Goodwood makes the all-grass airfield an ideal location from which to operate passenger flights in historic aircraft.

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ABOVE: Sometimes the feature even goes full circle – an ‘Aircrew’ feature seen here on its subject, the B-24 Liberator Memorial Restoration’s ball turret, at Werribbe, Victoria, Australia. JAMES KIGHTLY

ABOVE: Research puts the author and illustrator in some odd places. Here James is perched on the RAAF Museum’s Boxkite fuel tank for a ‘cockpit’ shot. DAVID JONES

How do Aircrew they do that? Our regular ‘Aircrew’ section is one of the most labour intensive sections of the magazine. Author James Kightly and Illustrator Ian Bott explain how they turn thought into words, images and artwork

View From: The Office…

ABOVE: The State Library of Victoria, Australia, is an excellent archive, even holding documents on the X-15, and James is a regular user. VIA JAMES KIGHTLY ABOVE: When UK weather permits Ian is very fond of working outside in his garden shed, either at a small drawing board or taking his laptop out with him to work digitally. VIA IAN BOTT

While Ian and James generally work at a computer, the ‘office’ has included a wide variety of real cockpits (static and in flight) during research, as well as museums, archives and people’s personal collections worldwide. The controls usually include a computer, internet, phone, lots and lots of books and magazines, and a window to stare out of. Both Ian and James have piloted aircraft, though only Ian has learned to fly properly.

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A

ccording to Ian Bott: “It’s a sobering, yet thrilling, prospect to sit staring at a white sheet of paper and know that in about three weeks you’ll need to have transformed it into a published illustration, in a magazine, for sale on the shelves of your local local newsagent. Even more sobering is the fact that I have to do it every month to create the main artwork in the Aircrew feature in Aeroplane – since 2007.” The team starts with a discussion about potential subjects. Once a clear winner has emerged (if it’s pre-1938, it’s normally James’ idea, if it’s post 1947 it’s Ian; 1939-46 is a draw!) then it’s time to start the research. Many happy hours have been spent ferreting around in museums, archives and on airfields, not to mention in Aeroplane’s own vast photo library digging out useful bits of reference material – although Ian says his family describe this as ‘goofing off’. With research complete it’s then a

matter of conjuring up a dramatic scenario that encapsulates the subject and will hopefully bring it to life. “I might start with a model kit and a pencil sketch, but the final artwork is produced on the computer,” explains Ian. “I’m immensely proud of the many and varied subjects James and I have covered for this series over the years and am ever grateful to all the friends and colleagues who have been endlessly generous in supplying photos and other references.” But what about the words? We leave that in the capable hands of James Kightly. “After we’ve agreed on the subject (and we’ve covered a lot!), the researcher’s critical questions start with ‘who’, then I cover the ‘how’. Sometimes I then examine the ‘why’, which can prove to be as fascinating or relevant,” says James. “What I look for is firsthand accounts, images (the ‘cockpit’ is essential) plus drawings, posters and manuals to help explain the real job. If the aircraft exists, we’ve often checked

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MAIN PICTURE: In today’s amazing digital world Ian still considers his ellipse templates and ships curves his most useful tools. Note the hastily-thrown together plastic kit for reference and inspiration from the great Wilf Hardy, Ian’s favourite aviation artist. IAN BOTT The development de includes Ian’s initial background illustration…

… and a drawing of the subject – here the Gloster E28/39, drawn ‘right way up’

ABOVE: On a (probably unnecessarily extravagant) research trip to Chino ,Ian took time to sketch this Sea Fury being readied for the 2013 Reno air races. IAN BOTT

The designer then lays out the images and text provided by James, with Ian’s draft illustration…

… which is then checked over…

… before the final example is produced

it out – both Ian and I have visited the Macchi MC-72 in Italy, ly, for instance. “Several ideas were born while in the actual aircraft. Both the Anson Navigator (featuring Bill and Robyn Reid’s Anson) and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Lancaster Flight Engineer profiles were the result of conversations aboard the actual aircraft depicted. “Sometimes I’ve started with little knowledge (often true of Ian’s jets!) but after an intensive period of research, I’ve gathered enough material to write a feature three times longer than we have space for. Importantly, what has made ‘Aircrew’ both possible and enjoyable has been the vast number of people who’ve generously helped with the feature, and the range of museums and archives we’ve used worldwide. The research itself is fascinating. “I then whittle that material down

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I was there...

Captain David Long, Qantas Boeing 707 (On the ‘Aircraft’ 707 Pilot feature)

“Now, as mentioned, I’ve read each and every offering by James over the years, and confirm his accuracy in all the detail. To quote the famed Capt Hughie Hemsworth, my mentor of 50 years ago, I have always been a ‘walking encyclopedia of useless trivia’ in things aeronautical, and have not faulted James work.”

Sophie Bott (aged 7), budding art critic and artist’s daughter

“What that drawing needs is some stars.” Ian adds: “Which is why there’s a joint illustration credit for Ian and Sophie Bott in the magazine’s ‘Mosquito nightfighter’ Aircrew feature!”

to the acceptable length (what you are reading here is always 500 words or so) without cutting out any essential aspects, for example, briefly explaining old aeronautical navigation principles. “We are both very aware that the ultimate test is that the feature must be comprehensible and interesting to someone who’s never heard of the job, and also ‘correct’ for someone who has actually flown in the role!”

Ian Bott, Illustrator

“One of the things I love about producing the ‘Aircrew’ feature illustrations is being able to steer clear of the clichés of aviation art. In fact, working with James, it’s normally a case of the more obscure and off-the-beaten-track the better.’

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

More of Ian’s work, research and background is presented at www.IanBottIllustration.com and James’ at www.VintageAeroWriter.com where a full listing of the ‘Aircrew’ features is presented. From this issue, ‘Aircrew’ will be appearing in Aeroplane every other month.

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Macchi’s

Record Breaking Red R On tthe O h 7 70th 0th h anniversary i off it its World Speed Record, Luigino Caliaro looks at the beautiful Macchi M.C. 72 seaplane

ABOVE: Waiting for the weather to clear, the M.C. 72 is joined on the Desenzano slipway on the shores of Lake Garda by the S.59 support aircraft. ALL VIA THE AUTHOR

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LEFT: The M.C. 72 is towed back to shore on October 23, 1934 having achieved the absolute world speed record for a piston-powered seaplane. The aeroplane would never fly again but today can be found in the Museo storico dell’Aeronautica Militare di Vigna di Valle near Rome. LEFT BELOW: Surely one of the sleekest and stylish aircraft of its era, the Macchi M.C. 72 wore the red colours that had adorned the Italian fleet of racing seaplanes throughout the Schneider Trophy era. ANDY HAY / WWW.FLYINGART.CO.UK

BELOW: The Fiat AS.6 was essentially two of the earlier 1,000hp AS.5 engines coupled in tandem to produce a V-24 with each engine independently driving one of a pair of contrarotating propellers through co-axial shafts. The rear engine drove the front propeller via a shaft that passed between the cylinder banks of the reversemounted forward engine. A large rear-mounted supercharger was used to boost the power output. ABOVE: Fra ABOVE ABO Francesco Agell Agello and nd the M.C. 72 are helped d down th the Des Desenzano slipway onto the lake on April 10, 1933 at the start of the type’s first record attempt. Just over 20 minutes later the combination of pilot and machine would snatch the speed record combin from the British Supermarine S.6B and average more than 424mph.

the world pay attention.

High Speed Hi School Scho Sc hool

d Racer T

he rapid expansion of aerial transport and the technological innovations brought about by warfare meant the years following World War One are considered by many to be the ‘golden age’ of aviation. In Italy this period coincided with an exceptional growth spurt in aviation, particularly during the second half of the 1920s under the leadership of Italo Balbo. Balbo, who became Secretary of State for Aviation on November 26, 1926, set out to promote and demonstrate Italy’s high level of aeronautical achievements through a series of special aviation exploits that gained global attention. These epics included a 1921 flight from Rome to Tokyo by Arturo Ferrarin and Francesco De Pinedo’s 1927 flight from Cagliari Elmas to the two Americas. The Arctic exploits of Umberto Nobile, who in 1926 and again in 1928 explored the North Pole in the airships Italia and Norge demonstrated the capabilities of the Italian aviation industry and Balbo’s mass formation crossings of the Mediterranean as well as his mass transatlantic crossing in 1930 set new standards and made

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

However, the exploits that g gained the attention of the Italian publi public the most most were those resulting from the Regia Regi Re gia Aeronautica’s Aerona nautica’s participation in the na Schn Sc Schneider hneider Trophy. Trop Tr ophy. The desire to win n the th trophy drov dr drove ove the Aeronautica Aero Ae ronautica to expend great grea gr eat effort, incl in including clud uding the the establishment establishmen entt of the Scuola S Scu Alta Velocità (High Speed School) in 1928 under the command of Colonnello Bernasconi at the seaplane base at Desenzano del Garda. The creation of such a specialised unit was considered necessary by the Ministero dell’Aeronautica following the unfortunate results of the 1927 Schneider Trophy, which was held in Venice. Italy’s distinctive red racing seaplanes had been the favourites to win the competition, having won in America the previous year with the Macchi M.39 racer reaching 246.49mph. However, there was an unexpectedly strong British entry with government backing and RAF pilots from the High Speed Flight. The British fielded aircraft from Gloster and Shorts but it was Supermarine’s S.5s that came first and second, proving to be more developed and mechanically far more reliable than the Italian entries. 1927 was the last annual competition – the event then moving onto a biennial schedule to allow for more development time – and with the Scuola Alta Velocità, the Regia Aeronautica hoped to create an extremely specialist racing unit. This would work closely with the Italian aviation industry and produce pilots and engineers who would be highly specialised in the competition field. The unit had a single goal – it definitively had to win the Schneider Trophy.

Technical problems

The rules of the competition decreed that the Trophy would be permanently awarded to the nation that won three consecutive meetings in a five-year period. When the next Schneider Trophy took place at Calshot in 1929, the Italian aircraft suffered technical problems yet again, leaving the British home team to win its second consecutive

race. This time it was the Supermarine S.6 that took the victory, its new Rolls-Royce R engine powering it to an average speed of 328.64mph. The pressure was now on the Italian team, which needed to win in 1931 to avoid Britain taking the trophy for good.

Last hope

To avoid this potential defeat, the Aeronautica ordered Macchi, who had already built the majority of the attractive but unfortunate seaplane racers, to develop a new seaplane racer powered by the new Fiat AS.6 engine. From the pen of designer Mario Castoldi flowed drawings for a beautiful and lithe floatplane with clean aerodynamic lines, low resistance, and reduced weight. The wing was built from duralumin with a symmetrical biconvex profile while the tail stabilisers were of wooden construction. The 2,850hp Fiat AS.6 engine was a huge V-24 powerplant and Castoldi fitted a large pair of co-axial contra-rotating propellers to convert the power to thrust. In order to cool the engine it was necessary to have as much cooling surface as possible, and for this reason the radiators were installed on the tops of the wings and floats. Dubbed the Macchi M.C. 72, the new aircraft was an amalgamation of all the latest technologies, but unfortunately it required scrupulous perfection if it was to operate successfully – as is so often the case with thoroughbreds.

Tragedy strikes

The AS.6 engine was particularly prone to violent backfires and on August 2, 1931 while attempting to demonstrate the problem to Fiat engineers, lead test pilot Capt Giovanni Monti was killed when the engine exploded and the M.C. 72 crashed into Lake Garda. With just a month to run until the Schneider Trophy, cancelling the project was not an option and testing continued, this time in the hands of Lt Stanislao Bellini. On September 10, 1931, with two days to the race date, Bellini pushed the M.C. 72 to 394mph but after passing the final timing gate the racer was seen to fly into a hillside. Lt. Bellini was killed on impact. Investigation found wreckage along the ð

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ABOVE: Despit ABOVE ABO Despite the he los loss off the t Sch Schneider Trophy, Italy’s leader, Benito Mussolini – seen Tro here visiting the RAV on October 7, 1934 – still her wanted to prove his country’s superiority. wan He therefore personally backed the speed record project and the government authorised rec additional funding for more testing. add LEFT: Francesco Agello was born at LEF Casalpusterlengo on December 27, 1902. Cas He obtained his pilot’s wings with the Arma Aeronautica aged just 22 and four years Aer later was posted to the Scuola Alta Velocità. lat For achieving the world speed record he was awarded the Medaglia d’Oro al Valore Aeronautico with the citation: “High Speed Aer pilot of exceptional valour and ardour, after pil engaging in difficult and dangerous test flying eng for the perfection of the fastest seaplanes in the world.” He later commanded the RAV and then became a test pilot flying the Reggiane the Re.2001bis. Agello lost his life on November 26, Re. 1942 when the Macchi M.C.202 he was flying 194 collided with another flown by Guido Masiero. col

aircraft’s flightpath, indicating that another explosion had occurred. A request was made to the British to postpone the competition, allowing the Italians a longer developmental time, but this request was rejected and the Regia Aeronautica was forced to withdraw from the 1931 event. As it transpired the British team was the only one to compete that year – ensuring the third victory required to retain the trophy.

New goals

This could have been the end for the Scuola Alta Velocità but Italo Balbo, conscious of the advanced level of technology and human performance that had been reached, decided to continue the programme.

Entrusted to Colonnello Mario Bernasconi and renamed Reparto Alta Velocità (High Speed Unit) or RAV for short, the unit had a new goal: to break the 407.5mph World Speed Record that had been set by Britain’s Supermarine S.6B a few days after the Schneider Trophy. In reality, the RAV was given three primary objectives: the first was to break the speed record while the second was to set the absolute speed record over 100km and win the Coppa Blériot, which had been created by the French pioneer to be awarded to the pilot who would be the first to fly for 30 minutes at an average speed greater than 600km/h (373mph). The third objective was to participate in all the other international competitions of the period in which the speed element played an essential factor.

The RAV personnel immediately set to work on the M.C. 72, which it was felt, once perfected, could easily achieve all these targets. Finally, in the early months of 1933 the major problems with the engine were, in the main, resolved through the use of new fuel mixtures plus the re-dimensioning of the engine and the adoption of new carburettor tubes. Subsequently, by adopting new starter plugs, the engineers even managed to increase the engine’s power output to more than 3,000hp.

Record attempt

Test pilot Francesco Agello was selected to make the first record attempt and after a series of ‘preparation flights’ both pilot and aircraft were felt to be ready. For almost a week the team waited for the ideal conditions at Lake Garda, and in the morning of April 10, 1933 Col Bernasconi took to the air to conduct a weather check. On his return he gave the go ahead for the flight. The M.C. 72, with Agello at the controls, was pushed down the Desenzano slipway onto the lake and was soon in the air. Agello flew the required five laps of the 3km course, identified on the surface of the lake by red and white buoys. Passing in front of the time-keepers’ positions, Agello landed back after a flight of 20 minutes and 32 seconds. He was greeted by exuberant personnel – the British record had been beaten by some 17mph, with an audited average lap speed of 424.037mph.

Ever faster

The RAV’s first target had been achieved, but there were still other records to overcome. However, the banks of Lake Garda did not

BELOW: Francesco Agello accelerates across Lake Garda on April 10, 1933 at the start of his record attempt. The Schneider Cup racers left a valuable engineering legacy to both the British and Italians aviation industries. The Supermarine S.6B and Rolls-Royce Type R engine famously influenced designs such as the Spitfire and the Merlin engine but less well known is the effect the M.C. 72 had on the design of the Macchi M.C. 202 Folgore, which was arguably one of the best Italian fighters of the upcoming war.

“Engineers “Engineers managed managed to to increase increase engine engine power power to to more more than than 3,000hp” 3,000hp”

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LEFT: With Francesco Agello straddling the AS.6 engine, the M.C. 72 is pulled back to shore by very soggy members of the RAV.

lend themselves to the creation of a 100km course and even less to creating the track required for the Coppa Blériot. Bernasconi therefore decided to move operations to the Adriatic coast, identifying an ideal stretch between the city of Ancona and just north of Pesaro for the 100km circuit, and as far as Porto Corsini for the Coppa Bleriot leg. In the meantime, on September 26, 1933, the RAV gained another prestigious victory when a Fiat CR.30 flew the 708 miles from Rome to Bucharest in 3 hours 12 minutes at an average speed of 221.2mph. A few days later, on October 8, Col Cassinelli broke the Absolute World Speed Record over 100km at an average of 391.31mph. On October 21, Ten Scapinelli won the Coppa Bleriot for Italy, covering the required 30 minutes of flight at an average speed of 384.871mph. And so closed 1933, a year full of success for Italy and for the RAV. Yet the 435mph target was still eluding them.

Crowning glory

Everyone believed that the following year would be the successful one, but it was necessary to wait until the autumn before an attempt

could be made. In the preceding months the engineers worked furiously to further increase the performance of the Macchi M.C. 72 and its engine, but the attempts on the record were repeatedly foiled by technical problems. Finally, on October 23, 1934 Agello strapped into the M.C. 72 and started the pre-warmed AS.6 engine before taking off from the placid waters of Lake Garda to make a record attempt. This time the engine resonated with an impressive roar. Colonnello Mario Bernasconi, Comandante of the Reparto Alta Velocità, would later say the echoes from the mountains around the lake “were almost as though they were calling to the ghosts of those heroic high speed pilots who had fallen in the ultimately victorious desire to bring to the Nation, to Italy, the highest honour and the most admirable prestige.” The weather was far from ideal, with an annoying layer of haze that impeded the pilot’s visibility, but Agello pressed on. He had been instructed to fly five laps of the course – giving the crew the possibility of discarding the worst – but after four laps he pulled off the course and landed, convinced that he could not better

the existing record given the difficult weather that he faced. Nonetheless, the adjudicators recorded the first lap at 438.627mph, the second at 441.455mph, the third at 442.072mph and the fourth at 440.585mph… They had done it! The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale subsequently recognised this as a record for a seaplane with an internal combustion engine (subclass C-2, Group 1). Despite this, Bernasconi and Agello were not completely satisfied, and they were convinced that with better weather conditions it would be possible to achieve an even better result. In unofficial testing the M.C. 72 had exceeded 450mph but the onset of winter brought the record season to a close. With the operating costs of the RAV increasing exponentially, it was decided to retire with good grace and to accept the excellent result. The M.C. 72 would never fly again, but it had established its place in history as the fastest ever piston-powered seaplane. The author would like to thank Frank McMeiken and Fausto Bortolotti for their assistance with this article.

ABOVE The Fi AS.6 6 engi e ngi is ground und run prior rio to the he M.C. 72 taking taki aki to the water with its characteristic ch ristic roar echoing echoin off ff the mountains ain around nd ABOVE: Fiat AS. engine Lake Garda. Colonnello Mario Bernasconi would later say the echoes sounded “almost as though they were calling to the ghosts of those heroic high speed pilots who had fallen in the ultimately victorious desire to bring to the Nation, to Italy, the highest honour and the most admirable prestige”.

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RIGHT: Hawker Fury LA610 was first fitted with a Griffon 85 and then a Napier Sabre VII, making it the fastest piston-powered Hawker fighter.

Seventy years of the

y l i m a f y r u F T

Popular P opular ttoday oday aass b both oth a w warbird arbird aand nd aan n aair ir rracer, acer tthe he H Hawker awker SSea ea Fury traces its history back 70 years to September 1, 1944 when the land-based Hawker Fury first took to the skies

he Fury began life as an evolution of the successful Typhoon and Tempest line of fighters and fighter-bombers with the design process beginning in September 1942. In response to an RAF requirement for a lightweight replacement for the Tempest II fighter, Hawker’s designer, Sydney Camm, drew up plans for what he dubbed the ‘Tempest Light Fighter.’ Many in the RAF felt the original Tempest was heavy and oversized for the fighter role so Camm

set about creating a new aircraft that would be a worthy successor. He kept the Tempest’s semi-elliptical wing but shortened it in span by simply attaching the wings to the aircraft’s fuselage and eliminating the centre section. The fuselage resembled that of the Tempest but was built as a full monocoque structure. Camm also moved the cockpit atop the fuselage to give the pilot better all round visibility. The project began in earnest in January 1943 after the Air Ministry issued Specification F.2/42

– this later upgraded to Specification F.2/43 in May, calling for a high rate of climb exceeding 4,500ft/min up to 20,000ft and a maximum speed of at least 450mph. Armament was to be four 20mm Hispano V cannons, plus up to two 1,000lb bombs.

Naval Spec

In April 1943 the Admiralty issued Specification N.7/43 seeking a navalised version of the new aircraft. A year later the project was officially named the Fury (for the RAF) and Sea Fury (for th the Fleet Air Arm) and a total of six prototypes we were ordered; two to be powered by Rolls-Royce Gr Griffon engines, two with Bristol Centaurus XXIIs an and one with a Centaurus XII. The sixth example wa was to be used for static testing.

Ma Maiden flight

ABOVE: The first true Sea Fury was SR661, which made its maiden flight on February 21, 1945. 1945 Although the aircraft had a tail hook it did not boast folding wings. It was also powered by a Centaurus XII engine turning a Rotol four-bladed propeller.

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Th The first Fury to take flight was NX798, which pe performed its maiden flight on September 1, 1944. It was powered by a Centaurus XII engine turning a Rotol four-bladed propeller. The Griffon powered LA610 followed it into the sk skies on November 27, the power from the engine be being absorbed by a large six-bladed contraro rotating propeller. This aircraft was eventually re retrofitted with a Napier Sabre VII engine, en enabling it to reach 485mph and making it the fastest piston-engined Hawker aircraft – although many modified Furies bettered this speed more

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

than half a century later. The third aircraft to fly was SR661, the first true ‘Sea’ Fury. This flew on February 21, 1945 and was followed by Sea Fury NX802 on July 25.

Post war cull

The end of World War Two in Europe led the RAF to begin cancelling aircraft orders en masse and the Fury project was ‘canned’ before any production aircraft could be built. However, as many of the Fleet Air Arm fighters were provided under the Lend-Lease programme (and thus had to be returned), the Admiralty opted to continue with the Sea Fury.

Sea Fury

The first Sea Fury (SR661) had a ‘stinger’ type arrestor hook but lacked folding wings. This was remedied when the second aircraft (SR666) joined the test programme on October 12, 1945. It was also powered by the Centaurus XV engine and had a huge new five-bladed Rotol propeller. Specification N.7/43 was now modified to N.22/43, representing an order for 200 aircraft, although this was later reduced to 100. Flight testing at Hawker’s Langley airfield revealed the early Centaurus engine was prone to crankshaft failures due to a poorly designed lubrication system, but this was solved when Bristol’s improved Centaurus 18 engine became available.

Into service

ABOVE: When SR666 first flew on October 12, 1945 it introduced the folding wing element to the Sea Fury. It was also equipped with Rotol’s new five-bladed propeller.

with 736, 738, 759 and 778 Squadrons. The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) also received Sea Furies from August 1951 and the type served with 1831, 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835 and 1836 RNVR squadrons. Stationed at RAF Benson, the RNVR’s 1832 Sqn would be the last unit to relinquish the type, when it was replaced by the jet-powered Supermarine Attacker in August 1955.

Korea

Following the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Sea Furies were sent to the region as a part of Britain’s contribution to the United Nations’ multi-national task force. The type was flown throughout the conflict, mainly in the groundattack role, from HMS Glory, HMS Theseus, HMS Ocean, and the Australian carrier HMAS Sydney. Sea Furies also performed combat air patrols

Netherlands Navy being the first to order the type. It committed to ten F.50 aircraft on October 21, 1946 to equip the nation’s first carrier (the exHMS Nairana, renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman). The Dutch also ordered 12 FB.60s in 1948 and a manufacturing licence was acquired allowing 25 more to be built by Fokker Aircraft from 1951 onwards. The Royal Canadian Navy also became a significant customer, with its aircraft operated from both land bases and HMCS Magnificent, while the Royal Australian Navy flew the type from HMAS Sydney and HMAS Vengeance. Australia, Canada and the Netherlands were the only export nations to operate the Sea Fury at sea but the Fury would also serve in the land-based air forces of Germany, Iraq, Egypt, Burma, Pakistan and Cuba. It was the Iraqi Air Force which first saw the need for a two-seat Fury although the variant was later adopted by the FAA and other air arms. In total some 864 Furies and Sea Furies would be built by the time production ended in 1955.

“The Fury project was ‘canned’ before any production aircraft could be built”

Following the successful completion of deck trials aboard HMS Illustrious and weapons trials at the A&AEE at Boscombe Down, the Sea Fury was cleared for operational use on July 31, 1947. The first 50 aircraft delivered were Sea Fury Mk Xs, these being identical to SR666 except for their Centaurus 18 engines. However, Hawker Aircraft continued to refine the design and the Sea Fury FB.11 soon became the definitive version. It boasted several improvements, most notable being the hydraulically powered wing folding, which made deck operations considerably easier than the original ‘man-draulic’ system. The first unit to receive the Sea Fury was the 778 Naval Air Squadron and the type also served

and some 3,900 interceptions were logged during the conflict, although none of the intercepted aircraft turned out to be hostile. Famously, a Sea Fury from 802 Sqn shot down a MiG-15 on August 8, 1952. Contemporary reports award the victory to Lt Peter ‘Hoagy’ Carmichael flying WJ232 from HMS Ocean, but later recollections by members of the flight differ from the official version.

Export

The Fury and Sea Fury family also achieved a reasonable export market, with the Royal

Survivors

It would be from Canada that many of the warbird and air racing aircraft would be ‘rescued’ – as is revealed on the following pages – but the largest collection to be saved en masse came out of Iraq in 1972 under the leadership of American collectors David Tallichet and Ed Jurist. Today just over 30 Sea Furies are extant; many in museums, several flown as warbirds or racers and many more in storage waiting for their chance to fly again.

BELOW: Pakistan was one of the largest export customers. It placed an initial order for 50 Sea Fury FB 60s in 1949 and a total of 87 new-build Sea Furies were eventually delivered. Some ex-FAA and Iraqi airframes were subsequently purchased and the type equipped three frontline squadrons until it was replaced by the F-86 Sabre in 1960.

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Sea Fury

Field of Dream Drea

Doug Fisher uses recently uncovered colour photographs to tell the story of ten surplus Royal Canadian Navy Hawker Sea Fury FB.11s

I

magine wandering around scenic Moncton, New Brunswick (NB) Canada in the 1960s and stumbling upon a field of ten surplus Royal Canadian Navy Hawker Sea Fury FB.11s just looking for someone to fly them out! Yet that’s exactly what happened, as we’re about to reveal.

Known by many as the ultimate pistonengined fighter, the Hawker Sea Fury was the choice of numerous post-war forces, including the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). To replace the ageing Supermarine Seafire the Canadian government purchased 74 Sea Furies and the first example was taken on strength in May 1948. The type served the RCN until the mid-50s

when they were gradually phased out and replaced by the jet-powered McDonnell F2H3 Banshee. The Sea Furies were then flown to the RCN storage facility at the former RCAF base at Scoudouc, some ten miles northeast of Moncton, NB, with the first arriving in August 1956. The fighters were eventually sold off as surplus with Charlie McEwen acquiring ten te aircraft and flying them to the nearby McEwen Mc Field.

McEwen Mc Field

ABOVE With his flying helmet donned, ABOVE: d ed, a 30-year-old 30ld Everett McQuinn poses in th the snow with VX686. The aircraft was later sold to Brian Baird and registered CF-PRN and moved to Moncton Flying Club but was destroyed when the hangar it was being stored in burned to the ground on June 12, 1965. EVERETT MCQUINN VIA DOUG FISHER

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In 1946 Bob Simmons and his brother Donald Do decided to build their own private airport ai near Moncton. Don was an ex-RCAF transport tr pilot while Bob was an Air Cadet who wh helped pay for his flying time by, among other ot things, purchasing a surplus Mosquito [Mk [M IV LR536] from War Assets for $25 and parting pa it out! The Simmons succeeded in building the airport ai and running it for about four years before be a fire put them out of business. The airport ai then passed to Charlie McEwen, a well-known construction and aviation entrepreneur en who also ran the Moncton Mosquito Mo Control Organization for many years ye and, working with Targetair Ltd, designed de and built a target drone launch system sy for the Canadian Department of National Na Defence. McEwen’s plan for his ten surplus Sea Furies Fu was to sell them on or part them out for fo profit and in 1959 TF994, TG114, TG118, TG119, VR918, VR919, VW227, VX686. VX690 and WG567 were flown into the 3,000ft airstrip at McEwen Field.

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LEFT: An impressive line of Sea Furies is seen at McEwen Field in this recently unearthed colour photograph. From left to right: VW227, WG567, TG114, VR919, VR918, TF994, VX690 and VX686. EVERETT MCQUINN VIA DOUG FISHER

ams Local Recollections

The aircraft were well known to local aviation enthusiasts, including Everett McQuinn. He vividly remembers: “I would visit the Sea Furies quite often with my younger brother Don who was a pilot in the RCAF. We would often sit in the Sea Furies and daydream. For fun one day I had my picture taken in front of VX686 and sitting in the cockpit of TG114 with my leather flying helmet on! I was 30 years old at the time and I recall that you could have purchased a Sea Fury for just $500 each!” Everett later managed to acquire the instrument panel from VR919 and some landing gear parts. He subsequently donated them to the Shearwater Aviation Museum in Shearwater, Nova Scotia, Canada, of which he is a proud member. Wayne Townsend also remembers the McEwen Field Furies. “I was 19 years old and attending Mount Allison University as an

ABOVE From top to bottom this photograph of McEwen Field shows TG118 (107), VX686, VX690 ABOVE: (128), TF994 (102), VR918, VR919, TG114, WG567 and VW227 (118). Aircraft TG119 is the only one not visible. EVERETT MCQUINN VIA DOUG FISHER

Engineering student in 1961,” he recalls. “I heard about the Sea Furies out at McEwen field and my room mate, Jim Thompson, and I hitched a ride out to the field and spent several hours looking over them. Unfortunately, it was the middle of winter and I only had a rather poor 35mm camera. It was late when we got there and the light was fading fast.

“There were only eight aircraft there when we visited as two had been flown out fairly recently [probably TG119 and WG567]. We took a few pictures and were even brazen enough to open the canopy and have a look inside! As I recall, most of the essential instruments were there minus the military and radio equipment.” ð

BELOW: VR919 and VR918 resting in the snow at McEwen Field. EVERETT MCQUINN VIA DOUG FISHER

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ABOVE: Much of the restoration of TG114 was undertaken at the Sanders’ family house in Santa Ana, California – with the aircraft stuffed into the garage! SANDERS FAMILY PHOTO VIA DOUG FISHER ABOVE RIGHT: Brian Baird stored the damaged airframe of TG114 at the Sanders’ family farm in Queen Creek near Chandler, Arizona. After he was killed while ferrying a T-28 Trojan, his widow sold the collection of parts to the Sanders family who moved it to California for rebuilding. Here, Vern Parsons loads the wing onto Daryl Greenamyer’s truck for the journey. SANDERS FAMILY PHOTO VIA DOUG FISHER RIGHT: After being purchased by Brian Baird, TG114 and VX686 were towed 11 miles from McEwen to the Moncton Flying Club. TG114 would fly briefly but VX686 was destroyed when the Moncton hangar burned to the ground in 1965. VIA DOUG FISHER

TG114, VR918, VR919 and VX686

What became of the ten Furies? In the early 1960s ex-RCAF fighter pilot Brian Baird discovered the Sea Furies and decided to purchase TG114 and VX686. He paid $500 each for the aircraft and had them registered CF-OYF (TG114) and CF-PRN (VX686). He managed to get CF-OYF flyable and flew it to Ottawa, Ontario. According to Wayne Townsend: “Some of the aircraft were said to have zero time Centaurus engines and we were told the new owner drained the 50 litres of inhibiter out of [CF-OYF/TG114’s] engine and, after firing it up, took off for Ontario. Apparently somewhere near Ottawa the propeller controls went and it was hunting between fine and coarse pitch – it

almost tore the engine out of the plane, or so we were told. They also mentioned it only took two starter cartridges to get it going after all this time!” At the time Baird was involved in ferrying ex-RCAF P-51D Mustangs for a company in Indiana. This organisation also had its eyes on the Sea Furies and a possible deal to supply them to interested parties in Cuba – to whom they had already supplied Mustangs. However, with the job not working out and threats of lawsuits, Baird flew TG114 to Houma, Louisiana and put it in storage to protect it until he could find full time work that could fund the restoration. Unfortunately, while in Houma Bill Fornoff took the Sea Fury (now registered N54M) for a flight and turned it on its back causing extensive damage.

Meanwhile, there was more bad news for Baird as a hangar fire back in Moncton destroyed VX686/CF-PRN. Baird returned to McEwen Field later and purchased some spares (including fuselages, tail sections and wings) from VR918 and VR919, both of which had by then been broken up. He stored his various Sea Fury components on the Sanders’ family farm in Queen Creek, Arizona but on August 7, 1969 he was tragically killed after striking a cable strung across the Fraser River while ferrying a T-28 Trojan from Alaska to San Francisco. Frank Sanders purchased the Sea Fury parts from Baird’s widow and after restoration it flew again, as N232, from Long Beach, California in the hands of Darryl Greenamyer in 1971.

BELOW: Seen shortly after completion, Frank Sanders runs up N232 alongside Ormond Hayden-Baillie’s CF-CHB. Although it used much of the airframe of TG114, along with significant parts of VR918 and VR919, the first Sanders machine was simply marked with its US registration and pseudo unit codes. SANDERS FAMILY PHOTO VIA DOUG FISHER

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ABOVE: Some of the McEwen Sea Furies are seen after a heavy deluge of snow in the winter of 1961. WAYNE TOWNSEND VIA DOUG FISHER

Sanders flew the Sea Fury for many years before deciding to sell it. It passed through numerous owners, including a stint in the UK with Robs Lamplough, before being purchased by Mike Brown and named September Fury for air racing. The much-modified airframe won the 2006 Unlimited Gold Championship at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada. Now owned by Lewis Air Legends it can still be seen at Reno, now being flown by Robert ‘Hoot’ Gibson. Interestingly the original centre section of TG114 also flies on in Sea Fury N19SF Argonaut, which is still owned by the Sanders family and based at Ione, CA. Other parts from TG114, VR918 and VR919 will also be incorporated into future Sanders family Sea Fury rebuilds.

re-registered N878M. Carroll had it modified by Vern Barker’s Pylon Air facility in Long Beach, California. All the military equipment was removed, fuel capacity was increased to 588 US Gal (a standard FB.11 was 240 US Gal) and the wings were clipped by 6½ feet overall. A small Formula-style canopy was then added and the aircraft named the Signal Sea Fury after the trucking service Carroll was president of. It was raced, as #87, with some success but was sold in 1969 after Carroll was

In 1980 Frank Sanders purchased the remains of WG567 and four years later sold them to Jim Mott. Mott rebuilt the Sea Fury back to stock condition, but powered it with a Centaurus 175 from a Blackburn Beverley transport; this engine swinging a four-bladed propeller. He named the Sea Fury Super Chief and raced it as #42. In 1999 the aeroplane passed to Steve Boulanger and Jim Michaels who had the Centaurus removed and a Wright R-3350 installed by Sanders Aviation. It was repainted into its Miss Merced scheme and flew again in March 2000 but three years later was sold to Eric Woelbing of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Today it is rarely seen.

“It only took two starter cartridges to get it going after all this time!”

Robert Vanderveken of Pierrefonds near Montreal, Quebec purchased WG567 from McEwens and had it registered CF-VAN in the early 1961. It was painted bright red with a gold stripe. In 1965 it was acquired by Mike Carroll and

killed flying his Bell P-39Q Airacobra Cobra III. WG567’s next owner was Dr Sherman Cooper, who named his new Sea Fury Miss Merced after the town of Merced, California where he practiced dentistry. The aircraft was painted in a distinctive yellow scheme with flames painted down the side. In 1971, while being flown by Cooper, Miss Merced suffered an engine failure and received heavy damage in the ensuing crash landing. Cooper survived the crash but was killed a few months later in his Pitts Special.

ABOVE Aft ABOVE: ABO After passing sing through many hands, including a stint in the UK with Robs Lamplough and Aces High, N232 was eventually acquired by Mike Brown and modified to become September Fury. It won the 2006 Unlimited Gold Championship Air Race at Reno but is now owned by Lewis Air Legends and races as ‘232’. DOUG FISHER

ABOVE: Interestingly, the original centre section of TG114 also flies on in Sea Fury N19SF Argonaut, Argonaut which is still owned by the Sanders family and based at Ione, CA. Other parts from TG114, VR918 and VR919 will also be incorporated into future Sanders family Sea Fury rebuilds. DOUG FISHER

WG567

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TG119

Sea Fury TG119 was acquired from McEwen Field by Bancroft Industries of Montreal, Quebec. It was subsequently donated to the Canadian National Aeronautical Collection at Rockcliffe, Ontario in 1963 and can still be seen in the facility – now named the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum – today. The aircraft is restored and wears its authentic RCN markings as TG119/110. ð

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MCEWEN FIELD FURIES IN SERVICE TF994

TG118

JAMES RYAN/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-168873

JOHN E COLBERT/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-168877

TG114

JACK MCNULTY VIA DOUG FISHER

TF994

TF994 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in December 1947 before being taken on strength by the RCN on May 24, 1948. It departed aboard HMCS Magnificent with 803 Squadron the following day, with whom it flew as BC*C. On August 16, 1948 it missed all the wires while landing aboard HMCS Magnificent and crashed into the No 2 barrier. Repaired, it was again in trouble on December 16 the same year when the cockpit filled with smoke, necessitating an emergency landing at Dartmouth. On March 31, 1950 a tyre burst on landing at Dartmouth [officially recorded as a wheels up landing on the airfield] and after yet more repairs the aircraft passed to 870 Squadron on July 13, 1951, with whom it flew as BC*D / Navy 102. It was struck off charge on July 1, 1956 and after storage at Scoudouc it was flown to McEwen Field. It was eventually broken up for spares. In this image Lt (P) R McKay is seen with TF994 when it was in service with 803 Squadron aboard HMCS Magnificent on September 9, 1948.

TG114

TG114 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in December 1947 before being taken on strength by the RCN on May 24, 1948. The following day

VR918

D QUIRT/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-153071

TG119

P YOUNG/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-168879

it departed aboard HMCS Magnificent with 803 Squadron, with whom it flew as BC*L. On November 29, 1948 TG114 transferred to 883 Squadron and a day later ran off the runway at Dartmouth and hit a runway light. It later flipped between 833 and 803 Squadrons and on December 15, 1949 it set a speed record from Malton, Ontario to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia of one and three quarter hours. TG114 was struck off charge on October 2, 1956 and since departing McEwen Field in 1962 has carried various civilian identities, including CF-OYF, N4763T, N54M, N232, N232J and G-BVOE. It is currently registered NX232MB with Lewis Flying Legends. NB: The centre section of TG114 was later used in the rebuild of N19SF Argonaut. In this photograph TG114 is seen running up her engine at Mount Hope Airport, Ontario on June 9, 1952.

TG118

TG118 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in December 1947 before being taken on strength by the RCN on May 24, 1948. It departed aboard HMCS Magnificent with 803 Squadron the following day. It transferred to 833 Squadron on November 18, 1948 and on January 26 of the following year was involved in a mid-air collision with Fairey Firefly PP426. After returning to 803 Squadron a month

Parting Out

Thanks to Charlie McEwen’s foresight, several Sea Furies and countless spares and components survived to fulfill the demands of

VR919

ROBERT W BLAKELEY/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-168845

later, it suffered a heavy landing aboard HMCS Magnificent on March 17. In March 1951 it was returned to 883 Squadron and coded VG-AA*B and NAVY 106. TG118 was struck off charge on October 2, 1956 and after storage at Scoudouc it was flown to McEwen Field. It was eventually broken up for spares. This image shows TG118 being lowered to the flight deck of HMCS Magnificent.

TG119

TG119 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in January 1948 before being taken on strength by the RCN on May 24, 1948. It departed aboard HMCS Magnificent with 803 Squadron the following day flying as NAVY*108. On April 13, 1949 it transferred to the School of Naval Aircraft Maintenance and then on May 6, 1953 it passed to 871 Squadron where it obtained the codes VG-AA*B/Navy 110. TG119 was struck off charge on October 2, 1956 and after storage at Scoudouc it was flown to McEwen Field. Acquired by Bancroft Industries, it was donated to the Canadian Aeronautical Collection in 1963. It remains on display at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum today. This photograph shows the aeroplane wearing its Navy*108 markings. The date and location are unknown.

the fledgling warbird and air racing market. Combined with the mass recovery of airframes from Iraq, this has ensured a healthy population of Hawker classics for future generations. The remainder of the McEwen Field Sea Furies are believed to have been broken up and sold to Germany as spares for the nation’s civilian-operated bright red Sea Fury target tugs, but perhaps one survived and will be found tucked in a hangar in New Brunswick. We can always dream! LEFT: After being sold to Mike Carroll, WG567 was much modified for air racing and flown as the Signal Sea Fury. Upon Carrol’s death WG567 passed to Dr Sherman Cooper who retained the modifications but painted the aircraft in a lurid yellow scheme and renamed the aircraft Miss Merced. DOUG FISHER COLLECTION

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VX686

VW227 LYNYARD/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-145686

WAYNE TOWNSEND VIA DOUG FISHER

VX690

JACK MCNULTY VIA DOUG FISHER

VR918

VR918 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in February 1948 before being taken on strength by the RCN on May 24, 1948. It departed aboard HMCS Magnificent with 803 Squadron the following day. On March 19, 1949 VR918 was damaged after “floating over the wires into No 2 barrier” aboard HMCS Magnificent and on June 11 of the same year it force landed at Dartmouth after vibration and power loss. It later flew with 883 Squadron (either as VG-AA*Y or VG-AA*S) but was belly-landed Dartmouth on May 3, 1951. It returned to 871 Squadron aboard HMCS Magnificent on April 21, 1952, flying as AA*Y/NAVY*115. VR918 was struck off charge on October 2, 1956 and after storage at Scoudouc, it was flown to McEwen Field. It was eventually broken up for spares. The tail unit was incorporated into TG114 when it was restored by Frank Sanders as N232. In this image VR918, wearing AA*Y codes, leads a flight of 871 Squadron Sea Furies on May 26, 1952.

VR919

VR919 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in February 1948 before being taken on strength by the RCN on May 24, 1948. It departed aboard

WG567

THOMAS C GALLEY/DND/NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA/PA-146267

HMCS Magnificent with 803 Squadron the following day. On January 4, 1949 it suffered a bird strike which damaged the cowling and starboard mainplane then, on May 26, it made a wheels-up landing at Shearwater after the undercarriage failed to lower – as illustrated in the accompanying photograph. It later served with 870 and 871 Squadrons aboard HMCS Magnificent as VG-AA*L but was struck off charge on October 2, 1956 and after storage at Scoudouc it was flown to McEwen Field. It was eventually broken up for spares. Parts from the tail fuselage centre section were incorporated into TG114 when it was restored by Frank Sanders as N232.

VW227

VW227 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in July 1948 and taken on strength by the RCN on February 16, 1949 aboard HMCS Magnificent. It joined 883 Squadron on June 8, 1950, 870 Squadron on October 29, 1951 and 871 Squadron the following month. It flew as VG-AA*H and NAVY*118 but was struck off charge on May 3, 1956 and after storage at Scoudouc it was flown to McEwen Field where it is seen here in 1961. It was eventually broken up for spares.

VX686

VX686 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in

December 1949 and taken on strength by the RCN on October 11, 1950 with 803 Squadron aboard HMCS Magnificent. It passed to 883 Squadron the following January and was coded AA*P but on March 23, 1951 it hit the barrier aboard HMCS Magnificent while cruising near Bermuda and nosed over (as shown in the accompanying image). After repairs it was issued to 871 Squadron as AA*P but was later re-marked as AA*T for a Mediterranean cruise aboard HMCS Magnificent in 1952. Upon return it was marked as Navy*127 and was subjected to the last ever Sea Fury overhaul conducted by Fairey Canada. VX686 was flown to Scoudouc on November 2, 1956, and struck off charge five days later. After being flown to McEwen Field it was purchased by Brian Baird and registered CF-PRN. It was subsequently destroyed in a hangar fire.

VX690

VX690 was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm in December 1949 and on October 11, 1950 it was taken on strength by the RCN with 883 Squadron aboard HMCS Magnificent. It later flew with 803 Squadron as BC*O and NAVY*128 but was struck off charge on October 2, 1956. After storage at Scoudouc it was flown to McEwen Field and was eventually broken up for spares. The accompanying image shows VX690 at Mount Hope on June 9, 1952.

WG567

WG567 was accepted by the Fleet Air Arm in June 1951 and flown from the UK to Hal Far in Malta where it was taken on strength by the RCN aboard HMCS Magnificent on August 28, 1951. After a period in storage at Dartmouth it joined 871 Squadron as NAVY*133 on November 28, 1951 but was struck off charge on February 8 1957 at Scoudouc. After its stint at McEwen Field WG567 was sold onto the civil register as CF-VAN and currently flies as N878M with Eric Woebling of Wisconsin. It is seen here aboard HMCS Magnificent on September 30, 1953.

ABOVE: Robert Vanderveken purchase purchased ased WG567 from McEwen and had it registered CF-VAN in the early 1961. It was painted bright red with a gold stripe. DOUG FISHER COLLECTION RIGHT: Sea Fury TG119 was acquired from McEwen Field by Bancroft Industries of Montreal, Quebec and donated to the Canadian National Aeronautical Collection at Rockcliffe. The facility was later renamed as the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum and TG119 can still be seen on display in its authentic RCN markings. JIM BUCKEL

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Moroccan Mystery

Doug D oug FFisher isher llooks ooks aatt the brief and mysteriouss history of the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s four Hawker ISS Fury fighters

ABOVE: The mystery aircraft is not believed to be the same aircraft that appears as a gate guard. Unlike many ISS Furies it boasts folding wings, perhaps indicating it is one of the aircraft diverted from the Fleet Air Arm FB.11 order book?

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ABOVE Founded by FFrank ABOVE: k Sand Sanders in 1970, Sanders Aeronautics has grown to be an industry leader in aircraft restoration, maintenance and smoke generators. In 1976, the operation moved to Chino, CA where the Sanders family quickly became known as the ‘Sea Fury Kings’ after the rebuild of Frank’s Sea Fury N232. Tragedy struck on May 4, 1990 when Frank was killed in the crash of a T-33 but his family (wife Ruth and sons Dennis and Brian) are continuing his legacy. Brian, Ruth, Frank and Dennis are seen here in the late 1970s.

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ABOVE: The mystery Fury is clearly in a battered and worn condition but eminently restorable. LEFT: One Fury is known to exist as a gate guardian at Rabat Air Base, although it is in poor condition. GORDON RILEY BELOW: The aircraft’s Bristol Centaurus was still in situ when photographed in the late 1970s. Nearly 40 years later, one has to wonder what has become of the aircraft. ALL VIA DOUG FISHER

I

n the film Casablanca, Rick’s Café Americain was a hotbed of wartime intrigue with its clientele including Vichy French, Italians, Nazis and Czech loyalists attempting to escape to Britain. Although the film was complete fiction, Casablanca’s role in World War Two certainly wasn’t. Located in the unstable country of Morocco, the port city situated in the northwestern corner of North Africa was a vital outpost. Morocco had previously been subjected to colonial control by both France and Spain, but during the war it served as a very important funnel for all sorts of military transactions – both Allied and Axis. By the end of the conflict the American government knew the importance of the country – one of only three nations to have borders on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

army cooperation aircraft – the French variant of the Luftwaffe’s Storch. Knowing the importance of the region, various ‘gift’ aircraft were also supplied by Britain, France and the USA.

Baghdad Furies

Which brings us neatly to our mystery aircraft. I was recently going through the photographic and memorabilia collection of Dennis Sanders when we paused to peruse some images of a Hawker Sea Fury that was obviously in very rough condition. “These photos were sent to Sanders Aeronautics in 1980,” recalled Dennis. “I believe they were taken in Morocco, but I am not sure what happened to the aircraft.” The Hawker Sea Fury enjoyed a relatively good export market and in late 1946 the

same. As such, on February 4, 1960, the Iraqi government presented two Furies to Morocco as gifts. In late 1961, two further aircraft were acquired and it appears another two airframes arrived in Morocco for use as spares.

Survivor

It is thought that the aircraft were rarely, if ever, flown operationally and only two of the aircraft were finished in RMAF markings. The other two retained their Iraqi camouflage and markings and the serials were 232-ISS2 and 259-ISS29 (perhaps indicating they were never used?). The four aircraft soon wound up in outside storage at Rabat Air Base on the Atlantic coast. Parked in the corrosive seaside environment, the condition of the Furies quickly went downhill. As interest in warbird aircraft began picking up during the 1970s, several collectors tried to obtain the four Furies, including a British collector who made an attempt to acquire all four, but dealing with the Moroccans was never easy and the deal fell through. It was then rumoured that a French collector had purchased the four, but it appears the aircraft never made it out of Morocco. Today, there is one Fury serving as a gate guardian at Rabat Air Base but it is in poor condition. Also, it is reported that one airframe is stored in a Rabat hangar. What happened to the other Furies is anybody’s guess, but we would certainly welcome any additional information from readers.

“What happened to the other Furies is anybody’s guess”

RMAF Assets

Agreements were drawn up with the French that saw the establishment of major USAF bases and installations in Morocco, but during 1956 the country achieved independence and on November 19 of that year the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) was formed. Pilots were trained in both France and Spain while numerous Armée de l’Air personnel were seconded to the RMAF to help set up a sound structure around which the air arm could be built. Oddly, the first aircraft obtained by the RMAF were six Morane-Saulnier MS.500 Criquet

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Iraqi government ordered 30 examples, which became unofficially known as ‘Baghdad Furies.’ Hawker pilots flew the aircraft to Iraq in 1948 and two dual-control trainer variants followed a year later. The Iraqis liked the Furies, but there was a high accident rate so in 1953 a further order was placed with Hawker that saw the delivery of 25 single-seaters and three dual-control trainers.

Arabian Gift

Besides western countries attempting to find favour with the Moroccan government, Arab states were attempting to do the

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A Special

Anniversary Year The 2014 airshow season has been memorable one for the Gnat Display Team, as Steve Bridgewater reveals

ABOVE: G-MOUR’s long awaited return to flight took place in December 2013 and the aircraft has been a familiar sight at UK airshows this summer. DARREN HARBAR

T

he past summer was always going to be a monumental one for the North Weald-based Gnat Display Team and the Heritage Aircraft Trust charity that supports it. The long awaited return of Yellowjackspainted Gnat T.1 G-MOUR – and the resultant increase to a three-ship display - was expected to be a high point of the year. But events have surpassed even their wildest expectations.

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Anniversary year

Fifty years ago, in the summer of 1964, the recently delivered Folland Gnat was chosen by a group of 4 FTS flying instructors at RAF Valley as the mount for a new aerobatic display team. The informal team was led by Flt Lt Lee Jones and the nine Gnats allocated (XR540, XR986, XR987 and XR991 to XR996) were painted yellow to distinguish them from other teams of the era. Dubbed the ‘Yellowjacks’ the team

would uld ul d go on to give iv it its first di display la at RNAS Culdrose on July 25, 1964 followed by a show at RNAS Brawdy on August 1. During September’s SBAC Airshow at Farnborough the team joined up with the Red Pelicans’ Jet Provosts for a memorable coordinated routine and later in the month the Yellowjacks also appeared at Biggin Hill and Gaydon. However, by October the team had been disbanded and the nucleus went on to form the official Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – the Red Arrows. As such, 2014 marked not only the 50th anniversary of the Yellowjacks but also the formation of the iconic Red Arrows. The Heritage Aircraft Trust couldn’t let this opportunity pass…

G-MOUR

In August 2010 Yellowjacks-painted Folland Gnat T.1 XS102 / G-MOUR arrived at the Trust’s hangar at North Weald. The aircraft’s return to flight took longer than expected as the required work was more intense than originally envisaged and months turned into years. However, with the important 2014 anniversaries

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ABOVE: The Gnat Dis Displa Display pla Team and dH Hunter Flight Academy aircraft and pilots were granted permission to fly with the Red Arrows at the RAF Waddington International Airshow to help celebrate the RAF Aerobatic Team’s 50th display season. STEVE BRIDGEWATER

looming the Trust’s team of engineers, spearheaded by Pete Walker and joined by the likes of Kev Broughall, Mark Smith and James Mohr, worked wonders and by late 2013 the jet was looking like new again. XS102 first flew in September 1964 (so also marked her 50th anniversary this year) and was accepted by 4FTS at RAF Valley on October 8. It served until March 1979 and then became an instructional airframe (coded 8624M) at RAF Abingdon before moving to RAF Halton and finally RAF Cosford. Auctioned in 1990, she was acquired by Dave Gilmour (from legendary rock band Pink Floyd) and was appropriately registered G-MOUR in readiness for her civilian life. After around a

ABOVE: During the Royal International Air Tattoo’s Friday night Gala Dinner two of the team’s Gnats were booked to fly past with the Red Arrows. Unfortunately the team was not booked to fly during the show’s public days. PAUL FIDDIAN

year of work she was painted into a Yellowjacks scheme (representing XR991) and returned to the skies as an airshow aircraft. Operated from North Weald, Essex by Intrepid Aviation, on behalf of Dave Gilmour, for around

a decade she was subsequently sold to Delta Jets and moved to Kemble, Glos. After a number of airshow appearances, G-MOUR was grounded in late 2008 after persistent maintenance problems. After passing ð

BELOW: Among the Gnat Display Team’s highlights of the 2014 airshow season was this unique formation with Avro Vulcan XH558, flown at Dunsfold on August 23. During the Vulcan’s service, life a concept was conceived to semi-recess three Gnat fighters beneath the bomber to act as self defence fighters. DARREN HARBAR

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ABOVE: ABOVE ABO VE:: The re VE resto restoration storat sto ration rat ion of GG-MOU G-MOUR MOUR MOU R has has ena enabled the team to provide a three-ship display at 2014 airshows. DARREN HARBAR

to the Heritage Aircraft Trust the aircraft was completely stripped and renovated and the opportunity was taken to repaint it to represent XR992, which briefly led the Yellowjacks with a stylish black tail fin to help the aircraft stand out against the summer skies. G-MOUR returned to the skies again on December 10, 2013 with Gnat Display Team pilot Chris Heames at the controls and team member Oliver Wheeldon acting as a second pair of eyes in the rear seat.

Three-ship

Over the winter of 2013/14 work was undertaken to ensure G-RORI / XR538 (which retains its original and authentic 4FTS markings) and G-TIMM / XP504 (which was recently painted

to represent ‘XS111’ when flown by Flt Lt Ray Hanna as the Red Arrows team leader) were ready for a busy year and plans were soon formulated for G-MOUR / ‘XR992’ to join the team’s other two Gnats to provide a unique three-ship display at 2014 airshows.

The formation work-up began in April with Chris Heames, Kev Whyman and Mark Fitzgerald as the key pilots – and the trip debuted at the South Essex Armed Forces Day at Billericay on June 21-22. Operating three 50-year-old jets is not a cheap prospect so you would be forgiven for expecting airshow organisers to be reluctant to delve deep to pay for the full three-ship booking. However, quite the opposite occurred with all three aircraft booked for appearances at Billericay, Waddington, Dunsold and Duxford as well as RAF Scampton Families Day – although the British weather put paid to the latter.

With singleton or pairs displays also booked for Selsey, Newcastle (Northern Ireland), Eastbourne, Headcorn, Sywell and RAF Marham Families Day the team has been satisfyingly busy – with the Gnats paying suitable homage to the Yellowjacks and the Red Arrows.

Fabulous formations

However, as evidenced by the images gracing these pages some of the most memorable moments for the team have been when they have teamed up with others for some very special formations. Lengthy discussions with the current-day Red Arrows resulted in permission for the Gnats to join up in formation with the team at a very select number of

events in the anniversary year. The first of these occasions saw the Yellowjacks and Red Arrows painted Gnats join the 2014 Red Arrows at the RAF Waddington International Airshow on July 5. With the help of the Hunter Flight Academy’s Black Arrows painted Hawker Hunter T.7 (WV318 / G-FFOX) – which was flown by team member Chris Heames – the aircraft were able to perform a unique formation highlighting the history of RAF jet display teams. With the show organisers and teams playing their cards close to their chests, excited audiences burst into spontaneous applause when the unexpected sight appeared over the airfield.

“The team set a new personal best when it logged its 100th flight of the year”

RIGHT: Rubbing shoulders with a legend. Yellowjacks and Red Arrows founder pilot Henry Prince visits the Heritage Aircraft Trust at North Weald in August and poses with team pilots Kev Whyman and Mark Fitzgerald. VIA HERITAGE AIRCRAFT TRUST

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A few weeks later the two Gnats were able to join forces with the Red Arrows yet again, this time for a flypast over the Royal International Air Tattoo’s gala dinner at Fairford on the evening of Friday July 11. Sadly RIAT had not made a provision for the spectacle to appear in public and the Gnats also spent the following weekend on static display – which to many seemed like wasted opportunity. That said, even a static appearance by a Gnat is something that is appreciated by enthusiasts and casual airshow observers alike, something that was most evident when G-TIMM and G-MOUR appeared at the Farnborough International Airshow at the end of July. The diminutive jet must have been among the most photographed aircraft at the show!

Flying aircraft carrier

The 2014 British airshow season has been awash with memorable, poignant and unexpected formations, but perhaps the most unusual occurred during the Dunsfold Wings and Wheels show on August 23. “Early in the season we had the privilege of flying Vulcan pilot Martin Withers in one of our Gnats,” explains the Heritage Aircraft Trust’s Oliver Wheeldon. “It was his first Gnat flight since 1976 and we joked that it would be a most unusual site to see the Gnats in formation with XH558. “Then somebody pointed out that it would not be entirely inappropriate…During the Vulcan’s service life a number of upgrades were mooted, including a ‘flying aircraft carrier’ version with three Gnat fighters semirecessed in the fuselage and wings to provide self defence!” The opportunity came about at Dunsfold when the Gnat Display Team’s ‘slot’ coincided with that of the Vulcan.

ABOVE The 20 ABOVE: 2014 14 Gna Gnatt Disp D Display isplay isp lay team te consisted sisted sis ted of (L-R back row) Edwin Brenninkmeyer, Stephen Partridge-Hicks, Mark Fitzgerald, Oliver Wheeldon, Kev Whyman and Chris Heames. Engineering support (middle row) came from James Mohr, Pete Walker and Kev Broughall. PR, admin and commentary was handled by Samantha Waller (foreground). Missing from this photo was team pilot ‘Willy’ Hacket. JACKIE NUDD VIA HERITAGE AIRCRAFT TRUST

as one of their greatest moments of the year. According to Oliver Wheeldon another highlight of the season was meeting six-yearold George Holmes. George suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 and visited RIAT as a VIP courtesy of the When You Wish Upon A Star charity. “One of the great things about static displays at airshows is the people you meet,” says Oliver. “At RIAT we met people who had worked on Gnats, whose relatives had flown the Gnat, plus even a few ex-Red Arrows and Yellowjacks Gnat pilots themselves, but the most memorable for me was young George, who zipped along in his electric wheelchair at such a pace that I could barely keep up with him.

“George was a great kid, full of beans and with a huge grin on his face, and proudly wearing his new Red Arrows flying suit. We sat him in the jet and explained the cockpit controls and instruments to him and his parents – he was full of questions and wonderment, which was great to see. We don’t find many people for whom the Gnat cockpit is very spacious, but he was certainly one. “One of the Heritage Aircraft Trust’s missions is to give something back to the public and, where we can, to make special moments like this come true. As a team we were all very proud to have been a part of making this dream come true for young George at RIAT.”

New addition

In August the team set a new personal best when it logged its 100th flight of the year – a testament to the reliability of both the aircraft and the hard working engineers who really give their all to keep the aircraft in tip top condition. So how does a team better a season in which they’ve flown with the Red Arrows, rubbed shoulders with heroes and celebrated so many important anniversaries? By adding yet another aircraft to the fleet of course! The latest addition to the hangar is a former Indian Air Force single-seat Folland Gnat F.1, which has recently arrived in the UK in a dismantled state after being purchased in the USA. The machine is a Folland-built aeroplane that was assembled in India prior to the

nation beginning licence production of the type as the Ajeet and will now be restored to airworthy condition before joining the Gnat Display Team.

Special people

During summer the Heritage Aircraft Trust also took the opportunity to re-acquaint Yellowjacks pilot Henry Prince with a yellow Gnat for the first time in half a century. The original plan had called for Flt Lt Prince, who is now 80, to fly into the RIAT media launch event but once again the British summer weather had better ideas! However, the team was determined to reunite him with a Gnat and the team members rank this

MAIN PICTURE: G-MOUR leads G-TIMM and G-RORI as the aircraft circle in the hold close to Dunsfold prior to joining formation with Vulcan XH558/G-VLCN. DARREN HARBAR RIGHT: In the 50th anniversary year of both the Red Arrows and the Yellowjacks the Gnat Display Team has been in great demand. For the 2014 season G-MOUR (XS102) wears the markings of ‘XR992’ when used by the Yellowjacks in 1964 while G-TIMM (XP504) depicts ‘XS111’ when used by Flt Lt Ray Hanna to lead the Red Arrows. DARREN HARBAR

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LEFT: A Vickers Wellesley I of 47 Squadron kicks up the dust at Asmara on May 15, 1941. BELOW: The motto of 47 Squadron was ‘Nili nomen roboris omen’ (‘The name of the Nile is an omen of our strength’) and the badge was a demoiselle crane’s head in front of a fountain. The demoiselle crane is a bird found in Russia and the Sudan, two of 47 Squadron’s battlegrounds. ALL IMAGES VIA AUTHOR UNLESS SPECIFIED

Harassing the Italians out of East Africa

MARTYN CHORLTON investigates 47 Squadron’s Vickers Wellesley operations in East Africa in 1940-1941

F

ormed as a Home Defence squadron at Beverley on March 1, 1916 under the command of Major F G Small, 47 Squadron was destined to leave British shores in September, bound for Salonika, and would not be based at home again until 1946. Settling at Mikra Bay, the unit was tasked with a variety of roles, including reconnaissance, bombing, artillery spotting and aerial fighting using several different types of aircraft which ranged from the BE.12 to the SE.5A. The unit dropped 54 tons of bombs during its tour of duty in Macedonia, which came to an end in April 1919 when the squadron was moved to Novorossisk to support the White Russians who were fighting the Bolsheviks. Equipped with DH.9s and Camels, operations included low level bombing and ground strafing. During this period the squadron was under the command of Lt Col Raymond Collinshaw DSO, OBE, DSC, AFC who added a single victory and an enemy gunboat to his impressive World War One tally. On many occasions over the Western Front, Collinshaw was lucky to escape with his life and in his autobiography

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he described the fighting in Russia as more frightening than his experiences in Northern France. On October 20, 1919 the squadron disbanded at Beketovka and was redesignated as the 11, 12, and 13 Squadrons of the Russian 7th Division. However, on February 1, 1920, following the renumbering of 206 Squadron, 47 Squadron was reformed at Helwan, Egypt, once again with DH.9s and later DH.9As. A detachment of aircraft was immediately sent to Khartoum, Sudan, where on October 21, 1927 the rest of the squadron made its way home and settled in flying operations in support of the Sudan Defence Force. From December 1927 the squadron was progressively re-equipped, beginning with the Fairey IIIF, the Fairey Gordon from January 1933 and the Vickers Vincent in July 1936, although on each occasion the superseded type was never fully replaced, the latter being a prime example. The long-range Vickers Wellesley, which was already obsolete as far as UK-based squadrons were concerned, first arrived on the squadron in June 1939.

First flown by Mutt Summers on June 19, 1935, the Vickers Wellesley was the first of Barnes Wallis’ geodetic designs to enter RAF service from April 1937. The Wellesley rode the wave of the RAF’s prewar expansion but with only 177 built, the last delivered in May 1938, this single-engined long-range bomber was never destined to have a long service career, in a European theatre at least. As was the tradition, priority was always given to home-based RAF units with regard to new equipment and as the pre-war technology race gained momentum, the Wellesley quickly found itself superseded by the Hampden, Whitley and Battle. The withdrawal of the type from UK-based squadrons was swift and from late 1937 onwards, 100 aircraft were transferred to

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units based in the Middle East, beginning with 45 Squadron at Helwan. The majority of the Wellesleys arrived in the Middle East from mid1939, by which time 45 Squadron had already moved onto the Blenheim, leaving 14, 47 and 223 Squadrons to re-equip with the singleengine bomber. These three squadrons became 254 (Bomber) Wing under the overall control of HQ Sudan based at Khartoum from December 1, 1939 along with 1 (Southern Rhodesia Air Force) Squadron and 1 and 2 (Royal Egyptian Air Force) Squadrons.

Protracted conversion

Despite the first Wellesleys arriving with 47 Squadron in June 1939, it was not until September that all pilots in the unit had flown solo on the type. As some were not used to the Wellesley’s more complex systems (compared to the Gordon and Vincent), this task did not always go to plan. On September 13, Sgt W R T Shelley paid with his life when he stalled L2702 in the Khartoum circuit. Under the command of Wg Cdr J G Elton AFC, from October 1939 onwards 47 Squadron settled into a period of wing exercises including formation flying with 14 and 223 Squadrons. Already plagued by serviceability problems and a shortage of spares, 47 Squadron did well to get nine aircraft into the air for a photographic exercise to Shendi on November 24. The following month one practice raid to Atbara by nine aircraft saw the squadron successfully attack the local railway workshops at low level with flour bombs – several direct hits were recorded! The Italian presence in the region was well known and it was

to Erkowit in the Red Sea Hills on May 11, 1940, less than 100 miles from the Eritrean border, a country which, along with Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland, made up Italian East Africa. On May 28, 1940 the air party arrived at Erkowit, later renamed Carthago, unaware that Mussolini was about to make his remarkable decision.

Italy enters the war

At 22:00 on June 10, 1940 Italy declared war on Britain and France, although the latter was literally on the verge of falling to a German invasion which saw the BEF pushed back across the Channel. In Africa the Italian forces were split between Libya and Italian East Africa and despite warnings and protests from senior officers, neither country was ready to enter a full scale war. However, in the east, it was 47 Squadron which opened the account. RAF operations against the Italian forces began at Carthago when eight Wellesleys (divided into three flights), three armed with 32 x 40lb bombs, two with four 250lb bombs and the remainder with IBs (Incendiary bombs) took off at 05:30 bound for the Eritrean capital, Asmara (Asmera today), 250 miles to the southeast. The target was the Italian aerodrome located 3.5 miles to south-southwest of the

prepared for a second attack on Asmara aerodrome. This time all of the aircraft were armed with four 250lb bombs. Divided again into three flights, Flt Lt Ostle (in L2696) led the attack following the previous day’s coastal route with Plt Off Mellanson and Sgt Wragg. The remaining two flights, one led by Flt Lt Dally and other by Plt Off Joyce, approached over land. Ostle’s flight dropped its 250lb bombs from 15,000ft on to the main runway and just after the bombs were released a single Fiat CR.32 came up to attack but was beaten off by the rear gunner’s fire and may have been forced down. Dally’s flight, also attacking from 15,000ft saw their first salvo of bombs hit several buildings behind the hangar line, the second run fell within the camp area and the third fell wide. Following Ostle’s initial action, the remaining Wellesleys were greeted with very heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire but luckily sustained no damage. The third flight’s bombs fell wide of buildings to the northwest of the aerodrome and by 16:45 all eight 47 Squadron machines were safely back in the ground. From June 13, 1940, 47 Squadron began the first of many regular reconnaissance operations on the hunt for possible troop movements which were rarely spotted, in daylight at least. One operation flown over Karora by Plt Joyce and LAC Crossland in L2677, again looking for troop movements, describes the terrain as being very easy to conceal large concentrations. Armed or offensive reconnaissance operations were also commonplace such as on June 15 when Flt Lt Stewart in L2704 and Sgt Style in L2697 searched the road from Karora to Alghena and on to Nacfa. A small concentration of enemy troops was spotted, plus a

“The officers’ tents in Carthago were destroyed; the main casualty being the officers’ clothes!” city and the 47 Squadron formation was led by Wg Cdr Elton in K7771, who turned inland towards the city at Ditnein Island. Achieving total surprise, Elton, Plt Off Moir and Sgt Colin dropped their 40lb bombs at low level onto the main apron and fuel pumps, leaving large columns of smoke rising. Flt Lt Magill and Sgt Aldus dropped their 250lb bombs on a hangar and workshops,

ABOVE: After a tour of duty with 76 Squadron, K8527 joined 47 Squadron in June 1940. The bomber was attacked and shot down by five CR.42s on March 16, 1941 over Keren, killing all three crew. ANDY HAY/WWW.FLYINGART.CO.UK

not unusual for Italian machines to use the RAF’s facilities. It was ironic that the five Italian Air Force Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s, which arrived at Khartoum bound for Eritrea on April 20, would undoubtedly return the favour in a more aggressive manner only a few weeks later. Five more SM.79s passed through Khartoum on May 9, again bound for Eritrea, although one of these crashed at Wadi Halfa. Italy’s premature entry into World War Two may have taken the British by surprise as Mussolini’s nonbelligerent stance, reinforced by an obsolete, small air force, had indicated that they would not be in a serious position to enter the war until late 1942. An advance party from the squadron moved

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while Flt Lt J Stewart, Sgt Style and Plt Off Fuge planted their IBs across the same buildings. At least some on the aerodrome were awake because Plt Off B K C Fuge’s aircraft, K7730, the last to cross the target, was struck by ground fire, damaging the Wellesley enough to cause a forced landing. Fuge and his observer, Flt Sgt S A Elsey survived to become POWs and along with the rest of the British and Commonwealth forces captured in East Africa, were released from Adi Ugri Camp in April 1941. While concerned for their colleagues, unaware that they were alive, the remaining seven Wellesleys were back on the ground at Carthago by 10:45, their crews on a high following this successful opening operation. On June 12 another eight Wellesleys were

few lorries and mules. Each Wellesley attacked with four 40lb bombs, and although one machine was hit by ground fire, both aircraft returned to Carthago safely. The same day, the Italians began the first of several retaliatory operations when a pair of SM.81s bombed Carthago. L2712 was damaged by bomb splinters, but more importantly the officers’ tents were destroyed by a bomb; the main casualty being the officers’ clothes! That night Wg Cdr Elton led four Wellesleys, operating as a pair of independent flights on another attack against Asmara aerodrome. Taking off at 18:20 and flying the coastal route again, on arrival, the general area including the aerodrome was under a very effective blackout and it was impossible to find the target in the half moonlight and haze. Rather than bring them home, Elton decided to unleash his four ð

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ABOVE: One of several aircraft inherited from 14 Squadron, K7723 joined 47 Squadron in August 1940. The aircraft was wrecked in a heavy landing at Agordat on February 18, 1941 and was SOC in June.

250lb bombs and eight 25lb IBs on a wireless/ transmitter observation post at Difnein Island north of Massawa. The rest of the Wellesleys dropped their bombs in the sea and the last landed back at Carthago at 00:20. There is no doubting that the Wellesley is a fairly distinctive aircraft from any angle, especially with its large bomb panniers under each wing. However, take these panniers away and suddenly the bomber becomes fair game to a trio of 112 Squadron Gladiator pilots who mistook the aircraft for an enemy machine over Erkowit on June 17. Flt Lt Ostle in K7742 was tasked with a dawn patrol to report any incoming bomber attacks but unbeknown to him, the three Gladiators had been ordered to patrol the same area. The three biplane fighters commenced a stern attack which was not broken off until Sgt Bavin-Smith fired a Very light. The starboard wing had been riddled and the fuel tanks shot through but Ostle managed to land the Wellesley safely and the incident was put down to poor communications between units.

as a ‘formidable wing’ as five Wellesleys from 47 Squadron and five more from 14 Squadron joined forces. Successes over enemy fighters were also on the increase, including a pair claimed shot down during a raid on Gura on June 26 – one by 47 and one by 14 Squadron. From July 1 the focus of operations turned to Abyssinia for those Wellesleys operating from Khartoum. Nine aircraft led by Wg Cdr Elton attacked Gondar aerodrome and the following day five more attacked Metemma Camp with 250lb bombs, 25lb IBs and machine-gun fire.

aircraft, K7771 and L2641 collided over Massawa on July 16, with K777 surviving to be wrecked on landing at Carthago on July 31. On another occasion five Wellesleys, led by Flt Lt Magill set out for Gura, arriving over the target at 07:55. As the aircraft began a diving attack, between five and eight CR.32s and CR.42s bounced the formation from all directions. The Wellesley formation was relentlessly fired upon. K7756, flown by Sgt Colvin, had its hydraulic system shot to pieces, causing the undercarriage to drop down. The enemy fighters then switched focus to her sistership, whose air gunner Sgt Pope and Sqn Ldr Theed of HQ 245 Wing (along for the experience), managed to fend off the attack. Sgt Colvin somehow managed to escape but sadly, Sgt Pope, who was severely wounded, died of his injuries before he could receive medical attention. Operations at night were carried out in increasing numbers from early September 1940, usually against Massawa, Gura or Asmara. A typical bomb load for night operations with a daylight take-off were three 500lb bombs and four IBs, while night take-offs comprised two 500lb, two 250lb and four IBs. Because of effective blackouts, targets were obviously very difficult to find at night and very often a secondary one would be bombed instead. One

“L2875 destroyed 16 munition store houses”

A ‘formidable wing’

By late June raids on Asmara were carried out on a regular basis, very often in company with 14 and 223 Squadrons. One particular attack on Asmara on June 24 was described

This risky operation came at the cost of Plt Off Bush and LAC Davidson in K7777, who were brought down by heavy ground fire. Both crew were thrown clear of the wreckage, Bush being killed instantly and Davidson succumbing to his injuries the following day. An increased number of operations from Carthago continued during the month and losses for 47 Squadron included K8520, which became one of Capitano Mario Visintini Medaglia’s victims on July 12. The Italian ace would eventually claim a total of 17 victories, all in biplanes, before his death in February 1941. Two

ABOVE: No need for a cosy briefing room in the Middle East; it was much easier to do it outside, complete with a more realistic sand sculpture, compared to a two-dimensional map.

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particularly successful night raid took place on September 21 when three Wellesleys led by Flt Lt Ostle in K7779 attacked Mai Edaga, 30 miles south of Asmara. The target was the Caproni works and all three aircraft dropped their HE bombs within the works compound or very close to it, with results that were not ‘directly’ observed at the time. It was later discovered that Sgt Wimsett and Sgt Bavin-Smith in L2875 had actually destroyed 16 munition store houses.

The Italians strike back

By mid October it was clear the Italian Air Force had had enough of its airfields being indiscriminately bombed by 47 Squadron day and night. The first sign of the enemy’s intent came at 07:00 on October 15 when a single SM.79A dropped a stick of bombs on Gedaref but did not cause any damage. At 22:40 on October 15 a single Caproni Ca.133 attacked Gedaref from a height of between 700 and 800ft, dropping 12 HE bombs and 12 IBs. It is possible that the Ca.133 had followed a pair of Vincents which had just been on a bombing raid to Kassala (the first Vincent back landed ten minutes before the Ca.133’s arrival, the second during the attack). The following morning at 04:05 a much larger force made up of a single SM.79, four CR.32s and three CR.42s arrived over Gedaref; the SM.79 opened proceedings by dropping a ‘stick’ of HE with little effect. The CR.32s then broke away from the main formation to begin a relentless few minutes of ground strafing which left eight Wellesleys and two Vincents in flames. Despite a large number of RAF personnel being in residence, not one was even injured during the attack but 47 Squadron’s ability to strike a blow back at the enemy was dramatically reduced in one well executed raid. At 08:00 the same morning a pair of SM.79s flew over Gedaref, apparently on a reconnaissance operation and at the same time a decision was made to evacuate the area. By 12:00 the entire air and ground party was on a train back to Khartoum where 47 Squadron’s losses were replaced by seven aircraft supplied by 14 Squadron, which was already in the process of converting to the Blenheim IV. Operations continued unabated from Khartoum and starting on October 28, a detachment of Wellesleys also began operating from Sennar, beginning with a raid by three aircraft on Asosa. Even Gedaref was brought back into use from October 31, although

ABOVE: Although this photo was taken in pre-war Britain, it clearly demonstrates the limited space in the fuselage of a Wellesley. To retain the strength of the geodetic construction, no bomb bay was carved out the fuselage; instead, all bombs were carried in large panniers mounted under the outer wings. AEROPLANE

generally only reconnaissance operations were flown from here. The main thrust of 47 Squadron’s attacks during November and December was from Sennar, 150 miles SSE of Khartoum and the same distance again from the Eritrean border. Offensive reconnaissance sorties and raids on various targets achieved indifferent results but operations flown on November 21 were more successful. The day started with two Wellesleys, K7782 flown by Flt Lt Magill and K7713 flown by Flt Sgt Wimsett leaving Sennar at 05:40 bound for Saleaya fort. Both aircraft were over the target just after 07:00; Magill began by dropping

a pair of 20lb Cooper bombs which overshot the target. Magill approached for a second run and descending from 9,500 to 7,500ft, he dropped a stick of bombs into the middle of the enemy camp. On his third run Magill dropped the remainder of his bombs on the western end of the camp while Wimsett prepared for his run at 07:40. While unknowingly Magill had caused a great deal of damage, Wimsett’s first run from 3,000ft struck at least one barracktype building, setting it ablaze with more visible results. Wimsett’s second run scored a direct hit on a building between two barrack buildings, setting it alight and causing it to burn for at least ð

BELOW: L2673 pictured over Eritrea on an operation out of Agordat; the bomber later served with CF Khartoum and was not SOC until October 1943.

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ABOVE: K7775, one of 47 Squadron’s long-serving and hardworking Wellesleys pictured during an operation to Keren. The bomber forced landed after carrying out a supply drop for a guerilla column near Suroe, Eritrea and was abandoned by its crew.

15 minutes. Wimsett’s gunners rounded off the successful operation by firing 500 rounds of ammunition into the barracks. With no opposition from any quarter, the two Wellesleys returned safely back to Sennar. Sgt Osbourn in K7775 had also taken off from Sennar that morning at 05:40 bound for another enemy barracks at Asosa. Over the target at 07:40, Osbourn’s first run from 3,000ft undershot the target, starting a grass fire on the edge of the compound. A second run was considerably more successful as several direct hits were scored on store sheds followed by 500 rounds of ammunition fired into the barracks for good measure. Once again no opposition was encountered and Osbourn landed K7775 safely back at Sennar at 09:45. The day was already a success for 47 Squadron when two more aircraft, K7775 flown by Flt Sgt Wimsett and Sgt Aldus took off at 12:20 and 12:50, respectively, bound for Gubba aerodrome. Wimset was over the target at 13:40 and from 3,000ft he singled out the Commandant’s house to the southwest of the target. Several bombs burst to within ten yards of residential buildings but it was not clear how much damage had been done because of dust and smoke. On Wimsett’s second run he dropped a stick of bombs across a large barrack encampment, which was 200 yards northeast of the Commandant’s house. All bombs exploded in the target area and a small fire broke out. Sgt Aldus was over the target at 13:41 and in a straight and level attack from 3,000ft, he dropped a short stick a mere ten yards north of Commandant’s house. His second run saw bombs fall to within 25 yards of the house. Once again there was no opposition whatsoever from the ground or in the air.

mechanical failure, accidents or enemy action and many more would follow. On November 27, 1940, 47 Squadron moved to Gordon’s Tree, Khartoum, whilst still maintaining a detachment at Sennar from where operations continued until mid-December. Combined operations were still flown with 223 Squadron, including an attack on an Italian camp at Dangeila to raise the morale of the Abyssinian patriots. From January 1941 the squadron was under the command of Sqn Ldr G R Magill and detachments broadened to Kassala, Agordat, Asmara and Blackdown. By

squadron moved its main operating station to Asmara as the Italian forces were quickly routed out of Eritrea. The bulk of the Italians capitulated in May but many remained fighting until later in the year. For 47 Squadron the Wellesley was destined to remain but in a less offensive role. Many supply-dropping operations were flown for Allied forces at Debarech right up to the point that the Italians were completely defeated on November 28, 1941. After a brief spell at Massawa, the unit left the region for Kasfarret, Egypt on December 22 and then for Burg el Arab on January 25, 1942. Several more moves across Egypt followed from where operational patrols were flown. On April 16, 1942 an ‘Operational (Wellesley) echelon’ or ‘Wellesley Flight’ was formed at LG.89. The flight carried out convoy patrols and antisubmarine patrols off the Delta area and along the coast of Palestine. The Wellesley’s long range was exploited to the very end of its operational career with 47 Squadron, which came about in February 1943, with the disbandment of the echelon at LG.07 on March 3, 1943.

“All remaining serviceable Wellesleys were operated by 47 Squadron” now the Italians were on the back foot and the Wellesleys enjoyed even more freedom as the trusty Gladiators were joined by the Hurricane. In April 1914, 223 Squadron re-equipped with the Maryland and all remaining serviceable Wellesleys in the theatre were now only operated by 47 Squadron. The same month the

The Wellesley’s last stand

Although the Wellesley had little chance of delivering a devastating blow against the Italian forces, the fact they could virtually attack whichever target they wanted across a vast theatre of operations must have helped to grind the enemy down. However, units in the region were being re-equipped with slightly better aircraft and in December, 14 Squadron relinquished their Wellesleys in favour of the Blenheim IV. All of their old aircraft were transferred to 47 Squadron, who, by late 1941, were struggling with regard to serviceability and the virtual non-existence of spare parts. To date, 47 Squadron had already lost 36 Wellesleys to

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ABOVE: Plt Off Kennedy of 47 Squadron inspects the damage to K7715 at Agordat on March 25, 1941. The aircraft was attacked by a pair of CR.42s, setting the bomber’s wing on fire and mortally wounding the air gunner Sgt German.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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www.aeroplanemonthly.com 47

GRUMMAN’S

Flying Barrel Grumman’s F3F was the last biplane fi Grummans fighter ghter to be embarked on an American aircraft carrier and one of the final fighters of the US Navy to fly in the vivacious colours that characterised American military aircraft at the end of the 1930s. Luigino Caliaro looks at a very special airworthy warbird

48

ABOVE: With the canopy wound back to improve visibility, Chris Prevost poses his Grumman F3F for the cameras high over California. The long nose and high upper wing combine to make it difficult to see ahead both on the ground and in the air.

O

n June 24, 1941 three Grumman F3F fighters from VMF-2 took off from their base at Ewa, Hawaii, for a night training mission. The Flying Barrels – as they were often called in recognition of their tubby fuselages – were in the hands of three young US Marine Corps pilots with 1st Lt William M Ferris flying BuNo 0972, 2nd Lt Warner Hagermann piloting BuNo 1028 and 2nd Lt Clyde H Story in BuNo 1033. The mission quickly began to go badly awry soon after the aircraft took off into poor weather. Attempting to return to base without any available radio aids, and probably unable to see anything from their tiny cockpits, the three fighters crashed on the wooded slopes of Monte Haleakala, an

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

extinct volcano on Maui island. The pilots would have had no chance to take any avoiding action.

Hillside recovery

Once the remains of the unfortunate pilots had been recovered, the wrecks of the three fighters were abandoned on the impervious slopes of the mountain and forgotten for more than 40 years. In the early 1980s, following a revived interest in the ‘warbirds’ sector, the remains of the aircraft were recovered by Alan De Coite, working on behalf of collector Doug Champlin, who had previously operated the sole Grumman G-32. This two-seater version of the fighter had been used by the Grumman company as a demonstrator, before being passed to the

USAAF at the start of the World War Two and then disposed of onto the civilian market once the conflict had ended. Having passed through several owners, the G-32 was finally acquired by Champlin but in 1971 it was practically destroyed after an in-flight fire during an appearance at the Oshkosh airshow. Almost a decade later Champlin formed a museum at Mesa, Arizona and approached Herb Tischler’s Texas Aircraft Factory to investigate restoring the G-32 to flight. Tischler quickly assessed that it would be uneconomic to rebuild the aircraft but this situation changed for the better with the sudden availability of the Hawaiian wrecks. Grumman also made the aircraft’s technical drawings available and in the mid 1980s Champlin and Tischler began to ð

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ABOVE: The aircraft’s paint scheme was selected upon discovery of photographic evidence relating to the same aircraft, BuNo 0972, taken on the apron at Oakland in November 1938.

investigate the possibility of constructing a small production run of these biplanes. The plan became concrete in 1988 and Champlin signed an order for the reconstruction of three single-seat versions and the G-32 two-seater.

Reconstruction

The reconstruction of the aircraft to original Grumman specification, albeit using very few original parts, would prove to be a long and complicated process and it was only after five years of work that the biplanes were ready for their first flights. The results were remarkable, however; the reconstructed Flying Barrels were practically identical to the aircraft manufactured 50 years before, the only differences being the fitting of modern avionics, the brake system, and the adoption of the R-1820-50 engine, which was slightly more powerful than the original R-1820-22. By now Champlin had passed one of the

aircraft (BuNo 0972) on to the Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) and the remaining two to collector Tom Friedkin’s Cinema Air Inc. Subsequently, Cinema Air sold one to Kermit Weeks and another to Jim Slattery.

Flash flood

The aircraft depicted on these pages is BuNo 0972, which was purchased by the Galveston, Texas-based LSFM whilst still under construction. Although rated as one of the museum’s star attractions, the Grumman F3F was not flown frequently and it was largely relegated

aircraft in the collection, amongst them the Flying Barrel which was submerged under more than 6ft seawater and mud during a flash flood. At first it was feared that the aircraft had been lost forever but it was decided to send it, together with the other flood damaged museum aircraft, to Ezell Aviation for a special cleaning treatment that prevented any further corrosion.

Change of owner

At this point in the story Chris Prevost, the owner and chief pilot of the Vintage Aircraft Company of Sonoma in California appears. Chris explains his interest in this aircraft: “I have always been attracted by aircraft from the ‘golden era’ of flight and so, when there was the opportunity to acquire the Flying Barrel, I couldn’t let it pass me by, particularly as I had a great ambition to be able to fly the last biplane fighter of the US Navy.

“The three fighters crashed on the wooded slopes of Monte Haleakala” to the role of acting as a static exhibition in the hangar. Disaster struck in September 2008 when Hurricane Ike battered the Texas coast and the museum was severely hit by its fury. Despite the efforts of the personnel and the pilots it was not possible to save all the th

Continues on page 52

ABOVE: The Grumman F3F’s ABO ’s 950hp hp Wright R-1820-22 182 Cyclone ycl belch belches smoke ke as it bur bursts in into lif life at Son Sonoma. LEFT: The cockpit of N20RW has been returned to as close to ‘stock’ condition as possible.

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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www.aeroplanemonthly.com 51

BELOW: “The rate of roll is fair, but the thing that gives me the greatest satisfaction with the aircraft is its excellent turn of speed, above all its acceleration and rate of climb”.

Continued from page 50

“In previous years, I had been in contact with Larry Gregory, the director of the LSFM, with a view to its acquisition, but on every occasion I had received a negative response, as the aircraft was not for sale. This situation changed after the museum had been hit by Hurricane Ike, and the requirement to raise funds for reconstruction resulted in the museum deciding to sell some of the aircraft. I immediately stepped in, and thanks to the cooperation of Larry, managed to agree purchase conditions. “I was a little worried by the fact that the aircraft had suffered damage during the flooding of the museum, but I must admit that Ezell Aviation had made an excellent job of the cleaning and preservation work on the airframe, and once we had taken the aircraft to my workshops at Sonoma, its general condition was found to be fairly good. In particular, it showed no signs of corrosion in the structure. “Obviously, I set about a complete overhaul, reconstructing some missing parts and replacing the engine. In fact, I hoped to return the Grumman to the same condition as when it was operational, and for this reason I decided to replace the 1,050hp R-1820-55 engine with an original 950hp R-1820-22 unit. “The wings were completely dismantled and all the fabric areas recovered using modern Ceconite covering. During the overhaul of the aircraft, which also included the rewiring of the electrical system, I also reinstalled rein re inst in stal st alle al led le d the the trim trim correctly, ccor orre or rect re ctly ct ly,, as during ly dur d urin ing in g its its

“The aircraft adopts a rolling flight path, almost as if the pilot is drunk”

ABOVE: ABOVE ABO VE:: The right hand side of the cockpit is home to the undercarriage retraction crank along with other instruments, fuses and ancillaries.

ABOVE:: As part of his efforts to return the ABOVE: ABOVE fighter to original operational condition, Chris decided to replace the 1,050hp R-182055 engine with an original 950hp R-1820-22 Cyclone.

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ABOVE: ABOVE ABO VE:: On the left hand side of the cockpit can be found the trim wheels, throttle box and locking controls for the steerable tailwheel.

dismantling dism di sman sm antl an tlin tl ing in g we had had become bec b ecom ome e aware awar aw are e that that it had been installed inverted. We also modified the braking system and attached original wheels from the period, which luckily I had managed to source. “In fact, when manufactured by the Texas Aircraft Factory, the aircraft incorporated Ai a few modifications to the original braking system, with the adoption of disc brakes sy and wheels of a slightly smaller diameter. an Once the engine – the only component On of the aircraft overhauled by an outside company – had been installed, the aircraft co was practically ready to receive its present wa paint scheme, which was selected on the pa discovery of supporting photographic di evidence relating to the same aircraft, BuNo ev 0972, taken on the apron at Oakland in 09 November 1938.” No

Airborne again

After more than two and a half years and over 1,000 hours of work, the F3F returned ov to the skies in September 2012. In terms of its flying characteristics, Chris, who to date has accumulated more than 20 wh hours on the biplane, says: “the Flying Barrel ho is a fighter aircraft which certainly, when it first flew, must have ranked amongst the most capable of its type. mo “Without doubt, the fact that I had accumulated hundreds of hours on ac aircraft such as the P-40 and Mustang, ai helped my conversion onto the type, but he notwithstanding, I have to acknowledge that no it is an aircraft which behaves well in flight. It is stable and fairly easy to control; once trimmed out there is no need for corrections

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Grumman F3F-2

An improved version of the preceding F3F-1, the design of the Grumman F3F-2 was signed off in November 1935, the prototype making its first flight from the runway at Farmingdale on July 21, 1936. The new aircraft, despite appearing externally similar to its forerunner, was easily distinguished by the larger engine cowling housing the Wright R-1820-G5 Cyclone engine. The first F3F-2s were placed into service with VF-6, which began to receive eiv the he biplan biplanes in lat late November mbe 1937,, b beginning flight operations from the deck of the USS Enterprise at the beginning of 1938. Soon afterwards the production aircraft (which were fitted with the definitive R-1820-22 engine) began to be also assigned to VMF-2 of the US Marine Corps. The final unit to receive the F3F-2 was another Marines unit, VMF-1 based at Quantico, while VF-5 of the US Navy received both F3F-2s and nearly all the F3F-3s manufactured. This latter model differed from the F-2 version only through some detail modifications. In total, besides the prototype, production amounted to 39 F3F-1s, 54 F3F-2s and just 22 F3F-3s. Despite its limited operational use, the final F3F-2 of VMF-2 was withdrawn from operational service on October 10, 1941, so becoming the last biplane fighter of the US Navy to be used on the front line. Nevertheless, by virtue of its good flying performance, the Flying Barrel saw wide second-line service, albeit relegated to advanced training roles, with the remaining aircraft distributed mostly between NAS Corpus Christi, Miami, and NAS Norfolk, Virginia. It was not by chance that a major proportion of US Navy and Marine fighter pilots who flew during the course of the war had recorded a few flying hours in the biplane in their log books. The type was finally withdrawn from service in November 1943.

and it responds well to commands. “The rate of roll is fair, but the thing that gives me the greatest satisfaction with the aircraft is its excellent turn of speed, above all its acceleration and rate of climb. Obviously you pay for this performance with increased fuel consumption, and some of the systems in the aircraft are decidedly more ‘spartan’ when compared to newer fighters such as the P-40. “The undercarriage retraction system is particularly basic. When recreated in Texas the aircraft were given [an] electrically retracting undercarriage but the desire to return the aircraft as closely as possible to its original condition meant it has now been restored to the original manually operated

system – a characteristic common to many Grumman aircraft of the 1930s.

Thirty cranks

“This peculiarity creates a particular problem for the pilot, namely being forced to let go of the throttle to grasp the control column with your left hand to enable you to use your right hand to pull the lever located on the right hand side of the cockpit to complete the retraction sequence. Around 30 cranks of the handle are necessary, and this often means that watching an F3F take off can be somewhat entertaining, as the aircraft adopts a rolling flight path, almost as if the pilot is drunk, until the undercarriage retraction sequence is complete.

ABOVE When the aircraft ABOVE: ABOVE air ft was reconstructed structed by the Texas Aircraft Factory it featured an electrically retractable undercarriage, disc brakes and slightly smaller wheels. Chris Prevost has managed to source original wheels and has returned the undercarriage and brakes to their original systems.

“Another negative aspect, albeit common in this type of aircraft, is that forward visibility is practically nil, caused by the large engine and the fact that the pilot sits quite far back in the airframe. Undoubtedly, in combat it would not have been easy for the pilot to follow the fight as the long nose and the high wing combine to substantially hinder an arc of forward visibility. This fact, moreover, requires you to stay very alert during the phases of landing and taxiing. Flying wide turns in the circuit helps keep the runway in sight for as long as possible and when taxiing you are forced to continually zigzag in order to see ahead of the aircraft.” The author thanks Frank McMeiken and Chris Prevost for their help with this article.

BELOW: Hugging the California coastline the F3F demonstrates its authentic 1938 markings to good effect.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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It takes around 30 cranks of the undercarriage lever to retract the landing gear. The pilot needs to swap hands shortly after take off, releasing the throttle and moving his right hand onto the retraction mechanism. LUIGINO CALIARO

Preservation

Profile

Richard Lake’s Hispano Buchón G-AWHE is now a familiar part of the British airshow ‘scene.’ Gary R Brown tells its story

H

ispano HA-1112A Buchón G-AWHE (c/n 67) was completed by Hispano Aviación in November 1959 and was allocated the military serial C.4K-31. Its actual use within the Spanish Ejercito del Aire is currently unknown, although around 170 Buchóns served with the 7 Grupo de Caza-Bombardo at one time or another. However, by the early 1960s the Buchón was in the twilight of its operational career. The arrival of the jet-powered F-86 Sabre relegated the Buchóns to the role of gunnery trainers and the type was finally retired in 1964. The fleet was put out to grass at Tablada Air Base and news of their imminent scrapping reached the Colonels of the Confederate Air Force (CAF). The group travelled to Spain and purchased the four best examples – including C.4K-31 – for its rapidly growing fleet in Texas.

A few years later Hamish Mahaddie began his hunt for aircraft to appear in the film Battle of Britain and after acquiring the remaining surplus Buchóns at auction he struck a deal with the CAF to lease its examples to bolster numbers. As well as being painted in Luftwaffe markings the aircraft gained dummy machine guns and modifications were carried out to remove the wing fences and cannons as well as clipping the wing tips so that they resembled the planform of the earlier Bf109E. Several aircraft were also fitted with smoke canisters below the exhaust stubs. For filming in the UK C.4K-31 was given the civil registration G-AWHE but was painted, mostly, as Red 8 and Red 3. However, identity changes were common as the continuity department strived to make sure that no shot down aircraft was resurrected! Filming was initially undertaken at Tablada in Spain but on May 14, 1968 C.4K-31 was among a formation of 16 Buchóns that

Soon after it was shipped to the USA the aeroplane was registered N109ME and was painted in a mottled camouflage with the Red 13 codes. It is seen here preparing to start its Merlin engine at the Washington Transpo airshow in 1972. PETER R ARNOLD VIA GARY R BROWN

In the mid-1970s N109ME was repainted as the Bf109F flown by Luftwaffe ace Hans Joachim Marseille – complete with Yellow 14 codes. It retained this scheme until it was shipped to the UK in 2008 but was flown very little. ELWYN AUD VIA GARY R BROWN

C.4K-31 is prepared for filming at Tablada, Spain circa April 1968. The aircraft mostly wore the markings of Red 3 and Red 8 for its appearances in the film Battle of Britain. SIMON MORRISON VIA PETER R ARNOLD

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arrived at Duxford for the completion of the aerial sequences. Five months later, with the film ‘in the can’, C.4K-31 was crated up and sent across the Atlantic to the CAF HQ at Harlingen, Texas. The aircraft was given the FAA registration N109ME and registered to Wilson Connie Edwards. The aeroplane’s film markings were quickly replaced and it depicted Red 13 until October 24, 1973 when it ground looped whilst landing at Brownwood, Texas and sustained serious damage to the undercarriage, engine and propeller. The Buchón had returned to flight by August 1974 when it appeared in the film Hindenburg, painted in striking Legion Condor markings as a Bf109B. It was then repainted as Yellow 14, the Bf109F flown by Luftwaffe ace Hans Joachim Marseille, but was eventually grounded as a safety measure in late 1987 after the loss of CAF pilot Dick Baird in another Buchón (N8575). C.4K-31 was subsequently trucked to the CAF’s new home at Midland, Texas for static display but following a policy change the aircraft was transferred to the CAF’s Arizona wing and a restoration and re-wire commenced. The project transferred to Oklahoma in 1999 under the sponsorship of Dan Lawson and Brent Hisey and a 3,000 man-hour overhaul was undertaken under the watchful eye of Chief Mechanic Terry Watson and his crew. In 2003 UK-based pilot Charlie Brown flew out to the USA to undertake a flight test programme but problems with the cooling curtailed any flying. After a fruitless worldwide search for new cooling pipes, the complete system had to be remanufactured from scratch before test pilot Skip Holm returned C.4K-31 (as N109ME) to the skies on May 25, 2004. The sponsors had both hoped to fly the Buchón, but this was vetoed by CAF HQ so the sponsorship ceased and it was returned to Midland for static display. The aircraft never flew again in the US and was offered for sale, eventually finding its way back to the UK during June 2008 after being purchased by Eastern Airways’ co-owner Richard Lake. Having reverted to its former identity as G-AWHE, the airframe was fully restored to CAA standards over a three-year period by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford with assistance from Eastern Airways’ personnel and returned to the skies on May 16, 2011. Today it is based mostly at Humberside Airport and flies in the markings of Maj Erich Gerlitz, Gruppenkommandeur of III/JG53 based at Quotaifiya, Egypt in July 1942.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

AVM Cliff Spink flying Richard Lake’s Hispano Buchón G-AWHE at the 2004 Flying Legends airshow at the IWM Duxford. The aircraft wears the desert markings of Maj Erich Gerlitz when he was Gruppenkommandeur of III/JG53 based at Quotaifiya, Egypt in July 1942. GARY R BROWN

Learjet

Legacy

Fifty years on n from the delivery of the first Learjet Sebastian Morgan looks back at the iconic business jet’s first half a century

F

ifty years ago well-heeled businessmen flew to meetings in high performance pistonpowered aircraft that were, by their very nature, limited in speed, altitude and – as a result – their ultimate range. But on October 13, 1964 executives at Cincinnati’s Chemical and Industrial Corp took delivery of the first Learjet and the business world changed forever. On that day, not only was as an iconic aircraft launched but the world was introduced to the idea of corporate jet travel – the bizjet was born.

ABOVE: N200Y was the first Learjet 23 to be delivered to a customer. It arrived with Cincinnati’s Chemical and Industrial Corp fifty years ago on October 13, 1964.

The idea for the Learjet came to Bill Lear while he was living in Switzerland in the late 1950s, with inspiration reportedly drawn from the cancelled FFA P-16 jet fighter. He shrewdly saw the need for a small, fast jet to transport the the elite around the world and put pen to paper. Originally referred to as the Swiss American Aircraft Company (SAAC) Model 23, the new aircraft was quickly rebranded as the Learjet Model 23 when Lear moved the project to Wichita, Kansas in 1962.

Beaird and Bob Hagen on February 7, 1963 and they soon found that the high performance came with compromises, the major one being a very high 120kt stall speed and ‘difficult’ handling when that stall arrived. With just 194 hours on the clock the aircraft crashed on June 4, 1964 while simulating an engine failure on take-off during testing, but the accident was attributed to pilot error and the Model 23 was awarded a type certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration a month later.

No Compromise

Glamour

Lear refused to compromise on performance with the six to eight-seat Model 23 designed for a 450ktss cruise speed and an n operating ceiling of 45,000ft. The first Learjet 23 made its maiden flight ht in the hands of test pilots Hank nk

The Learjet may have been designed with the businessman in mind, but the stylish jet also found a following with the glitterati. Celebrity owners have abounded, but perhaps none as notorious as Frank Sinatra. ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ had a Learjet 23 (N175FS) from 1965 to 1967 and the jet racked up more than a thousand hours flying the singer, his Rat Pack friends and other showbiz greats such as Elvis. Rumour has it the aeroplane also doubled as the designated escape vehicle to get out of

MAIN PICTURE: N505PF was the sixth Learjet 23 to be built and is considered by many to be the first ‘production’ Learjet. Today it is on display at the Kansas Aviation Museum.

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

RIGHT: The first Learjet 23 (N801L) takes off for its maiden flight on October 7, 1963.

town to wn fast ffas astt after afte af terr a night te nigh ni ghtt of overindulgence gh ove o veri ve rind ri ndul nd ulge ul genc ge ncee and nc and fist sticuffs stic icuf ic uffs uf fs iin n ’Vegas! ’Veg ’V egas eg as!! as

Ever Improving

The improved Learjet 24 made its maiden flight on January 24, 1966 and the first of 259 entered service in November of that year. The Model 24 was certified with a gross weight of 13,500lbs (1,000lbs more than the Model 23) and also benefited from increased cabin pressurisation to allow a higher operating altitude. The jet also had an extra window on each side of the cabin, more powerful engines and extra fuel in wing tip tanks. From May 23-26, 1966, a Learjet 24 flew around the world in 50 hours and 20 minutes as a demonstration of its capabilities. The first Model 25 was hot on its heels and flew on August 12, 1966. This was 4ft 2in longer than the earlier jets, allowing for three additional passengers. A total of 369 aircraft were produced, but the majority of them under the new directorship of the Gates Aviation. Bill Lear had sold 60% of his now thriving business to the Gates Rubber Company of Denver in April 1967 (for a reported $27 million) and two years later he stepped down from the board. His work had been done, but the aircraft he had designed would go from strength to strength. He would go on to develop the LearAvia steam powered car, the Learstar 600 (later to become the Canadair Challenger) and the revolutionary Learfan – before his death on Mayy 14, 1978.

Gates Era

The first new variant developed by the new owners was the Learjet 35, which first flew on August 22, 1973 but traces its history back to the Learjet 25BGF proof of concept aircraft from om 1971. The experimental jet had a TFE731 turbofan engine mounted on the port side in place of the usual General Electric CJ610 turbojet engine. This new engine gave increased d performance and reduced noise but rather than n create a new variant of the Model 25, Gates elected to launch a stretched version (13in longer) and rebrand it as the Learjet 35. By 1974, the worldwide Learjet fleet had exceeded the one-million-flight-hours mark and the 500th example was produced in 1975.

ABOVE: Bill Lear defied convention in all areas of his life. He left school early, married four times, was a notorious philanderer and made (and lost) several fortunes during his life. He also registered patents for nearly 200 inventions from the car radio to the automatic aircraft direction finder (ADF) and the stereo 8-track tape system as well as creating the Motorola Corporation.

A year later the Gates Learjet Corp (as it had now been rebranded) increased production to ten aircraft per month.

Legacy

Over the coming years the Learjet family evolved and expanded in various directions but production of all variants stopped in 1984

In 1990, Bombardier Aerospace purchased the Learjet Corporation and has continued to evolve the Learjet line product ever since. The first Learjet 75 is now in service and the Learjet 85 prototype flew earlier this year. Over the last fifty years the Learjet has retained its reputation for opulent glamour. The aircraft is a true icon of the 20th century and a conspicuous sign of affluence. Rock stars, politicians and the business elite continue to aspire to owning or flying in a Learjet and, to the general public, the name has become synonymous with business jets. In the same way that ‘any’ passing biplane is a Tiger Moth and ‘any’ World War Two fighter is a Spitfire, a passing business jet is assumed to be a Learjet. The world’s first business jet is far from dead.

“A conspicuous co onsspicuous sign of afflu affluence” uen nce”

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

and work did not begin again until 1986 when a welcome injection of funds came when the company won an order to produce parts for the Space Shuttle’s engines. A year later the company was sold to a venture called Integrated Acquisition and rebranded as Learjett Corporation. However, a new aircraft showed much promise.

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’ a r e V ‘

Flying Concluding his coverage of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Lancaster, Doug Fisher speaks to the crews who maintain and fly FM213

U

nlike many historic aircraft operators, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum flies (CWHM) fl ies its machines on a regular basis. The Lancaster in particular can be seen aloft almost every weekend as part of the Bomber Crew membership scheme, which allows enthusiasts to flights sample fl ights in the aircraft. flown In order to be fl own this regularly the aircraft needs to be kept in tip-top condition, and more than 25 years after it returned to the skies the aircraft remains in excellent condition.

Crew chief’s view

Among those responsible for C-GVRA’s on-going maintenance is crew chief Randy Straughan. “Lancaster maintenance is ongoing throughout flying the fl ying season,” he explains. “’VRA requires a lot of attention and the maintenance flight programme starts prior to every fl ight with the daily inspection (DI) and walk around.” The DI begins with checking and charging the pneumatic system to 300psi. Next, the main tyres and tailwheel are checked for pressure and all four Packard Merlin engines will have the oil tanks dipped and coolant level checked. The hydraulic tank is also checked for the correct oil level and finally finally the windscreen is cleaned of all bugs. “The walk around is primarily the pilots’ responsibility” says Randy, “but as crew chief it’s good practice to have a look beforehand to do A and B (25 and 50hr) inspections for anything that seems abnormal.” mid-season if needed. A 25hr inspection can Inspections be carried out in a short period of time as most of the inspections are visual but 50hr and The CWHM team aims to carry out the aircraft’s 100hr (C check) inspections require the engines, main inspections during winter when ’VRA has flight fl ight systems and aircraft structure to be finished flying fi nished her fl ying schedule but it is possible

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looked at in much greater detail. pre-flight Other crew chief duties include a pre-fl ight assessment of the aircraft’s serviceability prior to starting engines. Coupled with the DI, flight flight deck systems including battery voltage and fuel boost pumps are checked for correct operation

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

and, with the pilots on board and the checklist in hand, the engines are readied to fi re. fire. Master fuel control and fuel priming are also carried out by the crew chief while the pilots control the starters and idle cut offs (ICO). Once the engine starts, oil pressure is verified verified on each engine and prior to the run-up all temperatures and pressure are confi rmed as confirmed “in the green.” During fl ight, it is the crew chief ’s flight, responsibility to monitor the aircraft systems, temperatures and pressures, while remaining alert and ready for any emergency that may arise.

Flying ‘Vera’

Retired Air Canada Boeing 747 Flight Training Manager Captain Don Fisher was one of the pilots entrusted with flying flying C-GVRA for 18 years. He fl ew more than 400 hours in the flew aircraft before he retired at the age of 75. Today he reflects reflects on fl ying the big bomber: flying “In the fall of 1988 the Lancaster completed its test fl ight program and was put to bed until flight the spring of 1989 to prepare for the training of the pilots and crew selected to operate it. I was fortunate to be chosen as one of the pilots selected to fly fly the Lanc. “I was checked out in the spring and immediately began flying flying airshow and demonstration fl ights. I had experience in heavy flights. four-engined aircraft, having flown flown the DC-4M North Star [Merlin powered DC-4] on Trans Canada Airlines’ overseas schedule and had fl flown own numerous tail-dragger aircraft and owned my own Cessna 195A at the time. This was a defi definite nite asset with regard to fl flying ying the Lanc. “Flying the Lanc is very satisfying although it can be demanding at times, but for an aircraft built in 1945 it handles quite well. Like all aircraft of that era, it is heavy on the ailerons and rudder and responsive on the elevators. “Today the crew consists of a captain, fi first rst offi officer cer [F/O], crew chief and a crewman. Starting is a matter of coordinating the three up front to work together. The captain handles the

ABOVE: A 50 or 100hr check is much more in-depth and require the engines, flight systems and aircraft structure to be looked at in far greater detail. LEFT: Don Fisher and Randy Staughton pose for the cameras after Don’s final flight piloting C-GVRA. ALL DOUG FISHER UNLESS STATED

throttles and calls out the starting commands, the F/O operates the starter buttons and the ICO switches and the crew chief looks after the fuel and primer switches. During the starting procedure the hydraulic, electric generator, vacuum and pneumatic systems are checked for operation as each engine begins to turn.”

“This brings up one of the Lancaster’s problems: the tailwheel cannot be steered or locked. A combination of rudder movement and engine power has to be coordinated to obtain a smooth taxi with an occasional help from the brakes. Run up of engines is similar to all other piston types. “For take-off there is considerable torque pulling the aircraft to the left; therefore, the best way to stay on centreline is to lead with the No 1 engine when applying the power until a ð

Taxiing & take off

“To taxi you just release the brakes and the aircraft will start to roll. When clear of the ramp parking area we set 1,000rpm on the inner airflow engines (No 2 and 3) to obtain airfl ow over the rudders for steering. We use the outers (No 1 and 4) to initiate the turns.

MAIN PICTURE: The CWHM and BBMF Lancasters in formation over the UK in August. The success and popularity of the Canadian tour surpassed all expectations. RICHARD PAVER

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ABOVE: A 25hr check can be carried out in a short period of time as most of the inspections are visual.

Landing in

Imp Gal per hour across the four engines. good airflow is established over the tailplane. “I tended to lift off at 95kts or 105kts fully loaded and once airborne you touch the brakes and call for ‘gear up’. When the wheels are retracted and the hydraulic pressure cuts out, you select ‘flaps up’. The hydraulic system will only support one demand at a time so you wait until the crew chief taps you on the shoulder (it’s too loud to hear any verbal commands so hand signals are often used) to indicate that the hydraulic system cut off has operated (the hydraulic press gauge is on his panel). “Climb power of +4lbs and 2,400rpm is then selected until cruising altitude is reached and the power is reduced to +2lbs and 2,200rpm. This gives 170kts while burning 220

Manoeuvring

“The maximum bank angle at or below 1,000ft AGL is 30 degrees. If you use a bank greater than this and were to lose power on the outboard top engine (No 1 or 4), the slow roll rate and correction of any slip would make getting the wings level a very demanding exercise. “The aircraft’s performance is actually very good and we are certified to fly the Lanc at 53,000lbs for take off. That said, we normally operate around 48,000lbs. During the war it was flown up to 65,000lbs. “The rudders and elevators are actuated by push pull rods running down the inside of the fuselage which give good positive control but are heavy in cruise.

“The approach and landing is the same as a standard piston tail wheel aircraft. We reduce the speed to 140kts and when we are downwind we select ‘flap 1’ then call for ‘gear down’. On the crosswind leg we slow to 125kts and select ‘flap 2’ then as we turn final, we reduce the speed to 115kts and call for ‘flap 3’ at 500ft. As we pass 200ft I would call for ‘full flap’ and set the rpm at 2,850, aiming to cross the threshold at 100kts. “You start closing the throttles over the threshold and at round out they should be fully closed. You level off just above the runway and hold the aircraft in ground effect. When you have the proper tail down attitude you let the wheels touch. Like all taildraggers, if you carry too much power on final, when you close the throttles you lose the engine airflow lift. This means a more pronounced round out is required to make use of ground effect. You cannot force the aircraft onto the runway at too high a speed as it will result in a bounce, which can increase in height with each bounce. An overshoot should be made if control cannot be regained after two bounces. “On arriving at the parking area we run the engines up for two minutes to burn the lead deposits off the spark plugs before we shut down. “Flying the Lanc was an honour and a privilege that allows the CWHM to pay respect to the young men of Bomber Command. To meet the veterans and see their tears of joy and sorrow as they see and hear the Lanc fly makes it all worthwhile.” LEFT: Don Fisher during his final flight as a Lancaster pilot. He learned to fly in 1948 and won the Webster Trophy as the ‘Top Amateur Pilot in Canada’ in 1951. Don then joined Trans-Canada Airlines (now Air Canada) and flew the DC-3, Merlin-powered DC-4M, Super Constellation, Viscount, Vanguard, DC-9, DC-8 and finally the Boeing 747. He also flew a restored Lockheed 10A for Air Canada on his days off. Since retiring as a Lancaster pilot, Don has continued to fly the CWHM’s DHC-1 Chipmunk and the PT-26 Cornell. His three children all learned to fly and have worked in aviation. Susan enjoyed a 27-year career with Air Canada, David is currently the Senior Air Accident Safety Investigator for Bombardier Aerospace and Doug is currently employed with Air Canada as a captain on the Airbus 319/320/321 as well as being an aviation author and photographer. LEFT: The No 2 engine is shut down and feathered during a routine training flight. FAR LEFT: The Lancaster has heavy ailerons and rudder but responsive elevators. CWHM is certified to fly the aircraft at 53,000lbs for take-off but normally operate it at around 48,000lbs. During the war, Lancasters were flown at up to 65,000lbs for take off.

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Cutaway Classics

Dornier Do 335 Pfeil In the first in a new series exploring the mass of cutaway drawings held in the Aeroplane archive, Steve Bridgewater turns his attention towards the unique Dornier Do 335 Pfeil

U

nhampered by tradition and given somewhat free rein to explore the laws of aerodynamics, the late war German aircraft designers produced some of the most advanced aircraft of their era. The end of the war in 1945 meant that many of these creations were destined to remain on the drawing board, but one that progressed to the flight phase was the Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow).

Dr Dornier’s determination

Dr Claudius Dornier had long been interested in the idea of centreline thrust with two engines sharing the same thrust line – i.e. one engine ‘pulling’ and one ‘pushing.’ He had employed this method in many of his seaplane designs where it had a number of advantages. Firstly, there was no asymmetric thrust in the event of an engine failure, but equally important was the fact that it left the wing clean of engine nacelles and the like, thus creating very little aerodynamic drag.

Dornier became determined to employ this revolutionary design concept to create a highspeed fighter, but whereas his seaplanes had engines mounted atop the wing, this would not work for a highly manoeuvrable fighter. At the same time, mounting an engine in the tail would adversely affect the centre of gravity so Dornier first needed to prove that the rearmounted propeller could be driven via a long propshaft from an engine mounted closer to the aircraft’s centre of balance. He therefore commissioned Ulrich Hütter to design a small testbed to prove the theory. Built by Schempp-Hirth and powered by a 80hp Hirth HM60R engine, the Göppingen Gö 9 first flew in 1940 and paved the way for Dr Dornier to submit ‘Projekt 231’ to the RLM for approval.

Projekt 231

ABOVE Dor ABOVE: Dornier Dornie nie needed eeded to prove that the rear-mounted eed ted propeller lle could ould be driven driv via a lon long propshaft and therefore commissioned Ulrich Hütter to design the Göppingen Gö 9 testbed. It was built by Schempp-Hirth and powered by a 80hp Hirth HM60R engine. BELOW: Only one Do 335 survives today. The aircraft was the second pre-production Do 335A-0 (WkNr 240102) and was assembled at Oberpfaffenhofen in April 1945. It was captured when Allied forces overran the factory and was one of two Do 335s to be shipped to the USA aboard the Royal Navy escort carrier HMS Reaper, along with other captured German aircraft, to be used for testing and evaluation. The fate of the other Do 335 is unknown but following testing this aircraft languished at NAS Norfolk until 1961 when it was donated to the Smithsonian’s National Air Museum. In 1974, it was returned to the Dornier plant in Oberpfaffenhofen – which was then building Alpha Jets – for a complete restoration. After a period on loan to the Deutsches Museum in Munich, it returned to the USA in 1986.

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A development contract was eventually awarded and the designation Do 335 was assigned to the aircraft. Projekt 231 was to be developed into a multi-purpose machine capable of operating as day fighter, night fighter, fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft and Zerstörer/destroyer. Design work began in earnest and a fearsome looking aircraft was born. A Daimler Benz DB 603 engine was mounted in the nose with an annular-ring cowling while a second unit was mounted in the middle of the fuselage, driving a rear-mounted propeller behind a cruciform tail. A small weapons bay – capable of carrying two 550lb bombs – was located in the belly and a tall tricycle undercarriage kept the propellers well clear of the ground.

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1 Upper rudder trim tab 2 Upper rudder 3 Upper tailfin (jettisonable by means of explosive bolts) 4 VDM airscrew of 10.83 ft (3.30m) diameter 5 Airscrew spinner 6 Airscrew pitch mechanism 7 Starboard elevator 8 Elevator tab 9 Metal stressed-skin tailplane structure 10 Ventral rudder 11 Tail bumper 12 Tail bumper oleo shock-absorber 13 Ventral tailfin (jettisonable for belly landing) 14 Coolant outlet 15 Rear navigation light 16 Explosive bolt seatings 17 Rudder and elevator tab controls 18 Hollow airscrew extension shaft 19 Rear airscrew lubricant feeds 20 Aft bulkhead 21 Coolant trunking 22 Oil cooler radiator 23 Coolant radiator 24 Fire extinguisher 25 Ventral air intake 26 FuG 25a IFF 27 FuG 125a blind landing receiver 28 Rear engine access cover latches 29 Exhaust stubs 30 Supercharger intake 31 Coolant tank 32 Engine bearer

ð

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41 Pilot’s back armour 42 Rearview mirror in glazed teardrop 43 Headrest 44 Pilot’s armoured ejector seat 45 Clear-vision panel 46 Jettisonable canopy (hinged to starboard) 47 Protected hydraulic fluid tank (9.9 Imp gal/45-litre capacity) 48 Undercarriage hydraulics cylinder 49 Oxygen bottles 50 Port flaps 51 Aileron tab 52 Port wing fuel tank 53 Port aileron 54 Master compass 55 Pitot head 56 Twin landing lights 57 Cannon muzzle of 30mm Rheinmetall Borsig MK 103 58 Cannon fairing 59 Ammunition tray 60 Windscreen

61 Port control console (trim settings) 62 Control column 63 Twin 20mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon 64 Ammunition box 65 Forward firewall 66 Breech of nose-mounted MK 103 cannon 67 Engine bearer 68 Forward DB 603E-1 engine 69 MG 151 cannon blast tubes 70 Gun trough 71 Hydraulically-operated cooling gills 72 Coolant radiator (upper segment) 73 Oil cooler radiator (lower segment) 74 VDM airscrew of 11.48 ft (3.50 m) diameter 75 Airscrew spinner 76 MK 103 cannon port 77 Armoured radiator ring 78 Coolant tank (3.3 Imp gal/15-litre capacity) 79 Exhaust stubs 80 Nosewheel oleo leg 81 Nosewheel scissors 82 Damper 83 Nosewheel 84 Mudguard 85 Retraction strut 86 Nosewheel door 87 MK 103 cannon ammunition tray 88 Collector tray 89 Accumulator 90 Electric systems panel 91 Ejector seat compressed air bottles 92 Rudder pedals 93 Ammunition tray 94 Armour

Dornier Do 335 Pfeil

33 Aft Daimler-8enz DB 603E-1 12-cylinder invertedVee liquid-cooled engine rated at 1,800hp for take-off and 1,900hp at 5,905ft (1,800m) 34 Supercharger 35 Aft firewall 36 FuG 25a ring antenna 37 Fuel filler cap 38 Main fuel tank (270 Imp gal/1,230-litre capacity) 39 Secondary ventral fuel tank 40 Two (9.9 Imp gal/45-litre capacity) lubricant tanks (port for forward engine and starboard for rear engine)

95 Cannon fairing 96 MK 103 barrel 97 Muzzle brake 98 Ammunition feed chute 99 Starboard MK 103 wing cannon 100 Mainwheel retraction strut 101 Oleo leg 102 Starboard mainwheel 103 Mainwheel door 104 Forward face of box spar 105 Stressed wing skinning 106 Starboard navigation light 107 Wingtip structure 108 Starboard aileron 109 Aileron trim tab 110 Starboard wing fuel tank 111 Aileron control rod 112 Trim tab linkage 113 Oxygen bottles 114 Starboard flaps 115 Starter fuel tank 116 Flap hydraulic motor 117 Starboard mainwheel well 118 Boxspar 119 Compressed air bottles (emergency undercarriage actuation) 120 Mainspar/fuselage attachment points

ABOVE: The first prototype ABOVE ABO ototyp oto type typ e V-1 V-1 demonstrates dem trates tra tes the th initial design for the main gear doors. These were removed after the maiden fliight and modified units were fitted to later versions. RIGHT: RIG A rare in-flight view of the Dornier Do 335 – in this case V-l prototype pro CP+UA – clearly shows the V-1’s distinguishing oil cooler under und the nose. LEFT: LEF Do 335 A-1 pilots had very poor rear visibility, therefore special blisters were made in the canopy glass the to accommodate rear-view mirrors.

Anteater

The large wing was mounted well back and made the already long nose look even longer. Although the name ‘Pfeil’ (Arrow) was used semi-officially, many of the pilots who flew the type nicknamed it ‘Ameisenbär’ (Anteater). The first prototype Dornier Do 335 V1 (CP+UA) was ready for flight testing by late 1943 and on October 26 Dornier test pilot Flugkapitän Hans Dieterle was at the controls when the type made its maiden flight. The first flight went reasonably well but problems with the weak undercarriage would go on to plague the type throughout its short history. The main gear doors also caused problems on the maiden flight and were removed for the remainder of the V1’s test flights. The Do 335 V1 made 27 flights but was soon replaced by the V2 (WkNr 230002). Carrying the codes CP+UB, the second aircraft made its first flight on New Year’s Eve 1943, with Dieterle at the controls once again. This aircraft differed from the original by having upgraded DB 603A2 engines and several refinements learned from the V1 or during windtunnel testing. A third example, the Do 335 V3 (WkNr 230004) joined the programme on January 20, 1944, this time being flown by Werner Altrogge.

The Th aircraft was powered by the new 1,900hp DB 603G-0 engines and featured a redesigned ned canopy including two rear-view mirrors in blisters each side of the heavily framed canopy. anopy. It also had redesigned main gear doors. Further prototypes followed, with the fifth being the first to carry armament – this taking aking the shape of two MG 151 15mm cannon in the upper fuselage and a 30mm MK 103 cannon non no n firing through the propeller hub.

Development

In mid January 1944 the RLM ordered five further prototypes, which it decreed would ld be be built as two-seat night fighters. The first Do 335A-0 pre-production aircraft craft (VP+PG) appeared in mid 1944 and the Erprobungs-kommando 335 unit was created in September of that year to createe the tactics that would be used when the type pe entered service. The unit was equipped with ith the first ten pre-production airframes. The first full production Do 335A-1 variant ant was completed at Oberpfaffenhofen in late autumn 1944, this introducing the DB 603E-1 E-1 engine and a pair of under-wing hardpoints ts for drop tanks or 550lb bombs. A single Do 335A-4 unarmed reconnaissance sance version was also delivered, this having two o Rb 50/18 cameras in the belly weapons bayy

along with the provision for extra external fuel. If development dev evel elop el opme op ment me nt had had continued, ccon onti tinued ed, plans plan pl ans were in placee to fit the the DB DB 603G 603G eeng engines ngin ng ines in es w wit with ith it h a higher compression ratio and more po powerful rful rf superchargers ha to help hel the th A-4 model del reach h higher altitude.

Night Fighter

Development Deve De velo lopm pmen entt of the the Do Do 335A-6 335A 33 5A-6 -6 night nig n ight ht fighter ght g hter variant continued throughout this time and the prototype Do 335 V10 was modified to become the first of the breed. The aircraft’s armament

remained unchanged but the airframe gained ined a FuG 217J Nept Neptun airborne irbo intercept radar fitted – the aerials located ahead of the wing. A second crew member was needed to operate the radar and a seat was therefore fitted ed above and behind the pilot. This

BELOW: As part of Operation Seahorse, two of the surviving Do 335A-0 single seaters were shipped to the USA for detailed evaluation. Meanwhile, two of the B-series prototypes were evaluated by the CEV in France and the two airworthy A-12 two-seaters were flown to Britain – reportedly swapped with USAAF forces for ten Focke-Wulf Fw190s. Both of the Do 335A-12s were flight-tested at RAE Farnborough. Both were destroyed in crashes – including AM223 which was lost of January 18, 1946 when it caught fire and crashed on the village school at Cove killing six people plus the pilot.

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not only gave the Pfeil an even more unusual appearance than before, it also meant a complete restructuring of the fuel system with the weapons bay being converted to a fuel tank. The extra weight, combined with the aerodynamic hindrance of the extra canopy and the effect of flame dampers on the engine resulted in the A-6’s performance being 10% less than that of its daytime sisters. A pair of Do 335As were also converted to two-seat configuration, this time to act as conversion trainers for the unusual aircraft.

Zerstörer

The worsening war situation during the winter of 1944/45 led to the Zerstörer (destroyer) version of the Do 335 being given sudden and unexpected priority. This was supposed to be at the expense of the Heinkel He 219 night fighter – although Ernst Heinkel managed to delay, and eventually ignore, its implementation, continuing cont co ntin nt inui in uing ui ng tto produce examples es of thee He 219A. Nevertheless, as part of Hitler’ Hitler’s r’s Jägernotprogramm directive directive, the Pfeil programme was given gi maximum xi priority. iori A production line was intended for Manzell but an Allied bombing raid destroyed the tooling and forced Dornier to set up a new line at Oberpfaffenhofen. Ober Ob erpf pfaf affe fenh nhof ofen en..

The Zerstörer variant began life with the Do 335 V13 prototyp prototype, which was completed at Oberpfaffenhofen Ob Oberpfaffenhof ofen in Do 335B-1 configuration early earl rly in 1945. The T aircraft lost its weapons bayy to give space spac ace to extra fuel tankage and the 15mm mm cannon were replaced by 20mm MG 151 units. un

The Do 335B-2 variant (derived from the V14 prototype) was even more heavily armed with an additional 30mm MK 103 cannon mounted in the wings.

Cancelled

In the event, these were the only two B-variant Pfeils to be completed before Allied forces overran the factory in April 1945. When they reached the construction line at Oberpfaffenhofen, American forces discovered further B-1 and B-2 prototypes as well as a pair of B-6 aircraft – these having the airframe of the A-6 night fighter but with the extra armament of the Zerstörer.

At least 16 prototype Do 335s are known to have flown, along with around 22 preproduction aircraft completed before the end of the war. The type is not believed to have entered service but some US pilots did report seeing aircraft resembling it in the air over Germany during the closing days of the war. Writing in his book (The Big Show) French ace Pierre Clostermann also claims to have encountered the Do 335 while leading a flight of four 3 Sqn Hawker Tempests over northern Germany. He writes of intercepting the aircraft when it was flying at maximum speed at treetop level, but even the Tempest was unable to catch the 474mph-capable Do 335.

DORNIER DO 335A CREW LENGTH HEIGHT WINGSPAN WING AREA EMPTY WEIGHT MAX TAKE-OFF WEIGHT MAX SPEED SERVICE CEILING FERRY RANGE POWERPLANT NT ARMAMENT NT FIRST FLIGHT HT

1 45ft 5in (13.85m) 15ft 0in (4.55m) 45ft 1in (13.80m) 592sq ft (55.00m2) 11,484lb (5,210kg) 19,500lb (8,590kg) 412kts (474mph/765km/h) 37,400ft (11,400m) 1,442 miles (2,321km) Two Daimler Benz DB 603A inverted V12 piston engine (1,750hp each) One 30mm MK 103 cannon, two 20mm synchronised autocannons and up to 2,200lb bomb-load October 26, 1943

ANDY HAY/WWW.FLYINGART.CO.UK

RIGHT: A rare view inside the cockpit of the sole surviving Do 335 – which now resides in the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, USA.

ABOVE: The fr ABO ABOVE front Do 335A’s Daimler Benz Be DB 603G engine was accessed by opening a large cowling that hinged at top and was held in place by just three quick release latches.

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From the

Archives

On April 17, 1959, The Aeroplane magazine published a special Missiles and Astronautics edition, and from the following issue the title was rebranded The Aeroplane and Astronautics. The November 13, 1959 magazine duly ran an in depth piece on North American X-15 rocket-powered research aircraft, the first example having, on November 5, made an emergency landing with Scott Crossfield at the controls following an engine explosion on its third powered flight. A rather less potent, but nonetheless intriguing machine, the prototype VTOL Doak VZ-4 had just arrived at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, for testing. The ducted–fan covertiplane was originally intended for the US Army, who finally ‘passed’ on the project, electing to stick with helicopters.

ABOVE: The November 13, 1959 issue of The Aeroplane and Astronautics contained a survey of the world’s airlines, and had the archaically-named ‘Airco’ D.H.121 — later to become Trident — on the cover. RIGHT: A cutaway drawing of the North American X-15 graced page 488 of this issue along with an update on the rocket-powered aircraft’s development and flight testing.

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AEROPLANE AER A EROP ER OPLA OP LANE LA NE NOVEMBER NOV N OVEM OV EMBE EM BER BE R 2014 2014

RIGHT: Henry Wiggin & Company Ltd’s advert proudly stated that its nimonic alloys were now used for the moving blades of every British gas turbine engine. This, it was claimed, was due to the nickelchromium metal’s heat resistant qualities.

ABOVE: A rather more straight-ahead approach to marketing was adopted by the Dowty Group. The prototype Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy, G-AOZZ, had made its maiden flight on January 8, 1959. Sadly, this aeroplane was broken up at Ypsilanti, Michigan during September 2013.

“During the third powered flight on November 5 an engine explosion occurred”

LEFT: Once NASA had finished with the Doak, it went to the U.S. Army at Fort Eustis, in Newport News, where it is now on display at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum.

AEROPLANE AERO AE ROPL RO PLAN PL ANEE NOVEMBER AN NOVE NO VEMB VE MBER MB ER 2 2014 201 014 01 4

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DATABASE McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (USAF Variants)

SPECTRE

The USAF’s Naval Fighter Species of Spectre 34 years of USAF Phantom service Vietnam to Iraq USAFE and Beyond

NAVAL FIGHTER

P72 P75 P77 P80 P84

LONG SERVICE LO OP OPS US USAFE

16

IN-DEPTH PAGES

The adaptable ‘Spook’

Scale three-view drawings and profiles

Record-breaking, long-serving fighter-bomber

MAIN PICTURE: McDonnell Douglas F-4E-32-MC, 66-0338 of the 110th Tactical Fighter Squadron, quadro dron, dro n, 131 131stT 131stTactical stTact stT actica act icall Figh ica FFighter ighter igh ter Wi Wing, ng, Mi Misso Missouri ssouri uri Ai Airr Nati N National ationa ati onall Guard over Missouri in celebration of ‘30 years of Phabulous Phantoms’. VIA MARTYN CHORLTON LINE DRAWINGS AND PROFILE ARTWORK BY CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY © 2014.

examines the...

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (USAF Variants)

The USAF’s Naval Fighter

ABOVE: F4H-1 (F-4B-9-MC) BuNo 149405, painted as ‘49405’ was one of a pair of US Navy Phantom IIs borrowed by the USAF in January 1962 for a 120-day evaluation as F-110As. Their success prompted the acquisition of another 27 examples for the USAF to begin training its own Phantom aircrews. MCDONNELL DOUGLAS

Amongst the most successful combat aircraft of all time time, the F-4 F 4 Phantom II served the USAF operationally from 1962 to 1996. Peter Davies presents the amazing story of the F-4 Phantom in USAF service

W

hen the USAF first ordered the F-4 Phantom in April 1962 it immediately attracted criticism for buying a ‘Navy’ aircraft rather than additional squadrons of its own expensively developed fighters such as the F-105 Thunderchief and F-106 Delta Dart. In fact, the US Air Force had been involved in the F-4 project before the first US Navy example (F4H-1F BuNo 142259) flew in May 1958. Eventually, it bought three times as many Phantoms as the US Navy (USN), which originated the aircraft, thereby effectively taking over the programme. In 1953 the McDonnell Aircraft Company had begun work on a company funded design to improve on its own under-powered, single engine F3H Demon naval interceptor, the first fighter with radar-guided missile armament. The F4H-1 began early in 1954 as the F3H-G/H, a twin-engine Demon derivative with four 20mm

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guns, eleven ordnance hard-points and two Wright J65 (British Sapphire) engines fed via revolutionary variable-geometry air intakes.

Although the US Navy had no immediate need for this aircraft, it kept the project alive by ordering two prototypes as the AH-1, but powered

ABOVE: The Westinghouse APQ-100 radar systems for the F-4C (seen here) and APQ-109 (F-4D) were mounted on a sliding rail for easy access during maintenance. Modular construction allowed sections to be removed for attention or replaced, as seen in the foreground. USAF

by the new J79 afterburning turbojet. In April 1955 the Navy’s requirements altered and McDonnell was asked for a fleet defence fighter (the F4H-1) that could patrol 250 miles from a naval carrier force and intercept any incoming airborne threats with long-range radar-guided missiles. Carrying ordnance for ground attack was not among the top mission priorities. McDonnell began a complete revision of the design as the F4H-1 to accommodate J79 engines, improved versions of the Sperry Sparrow missile and its associated AN/APQ-50 search-and-track/fire-control radar, which had been successful in the later F3H-2 versions of the Demon. Crucially, the AH-1’s ground-attack capability (except for the guns) was also retained in the form of five pylon hard-points because the basic airframe configuration was already too far advanced to make its removal economical. There were four semirecessed missile wells under the

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DATABASE BASE

DATAPOINT The original F4H-1 was only meant

to be an ‘interim’ aircraft pending the arrival of the A-7 Corsair II and the F-111.

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

NAVAL FIGHTER

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (USAF Variants)

RF-4C

F-4C (three-view)

Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm © 2014

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

2,874

The number of F-4 Phantoms that were supplied to the USAF between 1963 and 1979.

ABOVE: Early F-4Cs retained US Navy paint schemes and inboard under-wing pylons, which were usually kept in place on the aircraft. Many ex-USN LAU-17/A Sidewinder launch rails were also passed to the USAF and some were used on RF-4Cs. Later USAF F-4C/D/Es used the MAU-12 inboard pylon with a rounded front end to accommodate wiring for triple ejection racks (TERs) for ordnance, including Aero 3B Sidewinder launchers. USAF

fuselage for the Sparrow IIIs, two J79-GE-3A engines and tandem cockpits for a pilot and a naval flight officer to operate the radar. It was the combination of heavy ordnance-carrying capacity and impressive overall performance that greatly increased the USAF’s interest in the project. Initially this came from Air Defense Command (ADC), who organised a fly-off comparison (Project High Speed in November 1961, off the Virginia coast) between an early F4H-1 and its own Convair F-106A Delta Dart interceptor, which had entered service in May 1959. Although the F-106A proved to be more manoeuvrable, compared with the Convair fighter’s less reliable MA-1 fire-control system, the F4H-1’s superior rate of radar ‘lock-ons’ to aerial targets was thought to be more important and ADC requested Phantoms. According to Capt. Robert Earl Haney, one of the USAF’s Project High Speed test pilots, “The F-4 fitted the bill in all cases”. ADC’s hopes were dashed by a change in policy for Tactical Air Command (TAC). During discussions of Project High Speed’s findings, the USAF was invited to observe USN bombing demonstrations by the F4H-1, including a delivery of 22 500lbs bombs from some hastilydevised multiple bomb racks. Several senior USAF officers, including the legendary General Curtis Le May, witnessed this unprecedented fighter-attack capability. Lt Gen Tom Miller, who was responsible for the US Marines (USN) side of the F4H programme, stated that, “They were so impressed that they stole the Phantom away from ADC. The F-106 remained in ADC and the Phantom was bought for Tactical Air Command (TAC). A major factor in this decision was an increase in TAC’s importance as a provider of a credible ‘conventional weapons’ strike

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alternative to the dominant nuclear might of Strategic Air Command (SAC) and the tactical nuclear capability added to some TAC and USAFE Europe (USAFE) fighters in 1952 when they were modified to carry Sandia Mk7 nuclear weapons. President John F Kennedy and his cost-cutting Secretary of Defense, Robert S McNamara wanted armed forces that could offer a ‘flexible response’ to a range of combat scenarios, including minor wars, rather than focusing exclusively on the Cold War all-out nuclear option. He wanted a 50 per cent increase in the number of tactical fighter wings, to be equipped with the planned Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II and General Dynamics F-111, both vital elements among his joint USAF/USN aircraft projects. However, these aircraft still needed five years’ development so an interim, off-the-shelf type was required. The F4H-1 provided the heavy ordnancecarrying capacity for up to eight tons of bombs, while its long range and spectacular performance fitted it

perfectly for the task. It also offered good low-speed handling, another legacy of its carrier based origins. By the end of 1961 USN and USMC F4H-1 pilots had broken seven world speed and height records, engendering considerable international interest in the aircraft which would eventually lead to substantial overseas sales. The first USN F4H-1 squadron became operationally ready in October 1961 and the initial USMC examples were delivered in June 1962, spurring USAF desire for what was clearly the most versatile fighter on the market. Another major factor in the USAF’s adoption of the Phantom was McNamara’s cost-cutting policy of commonality, whereby the US Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps had to share versions of the same aircraft. As President of the Ford Motor Company, McNamara had learned to rationalise production and use, in his own words, ‘a cerebral approach to making decisions’ that was a shock to

ABOVE: The F-4D’s AIM-7 underside contours, Sparrow missile wells and stores points are shown here. Travel pods occupy the inboard pylons which also have AIM-9 Sidewinder rails attached. AUTHOR’S COLLECTION

the Ford establishment. When he became Secretary of Defense McNamara and his hand-picked ‘Whizz Kids’ had, as he recalled, “no patience with the myth that the Defense Department could not be managed” as he sought to provide the nation with “security at the lowest possible cost”. This meant upsetting the services’ traditional, complex procurement methods. Instead, each service was obliged to compromise on several projects which might not have originated in its own procurement office. The versatile F4H-1 seemed the perfect candidate for McNamara’s purposes. As a palliative to USAF pride, the aircraft was briefly re-designated F-110A ‘Spectre’ (continuing the existing Century Series of fighters) and in August 1961 two USN F4H-1s were borrowed for USAF evaluation at Edwards AFB. This included a fly-off against the F-105 Thunderchief that showed both aircraft to be admirable strike fighters, with tactical reconnaissance and advanced strike development possibilities, but politics assisted the selection of the F-110A as the next TAC fighter-bomber. The January 1962 US budget sought funds for procurement of both the F-110A and RF-110A reconnaissance version. Just six months after the first US Navy F-4B carrier deployment, 27 more US Navy F4H-1s were assigned to the USAF’s 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing at McDill AFB, Florida to begin an extensive training programme. The first of the USAF’s ‘own’ Phantoms (F-110A 62-12199) was ordered in April 1962. When the initial production aircraft flew on May 27, 1963 the aircraft had been re-designated again as the F-4C and the primary batch joined the McDill AFB flight-lines to equip the first active TAC Phantom units.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

DATAPOINT The twin-engine configuration originated

in a USN requirement for over-water safety and the need to cruise economically on one engine while patrolling at a distance from an aircraft carrier.

DATABASE BASE

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

Species of Spectre Inheriting the F-4’s tough naval airframe, complete with a weighty arresting hook for carrier landings, the USAF accepted the F-4C with minimal changes to its F-4B basis

SPECTRE

T

he high-pressure main undercarriage wheels and tyres of the F-4B were replaced by lower pressure versions that were 3.7 inches wider, requiring distinctive bulges above and below the wing root area, to create the F-4C. A Hydro-Aire anti-skid braking system was also added and a socket for the USAF’s Flying Boom aerial refuelling system replaced the F-4B’s extending probe. Basic flying controls were installed in the rear cockpit since the USAF intended to man its Phantoms with two pilots, or ‘pilot systems operators’ (PSOs), rather than a pilot and radar intercept officer as the USN had done. The naval AN/APQ-72 radar was modified as the AN/APQ-100 with ground mapping and slightly improved manual bombing facilities via a range strobe feature. The F-4C’s upgraded AJB-7 bombing system provided both nuclear delivery and several types of basic conventional bombing modes. USAF practice required F-4Cs to operate more independently than the aircraft carrier-reliant USN aircraft. The

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

ABOVE: RF-4C-40-MC 68-0597 first flew on September 9, 1969 and its wartime service was mainly with the 14th TRS, 432nd TRW at Udorn RTAFB. It was destroyed by a SAM on December 9, 1972 while photographing potential targets for the imminent Linebacker II campaign. Seen here with the 14th TRS tail-code, this reconnaissance Phantom carries an ALQ-101(V)-1 ECM pod for self-protection. USAF

F-4C was therefore given its own Litton AN/ASN-48 inertial navigation system and its engines could be cartridge-started rather than relying on an external air-starting unit. The F-4’s robust naval airframe and heavy-duty arresting hook was retained to preserve the aircraft’s centre of gravity and to enable operations from short runways. For aircraft carrier arrested landings, the hook would stop an F-4 travelling at

140kts within 300ft, with both engines in afterburner. For land-based use in emergencies such as hydraulic failure, it would engage a cable arresting system such as the USAF BAK-9 to stop in around 980ft. The undercarriage was designed for a sink rate of 22ft per second. Land-based F-4s alighted without flare, flown directly on to the runway as if it was a carrier deck. A 16ft ring-slot braking parachute and the powerful anti-skid brakes were

ABOVE: F-4C-21-MC 64-0660, flown by Major Ray Dudley and 1st Lt Emants Kringelis of the 390th TFS, 35th TFW, destroyed a MiG-17 on May 12, 1966. Transferred to the 480th TFS, 366th TFW it then made the first and last F-4C MiG kills using an SUU-16/A gun-pod on May 14 and June 5, 1967. VIA PETER SCHINKELSHOEK

sufficient to curtail normal landing runs within about 2,000ft. The nose undercarriage had 360˚ power steering, the first time it had been fitted to a fighter aircraft, a useful asset for taxiing in confined revetment areas. The outer wing panels were canted upwards by 12˚, (giving the overall wing an average 5˚ of dihedral) for stability without sacrificing the basic, one-piece ‘flat’ main wing section, with its tremendous inherent strength. It folded vertically for deck handling, this feature remaining in the F-4C and F-4D. A long, three-spar vertical fin was needed to combat yaw, although its overall height was limited by the size of USN carrier hangars. Further directional stability was achieved by giving the slab tail-plane (or stabilator) 23.25˚ of anhedral, which also took it out of the turbulent wake from the wing at high angles of attack and helped to counteract the slight rolling effect induced by the outer wing panels. Flying controls included a rudder and stabilator operated by push/pull rods and an innovative combination of ailerons and spoilers

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MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS) on the wings with three-position flaps for take-off and landing. The trailing edge flaps were normally lowered to 60˚ for landing and 30˚ for take-off. The ailerons deflected downwards 30˚ and upwards by 1˚ and they were synchronised with spoilers that rose by up to 45˚ above each wing. If, for example, the pilot initiated a left bank, the left spoiler was raised and the right aileron moved downwards. Most F-4s had a boundary layer control (BLC) system blowing laminar air over the wing and flaps from the 17th engine compressor stage through a series of 3mm slits ahead of the flaps and at the rear of the leading edge slats. This hot air passing over the wing and flaps cut drag caused by turbulence, thereby reducing the stalling speed for landing. Engine power had to remain at around 80 per cent to keep the BLC operating. The system was later removed from the main flaps of F-4C/Ds and RF-4Cs, adding about 10kts to the landing speed and greatly increasing the landing run. For the USAF, the two J79s — each developing up to 17,900lb/st — offered both Mach 2 fighter performance and the muscle to haul up to eight tons of ordnance on long-distance strike missions. They were fed through two long intake ducts that gave the Phantom’s fuselage its bulky profile. Precisely manufactured to ensure smooth airflow to the engines, these ducts incorporated variable ramps – the first time these had been seen on a fighter aircraft. A fixed ramp, set about two inches outwards from the fuselage below the rear cockpit allowed slower-moving boundarylayer air to escape, while a pivoted ramp at the intake mouth closed off the intake, to an extent governed by airflow temperature, restricting airflow at supersonic speeds. Boundary air on the ramp itself exited through vertical slits between the two ramp sections and via 12,500 tiny holes in the forward pivoting sections and then through louvres above

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107.5

The number of MiG-17s, 19s and 21s shot down by the F-4C/D & E during the Vietnam War; 50 of them were downed by AIM-7 Sparrows.

ABOVE: A typical F-4C front cockpit with its radar scope at the top of the panel, attitude direction indicator (ADI) below that and weapons control panel behind the control stick. The airspeed ‘Mach meter’ is to the left of the ADI with the altimeter to its right. Missile controls are below the altimeter. GARY CHAMBERS

ABOVE: The General Electric J79, developed for the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Convair B-58A Hustler bomber and first flown in 1956, was the world’s first successful Mach 2 turbojet. Almost 17,000 were built and they were used to set 46 world records. It proved to be an outstandingly reliable powerplant for the Phantom II. GENERAL ELECTRIC

the intake assembly. The holes had to be kept clear of paint and muck (a laborious job for ground crew) or the aircraft would be unable to reach Mach 2. Near the engine face several bellmouth nozzles, regulated by Mach number, allowed some of the air

to by-pass the engine to provide cooling and then mix with ‘convergent’ gases from the engine within the four-stage afterburner section. The engine tended to emit a very visible smoke-trail unless it was in afterburner and this became a real disadvantage in combat that was never remedied effectively without increasing engine wear. Early J79s also produced a distinctive, ghostly howling noise, similar to the J79 installation in

the F-104 Starfighter, but this was reduced in later J79-GE-17 versions of the engine, used in the F-4E. Extra air for full power operation at low forward speeds came through blow-in doors under the intake ducts. This complex intake system was one of the Phantom’s most successful innovations. The unprecedented power of the two engines made the aircraft a thirsty beast, consuming around 750lbs/115 gallons of JP4 per minute in afterburner. Starting the engines and taxiing to the take-off point usually required at least 100 gallons. The F-4C’s six fuselage tanks and two internal wing tanks held 1,972 gallons, supplemented by a 600-gallon Royal Jet-manufactured external fuselage tank and two 370-gallon Sargent Fletcher under-wing tanks. Both types of tank were later manufactured by McDonnell. Carriage of external tanks reduced top speed to around Mach 1.6. In-flight refuelling was an essential part of almost all missions. Two Martin Baker Mk-H5 ejection seats were provided, although these were replaced from mid-1967 onwards by zero-zero, rocket powered Mk-H7 seats with re-designed seat cushions to reduce spinal compression injuries on ejection. The rear seat was ejected first, either individually or by ‘command’ ejection initiated by the front-seat pilot. The Mk-H7 allowed command ejection from either position. BELOW: Taxiing out with wall-towall BLU-27 fire-bombs, F-4C-23MC 64-0752 also displays a large red symbol to mark the first shoot-down of a MiG-21 by a USAF F-4 crew. The Phantom was later shot down by anti-aircraft fire with the loss of its crew while strafing a suspected storage site, one of many targets of dubious tactical value assigned to Phantom crews. USAF

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

DATAPOINT The first camouflaged F-4Cs had

the paint applied directly over the original grey and white finish, which soon wore off when subjected to combat conditions in South East Asia.

DATABASE BASE MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS) BELOW: Wearing the JV code and shark-mouth of the 469th TFS ‘Fighting Bulls’, F-4E-35-MC 67-0296 of the 388th TFW from Korat RTAFB, Thailand, has the short gun barrel of early F-4Es and a heavy load of Mk 81 and Mk 84 bombs. USAF

While the F-4C was completing its Category 1 evaluation tests in September 1963, the USAF and McDonnell had already begun work on its successor, the F-4D

W

hile the F-4C was completing its Category 1 evaluation tests in September 1963, the USAF and McDonnell had already begun work on its successor, the F-4D. It was equipped with better ground attack systems, using a wider range of ordnance delivered via a new AN/ASQ-91 weapons-release computer and AN/APQ-109A radar – a modified AN/APQ-100 with some solid-state components in the low-voltage sections. F-4C crews usually employed manual dive-attack techniques based on a gun-sight and the ‘back-seater’s’ call-out instructions for the correct release altitude. The new variant, entering service in 1966, was externally similar to the F-4C but more attuned to USAF requirements. It was factory-wired for the SUU-16/A or SUU-23/A external 20mm gun-pod (also used on some

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

F-4Cs) and the Hughes AIM-4 Falcon infra-red seeking air-to-air missile which the USAF ordered as a replacement for the USN-sponsored AIM-9 Sidewinder, the short-range missile armament for the F-4B/C. While the AIM-4 proved to be disappointing in combat and eventually gave way to developed versions of the Sidewinder, the gun-pod was a valuable weapon in air-to-air situations and for strafing despite its considerable aerodynamic drag. It also fulfilled to some extent the perceived requirement for gun armament, deleted from the F4H specification but by 1965 regarded as essential for the close-in fighting that USN and USAF Phantom pilots were experiencing in the skies of Vietnam. Commonality also provided the USAF with a sophisticated, multisensor reconnaissance aircraft to replace its ageing Republic RF-84Fs and Douglas RB-66s and to complement McDonnell’s own

RF-101C Voodoo, which had only daylight photographic capability. A Specific Operational Requirement (SOR) for such an aircraft was issued in May 1962, three months before the SOR for the F-4C and slightly ahead of an order from the US Marine Corps for the similar RF-4B. The US Navy decided to stay with its fleet of RF-8 Crusaders and develop the RA-5C recce aircraft, which it also came close to selling to the USAF as an alternative to the RF-4C. Developed in parallel with the RF-4B, the RF-110A (later RF-4C) was chosen in preference to less versatile reconnaissance versions of the F-105 or Douglas RA-3C Skywarrior. Two YRF-110As (YRF-4Cs) were converted from F-4Bs in May and the first was flown in August 1963. The first of 503 production RF-4Cs, the USAF’s last dedicated tactical reconnaissance aircraft, arrived at Shaw AFB for the 363rd TRW from September 1964. As well as its comprehensive camera

suite the RF-4C offered long-wave infra-red, sideways-looking radar, laser-imaging equipment for day and night reconnaissance and ground mapping radar. The extended nose — 3ft 8in longer than the F-4C/D’s 58ft 3in — housed three camera stations. The forward ‘window’ was for a KS-87 or KS-72 oblique or vertical camera. Behind that, Station 2 contained a KA-56 low-altitude panoramic camera or a rig holding three KS-87s to give vertical images together with simultaneous views from two side windows. The rear position usually housed a KA-55A high-altitude panoramic camera or a mapping camera producing 9x9 inch negatives. It could also accommodate one of the RF-4’s technical innovations, an AN/AVD-2 laser reconnaissance set although this was not retained for most of the aircraft’s service life. The RF-4C’s missile wells were deleted but limited ordnance could be carried on its wing pylons. In 1975, 23 RF-4Cs had the

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LONG SERVICE

34 years of USAF Phantom service

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

AN/ALQ-125 tactical electromagnetic reconnaissance sensor (TEREC) upgrade which enabled them to detect and plot the location of enemy radar installations. Towards the end of the aircraft’s career this equipment proved very effective, allowing the photo-Phantoms to collaborate with EF-111A Ravens and F-4G Wild Weasel Phantoms in the suppression of hostile air defence networks.

The Definitive Phantom

m Success with the gun-pod in Vietnam led to the development of the F-4E mm with an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon and many other changes that made it the definitive USAF Phantom. A gun had been proposed by TAC in October 1963 and the use of the Vulcan was approved two years later. Development of the F-4E was accelerated and it entered service in October 1967. Advances in solid-statee o electronics enabled Westinghouse to 20 produce the lightweight AN/APQ-120 radar with a smaller scanner which fitted into a 33in nose extension but also allowed room for the Vulcan installation. A seventh fuel cell containing 84 gallons was installed in the rear fuselage to balance the extra

353

The peak USAF F-4 deployment in Thailand in 1973.

ABOVE: F-4D-32-MC 66-8778 from the 389th TFS, 366th TFW Gunfighters with two AGM-12C Bullpup B air-to-ground missiles and a centreline pylon load of Mk 81 bombs. Bullpup was most useful against ‘soft’ targets and those with difficult access, such as storage ag sites in mountain-side caves. USAF

nose weight. J79-GE-17 engines with different tailpipes and 900lbs of additional thrust were installed. The F-4E programme was also focused on the Hughes CORDS (Coherent-on-receive Doppler system). Working with the AN/ APQ-120, this was supposed to improve the radar’s ability to detect toand lock on to aerial or moving air-toground targets at low altitude, the most challenging environment for ce radar and missiles due to interference from ground returns. Difficulty in resolving software problems caused the abandonment of CORDS in 1968. As the most numerous Phantom as variant (1,389 were built), the F-4E has been the subject of many modification programmes during a career which may well last until 2020 with the Greek and Turkish air forces. One of the most important was the installation of leading-edge wing slatss to improve manoeuvring at the lowerr speeds involved in many aerial engagements. Slats also helped to alleviate the aircraft’s tendency to

enter unmanageable stalls and spins during high G manoeuvres when ed. ed angle-of-attack limits were exceeded. This characteristic had been a factor in more than 100 USAF F-4 losses by 1970, although the aircraft’s safety record was otherwise exemplary. Based on research for Project Agile Eagle to develop manoeuvring slats for the company’s forthcoming F-15 Eagle, hydraulically operated slats replaced BLC on the F-4E wing’s leading edge. In fact, the production n F-15 wing did not require this addition but similar automatic slats enabled the F-4E to make much harder turns ds safely, cutting 2,000ft and 15 seconds off an 180˚ turn at Mach 0.6. Low speed control authority was further improved by the incorporation of a stabilator with a slotted leading edge that had been developed for the as USN’s F-4J. Powered wing-folding was deleted. As production gathered pace the F-4E incorporated further innovations. Aircraft from (and nd llat ater at er)) ha er had d Production Block 41 (a later)

self-sealing fuel tanks rather than the earlier bladder tanks suspended from hangers in the fuselage. A new radar homing and warning system, the AN/APR-36/37 replaced the AN/APR-25/26. This in turn was later upgraded to a digital Compass Tie (AN/ALR-46) system that was integrated with the AN/ALQ-119 and -131 jamming pods that succeeded the first generation of Vietnam-era jamming and deception pods to protect fighters against enemy radar-guided weapons. From 1972 (Block 48) most F-4Es had a Northrop ASX-1 video target identification system, electro-optical (TISEO) installed in the left wing leading edge to provide visual identification of distant targets via zoomed TV images which could also be slaved to the aircraft’s radar for the initial intercept. After that, an approach to a target for visual identification at ten to 40 miles range (depending on the size of the target) could be made without radar so that the target aircraft’s radar warning system would not be alerted. Earlier aircraft were updated with light green formation strip lights (‘slime lights’), standard on the F-4E, that were attached to the fuselage, tail and wing-tips of F-4Ds early in 1968 and RF-4Cs from 1971. The need to identify targets visually during the Vietnam air war and avoid beyond-visual-range (BVR) attacks on friendly aircraft, or even those of the People’s Republic of China, tended to defeat the main advantage of the AIM-7 missile, the F-4’s principal air-to-air armament. The situation was partially eased by the installation of AN/APX-80 Combat Tree in 22 Thailand-based F-4Ds, with a modified version for the F-4E. This equipment was able to interrogate SRO-2 IFF (identification friend or foe) transponders in MiG-17 and MiG-21 fighters, covertly revealing the target’s identity. US sensitivity regarding the secrecy of Combat Tree and the risks of relaxing visu vi sual su al IID D ru rule less re le redu duce du ced ce d th thee visual rules reduced

BELOW: This F-4G Wild Weasel, loaded with AGM-88 HARMs and CBUs was a sight that no Iraqi radar or SAM operator would have wanted to see. USAF

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DATAPOINT Major Paul Gilmore and 1Lt

William Smith of the 480th TFS shot down the first MiG-21 while escorting an EB-66 jamming aircraft on April 26, 1966.

DATABASE BASE MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS) BELOW: This 3246th Test Wing F-4E-49-MC (71-1070) has a slatted wing, an AVQ-26 Pave Tack laser designator pod on its centreline pylon and a 2,000lb GBU-10/A laser-guided bomb under its left wing. A telemetry and data-recording pod occupies the right inboard pylon. LORAL

stand-off weapons delivery option but its wholly external carriage caused considerable drag which could halve the potential low-level range during a mission. Towards the end of its USAF career, the F-4E was also made compatible with the GBU-15 glide bomb, which allowed a stand-off delivery up to 12 miles from a target.

Phantom SAM Slayers

As Phantoms steadily replaced the rapidly dwindling force of F-105 Thunderchief strikers in the Vietnam War it was inevitable that an F-4 variant would also succeed the small number of F-105F/G Wild Weasels that had become a vital element in the deterrence and destruction of enemy surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). Unofficially known as EF-4C Wild Weasel IVs, 36 F-4Cs were reworked to accommodate a suite similar to the F-105G’s, comprising a radar homing and warning (RHAW), a launch warning receiver (LWR) and IR-133

(later, ER-142) direction finding receiver equipment. The Phantom’s densely packed airframe left little room for the new wiring and antennas, causing delays and a reduction in the equipment’s efficiency. Like the F-105F/G, EF-4Cs could carry a pair of Shrike antiradiation missiles, but not the far more deadly Standard ARM that gave the F-105G its principal punch. Although EF-4Cs provided useful wartime service and flew with USAFE until 1979, their successor had been outlined almost a decade earlier, based on the F-4E and spurred on by the loss of 33 Israeli Air Force F-4Es to radar-guided air defences during the opening stages of the Yom Kippur War. Countermeasures equipment was clearly needed to deal with a new generation of Soviet missiles such as the SA-6 Gainful. Advanced Wild Weasel V gear was tested in two F-4Ds, including a new AN/APR-38A homing and warning

computer, but the F-4E airframe was chosen for 134 F-4G Wild Weasel conversions. Removal of the M61A1 gun system created room for the computer, with some of its 13 main antennas in an extended gun ‘gondola’ under the nose and in a fin-tip bullet fairing. AGM-78 Standard ARM, with a range exceeding 35 miles, could be carried among the F-4E’s usual range of ordnance and air-to-air missiles although only the two rear AIM-7 Sparrows were usually uploaded. The Weasel’s definitive anti-radiation missile, the AGM-88 HARM soon succeeded the Standard ARM. F-4Gs entered service in April 1978 and further updates took the aircraft’s designation to Wild Weasel VI, with a very sophisticated AN/ APR-47 signal processor and computer together with DMAS and low-smoke J79-GE-17F engines. F-4Gs remained in service until April 1996, ending 34 years of USAF Phantom service.

ABOVE: Nicknames and nose-art on combat aircraft were morale boosters in a frustrating war but they often had to be removed when visits by senior commanders or politicians occurred. ‘Satan’s Chariot’ (F-4C-23-MC 64-0804) belonged to the 559th TFS Billy Goats, 12th TFW at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam in 1968. AUTHOR’S COLLECTION

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LONG SERVICE

effectiveness of the installation, although it was successful in securing a number of MiG kills for F-4D pilots. The most significant enhancement of the F-4E’s navigation and attack avionics was the AN/ARN-101(V) Digital Modular Avionics System (DMAS). Based on LORAN (long range navigation), it effectively replaced the previous inertial navigation system and it gave unprecedented programmable accuracy in navigation and weapons delivery, particularly with ‘smart’ ordnance. DMASmodified F-4Es, recognisable by a fairing above their centre fuselages, began to reach squadrons late in 1978. Some DMAS F-4Es and 60 RF-4Cs with similar DMAS packages could use the AN/AVQ-26 Pave Tack laser targeting pod that was more often associated with the General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark, where its considerable bulk was partially blended into the aircraft’s belly. On the F-4 it provided a welcome

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

193

The number of USAF F-4s lost in combat over North Vietnam.

Vietnam to Iraq The first two USAF F-4C wings, the 12th and 15th Tactical Fighter Wings (TFW) became operational in October 1964 and they were soon deploying squadrons overseas

ABOVE: F-4C-24-MC 64-0848 with 497th TFS Night Owls, 8th TFW markings and an air-to-air MiGCAP ordnance load, although many of the squadron’s missions involved hazardous night attacks over Laos and North Vietnam. This aircraft was lost on one of those missions on the night of July 26, 1967 when it exploded while attacking a North Vietnamese truck convoy, probably due to premature detonation of one of its own bombs. FRANK MCSORLEY

T

he 12th TFW sent its 555th TFS ‘Triple Nickel’ to Okinawa, the first F-4C unit to appear in the Pacific Air Force region. In July 1966 this squadron was reassigned to the 8th TFW ‘Wolfpack’ at Ubon in Thailand, where it would eventually account for 39 North Vietnamese MiGs, more than any other USAF unit. When the full 12th TFW (without the 555th TFS) established itself at Can Ranh Bay in November 1965 its personnel included a substantial contingent from the 15th TFW including the wing commander, Col Levi Chase. The 15th TFW had actually deployed the first F-4C squadron to see combat when its 45th TFS arrived at Ubon RTAFB on April 4, 1965, replacing F-100 Super Sabres in combat air patrol (CAP) flights to protect F-105 Thunderchief strike formations. Meanwhile, the 12th TFW concentrated on air-to-ground operations in South Vietnam and Laos, or escort missions for Big Eye and Silver Dawn electronic intelligence gathering aircraft off the North Vietnamese coast. Ubon’s CAP duties were often shared with the 366th TFW

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Gunfighters F-4Cs which took up residence at Da Nang AB in October 1966, achieving 17 MiG kills and remaining in action until October 1972 – although they too flew predominantly air-to-ground missions. The 3rd TFW at Kunsan, South Korea formed in 1971, deploying its 35th TFS to Da Nang and Ubon before moving to Clark AFB, Philippines in 1974 where it introduced the F-4G to Pacific

service. At Kadena AFB, Okinawa the 18th TFW began F-4 operations in 1967, regularly deploying to South Korea and introducing the F-4C Wild Weasel to combat at Korat AFB in 1972.

Dogfight Debut

On July 10, 1965, Mink flight from the 45th TFS used a tactical ruse that would be developed on other occasions during the war,

ABOVE: Col Robin Olds, the inspiring leader of the 8th TFW Wolf Pack from September 1966, with F-4C-24-MC 64-0829 Scat XXVII in which he and 1Lt Steve Croker shot down Olds’ third and fourth MiG-kills on 20 May 1967. USAF

particularly in the Operation Bolo ‘MiG trap’ on January 2, 1967. The last flight in an F-105 formation attacking Yen Bai consisted of four F-4Cs, simulating an F-105 strike flight that had been delayed in reaching the target. MiG-17s took off to intercept, following their usual tactic of catching the last flight in a formation. The F-4 flight leaders picked them up on radar at 33 miles, intending to use their AIM-7D Sparrows for a long-range kill. However, the Phantom pilots had to wait until they could identify the MiGs visually, which meant closing inside the minimum range for their Sparrows and letting their two wingmen drop back to take the missile shots from the correct distance. The wingmen then found that they were still too close to the leading pair of F-4Cs for safe missile firing and the fight quickly degenerated into a turning engagement. Two nimble MiG-17s were soon on the tails of Mink 3 (Captains Kenneth Holcombe and Arthur Clarke) and his wingman (Captains Tom Roberts and Ronald Anderson). Holcombe used his afterburners to dive away from the MiG and then climb above it. He then turned to attack the VPAF

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

DATAPOINT The Bullpup had to be guided from the

F-4’s cockpit using a small joystick, with the aircraft following in a direct line behind the missile.

DATABASE BASE MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

ABOVE: The expansion of the Vietnam War effort for Operation Linebacker brought in US-based F-4 units in Operation Constant Guard. Among them was the 308th TFS, 31st TFW normally based at Homestead AFB, Florida but deployed to Udorn RTAFB in April 1972 and Ubon RTAFB for six months from December 1972. Sandi, seen here heading out on a MiGCAP mission from Udorn, was a 308th TFS F-4E-36-MC that was later transferred to the Turkish Air Force. COL BILL F MCDONALD

ABOVE: ‘Daisy-cutter’ fuse extenders were simply lengths of metal tubing (usually 36in long) attached to the bomb’s nose. The fuse, at the front end of the tube, exploded the bomb above ground with greater blast effect. F-4D-30-MC 66-7554/OY Trapper shot down a MiG-17 with an SUU-23/A gun-pod at the end of Operation Rolling Thunder. LARSEN/REMINGTON VIA RICHARD L WARD

firings outside the missile’s launch parameters enabled it to score 29 out of the 50 MiG kills claimed in 1972-73. Never designed for agility in

dog-fighting ghting, the F-4, like most US fighters of the time, was at a considerable disadvantage to the much smaller, lighter Russian-built fighters that originated in an earlier

BELOW: F-4C-24-MC 64-0849, a MiG-21 killer for Major Tom Hirsch and 1Lt Roger Strasswimmer on January 6, 1967, seen here with a centreline rack full of M117 bombs. Darker paint on the tail shows where the original black serial presentation was replaced by the tail-code format. VIA PETER SCHINKELSHOEK

Vietnam, Viet Vi etna et nam, na m, ttyp typifi ypifi yp ifieed d ma many ny o off th thee problems prob pr oble ob lems le ms ffac faced aced ac ed b byy figh ghter ghte terr cr te crews crew ewss ew throughout thro th roug ro ugho ug hout ho ut the the w war. war ar.. Th ar Thee ne need ed ffor or visual visu vi sual su al ttar target arge ar gett id ge identifi iden enti en tifi ti fica cati cation tion ti on iin n al alll bu butt a fe few w engagements enga en gage ga geme ge ment me ntss de nt denied deni nied ni ed them tthe hem he m the the advantage adva ad vant va ntag nt agee of their ag tthe heir he ir llon long-range ongon g-ra grang ra ngee ng missiles, miss mi ssilililes ss es,, putting es putt pu ttin tt ingg th in them em at at risk risk ffro from rom ro m the the heavy heav he avyy gunfi av gunfire re and and SidewinderSide Si dewi de wind wi nder nd er-er copy copy m missiles mis issi is sile si less carried le carr ca rrie rr ied ie d by M MiG MiGs iGss if iG

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

they they were wer w eree drawn er draw dr awn aw n into into closer cclo lose lo serr se combat. comb co mbat mb at.. The at The co consequent cons nseq ns eque eq uent ue nt reliance rrel elia el ianc ia ncee nc on short-range ssho hort ho rt-r rt -ran -r ange an ge Sidewinders SSid idew id ewin ew inde in ders de rs meant mea m eant ea nt that that they tthe heyy were he were used use u sed se d for for 22 successful succ su cces cc essf es sful sf ul encounters eenc ncou nc ount ou nter nt erss up to er to February Febr Fe brua br uary ua ry 1 1968 196 968 96 8 compared comp co mpar mp ared ar ed w with wit ith it h 19 for for the the AIM-7. AIMAI M-7. M7. Thereafter, The T here he reaf re afte af ter, te r, improved iimp mpro mp rove ro ved ve d reliability relililiab re abilililit ab ityy for it for the the AIM-7 AIMAI M-7 M7 and and better bett be tter tt er tactics tact ta ctic ct icss to reduce ic rred educ ed ucee the uc the number numb nu mber mb er of of

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OPS

fighter as it ran out of energy and fell away. Holcombe’s radar had failed so he relied on his secondary AIM-9B missiles, firing all four at the MiG. Although only two had given the correct launch tone to show that they had acquired the target, they exploded close enough to the target to set it on fire. Roberts also used a vertical manoeuvre, reversing to place himself behind another MiG as it dived away. He fired four Sidewinders and the MiG-17 fell away in a fireball. These two MiG kills, the first of 109 claimed by USAF F-4 crews in

era of daytime, air-to-air fighting. However, these July 1965 successes also demonstrated that the Phantom’s superior power and acceleration, particularly in a climb that MiG-17s could not follow, gave its pilots other advantages in engagements. Using the vertical plane tactic successfully was proven during the USAF’s Project Feather Duster tests in 1965, during which F-4s and other fighters were flown against F-86H Sabres simulating MiG-17s. The project’s recommendation that F-4 crews should never get ‘low and slow’ with the opposition but use their speed to select the right moment for a slashing missile attack, preferably from a vertical manoeuvre, were proven repeatedly in Vietnam. Sadly, most new F-4 pilots entering the war had little air-to-air combat practice apart from a few sorties against their fellow F-4 crews. When the ‘old head’ pilots with experience from the Korean War or even from World War Two ended their tours, there was a real shortage of combat expertise. In addition to a number of MiG-kill star markings on their air intakes, many early F-4Cs displayed impressive tallies for the bombing missions which were to occupy

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

many of their combat hours. During Operation Rolling Thunder, the F-4 wings at first provided MiG CAP protection for F-105 strikers, but as the Thunderchief ranks were steadily thinned by attrition they were replaced by the F-4s of the 8th TFW, 366th TFW, and from 1969 the 388th TFW, a period which saw F-4Es enter battle, replacing F-105s. At Udorn RTAFB the 432nd TRW controlled large numbers of F-4 and RF-4 assets including ‘guest’ units from other wings and several transferred from Ubon in July 1974. The last Udorn units remained in action until mid-1975, completing ten years of wartime action for the Phantom.

Phantom Refinement

During that time there were numerous experiments and developments involving new weaponry and mission assignments for the Phantom. Many of these involved night attack operations over Laos and North Vietnam. The 8th TFW’s 497th TFS Night Owls and 435th TFS Eagles specialised in nocturnal attacks on truck convoys with 750lbs M117 bombs and gun-pods, using SUU-42/A flare pods on their own aircraft to illuminate the targets. In 1971 these vertigo-inducing missions included escort flights for AC-130 gunships by F-4Es dropping CBU-58 munitions and M36E2 incendiary cluster bombs. F-4s also sowed sensors for the Igloo White programme to monitor enemy movement on the Ho Chi Minh trails. In Project Pave Phantom, 72 8th TFW F-4Ds received AN/ARN-92 LORAN and an upgraded ballistics computer during 1967 to increase the aircraft’s range of potential ordnance. LORAN’s effectiveness was increased in 1969 by the addition of a spine-mounted Chelton ‘towel rack’ antenna to improve signal reception. LORAN aircraft could act as pathfinders for

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158

One 81st TFS F-4G, Wild Weasel 69-7212 flew 158 sorties during Operation Desert Storm before returning to Germany in April 1991.

ABOVE: F-4D-32-MC 66-8700 of the 13th TFS Black Panthers, 432nd TRW was the only aircraft modified to take the ungainly Pave Fire device, an attempt to use low-light TV and laser designated ranging to improve mp the accuracy y of dive-toss bombing ng techniques. iq USAF

Capt. Charles B. ‘Chuck’ DeBellevue – back-seat ‘Ace’

Charles ‘Chuck’ DeBellevue was unique among aerial aces in becoming the highest-scoring MiG killer of the Vietnam War, but from the rear seat of an F-4. Born in New Orleans in 1945, DeBellevue was inspired to fly fighters after watching the USAF’s Thunderbirds’ F-100 Super Sabres. He won a degree in Physics and began pilot training in 1969, but most of his class failed to qualify. He trained instead as a navigator and opted to become one of the first with that qualification to occupy the weapons systems officer (WSO) position of an F-4D Phantom, rather than the ABOVE: Capt. Charles B claustrophobic interior of a B-52 DeBellevue with the F-4D Stratofortress. After an initial tour (66-7463/OY) in which the first with the 335th TFS Chiefs at of his six MiG kills was Seymour Johnson AFB, DeBellevue accomplished. USAF was posted to the 555th TFS Triple Nickel, already famous as the ‘largest distributor of MiG parts in SE Asia’. After 28 combat missions, in which he would spend up to six hours a day over North Vietnam, DeBellevue and Capt Steve Ritchie first encountered MiG-21s on May 8, 1972. That engagement was inconclusive ve but on May 10, a day on which US Phantom pilots claimed eleven North Vietnamese MiGs, the same crew flew F-4D 66-7463 in ‘Oyster’, a low-altitude MiGCAP CAP flight arriving early at the target area. Encountering ncountering four MiG-21s, MiG-21s 21s, ‘Oyster’ pilots shot down three of them, one falling to ‘Oyster 3’,, a Combat Tree-equipped F-4D flown by Ritchie and DeBellevue. It was wa one of the rare occasions on which the F-4D crews ws had a ‘missiles-free’ ee’ situation in which they could use Combat Tree to fire from long range ran without fear of hitting friendly aircraft. DeBellevue sighted a dirty-looking g yellow parachute from fr the MiG-21 they had destroyed with two o AIM-7E Sparrow missiles. miss issiles. “The guy turned away from us, which wass a mistake”, he recalled recalle lled “He had a brand-new MiG-21, polished, and we e cut into it with an AIM-7.” AI The pair destroyed two more MiG-21s G-21s on July 8, this time me flying an ED-coded F-4E 67-0362, leading ‘Paula’ aula’ flight. Ritchie’s fifth kill (but De Bellevue’s fourth) occurred on Augustt 28 when the skilled led WSO used his radar expertise to guide F-4D 66-7463 -7463 into a perfect missile mis firing position. DeBellevue was equally successful cessful on September er 9 in F-4D 66-0267, piloted by Capt John Madden. den. Two MiG-19s were ere destroyed with Sidewinders, putting De Bellevue ahead of Steve Ritchie and fellow WSO Capt Jeff ff Feinstein, who both ended the war with five shared kills each. Post-war, DeBellevue held several senior USAF positions, including the command of Edwards AFB, California. ornia. He retired in 199 1998 as a full colonel and the only USAF ace still on active duty. uty.

other USAF or USN tactical aircraft on formation bombing missions above heavy cloud cover. Pave Phantom F-4Ds at Ubon combattested much of the top secret targeting equipment that was shortly to revolutionise air-toground warfare with ‘smart’ weapons. This process began with the installation of AN/AVQ-9 Pave Light, or ‘Zot box’ laser designators in the rear cockpits of about 12 8th TFW F-4Ds. The device required the designating aircraft to maintain a left turn over the target while the WSO kept a cross-hair sight focused on a target, which was then laser-marked, while a second F-4D delivered an M117 bomb, modified with KMU-342 to enable it to home onto the Zot box’s laser ‘spot’. These weapons were followed by the Paveway series of laser-guided bombs (LGBs), based on Mk 84 and M118 bombs and 14,301 were dropped by the end of the war with a 99.7 per cent hit rate. By April 1972 the AN/AVQ-10A Pave Knife targeting pod had been introduced on 12 433rd TFS F-4Ds. This weighty under-wing device included both laser and low-lightlevel TV systems coupled to a rear cockpit TV display. Although using early versions of the technology which would achieve maturity with the AN/ AVQ-26 Pave Tack pod in the 1980s, Pave Knife-guided LGBs destroyed some of the North Vietnamese targets which had cost many aircraft and lives during previous conventional bombing attacks. The tough Than Hoa and Paul Doumer bridges were finally demolished by F-4s, as was the Radio Hanoi building with its insidious propaganda voice of ‘Hanoi Hannah’. Ubon Phantoms also tested the AN/AVQ-11 Pave Sword laser spot tracker (forerunner of the Pave Penny system used in the Fairchild-Republic A-10A) and the GBU-8 and GBU-9 electro-optical guided bombs which evolved into the widely-used post-war AGM-65 Maverick. One F-4E (68-0339) was flown with two under-wing gun-pods in addition to the internal 20mm cannon. MiG-killer Fred Sheffler commented that the recoil

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

DATABASE BASE

DATAPOINT The F-4 could carry twice the

standard bomb load of a B-17 when configured for the air-to-ground role.

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

OPS ABOVE: Col. J D Pewitt’s Chico the Gunfighter (F-4E-37-MC 68-0339/LC of the 421st TFS Black Widows, 366th TFW) with SUU-23/A gun pods in addition to its internal 20mm cannon. Unusually for a USAF F-4, four Mk 20 Rockeye II CBUs are hung on the inboard pylons for the free-ranging missions that Chico flew from Da Nang AB against enemy traffic on the Ho Chi Minh trails network. AUTHOR’S COLLECTION there were 24 aircraft in place by the there was a forward operating caused the pilot to, “get thrown into including sideways-looking radar end of January 1966. They provided location (FOL) at Phu Cat AB for the the harness just a little bit when and terrain-following radar for bomb damage assessment, accurate 45th TRS, 460th TRW’s Det.1 one fired all three guns at the same low-altitude operations, had been time”. This fearsome, one-off optimised for the European scenario mapping, weather reconnaissance RF-101Cs and RF-4Cs. Thin, and enormous amounts of combination was devastating for but it proved particularly effective rapidly-fading camouflage paint invaluable data on enemy logistics night-time Fast FAC strafing attacks in Vietnam too. The first nine was applied over the basic and troop movements. The base’s on vehicle traffic using the Ho Chi grey-and-white RF-4Cs with ‘Sonic’ grey-and white epoxy paint finish, reconnaissance technical section Minh trails network. callsigns arrived at Tan Son Nhut beginning in March 1966 handled all the RF-4Cs’ data and The RF-4C’s specification, (Saigon) on October 30, 1965 and during maintenance at Taiwan. BELOW: F-4C-23-MC 64-0797/AM Betty V, 389th TFS, 366th TFW Da Nang AB, South Vietnam 1968. Delivered to the USAF on August 20, 1965, this F-4C, flown by Major R W Moore and 1st Lt J F Sears was shot down by a MiG-21 on April 26, 1967. The squadron suffered further combat loss on January 20, 1968 when an aircraft was hit by 37mm anti-aircraft fire while attacking North Vietnamese trucks near the Sou Giang River. Both crew members were killed. The pilot, Capt Tilden Holley ejected and allegedly died in a small-arms shoot-out with North Vietnamese soldiers. WWW.INKWORM.COM

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

142

The 81st FS and its F-4Gs are credited with 142 radar kills during the Gulf War.

USAFE

and Beyond

While Pacific Air Force’s F-4 crews fought in Vietnam, many others helped to establish the Phantom as the principal USAF fighter-bomber in Europe and continental USA

ABOVE: F-4Ds flew for the Air National Guard for many years after their active USAF service. At Hector Field, Fargo, North Dakota, the 178th FIS Happy Hooligans, 119th FIG, were the first to acquire this F-4 variant. They flew it for 13 years, including a 12-month Project Creek Klaxon visit to Ramstein AB (Air Base), to reinforce the 86th TFW’s air defence role while it converted to the F-16 ADF in 1986-87. Presumably this aircraft was repainted with special festive tail art for a photo shoot. USAF

I

n England the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters and Woodbridge replaced its F-101C Voodoos with F-4Cs in 1965, later upgrading to F-4Ds, which it flew until 1979. The 48th TFW surrendered its long-serving F-100 Super Sabres but its three squadrons used F-4Ds quite briefly before moving on to F-111F Aardvarks in 1977 and passing their Phantoms to the 474th TFW at Nellis AFB. In West Germany two USAFE wings, the

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36th and 49th TFW sent their F-105 Thunderchiefs to SE Asia in 1966-67 and absorbed F-4Ds (followed by F-4Es) although the 49th TFW moved to Holloman

AFB, New Mexico as a ‘dual committed’ wing, ready to deploy to Germany or S E Asia as required. Also in West Germany the 50th

BELOW: A Lakenheath-based F-4D-29-MC (65-0765 from the 494th TFS, 48th TFW), laden with three drop tanks and an AN/ALQ119(V)-1 ECM pod. This squadron completed transition to the F-4D in July 1974 and nuclear strike was still its primary role, carrying a B61 thermonuclear weapon on the centreline pylon, two external fuel tanks and four AIM-7 missiles. Aircraft stood ready in the base’s Victor Alert ‘barns’, targeted on pre-determined locations in the Soviet bloc for which their crews had memorized co-ordinates es and turn points. AUTHOR’S COLLECTION

TFW, another former F-100 wing, eventually operated five squadrons of F-4C/D/E Phantoms between 1966 and 1982. One of its squadrons, the 81st TFS Panthers, detached to the 86th TFW at Zweibrucken (later Ramstein AB) with its Wild Weasel F-4Cs in 1971. The Panthers were later reassigned to the 52nd TFW at Spangdahlem, converting to the F-4G Wild Weasel and operating alongside the F-4Es of the 23rd and 480th TFS in ‘hunter-killer’ hunter-killer’ anti-SAM flights until 1994. The 401st TFW at Torrejon AFB, Spain operated F-4Es from 1970, but then reverted to F-4Cs in 1973, followed by F-4Ds until it converted to F-16 Fighting Falcons in 1983. At Soesterburg, Holland, was the first F-4E squadron in USAFE, the 32nd TFS Wolfhounds, which flew interception missions as a single squadron within the 17th Air Force. USAFE also managed two RF-4C wings, the 10th TRW at Alconbury and the

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

DATABASE BASE

DATAPOINT The only aircraft in the USAF

during Desert Storm capable of suppressing enemy air defences was the F-4G.

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

MANUFACTURER

F-4Es from 1970 to 1982 and the 31st TFW at Homestead AFB, Florida maintained a training role but deployed two squadrons to Udorn RTAFB for the final months of the Vietnam War. Three US-based wings flew RF-4Cs: the 67th TRW at Mountain Home AFB (transferred to Bergstrom AFB Texas in 1971 to replace the 75th TRW) and the 363rd TRW at Shaw AFB which flew photo-Phantoms for 25 years and prepared many crews for combat in S E Asia. Training for F-4 crews happened with the 57th FWW (formerly 4525th FWW) at Nellis AFB, where the USAF’s Thunderbirds F-4Es were based from 1969 to 1973, and at the 58th TFTW Phantom College at Luke AFB.

TYPE

Return to Combat

ABOVE: The 81st TFW at Woodbridge and Bentwaters was the UK’s second USAFE Phantom wing, specialising in nuclear strike. It received F-4Cs in 1965-66, replacing them with F-4Ds from 1966 and operating them until A-10A ‘Warthogs’ arrived in 1978. F-4D-28-MC 65-0712 belonged to the 92nd TFS. AUTHOR’S COLLECTION

US-based F-4 organisation was the 35th TFW, which replaced the 479th TFW (an F-4 wing since 1964) and managed 13 F-4 squadrons between 1966 and 1992. Formed at Da Nang AB and replaced there by the 366th TFW, the 35th TFW moved to George AFB, California where it performed a range of specialised tasks including

the training of Luftwaffe F-4F crews. It was joined at George AFB in 1981 by the F-4Gs of the 37th TFW. The 1st TFW (formerly 15th TFW and, from 1975, the 56th TFW) at McDill controlled eight F-4 units between 1970 and 1975. The 21st CW at Elmendorf, Alaska patrolled America’s northern borders with

McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II

McDonnell Aircraft/McDonnell Douglas, St Louis, Missouri Interceptor Fighter/Fighter-Bomber/Photographic Reconnaissance

POWERPLANT

Two 10,900lb (dry), 17,000lb (re-heat) General Electric J79-GE-15B axial flow turbojets

DIMENSIONS

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

38ft 5in 58ft 3in 16ft 5in 530sq ft

PERFORMANCE Max Speed (clean): Cruising speed: Ceiling: Rate of climb:

WEIGHTS

Empty: 28,873lb Basic combat weight: 38,706lb Max take-off: 59,483lb

Ferry range:

1,290kts at 48,000ft; 800kts at sea level 503kts 55,850ft 7.03 mins to 30,000ft with four AIM-7 missiles and three drop-tanks 260 nautical miles with two ‘Fletchers’ and eleven 750lb bombs 2,000 nautical miles at 40,000ft

Crew:

Two (pilot & Weapon Systems Officer (WSO))

Combat radius:

ACCOMMODATION ARMAMENT

(F-4D ‘typical). Four AIM-7E or AIM-7E-2 Sparrow III semi-active missiles; four AIM-9E or AIM-9J heat-seeking missiles or four AIM-4D Falcon heat-seeking missiles, SUU-16A or SUU-23/A 20 mm gun-pod on centreline pylon. Up to 16,000lbs of ordnance including AGM-12C Bullpup, AGM-62 Walleye glide-bomb, GBU-8 electro-optical homing bomb, Free-fall M117, Mk82 and Mk 84 bombs, or GBU-12 and GBU10/A Paveway 1 LGBs. Various cluster bomb munitions such as CBU-58, CBU-87 and CBU-89 Gator. LAU-61 19-tube rocket launchers. BLU-1, BLU-27 or Mk 77 fire-bombs. M129 chaff bombs.

BELOW: RF-4C-22-MC 64-1047. The aircraft first flew on July 7, 1965 and completed almost 30 years of service, most of it with the Alabama ANG, before it was retired on May 27, 1994 and exhibited at the USAF Museum Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. It is seen here in its final service with the 106th TRS, 117th TRW, Alabama ANG, the first Air National Guard unit to receive RF-4Cs. It was modified with the AN/ASQ-203(V)1 navigation and weapon delivery system and it flew a record 172 sorties in Operation Desert Storm, earning the nickname Iraqi Scud Seeker. WWW.INKWORM.COM

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USAFE

26th TRW at Ramstein AB (later Zweibrucken), Germany. In the USA a complex pattern of active F-4 tactical wings evolved, with several, such as the 4th TFW deploying squadrons to Ubon RTAFB for Vietnam combat duties and to South Korea where it supported the 51st Wing’s F-4Es. The 4th TFW also mounted temporary deployments (code-named Crested Cap) to European airbases in the 1970s. Eglin AFB housed the 33rd TFW which controlled eight F-4 units at various times between 1965 and 1979, forming and preparing a number of squadrons for wartime service in SE Asia, including its 58th TFS which scored two MiG kills with the 432nd TRW. Perhaps the most complex

Span: Length: Height: Wing Area:

The George AFB wing operated three F-4G Wild Weasel squadrons including the 561st TFS Black Knights

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4 PHANTOM II (USAF VARIANTS)

which deployed to Sheikh Isa AB, Bahrain for Operation Desert Storm and achieved considerable success in suppressing Iraqi air defences. Twelve of their Weasels took part in attacks in the Baghdad area on the first night of the conflict (January 17, 1991), flying amidst heavy anti-aircraft defences (which included up to 23,000 air-to-ground missiles) and knocking out dozens of SAM sites with HARM missiles. They were joined at Sheikh Isa by F-4Gs from Spangdahlem’s 81st TFS, bringing the wartime total of Weasel Phantoms to 61, including a section of the 23rd TFS based at Incirlik, Turkey. The Weasels were among the most heavily utilised air assets during the Gulf War campaign. Two Air National Guard units, eight of which flew photo-Phantoms,

ABOVE: F-4s in Air Force Reserve units received a number of experimental low-visibility paint schemes in the mid 1980s. F-4D-31-MC 66-7751 had a three-colour grey scheme while serving with the 93rd TFS ‘Makos’, 482nd TFW at Homestead AFB, Florida. VIA K DARLING

Capt. Bruce Benyshek – ‘Wild Weasel’

Capt ‘Spike’ Benyshek flew F-4G Wild Weasels against Iraqi air defences during the Gulf War and at the time he described the F-4G to this writer as, “the best aircraft in the world for this job. The reason is a specialised piece of RWR that only we have – the AN/ APR-47; a very sophisticated ABOVE: Capt. Bruce Benyshek receiver that determines an (right) gives the author a guided emitter’s location by determining tour of his Wild Weasel the ‘angle of arrival’ of the signal workplace. VIA AUTHOR and then triangulating any additional emissions from that site. Should the tactical situation call for us to employ an AGM-88A HARM missile, the electronic warfare officer (EWO) will designate the site and ‘hand off’ information about the site to the missile. Either the pilot or EWO can shoot the missile. Actual deployment of the missile is an impressive sight. At ‘pickle’ (launch) there is a resounding ‘clunk’ as it comes off the rail. Usually the pilot’s first view of the HARM is when it is already 1,000ft in front of the aircraft – this is a fast missile! After launch the system is entirely passive, so we are free to do as we please. There is no ‘lock on’ we must maintain. HARM is deadly.”

Next Month

Database

Examines... 86 www.aeroplanemonthly.com

1,389

The most prolific variant of the F-4 Phantom II built was the F-4E, of which 1,389 examples were manufactured. demonstrated that the RF-4C could also play a vital part in 1990s air warfare. Aircraft from the 106th TRS Alabama and 192nd TRS Nevada ANG provided extensive photographic imagery of enemy military resources in Kuwait and around Baghdad. The KS-127A LOROP (long-range oblique photography) cameras installed in some of the six Alabama examples were particularly useful, taking very high resolution images up to 25 miles away from targets. This squadron flew the last sorties for the RF-4C on its retirement in 1995 and a year later the F-4G ended its operational service with the USAF’s 561st FS and the 190th FS Idaho ANG. As F-4Cs were replaced in active USAF squadrons from 1972, they were reallocated to 14 ANG units. A similar number received F-4Ds, replacing F-4Cs in only four ANG units. From 1985 four squadrons received F-4Es but, like the other ANG units, they terminated F-4 operations in 1996 and many of the Phantoms were converted to QF-4 Full Scale Aerial Targets, providing unmanned live missile practice for a later generation of fighter pilots. BELOW: USAFE F-4 units frequently participated in NATO Tactical Air Meets and adopted temporary identification letters for these competitive tactical events. F-4E-38-MC 68-378 from the 512th TFS, 86th TFW, a squadron which specialised in the air superiority role at Ramstein AB. VIA C. MOGGERIDGE

The Avro Lancaster Mk II

At a time when Britain’s production of the RollsRoyce Merlin engine was seen as most vulnerable to aerial bombing, an alternative powerplant — in the shape of the Bristol Hercules radial — was installed in the RAF’s latest four-engined ‘heavy’, the Avro Lancaster. In next month’s DATABASE Martyn Chorlton tells the story of the Lancaster Mk II. Includes scale drawings, cutaway and profiles. (Contents may be subject to change)

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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ABOVE: Aircraft No 2 was called Chicago and took up the lead after Seattle was damaged early in the trip. In 1925 the aircraft was donated to the Smithsonian Institute and today it can be seen in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

Earth Rounders Nowadays we take round the world air ttravel ravell ffor or granted granted, d but just 90 years ago a team of United States Army Air Service pilots became the first to circumnavigate the globe. The trip took 175 days and covered 27,533 miles – as Steve Bridgewater explains

B

y the mid 1920s the competition to become the first to fly around the world was hotting up. In April 1922, Royal Australian Air Force Captain Ross Smith and Lieutenant James Bennett died when their Vickers Viking amphibian aircraft crashed at Byfleet, Surrey while testing

for their planned circumnavigation. Yet just a month later, on May 23, British Army Major Wilfred T Blake, RAF Captain Norman Macmillan and British Army Lt Col LE Broome departed Croydon in a modified Airco DH.9 (G-EBDE) to start their first attempt at the record. They planned to fly to Calcutta, India, then on

to Vancouver, Canada in a Fairey IIIC floatplane; then across to Montreal, Canada, in another DH.9, and finally from Montreal back to Great Britain in another DH.9. The route should have concluded on September 7 but on August 24 Capt Macmillan and cameraman Geoffrey Mallins needed to be re rescued from the Bay of Bengal after the Fairey II IIIC suffered engine failure and capsized two days ea earlier. Maj Blake had already left the expedition du due to appendicitis and Malin had replaced Lt Col Br Broome but now their attempt was called off.

Wo World Cruiser

ABOVE: The four aircraft were crewed by Maj Frederick Martin and SSgt Alva Harvey Harv arvey (Seattle), Lt Lowell H Smith and First Lt Leslie P Arnold (Chicago), First Lt Leigh P Wade and SSgt Henry H Ogden (Boston and Boston II) and Lt Erik Nelson and Lt Jack Harding New Orleans.

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In the spring of 1923 the US Army Air Service an announced its intention to fly around the world wi with an entire squadron of aircraft. With the assistance of the War Department, th the Air Service initially looked at both the Fokker TT-2 transport and the Davis-Douglas Cloudster ai aircraft as possible steeds. Although neither wa was deemed suitable, the evaluation team co continued discussion with Donald Douglas in th their search for an aircraft that could be fitted wi with interchangeable landing gear featuring both wh wheels and pontoons for water landings. Douglas submitted plans for a modified DT-2 to torpedo bomber, which he christened the Douglas Wo World Cruiser (DWC), and assured the Air Service th that it could be delivered within 45 days. A deal was done and Douglas, assisted by Jack No Northrop, began work to increase the DT-2’s fuel capacity and range – with all the weaponry removed and additional fuel tanks added to the

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

ROUND-THE W ORLD ROUTE

ABOVE: The Douglas ABOVE Dougl World Cru Cruise Cruiser was powered db by a 420hp Liber Liberty L-12 engi engine and weighed ighed in at 7,795lbs. Compared to the torpedo bomber it was developed from, it had dramatically increased fuel capacity as well as two separate tanks for oil and water. The fuselage was also strengthened, a larger rudder was fitted and the 49ft upper wing was modified to increase visibility.

wings and fuselage, total capacity was boosted from 115 to 644 US Gal. The aircraft flew in November 1923 and the War Department was so impressed that an order was placed for four further production aircraft, all of which were delivered by March 11 the following year. Also included in the order were 15 extra Liberty engines and sufficient spare parts to build two more entire aircraft. These spares were sent ahead along the route around the world that the aircraft would follow.

Crew training

The four DWCs were named Seattle (No 1), Chicago (No 2), Boston (No 3) and New Orleans (No 4) and were crewed by Maj Frederick Martin and SSgt Alva Harvey (No 1), Lt Lowell H Smith and First Lt Leslie P Arnold (No 2), First Lt Leigh P Wade and SSgt Henry H Ogden (No 3) and Lt Erik Nelson and Lt Jack Harding (No 4), respectively. The pilots were all trained in meteorology and navigation at Langley Field in Virginia and converted onto the prototype DWC before practising on the production aircraft in both Los Angeles and San Diego.

by Maj Martin and SSgt Harvey (the latter the only fully qualified mechanic in the flight) was damaged and needed to be repaired. The other three aircraft pressed on and, after repairs, Seattle tried to catch them up. Unfortunately, on April 30, Seattle crashed into a mountainside near Port Moller, Alaska in dense fog and was destroyed. The crew survived but were not rescued until May 10.

Pressing on

The remaining aircraft pressed on, with Chicago assuming the lead. The aircraft then routed out across the North Pacific archipelago to Japan and into South East Asia, the Middle East and then Europe. However, all did not always go to plan. At one point Chicago was forced to land in a lagoon in French Indo China after a connecting rod in the Liberty engine broke. An engine change ensued

• Sand Point, Seattle/Washington (USA) • Prince Rupert Island/British Columbia (Canada) • Sitka, Seward, Chignik, and Port Moller (Alaska) • Cape Igvak, Kanatak, Dutch Harbor, Atka (Nazan Bay) and Attu (Aleutian Islands) • Harbor of Nikolskoye (Russia) • Paramushiro (Kurile Islands) • Japan (Six landings) • Shanghai (China) • Gulf of Tonkin, Touraine, Hue and Saigon (French Indochina/Vietnam) • Bangkok (Thailand) • Rangoon and Akyab (Raj Burma) • Chittagong (Raj Bangladesh) • Calcutta (Raj India) • Karachi (Raj Pakistan) • Chahbar and Bandar Abbas (Iran) • Baghdad (Mesopotamia/ Iraq) • Aleppo (Syria) • Constantinople (Turkey) • Bucharest (Romania) • Budapest (Hungary) • Vienna (Austria) • Strasbourg and Paris (France) • London (Croydon), Brough-on-the-Humber, Kirkwall/Scapa Flow (Great Britain) • Reykjavik (Iceland) • Angmassalik, Fredricksdal, and Igivtut (Greenland) • Icy Tickle/Labrador and Pictou Harbor/ Nova Scotia (Canada) • Casco Bay/Maine, Boston/Massachusetts, Mitchell Field/New York, Bolling Field/ Washington and Seattle/Washington – plus a 14-city tour (USA)

a navy ship (by dropping a note tied to the aircraft’s only life jacket) and a rescue party was sent to Boston’s last known location. The light cruiser USS Richmond picked up the crew but while trying to tow Boston, the stricken aircraft capsized and sank. By now the surviving two aircraft (Chicago and New Orleans) had reached Canada via Iceland and Greenland and after a short break the original prototype DWC – now renamed Boston II – joined them to allow Wade and Ogden to continue their journey. The three aircraft flew on to Washington DC for a heroes’ welcome before completing their circumnavigation with a multi-city tour en route to Seattle. The three aircraft and their crews safely arrived ‘home’ on September 28, some 175 days after they had left. They had covered 27,553 miles, had to change engines five times and each got through two new sets of wings – but they had become the first aviators to fly around the world!

“They covered 27,553 miles and had their engines changed five times”

Unfortunate start

The four aircraft left Santa Monica, California, on April 4, 1924 for Sand Point near Seattle, Washington, the official start of the journey. The round-the-world attempt began two days later, on April 6, when the aircraft departed for Seattle. Unfortunately, after reaching Prince Rupert Island, the lead aircraft (Seattle) – flown

but later, when inspecting the aircraft in Calcutta, Lowell Smith slipped and broke a rib. He didn’t let this stop him though and continued the expedition in pain.

Capsized and replaced

After passing through Europe, the three aircraft set out across the Atlantic en route home to the USA. On August 3, midway across the ocean, Boston was forced to land on the open water. Luckily the crew of Chicago were able to contact

BELOW: The Douglas World Cruiser was capable of being flown with a conventional wheeled undercarriage or having pontoon-like floats fitted. A total of 14 sets of pontoons were acquired and positioned around the globe so they could be fitted as required. This is the prototype DWC, which was substituted for Boston late in the round-the-world trip. The ‘P318’ on its tail is the Wright Field test number.

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Q&A

Compiled by MIKE HOOKS Are you seeking the answer to a thorny aviation question? Or trying to trace an old aviation friend? Our questions-and-answers page might help “Killer Caldwell”

Q

Our August issue contained a short reply to a question on the demotion of Gp Capt C.R. “Killer” Caldwell to Flt Lt. Some further details have been obtained from the book Sepik Pilot by James Sinclair. As mentioned, his offence was sale of a considerable quantity of liquor, but the punishment was seen to be savage. Caldwell and his associate, Wg Cdr Gibbes, broke Air Board Order N548 of 1944 which prohibited the export or import of liquor by any member of the RAAF to areas in the Pacific War theatre outside the Australian mainland; the sale of liquor; and the use of RAAF aircraft for carrying liquor. No offence had been committed against the law of the land.

A

Lightning tanks

A

Spitfire at Worthing

A

Further to the answer given in our Autumn issue on Spitfire SL721, Air ViceMarshal Sir John Severne writes with some more information on its history. He says Air Chief Marshal Sir James Robb used this aircraft when he was C-in-C of the Western Union Air Forces. He had five stars painted on the aircraft, one more then he was entitled to, but the same number as his American counterpart. Sir James learned to fly at the Central Flying School, became their Chief Flying Instructor and finally Commandant when it was at Little Rissington. He had a special relationship with this Spitfire and when he retired thought he would present it to the CFS, although not entitled to do so. AVM Severne was PA to the Commandant of CFS when Sir James flew SL721 to Little Rissington on September 21,1951 and handed it to the Commandant, Air Commodore Mark Selway. It was Sir James’s last flight as a serving officer in the RAF. This Spitfire had much of the armour plating and all the guns removed and had a stunning performance – AVM Severne flew it on several occasions and noted that it reached 30,000ft quicker than a Vampire. He was later appalled to see it outside the Worthing garage and believed the Air Ministry had sold it for £150. He wonders why CFS ever let it go.

Short S.B.5

Q

A question was asked in the Autumn issue about devices on the Short S.B.5s rear fuselage. Tony Fussey believes the devices were something to do with smoothing airflow out when the brakes/anti-spin chute were deployed, to assist chute inflation.

A

90 www.aeroplanemonthly.com

Unseen Archives

Q

In the July issue we mentioned an Unseen Archive photograph of a Junkers Ju 88 and queried the rather derelict fuselage alongside. Terence O’Hara, Niel Malnoe and Gordon Samuel all suggest it is a Hawker Henley; Mr Samuel citing the distinctive air intake located so far forward as the Henley had a large bomb bay.

ABOVE: ACM Sir James Robb hands over SL721 on arrival at Little Rissington.

A

Pete Nash writes regarding the caption to the photograph of a Lightning on page 38 of our August issue and points out that the Lightning’s ventral tank held 200, not 2,000 gallons. Raiding his 44-year-old memory, he believes the total fuel capacity of early Lightnings was only about 1,000 gallons in total, carried in five tanks: two mains in the wing, both flaps and a ventral tank.

FAA Aircraft of WW2

A

A correction to the above Aeroplane Collectors Archive published in 2013 has kindly been supplied by Peter Dixon who points out that the photograph at the top of page 26 illustrating a pilot leaving a Seafox is not Chris Staniland but Mr Dixon’s late father, Foster “Dickie” Dixon who succeeded Staniland as Fairey’s chief test pilot upon Staniland’s death while testing the prototype Firefly. Foster Dixon had been headhunted out of No 1 Squadron by Staniland who met him spectating and then helping out at Brooklands.

ABOVE: Hastings prototype TE580 – see adjacent query.

BELOW: Foster Dixon taxies Seafox K8587 past a Thames barge on the River Hamble.

Tudor prototype

Q

There was a question in the Autumn issue about a possible Tudor prototype. Pete Rolfe clearly recalls the incident mentioned in Mr Tranter’s letter as he was involved in the aftermath, but he says the aircraft was a Hastings, although he cannot recall a yellow P marking. Detailed to marshall the aircraft on departure, he signalled the pilot to turn to his starboard on the perimeter track, but he turned to port and the aircraft sank up to its axles in a contractor’s trench which had recently been backfilled under very wet conditions, which is why an attempt was made to send it the other way. The Hastings stayed there for several days as, being a York station, they had no means of lifting it. I have checked Aeroplane files for Hastings prototypes, but apart from the Sapphire Hastings the only other example wearing a prototype marking seems to have been TE580, and as the adjacent illustration shows, the markings were carried on the rear fuselage, not on the nose.

A

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

E-mail: [email protected] Write: Q&A, Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG

Bf 108/Nord 1000

A

Mike Hooks was editor of Airports International during 1967–75. He then joined the SBAC, where his duties included managing the Press Centre at the Farnborough Air Shows

Further to notes on the above types in our Summer and August issues, Kurt Strack writes to point out that his comments on Frankfurt airport were misinterpreted – he was referring to the small historic airfield at Rebstock which had been the original Frankfurt Airport, some miles from the town centre. Rhein Main was devastated by bombing and the small airfield was used in the first days of the occupation by high-ranking officers visiting General Eisenhower.

This month’s

Questions

Spitfire IIb P8643

Walsh (alpamwalsh@ QAlan virginmedia.com) is researching

■ Email users — Please include a postal address with your e-mail query, as we sometimes have to include hard copy (e.g. photocopies) with a reply. When responding to queries, please reply via Mike Hooks at the above address.

Spitfire IIb P8643 Margaret Helen, assigned to No 222 (Natal) Squadron on May 21, 1941 before moving to No 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron on September 3, 1941. Later service was with No 1 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Unit at RAF Langham, Norfolk from July 1942 to September 1943 and finally with No 61 OTU at RAF Heston in 1943 before being written off in an accident in 1944. Mr Walsh asks if anyone remembers this aircraft, worked on it or flew it during this period?

Australian Spitfire VIII

L.R.Jackson refers to the QMr illustration of a Spitfire VIII in our

January 2014 issue. It is quoted as being A58-758/VH-HET, the serial worn when, ex MV239, it went to the RAAF in June 1945, but what little can be seen of the serial in our illustration suggests it was ??602. Can anyone explain?

Extra es qu tions are U-boat sinking posted online. ane See www.aeropl d monthly.com an click on the News button

Do you know the answers to the questions on the right? E-mail or write to the addresses at the top of the page

Roberts writes regarding QThomas the sinking of a U-boat mentioned

on pages 99 & 100 in our July issue. A check on the history of No 13 Squadron shows it to be generally in accord with the account, “on September 12, 1943 while the squadron was based at Protville II Tunisia, Blenheim V BA997/U sighted a fully surfaced U-boat south-east of Sardinia and attacked with four 250lb depth charges, straddling the submarine which disappeared below the surface and a 300ft oil slick formed. Between 15 and 20 survivors were seen and photographed”. This was after the Italian armistice and could not have been Italian. U-boat losses record only one at that time: U-671 was attacked off the coast of Morocco just after midnight by a Leighlight Wellington of No 149 Squadron and damaged. The submarine was beached near Melilla, close to the mouth of the Kert River in the Spanish Protectorate; there were no German casualties and the submariners were interned in Spain, most progressing back to Germany. Mr Roberts asks how these two accounts can be reconciled?

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

Q&A Extra WITH MIKE HOOKS

Dewoitine D.520 Q A

The pieces on D.520s in recent issues have brought some more comments. Jean-Luc Carreras has submitted a photograph of No 650 under restoration at Rochefort sur Mer in 2006. Jean-Claude Hasquenoph is a volunteer working on aircraft at the Musee de l’Aeronautique Navale, Rochefort, and says that No 650 was seized by the Germans in 1942 and flown in Luftwaffe colours. It was damaged at Nancy after an undercarriage failure in August 1943 and following the American landing in Toulon was flown by GC 2/18 and GC 1/18 of the Armee de l’Air. It was later damaged and modified for aerial reconnaissance with a camera in the lower fuselage. After the war it was modified as a two-seater and flown at Tours and Etampes where it was damaged once more and never overhauled. Museum volunteers built replicas of the Ratier spinner, engine cowling with adjustable flaps on either side, exhausts, frame canopy, clear parts, instrument panel, top of fuselage for single-seat with interior frame, radio masts, karmans, wingtips undercarriage doors, belly radiator cowling etc. The aircraft now comprises the fuselage of No 650, the wing from No 978 and elevator from No 377. The aircraft is not on exhibition but it is possible to arrange a visit – although one has to cross a military area to reach the museum, which is only open on Tuesdays from 09.00-12.00 and 14.00 to 17.00. Jean-Yves Niel writes that the unidentified D.520 illustrated in the Autumn issue of Aeroplane is No 603, photographed at the Ecole de l’Air, Salon between 1958 and 1976, but is unable to date the photograph. Another piece of information on D.520s, although not involved with the aircraft we illustrated, is nevertheless interesting. Dr Ray Flude, in his book Sending aircraft across the world: RAF Melton Mowbray in World War II noted that in January 1945 the first air delivery of single-engined aircraft across France took place when No 12 Ferry Unit at Melton Mowbray was required to deliver 30 Spitfire Vbs to Bordeaux. Weather was appalling and there were other difficulties, but the unit to which the Spitfires was being delivered was out of the ordinary. A number of D.520s had been pirated from the Toulouse factory by the workforce and hidden away while under German occupation. When the Germans retreated in 1944, the D.520s were formed into an independent unit supporting the Resistance forces now fighting in the open. Test pilots and others flew the aircraft, and the unit was absorbed into the Armee de l.’Air during autumn 1944, receiving the replacement Spitfires. The Air Movement Order was inscribed the II/18 Dewoitine squadron Armée de l’Air, handwritten across the word Bordeaux as the destination. Although not clear, Dewoitine can be made out and the individual aircraft records for eleven Spitfires give Armée de l’Air, GC II/18 as the specific destination unit. The unit’s official title was the Groupe de Chasse II/18 Dewoitine 520 Saintonge.

ABOVE: Jean-Luc Carreras has provided this photograph of D.520 No 650 under restoration at Rochefort.

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Books

Book of the Month Faszination Bücker Flugzeuge

(by Klaus-Jochem Rieger & Christoph Rieger; ISBN 978-3-9814124-1-3; MeinFachverlag, Ramseck, Germany; 8½in x 12in hardback; 504 pages, illustrated; available from The Aviation Bookshop, 31-33 Vale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1BS @ £59.95 plus £8.00 p&p). BÜCKER AIRCRAFT HAVE always been held in high esteem, the aerobatic qualities of the Jungmann and Jungmeister were unsurpassed in the 1930s and even today there are a considerable number of Jungmanns but fewer Jungmeisters around. Carl Clemens Bücker, born in 1895, grew up in a military family and in 1914 as a cadet in the German Navy began training as a pilot at the Air Naval Station, Heligoland and at Zeebrügge, later going to the Navy Technical Command, Warnemünde where he worked with Ernst Heinkel, who soon recognised his abilities for technical improvements and modifications to aircraft. Bücker later became a consultant and test pilot in Sweden and in 1922, with Heinkel’s assistance, established Svenska Aero AB, later to become Saab. His history is well established in this book and he produced several aircraft for the Swedish Services, returning to Germany in 1933, taking designer Anders J. Anderson to establish Bücker Flugzeugbau at Johannisthal. In four months the company produced the prototype two-seat Bü 131 Jungmann, followed two years later by the singleseat Bü 133 Jungmeister. Other types followed, most popular being the Bü 181 Bestmann; all three types later being built under licence in other countries. In World War Two the company had to dedicate 50% of production to building other types such as the Ju 87 and He 46, plus transport gliders. On the outbreak of war, Anderson returned to Sweden and later developed the Saab Safir, basically a modified Bestmann with a retractable tricycle undercarriage. Post-war interest in the Jungmeister caused Bücker to attempt to restart production with the Josef Bitz company at Augsburg under American Jack Canary, and around a dozen were built, some complete, com ompl plete, otherss as kits. k Some Som omee of

the latter were subsequently modified in America. There were still plenty of Jungmanns about, mostly Spanish and Czech-built examples, but comparatively few Jungmeisters. The whole story of each Bücker type is included here detailing construction and flight characteristics, aerobatic successes, licence production, restorations and experiments with other engines. Listings with coloured badges show Luftwaffe units using the types with dates. Civil and military production lists with c/ns where known run from pages 355-492, a mammoth listing which may answer many questions. Add to all this a super collection of illustrations and drawings, many showing wartime markings and you have a magnificent blockbuster of a book, worth every penny and a worthy Book of the Month. MIKE HOOKS MI KS

“A magnificent blockbuster of a book” 92 www.aeroplanemonthly.com

Arrival of Eagles – Luftwaffe landings in Britain 1939-1945

(by Andy Saunders; ISBN 978-1-909808-12-6; Grub Street Publishing, 4 Rainham Close, London SW11 6SS; 7in x 10in hardback; 190 pages, illustrated; £20). WORLD WAR TWO caused the arrival of some 1,200 Luftwaffe aircraft in Britain or its coastal waters, many as a result of battle damage while others had more interesting stories to tell. Here, the author has assembled 16 chapters, each dealing with a specific arrival, starting from the first to come down on British soil: a He 111 shot down over Scotland, while the last chapter is an amusing story of the plot to kidnap Hitler in his Fw Condor – it did not take place but could have happened! In between are accounts of several Fw 190 ‘acquisitions’ by the RAF when they landed here in error – a plan had been made to capture a ’190 using test pilot Jeffrey Quill and an RAF officer, but fortunately it was forestalled by the arrival of the first ’190 at Pembrey! Several Luftwaffe trainers landed here plus some bombers and details of these and their subsequent use are given. An appendix lists 17 Luftwaffe arrivals which include the sole Italian CR.42, the latter now at the RAF Museum, Hendon, while other appendices cover Intelligence reports, interrogation of German PoWs, the RAE Farnborough, AFDU at various locations, No 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight, extracts from the RAE’s test report on a Fw 190, a bibliography and an excellent index with names of Allied and German personnel, places, RAF bases, units, Luftwaffe units and aircraft types. A very well presented and readable book on an interesting piece of history.

MIKE HOOKS

Reviews Rating Outstanding Excellent Good Flawed Mediocre Enough said

“An appendix lists 17 Luftwaffe arrivals”

Tiger!

(by Stuart McKay; (ISBN 978-0-859-79182-3; Crécy Publishing Ltd, 1a Ringway Trading Estate, Shadowmoss Road, Manchester M22 5LH; 8 3/4in x 11 1/4in hardback;; 414 pages, illustrated; £29.95) IT IS 15 YEARS since Midland Publishing produced the author’s big book on the Tiger Moth, so it seemed a good time to publish an updated version. Comparing the two, the first had 304 pages, while the new one has 414, but the latter does not contain the original’s six pages of surviving airframes, which seems a pity. There are several new chapters, many additional photographs and some nice sideview drawings, all of which are said to be 1/72nd scale but in fact they are considerably larger than even 1/48th – perhaps the original intention was to print all at 1/72nd but the

“The price remains the same, a real achievement”

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

Write: Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG, UK E-mail: [email protected] designer felt they deserved to be larger, forgetting about the scale! Printing in Slovenia has produced good quality reproduction and one of the differences in layout has been adoption of a two-column layout for the text, as opposed to three-column in the original, purely a matter of personal taste. The page size remains the same. No doubt Tiger buffs will be happy with the new book even if they have the 1999 original, but the good news is that the price remains the same, a real achievement in these days of rising costs. Go and buy it – you may have to wait another 15 years before a further version!

MIKE HOOKS

Luftwaffe – The Second World War in colour (by John Christopher; ISBN 978-1-4456 3892-8; Amberley Publishing, The Hill, Merrywalks, Stroud, Glos GL5 4EP; 9¾in x 6¾in softback; 128 pages, illustrated; £19.99). PART OF A new series of military history titles by Amberley, this softback looks at the Luftwaffe with a good selection of colour illustrations. Germany had more easily processed colour film, particularly Agfa, and the Nazi propaganda machine took full advantage of this. Few of the illustrations here will be familiar to UK readers and will no doubt be particularly interesting to modellers, if treated with caution, but do not expect to see the quality of colour achieved these days. A good example, however, is the Arado Ar 196 on page 36; nice rendering of the various hues. An interesting introduction explains the Propaganda Kompanie and its photographers, those images featuring the Luftwaffe appearing in magazines such as Signal, Der Adler and Fliegende Front. Signal was also made available in the USA as an English-language edition and had a 2.5 million print run, also available in various other languages. An interesting insight into wartime photography.

MIKE HOOKS

Listening In – RAF Electronic Intelligence gathering since 1945 (by Dave Forster and Chris Gibson; ISBN 978-1-90210-938-1; Hikoki Publications Ltd, 1a Ringway Trading Estate, Shadowmoss Road, Manchester M22 5LH; 8½in x 12in hardback; 192 pages, illustrated; £29.95). DURING WORLD WAR Two the RAF used various aircraft to gather Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) data on German blind-bombing systems and later the German air defences. By 1944 the main types in use were Wellington Xs, Halifax IIIs and Mosquito IVs and No 192 Squadron was operating from Foulsham, Norfolk. Post-war, thought had to be given to continuation of this work, initially with Halifaxes, B-17s and Mosquitoes operating for the Central

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

Signals Establishment (CSE), gradually they were supplanted by Lancasters, Lincolns, Comets, Canberras and B-29s. The book describes and illustrates the various pieces of equipment and the lumps and bumps caused to the aircraft’s lines, no doubt explaining to many enthusiasts the reasons for non-standard appearance, while there are many illustrations of the aircraft. The Hastings was considered as an ELINT platform but rejected in favour of the B-29 Washington, the first of which arrived at Prestwick in April 1952, installation of the CSE equipment taking five months, the B-29s being basically Lincoln replacements. The Canberra was selected to replace the Mosquito, but for larger and more comprehensive equipment, the Comet was chosen; the Vickers V.1000 would have been een preferred, but it was never completed. In spite of the book’s title, USAF B-47s and RC-135s were also involved. Maps show ow the various zones of operations around the borders of various countries – Russia, Syria, Egypt – while even a look at the India/China na border was carried out by Comets. Nimrods were ELINT fitted while the final pages explain the acquisition of three Boeing RC-135Ws as Nimrod replacements. A very comprehensive study of a fairly complex subject, well researched and illustrated.

MIKE HOOKS

In 1949 after a long struggle with authority, Witold was granted British nationality and rejoined the RAF as a sergeant pilot, and in the early 1960s flew in the Congo, but as he says that is another story. This is a very interesting book describing a very full life and is recommended.

“The Nazi propaganda machine took full advantage of this”

“The b book k describes and illustrates the various lumps and bumps”

Out in front (by Witold “Lanny” Lanowski; ISBN 978-0-992620-745; Fighting High Ltd, 23 Hitchin Road, Stotfold, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 4HP. 6½in x 8½in hardback; 292 pages, illustrated; £25). THE AUTHOR OF this book is in fact Krys Lanowski, the son of Witold – he tells the story well. Witold’s early life in the Polish Air Force is described and in September 1938 he arrived in Krakow at the camp of a fighter ter squadron flying PZL P.11 fighters. He describes these as one of the strongest aircraft he had ever flown and when war broke out in September 1939 the Polish Air Force gave a good account of itself, but in only 14 days it was over. Polish Air Force records estimate 126 enemy aircraft shot down by Polish fighters and bombers, while ile German losses were stated to have been 285 aircraft destroyed and 279 damaged beyond nd repair. Witold flew 97 operations totalling 220 combat hours and with a number of other cadets escaped to Romania, later to France and eventually England. Two bomber and two fighter squadrons were formed with approximately 50 Polish crews, initially led by British officers, the fighter squadrons proving their worth in the he Battle of Britain. Witold had many difficulties in joining the RAF but eventually joined 307 Squadron with Spitfire Vs, later serving with other units. After completing his tour with the PAF, Witold requested a posting for flying liaison duties with the USAAF and was accepted, joining the 56th Fighter Group at Boxted flying Thunderbolts. The CO was Colonel Hubert Zemke, a name which was to become well-known and whom Witold described as the best CO under which he had flown.

“One off the “O th strongest aircraft he had ever flown”

“This is no “Thi dull catalogue of strange post-war light aircraft”

MIKE HOOKS

Biggin Hill Airfield Beyond the Bump – 1 (b Joe Merchant; ISBN (by 978-0-9929626-0-9; Pilots Pals, 97 Springfi Sp elds, Kings Bank Lane, Beckley, Be East Sussex TN31 6RU; 6in x 9in 9i softback; 234 pages, illustrated; £9 plus p&p). £9.95 THIS THI IS ONE man’s story – sometimes funny, occasionally occ serious, and often entertainingly frank fra – of life among the flyers and the flying clubs clu on one of the most famous former fighter airfields in Britain. It spans the period from the air airfi air eld’s final years as the spiritual home of the RAF until the end of the 1970s, when light flying began to face the squeeze as business jets arrived, bringing more money to the airfield operator than the recreational ‘spam cans’. Author Joe Merchant was an ATC ‘sprog’ in the 1950s and he enjoyed adolescent life on ‘the Bump’ amidst the smell of AVTUR, the scream of Meteor Met Derwents, and the camaraderie of the post-war pos air force. A quick-witted youngster whose who life was wholly bound up with wanting to be part of the aviation world, he was attached to No 615 ’County of Surrey’ Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Aux Air Force, and worked the dirty jobs refuelling, ref cleaning and checking ammunition for Biggin Big Hill’s weekend pilots, until told the auxiliaries aux were disbanding and he was no longer needed. nee Refusing to give up all that he loved, Joe returned ret to the airfield to take in the transition from fro military aviation to the arrival of the flying clubs, clu which were suddenly homeless with the closure clo of Croydon in 1959. This is no dull catalogue of strange post-war light lig aircraft which lurked in old wartime revetments and rust-eaten hangars, but is a personal account of the people who ‘made’ the recreational light aviation scene in the ‘You’ve never had it so good’ days. If you were there, Joe’s fiery text will remind you of the draughty huts that clubs called home, the characters that haunted Mary’ Mar s ‘greasy spoon’ café, the flying club bars that dotted dot South Camp, and the events which held such suc disparate elements together such as the founding fou of the annual Air Fair in 1963, the Longest Lon Day flying competitions and the last Battle Bat of Britain Open Day in September 1976. Recording his experiences in his own words can be hard on the eye of the reader for profanities pro and expletives dot the text where a good goo sub-editor would have softened the emphasis, emp but Joe writes as he feels. The 234 pages are full of pictures – more than 180 – to give a view vie of the people and aircraft who made Biggin a ccrucible of light flying of the period, and with a price pri that reflects today’s Amazon print-ondemand dem book publishing, the result is surprisingly readable forming as it does a social window on the enjoyment that flying gave and still gives to so many. We are promised a second part of this unique reflection later in 2015.

BARRY WHEELER

www.aeroplanemonthly.com 93

Events Compiled by John Donaldson

JAMIE EWAN

During the Dunsfold Wings & Wheels event on August 24 an impressive gathering of warbirds performed a formation flypast. Aces High’s resident Douglas C-47A Skytrain N147DC led the formation, followed by P-51D Mustang G-BTCD Ferocious Frankie, Supermarine Spitfire IX MH434 and North American B-25J Mitchell PH-XXV Sarinah Plesiran Neer. The formation flew a single pass with the BBMF and Canadian Warplane Heritage Lancasters following 60 seconds behind.

UK Events OCTOBER 2014

4-5 Military Revival Old Buckenham Airfield, Abbey Road, Old Buckenham, Norfolk NR17 1PU; tel 01953 860806, website www.militaryrevival.com 5 Vintage Sunday Old Sarum Airfield, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6DZ; free landings for pre 1965 aircraft; website www.oldsarumairfield.co.uk

STEVE BRIDGEWATER

Sywell Airshow

94 www.aeroplanemonthly.com

North America

OCTOBER 2014

3-5 MCAS Miramar Airshow MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, USA; website www.miramarairshow.com 4-5 Air & Space Show Melbourne, Florida, USA; website www.airandspaceshow.com 4-5 WW1 Airshow – Biplanes & Triplanes Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA; website www.militaryaviationmuseum.org 10-11 Fall Festival of Flight Fly-in Gainsville Municipal Airport, Gainsville, Texas; website www.texasantiqueairplane.org/flyin 10-13 San Francisco Fleet Week Airshow Waterfront, San Francisco, California, USA; website www.fleetweek.us

The Red Bull Air Race returned to the UK on August 16-17. The event, which took place in the grand setting of Ascot Racecourse, was won by Britain’s Paul Bonhomme with fellow British airshow legend Nigel Lamb coming home second, ahead of France’s Nicholas Ivanoff. A sell-out crowd of 29,000 watched Bonhomme – seen here taking off during qualifying – claim his 15th career victory and second win of the season, which helped him cut the world championship lead of Hannes Arch. A few weeks later, on September 7, Ivanoff had a flawless run in the Forth Worth, Texas race, winning with a time of 54.118sec and beating Nigel Lamb into second and Canada’s Pete McLeod into third. Paul Bonhomme came home fifth, meaning only one point now separates him, Hannes Arch and Nigel Lamb in the World Championship standings. 11-12 Commemorative Air Force Airshow Midland International Airport, Midland, Texas, USA; website www.airsho.org 11-12 Final 2014 Airshow Weekend Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Red Hook, NY 12571, USA; tel 001 845 752 3200, website www.oldrhinebeck.org 11-12 Wings & Waves Airshow Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; website www.wingsandwaves.com/ 23-25 Copperstate Fly-In Casa Grande, Arizona, USA; website www.copperstate.org

Little Gransden PHIL WHALLEY/AVPICS

Although hampered by strong gusty winds and occasional heavy showers, the biennial Sywell Airshow on August 17 hosted one of the most eclectic mixes of aircraft seen at any British event this year. A large contingent from Breighton, Yorks included ‘Taff’ Smith flying a beautiful aerobatic routine in his seldom seen Jungmann G-TAFF, while other ‘German’ aircraft included a Jungmeister and Will Greenwood’s Bestmann – the latter also now cleared for aerobatics. Other highlights included a rare appearance away from Duxford by the Fighter Collection’s Gloster Gladiator and a scintillating air racing pairing of David Beale’s Percival Mew Gull replica (G-HEKL) and Travel Air Type R Mystery Ship G-TATR.

5 The Race Day Airshow Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome, near Biggleswade, Beds SG18 9EP; tel 01767 627927, website www.shuttleworth.org 7 Open Cockpits evening RAF Museum London, Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5QW; doors open 6:15pm; tel 0208 358 4997, website www.rafmuseum.org.uk 8 The History of Heston Airport A London Society of Air-Britain presentation by Lawrence Hole. The Victory Services Club, 63-79 Seymour Street, London W2 2HF; Meeting starts 1930hrs, telephone enquiries to James Dale 01487 824922 (after 1930hrs only), website www.air-britain.com or email [email protected] 11 Indoor Aeroboot/Aerojumble Table Top Sale Newark Air Museum, Drove Lane, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts NG24 2NY; email enquire@ newarkairmuseum.org website www.newarkairmuseum.org 12 End of Season Fly-in Popham Airfield, Popham, Hants; tel 01256 397733, website www.popham-airfield.co.uk 13 Strathaven Airfield A Royal Aeronautical Society Prestwick Branch evening lecture by Colin McKinnon. The Aviator Suite, 1st floor, Terminal Building, Prestwick Airport, KA9 2PL; meeting 19:30-21:00; website www. aerosociety.com/Events/Calendar 14 Fifty Years of Buying & Selling Aircraft Around the World A Milton Keynes Aviation Society Lecture by Bob Crowe, proprietor of Bob Crowe Aircraft Sales. Kents Hill Community Centre, Frithwood Crescent, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes MK7 6HQ; doors open 7pm; contact Ian Carr; tel 01234 742057, email [email protected] 14 RNAS Operations in WWI A Royal Aeronautical Society Southend Branch

Red Bull Air Race STEVE BRIDGEWATER

Dunsfold Wings & Wheels

evening lecture by Cdr Simon Askins. The RN Association Club Ltd, 79 East Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 6LQ; meeting 20:00-21:30; website www.aerosociety.com/Events/ Calendar 21 Living with the Bomb Operational with the V-Bomber Force A Royal Aeronautical Society Gloucester & Cheltenham Branch evening lecture by Alan Macdonald. Jet Age Museum Meteor Park, Cheltenham Road East, Gloucester GL2 9QL; meeting 19:30-21:30; website www.aerosociety.com/Events/ Calendar 23 Reserve Collection Open Day Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset BA22 8HT; tel 01935 840565, website www.fleetairarm.com 25 Autumn Model Show Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset BA22 8HT; tel 01935 840565, website www.fleetairarm.com

The 2014 British airshow season has shone in terms of the number of unique and original formations that have appeared for the first time. Among those in recent months has been this pleasing trio of Ryan Navion N4956C, Beagle/Auster AOP.11 G-ASCC and Cessna O-1 Bird Dog G-PDOG that appeared at the 2014 Children in Need Airshow at Little Gransden on August 24.

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

Flying Visit STEVE BRIDGEWATER

By way of an introduction to our new editor we asked him to complete our traditional Flying Visit questionnaire. Steve Bridgewater has been editing aviation magazines for almost 15 years and has also worked as the head of marketing for Pooleys Flight Equipment. A lifelong aviation enthusiast, he began volunteering for the Air Atlantique Classic Flight at the age of 18 and eventually became the organisation’s Commercial Operations Director. Steve is a Freeman of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, a founder committee member of the Friends of Duxford and holds a National Private Pilot Licence (NPPL). He has taken part in the annual Dawn to Dusk flying competition four times to raise money and awareness for aviation charities including Flying Scholarships for the Disabled and fly2help.org. He was awarded both the Tiger Club Trophy and Pooley Sword for these endurance flights. What is your first aviation memory? I was interested in aeroplanes from a small age. There is no aviation history in my family, but whereas other children grew up immersed in football or cars, I’ve been an aviation ‘nut’ ever since I could speak.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? Simply to continue flying for as long as possible and to carry on editing Aeroplane to the best of my ability. To be asked to walk in the footsteps of such pioneering predecessors as CG Grey and Richard Riding is a daunting honour.

When was your first flight? I flew as a passenger in Air Atlantique’s Douglas DC-3 G-AMRA when I was 11 years old. Little did I know that 25 years later ‘Romeo Alpha’ would be sitting outside my office when I worked full time for the organisation. The first time I piloted an aeroplane was Bölkow 208 Junior D-ECGO flown by family friend Roy Sears. I was 14 at the time.

Can you think of a time in the cockpit when you have looked out and thought, this is IT, this IS aviation? Every flight is a privilege and I make a note about every sortie in the ‘remarks’ section of my logbook. Perhaps the most memorable moment has to be cruising at 3,000ft while watching the glow as the sun slowly rose in the east during my Dusk to Dawn flight with Amanda Harrison in 2007. That was special.

What prompted learning to fly? It was something I’d always dreamed about but working for a private flying magazine made it a reality (actually, a necessity). I suffer from a very minor heart condition so the NPPL’s less strict medical requirements meant I could pursue my dream.

What has been your worst time in the cockpit? On one flight I suffered a series of small problems in quick succession – including a door popping open, an intermittent radio, encountering severe turbulence and having to land at a strange airfield in rapidly fading light. None were major issues but combined, they certainly made me grateful to be on the ground!

When was your first solo? October 1, 2003 flying Cessna 152 G-BSFP at Peterborough Sibson. I remember talking to the aeroplane all the way around the circuit!

What is your favourite aeroplane? I’ve been lucky to log about 30 types as pilot in command and have flown as a passenger in about 50 more – from 1930s biplanes to jets such as the Gnat, JP and L-39. My favourite depends on my mood – you can’t beat the adrenaline of a high performance aerobatic aeroplane, the buzz of an open cockpit biplane or the comfort of a Cirrus SR22. But if pushed I’d have to choose a Piper Cub on a summer’s evening.

Who has been the biggest influence on your aviation career? I’ve been lucky to be exposed to so many incredible aviators through my journalistic work and have had the most wonderfully supportive parents. However, the biggest ‘lightbulb’ moment came when flying with round-theworld aviatrix Polly Vacher. I’d been struggling with navigation but Polly’s calm style meant something just ‘clicked’. What do you see as your best achievement in aviation? At the age of 25 I believe I was the youngest launch editor for an aviation magazine – at least in the UK. I’ve also enjoyed putting my endurance to the test in the Dawn to Dusk competitions to raise money and awareness for various charities. I’m also immensely proud of the work the Friends of Duxford committee, volunteers and members have done, especially the £1.3 million we’ve raised for the museum since we formed a decade and a half ago. Do you hold any records? Not currently, no.

What is your least favourite aeroplane? I’m not sure there’s such a thing although some aeroplanes are decidedly underwhelming. However, I have to confess to a dislike of the Piper PA-38 Tomahawk – I could never get the thing to fly in a straight line without yawing and my instructor at the time likened it to “flying a fish.” Hypothetically, if you could fly any aeroplane from history what would it be? Once again, it depends on the day of the week and the mood I’m in. If pushed I’d have to settle on the Schneider Trophy-winning Supermarine S.6 – there’s something incredibly glamorous about any aeroplane that works equally as well as a flying machine or a piece of art deco sculpture!

BELOW: Steve has chosen the Supermarine S.6 racer series as the aeroplane he would most like to have flown. This is N247, which won the 1929 Schneider Trophy race at Calshot. For more about the Schneider Trophy see page 24 of this issue.

AEROPLANE AERO AE ROPL RO AEROPLANE PLAN PL ANEE SUMMER AN SUMM SU MMER MM NOVEMBER ER 2014 201 2 014 01 4 2014

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RIGHT: G-AFFD is seen over Sir Phillip Sassoon’s Trent Park residence in North London in 1938. The photograph was taken by Brian Thynne, who was a pilot on 601 Sqn at the time G-AFFD was used as a squadron ‘hack’. VIA GEORGINA THYNNE

In the wilds of Norfolk this sole surviving Percival Q.6 Petrel is slowly being nursed back to airworthiness. Mike Shreeve reports

Norfolk

Petrel

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

I

n Fordaire Aviation Ltd’s hangar at the former USAAF airfield at Seething, a unique survivor of a pre-war British wooden twin-engined aircraft is undergoing an intensive restoration, over half a century after the type’s last flight. The Percival Type Q was the first twin-engined type designed by the company and was originally intended to be produced in two variants; the Q.4 (to be powered by a pair of four-cylinder de Havilland Gipsy Major engines) and the Q.6 (powered by six-cylinder Gipsy Sixes, and fitted with longer-span wings).

Type Q

The aircraft had a neat, all-wooden airframe accommodating two pilots and a cabin for five or six passengers, depending on configuration. The cockpit seated two pilots side-by-side, with a single control wheel mounted on a throw-over yoke so that it could be operated by either pilot. The prototype, which was built as a Q.6 but had the shorter-span wings originally designed for the Q.4, flew for the first time from Percival’s airfield at Luton on September 14, 1937. It was followed by a further 26 production examples between early 1938 and mid 1940, all of which were built as Q.6s, with no Q.4s being built. By all accounts the aircraft had good flying characteristics, although one poor point was a tendency for the undercarriage to collapse in the event of heavy landings. Most had a fixed undercarriage with neat trousers but the sixth example built was later fitted with a retractable undercarriage for trials work. A further five examples were then built with retractable undercarriages.

Operators

Most of the 27 aircraft were ordered by civilian operators but the last eight were purchased by the RAF, who called the type the Petrel.

The majority of the Q.6s built remained in the UK, although one was delivered to King Ghazi I of Iraq and a pair went to the Lithuanian Ministry of Communications, which put them into service with its National Airline. These two were later taken over by the Soviets and put into service with Aeroflot. Two Q.6s were delivered to customers in India, one to Australia, and two from the RAF order went to the Egyptian Air Force.

Halted by the war

With the outbreak of war all the remaining civilian examples in the UK were impressed into RAF or Fleet Air Arm service with the exception of one example (G-AFIW), which remained civilianregistered with Vickers Aviation and was used as a company hack throughout the war. The low production quantity can also be attributed to the outbreak of war, and to the fact that the UK military decided on the de Havilland Dominie (the militarised version of the triedand-tested DH.89 Rapide) as its standard twinengined communications type. Instead of placing large orders for the Petrel, the Air Ministry required Percival to undertake production of Airspeed Oxfords, and later de Havilland Mosquitoes, at its Luton factory during the war. After the war the remaining handful of operational Q.6 examples (a total of seven in the UK) were released onto the civilian market, but all were withdrawn from use by the end of the 1950s. As with so many wooden aircraft of the period, these post-war survivors simply faded away, many being burned or broken up, apart from one.

the Honorary Air Commodore of 601 (County of London) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, then based at RAF Hendon and flying Hawker Demons. The Q.6 therefore had the winged sword badge of 601 added to the fin by the squadron, and was generally based at Hendon. Sassoon died at the age of 50 in June 1939 following an illness, and the Q.6 was put up for sale. It was registered to the Secretary of State for Air in December that year and usually based at Manchester’s Barton Aerodrome. In May 1940 G-AFFD was impressed into service with the RAF and allocated the military serial X9407. As such, the Q.6 served with various UK-based units for the remainder of the war, including the Station Flights at Northolt, Heston, Halton and Old Sarum. It also had stints with 510 Sqn and the Metropolitan Communications Squadron, both at its pre-war home of RAF Hendon. It was struck off charge after the war and in August 1946 was sold to the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club. The registration G-AIEY was initially allocated but this was not taken up and the Q.6 eventually reverted to its old registration of G-AFFD. It stayed with the club until 1952 when it was acquired by Walter Instruments Ltd, which based it at Redhill, Surrey for the next three years.

Final flight

It is believed that G-AFFD made its final flight (to date) on September 1, 1955: a short hop from Gatwick to Redhill. It was then hangared at Redhill and used as an instructional airframe by ð

Unique survivor

The last remaining airframe is actually the first production example (and second Q.6 built, with a construction number of Q.21). It was delivered to Sir Phillip Sassoon in early 1938 as G-AFFD and painted in a grey scheme with silver wings and a gold plated cobra model (Sassoon’s personal emblem) mounted ahead of the windscreen. Sassoon was a Member of Parliament and former Under Secretary of State for Air, and was LEFT: Although it looks pristine, the current team has had to expend significant effort to assess past restoration work on G-AFFD and some significant further rectification has been required. ALL MIKE SHREEVE UNLESS STATED RIGHT: Sassoon was a former Under Secretary of State for Air and the Honorary Air Commodore of 601 (County of London) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force at RAF Hendon. His Q.6 therefore had the winged sword badge of 601 added to the fin by the squadron, and is seen here being applied by “Sgt Langley”. VIA GEORGINA THYNNE

ABOVE: After the war G-AFFD passed to the Yorkshire Aeroplane Club and is seen here visiting its old home at Hendon on July 21, 1951. TONY CLARKE VIA MIKE SHREEVE

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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ABOVE: The restoration is consuming a significant amount of resources in terms of both funding and manpower and Rex therefore accepts that this historic aircraft will most likely be under new ownership before completion.

Chelsea College. The certificate of airworthiness expired on August 31, 1956 and the registration was eventually cancelled by the CAA as being ‘Permanently Withdrawn From Use’ on November 9, 1961. At some point the aircraft lost its outer wings and was eventually stored externally at Redhill. In late 1973 it was acquired by the Midland Aircraft Preservation Society, and was moved by road to Duxford (then in the early stages of becoming the thriving centre for aviation preservation that it is today) in June 1974. After five years in external storage under tarpaulins, the Q.6 was moved to Sutton Coldfield in late 1979 and was sold to Ken Gomm soon afterwards and shipped to the Isle

of Man, where restoration work commenced. The civil registration G-AFFD was renewed on May 15, 1981 but ownership passed to Barry Greenwood in December 1984.

Restoration

After almost three decades on the Isle of Man the rebuild had made some progress, but was still a

ownership of the project has now passed to the group restoring it (‘G-AFFD Restoration Group’) and it resides in the workshop of Rex Ford’s Fordaire operation at Seething Airfield in Norfolk, some 10 miles south of Norwich. Work has been ongoing in earnest for the past two years now, during which time skilled cabinet maker Jimmy Smith has been working full-time on the aircraft, with assistance from other engineering staff to complete the restoration as expediently as possible. According to Rex, as is often the case when part-completed projects are taken over mid-restoration, a considerable amount of work was required to assess the existing work, with some significant further rectification being required.

“The low production quantity can be attributed to the outbreak of war” long way from completion. The Percival was then moved back to the UK mainland, with the wings spending some time at Fenland airfield before being joined by the fuselage at Seething in 2008. Following the death of Barry Greenwood,

ABOVE Aft ABOVE: After its Certificate of Airworthiness Ai rthine expired ired in 1956, G-AFFD was used ed as a trainin training aid id by Chelsea Coll College at Redhill. At some point the aircraft lost its outer wings and was eventually moved outside for open storage. TONY CLARKE COLLECTION VIA MIKE SHREEVE

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

ABOVE: The Q.6’s structure was extremely advanced for its time with pairs of stainless steel wing attachment brackets incorporated to reduce the risk of structural failure. The wood joints also appear to be glued using state of the art Aerolite. RIGHT: The fixed undercarriage version uses an undercarriage leg very similar to that of the tried and tested Dragon Rapide. Rex believes the retractable-undercarriage versions may have led the type to suffer a reputation for undercarriage collapses.

Important find

An important step forward came with the purchase of around 2,600 production drawings previously thought to have been lost forever. Although all the original drawings are believed to have been destroyed when Hunting Aircraft took over Percival, it is thought that these documents were scanned to disc by someone in the Production Library at Luton before the destruction was carried out. Interestingly, although Edgar Percival claimed sole design credit for all types produced by the company during his time there (later resorting to threats of legal action to affirm his claim), many of the Q.6 drawings bear the name of Arthur Bage, who was later to become the company’s Chief Designer after Edgar Percival’s departure from the company that he had founded.

Mating up

The wing centre-section was re-mated to the fuselage in November 2013 (with all-new hardware being fitted) and the engine bearers and undercarriage are now fitted, along with

ABOVE This 1978 im ABOVE: image of the Q.6 at Duxford surrounded by a picket fence and with the old Texaco garage in the background is evocative of the early days at the Imperial War Museum’s airfield. TONY CLARKE COLLECTION VIA MIKE SHREEVE

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

overhauled wheels, new tyres, inner tubes and brake linings. Work is currently being undertaken to fit the engine controls and services that run through the wing leading edges. The inboard fuel tanks are installed with new fuel lines, which will in turn allow the fitment of the considerable amount of metal panelling (engine cowlings and undercarriage fairings) to take place. These have been restored and are now at Seething awaiting fitment to the airframe. In addition, work is being carried out on the tail surfaces with the fin being de-skinned on one side to allow inspection to take place.

Q.6 will be fitted out with the same highspecification four-passenger configuration in which it left the Percival factory at Luton in 1938.

Advanced structure

Repaint

Rex mentions that the structure was extremely advanced for its time, with multiple load paths being designed in and pairs of stainless (rather than regular) steel wing attachment brackets being incorporated to reduce the risk of structural failure. The wood joints appear to be glued using Aerolite, a gap-filling Urea-Formaldehyde adhesive manufactured by Aero Research Ltd (later Ciba-Geigy) at Duxford, which was only introduced in 1937 and was considerably more advanced than the organic wood glues in common use in the aviation industry at the time. Aerodux 500 adhesive is now being used for the restoration. The outer wing panels were newly built by Speedwell Sailplanes in Cheshire around 20 years ago. They were, however, constructed without the benefit of the factory drawings now available. They appear to have been built as scaled-up Proctor wings, but the wing root attachment points and position of the aileron balance weights are incorrect. The wings will be partially stripped, with the leading edges being removed to facilitate inspection of the spar construction, before a decision is taken on whether they can be modified for use, or whether entirely new outer wing panels will have to be manufactured. The engines, a pair of Gipsy Queen Six IIs, will be overhauled in-house by Fordaire and fitted with de Havilland constant-speed propellers. The interior of the

Although currently wearing a mid-blue and silver civilian paint scheme, once the restoration has been completed the intention is to paint the Q.6 into one of the schemes it wore whilst in military service during World War Two. Both possible schemes have Dark Green and Dark Earth camouflaged upper surfaces with Trainer Yellow undersides, with one version having the demarcation line halfway up the fuselage sides, and the other having it at the bottom of the fuselage. The latter scheme is currently the preferred option to be recreated. According to Rex, the restoration is consuming a significant amount of resources in terms of funding and manpower, all of which is being funded through his aviation business (which has also restored Miles Messenger G-AKIN, Waco YKS-7 G-BWAC and DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AKRP to name just a few). He therefore realistically accepts that this historic aircraft will most likely be under new ownership before completion. Rex and his team are to be commended for nursing this unique survivor of Britain’s pre-war aircraft industry back to airworthiness. It will make a very welcome sight once it is back where it belongs in the skies again. The author would like to thank Rex Ford for assistance in the preparation of this article.

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Skywriters Letter of the Month Sunderland Nostalgia Dear Sir, I have a copy of Kelsey’s 2012 bookazine on the Short Sunderland, written by Martyn Chorlton, and wonder if I could pose a few questions. As a 10-year-old looking out of my parents’ first floor apartment balcony across Marsaxlokk Bay in Malta in 1953 and 1954, I used to be fascinated by comings and goings of the white Sunderlands of the RAF. Although generally taking off to the east during the day (and at night with lit flare paths), on the occasions that they took off to the south, my mother would complain as the aircraft would wet her fresh washing on the flat roof of our home. However, it was very exciting for me watching the aircraft accelerate in their take-off run. To the right of my viewing were the naval aircraft hangars and slipway at Kalafrana and Royal Navy Air Station at Hal Far with its constant Fleet Air Arm movements. Straight ahead would be various aircraft carriers (sadly names unknown to me) and many naval support ships at occasional anchor before moving off for exercises in the Med. There would have been a handful of Sunderlands, and their mooring was at the village of Marsaxlokk (the site of pre- war Italian airline/flying boat operations) to the left out of direct vision. My parents left this beautiful location in December 1954 for Australia, but this association with the mighty Sunderland set off

Fabulous Falcon

Sir, I write in appreciation of the splendid article by Peter Holloway regarding Miles Falcon G-AEEG. I share fond memories of this aeroplane. During the early to mid- sixties I was fortunate enough to be working as a trainee engineer under the late Frank Golding and his talented crew, at Brooklands Civil Repair Service, Sywell. Whilst there we took delivery by road from Booker, Miles Falcon 3A, SE-AFN which was then owned by Edward Eaves. Our brief was to restore the Falcon to the UK register as G-AEEG and re-paint the aeroplane to a scheme drawn up by Mr Eaves. One of my tasks on the aeroplane was the overhaul of the flap selector, a simple hydraulic device but, quaint in that it operated on a light engine oil and had leather seals.

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my lifelong interest in the aviation industry and history. Can anyone throw any light on these Sunderland movements, the squadrons involved, the type or Marks and (a long stretch, maybe) the serial numbers? When I returned to Malta in 1978 to catch the RAF and RN withdrawal displays, I drove to Marsaxlokk looking for evidence of the Sunderlands. Not ever having gone there as a child, I was pleased to photograph the still existing seaside edge control tower. Is it still there, I wonder? Were these aircraft part of the transit to Greenland (which is in the wrong direction), the Korean War, the Berlin Airlift or just on RN fleet co-op exercises? Any new information could possibly allow me to complete my Airfix Sunderland kit in one of these particular aircraft of my childhood. JOE VELLA, by e-mail

My proudest moment was to be allowed to mask up and spray paint G-AEEG in its yellow and silver lightning streak scheme which it wore for many years. It was in these colours when it won the 1979 Kings Cup air race. By then I had migrated to Australia but it was thrilling to read it was still going strong. I have a couple of colour slides of the Falcon on the Sywell Aerodrome website. These were taken before the distinctive trousers were fitted and it doesn’t look quite so attractive as the finished result. The new décor though looks superb and is a credit to its creator. Again, thanks for the wonderful article. BRIAN BERWICK Belgrave Heights Victoria, Australia

Write to Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG, UK E-mail us at [email protected] putting “Skywriters” in the header

in association with

Letter of the Month is generously sponsored by Action Stations!

Each month the lucky winner will receive a voucher which entitles them to £50 off when they make a booking for any “Fly with a Fighter” experience alongside a Spitfire or Hurricane offered by Action Stations! (Please note: Winners are responsible for their own transport to the departure venue in Kent. The voucher is valid for 12 months and cannot be exchanged for any other goods or services other than stated.)

Hermes Appreciated

BACK ISSUES

Are you looking for previous issues of Aeroplane? We have a number in stock going back to 1973.

Sir, My congratulations to Martyn Chorlton on his excellent ‘Database’ on the Handley Page Hermes. I had myself done an assessment of the Hermes which was to be published as part of my H.P. Hastings Database (see August 2004 Aeroplane) but it got too long, so Mr Chorlton’s production was infinitely better. It was most enjoyable to this very elderly member of HP’s staff. I joined in 1952, and eventually became chief aerodynamicist by the time of the dissolution in 1970, having worked on most of HP’s aircraft and projects. My only (minor) criticism is that a little more space might have been allocated to the accident in the Sahara in 1952 (see Hunting for Horus, April 2002 Aeroplane). A.H. FRAZER-MITCHELL Fleet, Hants

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

Hairy Moment

with w ith illustration by Tim O’Brien O Brien

Low, slow, heavy and on one engine…

I

I

“We were so low you had to stand on your car to see over the bushes to watch us crash”

n April 1979 I was at home when I received a call to replace the first officer on a trip to fly canned goods and supplies to the island of St Vincent after the La Soufrière volcano had erupted. I was a 22-year-old first officer flying for a Caribbean cargo airline based in St Croix, which operated a small fleet of Curtiss C-46s Commandos. The captain on this flight was a cantankerous British-born expat, who also happened to be our Director of Operations. Loaded to our maximum take-off weight of 48,000lbs – with full fuel and cargo – we trundled off the ramp and after the normal run up and magneto check, we lined up for take-off. The captain advanced the throttles on our pair of 2,000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials and we began our take-off roll, raising the tail, and passing V2 speed with normal indications. Suddenly, just after breaking ground, the right engine failed without warning

and as I was later told, began leaving a trail of thick smoke. We were able to secure the engine and feather the propeller, but with our heavy weight and lack of airspeed, our climb rate never allowed us to ascend above 100ft. The left engine throttle was firewalled and the aircraft shuddered as we struggled to maintain a minimum single-engine flying speed. We made a shallow right turn and entered the downwind for Runway 9, just above the ocean’s surface. The C-46 has a 108ft wingspan, but with our lack of airspeed, even this big wing was not enough to prevent loss of lift as we made the turn. Rolling final, a single row of power lines appeared in the windscreen, and it was at this point I thought a water landing might have been a better choice, although still not a very good alternative. We levelled the wings, allowing just enough lift to pass over the wires, lowered the gear and touched down moments later. The hardworking left engine was shut down

and we were towed back to the ramp, where we found the engine that successfully brought us back had seized solid, but it had done its job. (Later inspection revealed that the engine had blown a jug completely off the crankcase.) After regaining our composure, we looked off to see traffic stopped on the perimeter road and people standing on their cars; apparently we were so low that you had to stand on your car to see over the bushes to watch us crash. We received an emotional welcome from our ground crew, which brought to light how close we had come to a bad day. Also, although cantankerous, the captain was a darn good pilot.

. . . and what was yours? Tell us about your most alarming aviation-related moment, in 450 words. If we print it you will win the original artwork that goes with it. Write to Hairy Moment, Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG, or e-mail aero. [email protected], putting “Hairy Moment” in the header and including your postal address

This month’s Hairy Moment was provided by Bruce Onkin who wins the original illustration by Tim O’Brien GAvA (www.timobrienart.co.uk) featured on this page

AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

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Keep your copies of Aeroplane in pristine condition in these special new binders. Manufactured to the highest quality, each binder holds 12 copies and is attractively designed and bound with the Aeroplane logo. Issues may easily be removed and replaced. The binders are individually boxed and priced at just £11.50 including UK p&p (please add £1.75 for Europe and £4.25 for rest of world). To order, simply write, with a cheque for the correct amount made payable to Kelsey Publishing, to Aeroplane Binders, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG. For overseas readers please note we only accept Sterling bankers’ drafts or creditcard payments. ■ Please note that you will receive your binders in the new plum colour unless you specify the old-style royal blue. Binders may only be ordered by post, at the above address

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Back issues

Order Aeroplane back-issues from our extensive collection. Price per issue £4.99 UK; £6.64 Europe; £7.34 Rest of the World, prices include p&p. We have hundreds of backissues in stock — and although we cannot offer every issue, some copies go all the way back to 1973. So if you have gaps in your collection that need filling, send an enquiry to: Aeroplane Back Issues, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG; alternatively telephone our hotline on 01959 541444. Please make cheques payable to Kelsey Publishing.

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Have you got so many issues of Aeroplane that you can’t remember where to find what you want? Do you want quick access to 38 years’-worth of valuable reference information? Then buy a set of indices, compiled for each year’s volume since 1973. They are available for £2 each inc p&p, from the Sundry Sales address under “Back Issues” above. Tell us your requirements, making cheques/POs payable to Kelsey Publishing Ltd. (Vols 1 & 2 are combined, and photocopies only are available for some years.)

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Swiss Legends In a special issue marking 100 years of the Swiss Air Force, Luigino Caliaro discusses Daniel Koblet’s unique Morane 406 and Richard Paver provides a photo essay on Christoph Nöthinger’s recently repainted P-51D D-FPSI.

LUIGINO CALIARO

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Life’s the Pitts

Seventy years on from its maiden flight, the Pitts Special remains a favourite with competition, airshow and leisure pilots across the globe. We fly with Richard Grace and Dave Puleston’s Trig Team and also look back fondly on some of the many Pitts Specials that have graced the British register.

STEVE BRIDGEWATER

Pilatus at 75

Also featuring in our special Swiss themed issue, Mike Hooks looks back at 75 years of Pilatus Aircraft, which was formed in December 1939.

Racing Cobra

Doug Fisher presents the fascinating history of Bell P-39Q Airacobra NX92848, the successful Cleveland Air Racer that was tragically lost in a fatal accident in 1968 during its first test flight after extensive modifications for an attempt to break the world piston-engined speed record.

DOUG FISHER

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Special K

Warren E Thompson turns his attention towards the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader and its use in special operations in the skies over Southeast Asia.

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AEROPLANE NOVEMBER 2014

PLUS NEWS, REVIEWS, EVENTS AND MORE: THE WINTER ISSUE IS ON SALE OCTOBER 31 (contents may be subject to change)

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