Aeroplane Monthly 2017-09

SPECIAL SECTION BRITISH AIRLINERS:

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

September 2017 Issue No 553, Vol 45, No 9

HISTORY IN THE AIR SINCE 1911

RUHR EXPRESS SALUTING A LEGENDARY LANCASTER

DATABASE DH84 DRAGON £4.50

AUS$11.75 CAD$10.50

DUNKIRK FILM

This summer’s WW2 blockbuster

RAF ‘STRINGBAGS’

Swordfish over the Scheldt

PLUS… FLYING LEGENDS REVIEW l MUSTANG ACROSS THE ATLANTIC 01_AM_UKCOVER_Sept17-V05LANCASTER C.indd 1

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PR I

£1 CE RE ,59 DU 5,0 CED 00

OFFERED FOR SALE

Courtesy Hangar 11

Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire FR XVIIIe S/N SM845 Registration: G-BUOS Price: GBP£1,700,000 + VAT if applicable

PR

IC £3 E RED 49 UC ,0 ED 00

Hawker Hurricane 2B S/N: CCF/R20023 Registration: G-HHII Price: £1,595,000 + VAT if applicable

Courtesy: John M. Dibbs/The Plane Picture Company

Courtesy: Owner

Courtesy: Philip Makanna/Ghosts

Yakovlev Yak 3M S/N: 0470107 Registration: G-CGXG Price: £349,000 + VAT if applicable

North American TF-51 full dual-control Mustang S/N: 44-63473 Registration: D-FUNN Price: US$3,200,000 + VAT if applicable

+1800.210.1951

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Contents September 2017

62

See pages 24-25 for a g reat subscription offer

58 72

!F WTTILN O E

BA K N BOO BRITAI 1 ge 10 See pa ails for det

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NEWS AND COMMENT 4 6

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FROM THE EDITOR NEWS • BBMF marks 60th anniversary • Dumfries Spitfire unveiled • P-51B goes trans-Atlantic • Sea Fury T20 flies again • Boeings and Bells star at Oshkosh • Mosquito fuselage at V&A …and the month’s other top aircraft preservation news HANGAR TALK Steve Slater’s comment on the historic aircraft world FLIGHT LINE Reflections on aviation history with Denis J. Calvert

REGULARS 20 22 78

SKYWRITERS Q&A Your questions asked and answered BRIEFING FILE Our series on aspects of aviation technology or tactics. This time we examine the Vulcan rotary cannon

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ELLED

BRITISH AIRLINERS: PROJECT CANC

BRITISH AIRLINERS: 33PROJECT CANCELLED

96

EVENTS Flying Legends reviewed, plus reports from Yeovilton and RIAT, and show dates for September 100 REVIEWS 106 NEXT MONTH

FEATURES 26

DUNKIRK FILM Assessing Christopher Nolan’s new WW2 epic, in which warbirds play a major role

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48 58 62

72

81

33

38

43

SARO JET FLYING BOATS The era of the flying boat airliner was over, but it seems no-one told Saunders-Roe VICKERS VC11 The last major airliner design proposed by Vickers before it was merged out of existence DOUBLE-DECK VC10 How to increase the capacity of the big British four-jet? Turn it into a double-decker

LANCASTER RUHR EXPRESS A flying tribute to the first Canadian ‘Lanc’ and its wartime history ALITALIA MB326s When Italy’s national airline flew the elegant Macchi jet trainer AEROPLANE MEETS… LEE LAUDERBACK The world’s highest-time Mustang pilot — ever RAF ‘STRINGBAGS’ No 119 Squadron flew the Swordfish with great success DATABASE: DH84 DRAGON de Havilland’s popular interwar twin is described by James Kightly

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IN-DEPTH PAGES

103 AEROPLANE ARCHIVE: ‘LONGSTOP’ 1947’s big UK airborne forces exercise COVER IMAGE: The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Lancaster X. ERIC DUMIGAN/CWHM COVER IMAGE US: Stallion 51’s two TF-51D Mustangs. PAUL BOWEN/STALLION 51

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Editor From the

R

eading about the aircraft featured in our special ‘British Airliners: Project Cancelled’ section of this month’s issue brought mixed feelings. This is not so much the case with the Saunders-Roe jet flying boats: the manufacturer’s continued development of these behemoths, as impressive as the concepts were, can only be seen as a blind alley. Even at the time, the signs were clear that the era of the commercial flying boat was over. But with Vickers/BAC’s VC11 and double-deck VC10, things are less clear-cut. These are designs that were expected to compete on the global market, to assist in bringing the British aircraft industry back to its former position of pre-eminence in the civil sector. But, as with many other projects that fell into that category during the 25-30 years following World War Two, not a single example was built. And, as we know all too well, many of the designs that did reach production — the VC10, for one — failed to win the hoped-for orders. To this day, Britain’s post-war jet airliners provoke great debate. Take another of those that came to fruition, the Trident. Had British European Airways not insisted that the design be downsized as a knee-jerk response to falling passenger figures, the argument goes, it could have been a true British rival to the wildly successful Boeing 727. Personally, I am less than convinced. Such was the might attained by the major US manufacturers in the field of transport aircraft development — whether military or civil — since the late pre-WW2 period that their dominance was always going to be all but impossible to unseat. Yes, the Vickers Viscount and BAC One-Eleven attracted

notable orders from US carriers, but they were rare exceptions rather than the rule. Viewed with the benefit of hindsight, period reports of high-level discussions between representatives of British airliner manufacturers and their counterparts at the major US airlines seem, at best, highly optimistic. In considering the reasons for this, one needs perhaps to take a slightly longer view. To my mind, the failure of most post-war British airliners to gain a solid commercial foothold in the world market can be put down not to decisions taken at the time, but to developments in the prewar years. Consider, for instance, 1934’s MacRobertson Air Race. It was won by a British aeroplane, but in the form of a purpose-built racer. Behind the DH88 Comet finished two advanced American airliners, the Douglas DC-2 and Boeing 247. Look what designs followed in their wake — helped, of course, by the vast industrial capacity built up in the USA during hostilities. Maybe the failure of concepts like the Vickers designs discussed in this magazine was a virtual inevitability, rather than the result of home-grown political and commercial mistakes. Whatever the truth, it’s one of the reasons why these topics remain so fascinating even now.

Maybe the failure of many post-war British airliner designs was a virtual inevitability, rather than the result of homegrown mistakes

ESTABLISHED 1911

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Subscribers to Aeroplane will receive the 2016 Index, kindly compiled by Vicky Hales-Dutton, free with this issue. We hope you find it useful. If you’d like your own copy, why not take out a subscription? Our latest great-value offer is featured on pages 24-25.

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

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CONTRIBUTORS THIS MONTH LUIGINO CALIARO With the help of two former Alitalia pilots, together with some superb historical imagery drawn from friends’ collections, Luigino this month tells the unusual story of how the Italian national airline briefly used the Aermacchi MB326 for pilot instruction. The pretty little Italian jet trainer is one of the more unusual types to have worn the livery of a European flag-carrier, but it proved very effective in the role.

BRUCE HALES-DUTTON “I recently had my first flight in a double-deck airliner”, reports Bruce. “While I find it fascinating that British Aircraft Corporation engineers were beavering away on a two-tier version of the much-loved VC10 four decades before the A380, I’m not sure I’d have wanted to fly on it. What’s really interesting, though, is that they were considering wide-body layouts as their counterparts in Seattle were thinking along similar lines. The difference being, of course, that BAC’s work led to the promising Three-Eleven, which was cancelled in the year the first 747 arrived at Heathrow.”

JAMES KIGHTLY James enjoys travelling in inter-war airliners when and where possible — including Stan Smith’s DH84 Dragon, flown by Andrew Schooler in New Zealand. Working on the Dragon Database and reading Flight and The Aeroplane to research it felt like going back to the early thirties for a week, when aviation’s horizons were very different. Today, the Dragon is mostly eclipsed by the Dragon Rapide, but James hopes this feature will bring back some credit to a reliable old stager.

RICHARD PAYNE “Already being interested in airports and airlines, living near Hatfield I was able to visit the site and see the BAe 146 gestate from wooden mock-up to flying prototype”, recalls Richard. “The gift of the excellent Project Cancelled book instilled in me a love of all things unbuilt of any genre, and in 2004 my own book Stuck on the Drawing Board was published. Over 20 years I have had articles published in many periodicals on both aircraft and anything British.”

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News

NEWS EDITOR: TONY HARMSWORTH

E-MAIL TO: [email protected] TELEPHONE: +44 (0)7791 808044 WRITE TO: Aeroplane, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1XQ, UK

ABOVE: Spitfire IIa P7350 and Hurricane IIc LF363 showing their new codes off the coast near Dover on 9 July. RICHARD PAVER TOP RIGHT: The Duke of Cambridge shaking hands with Henry Townsley, a former No 97 Squadron Lancaster flight engineer, during the BBMF 60th anniversary celebration at Coningsby. MoD BOTTOM RIGHT: Wg Cdr Peter Thompson DFC in Spitfire XVI TE330 at Biggin Hill in the late 1950s.

BBMF marks 60th anniversary T

HE 60th anniversary of the founding of what became the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was celebrated at RAF Coningsby on 11 July in the presence of some 60 World War Two RAF veterans and HRH the Duke of Cambridge, patron of the flight and honorary air commandant of the Lincolnshire base. It was on 11 July 1957 that three Supermarine Spitfire PRXIXs, PM631, PS853 and PS915, were flown from RAF Duxford to Biggin Hill, where they joined Hawker Hurricane IIc LF363 to become the RAF Historic Aircraft Flight. Following the acquisition from the Air Historical Branch of Avro Lancaster I PA474 during

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1973, the unit’s name was changed to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF). During the celebrations the BBMF flew a commemorative Lancaster/two-Spitfire/ two-Hurricane ‘Thompson’ formation named in honour of Wg Cdr Peter Thompson DFC, who was primarily responsible for the formation of the Historic Aircraft Flight while he was station commander at Biggin Hill in 1957. After gaining his wings during the summer of 1940 at the age of 20, on 21 September that year Thompson was posted to No 32 Squadron at Croydon flying Hurricanes. He damaged three Messerschmitt Bf 109s during October/November, and a

Dornier Do 17 on 21 March 1941. During a distinguished career in the Mediterranean theatre Thompson shot down a Macchi MC200 and two Savoia-Marchetti SM79s, and damaged several other enemy aircraft. In July 1944 he took command of No 129 Squadron at Ford, Sussex flying North American Mustangs, and destroyed three V1 flying bombs and damaged two others. Thompson stayed on in the RAF after the war, retiring in September 1975. For the 60th anniversary, Hurricane IIc LF363 and Spitfire IIa P7350 have been painted with the codes worn by the aircraft of four surviving Battle of Britain pilots. The starboard side of the Spitfire

wears the QV-E codes of Ken Wilkinson’s No 19 Squadron machine, with Geoffrey Wellum’s No 92 Squadron markings, QJ-G, on the port side. The Hurricane has the SD-A codes as worn on the No 501 Squadron aircraft flown by Paul Farnes on the starboard side, with GN-F, representing Tom Neil’s No 249 Squadron aeroplane, to port. Sqn Ldr Andy Millikin, officer commanding the BBMF, commented: “This is an opportunity that will not be available forever, so we have seized the chance to commemorate some of the remaining ‘Few’ in this way. It is an overt way of our generation thanking theirs for their sacrifices.”

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September 2017 News

Dumfries Spitfire IIa unveiled T

HIRTY-five years after it was recovered from the depths of Loch Doon in South Ayrshire, Supermarine Spitfire IIa P7540 was unveiled in front of an audience of more than 2,000 visitors at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum at Tinwald Downs on 16 July, The aircraft is now on permanent display in a new purpose-built hangar. Curator David Reid commented: “This has been a long time coming for us, but we are immensely proud to finally have this aircraft on display. It is the only combat veteran Spitfire in Scotland, with a fascinating history from the Battle of Britain to a training aircraft for Czech pilots. The next stage of its restoration can now begin, as we refit the cockpit and carry out detail work on the rest of the airframe. Eventually, we intend to allow visitors to sit in the aircraft, although this will take some time to achieve. However, to unveil the aircraft in this, our 40th anniversary year, is a tremendous achievement for a small volunteer museum.” It took a five-year search, involving more than 567 separate dives, to locate the wreck, which was brought to the surface in the summer of 1982. The restoration has involved many museum volunteers and outside

Spitfire IIa P7540 wearing its freshly painted No 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron markings at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum on 16 July. VIA BOB SLOAN

We are immensely proud to finally have this aircraft on display. It is the only combat veteran Spitfire in Scotland, with a fascinating history groups: fuselage work was carried out by the Aircraft Restoration Group at Pickhill, near Thirsk in north Yorkshire, and the replica wings were supplied by Gateguards UK in Cornwall. P7540 was built in October 1940 at Castle Bromwich and issued to No 66 Squadron at RAF Gravesend, Kent in time for the closing few days of the

Battle of Britain. Among its pilots was Flt Lt Bobby Oxspring, with whom it saw combat on several occasions. It was also operated by Nos 609 and 266 Squadrons at Biggin Hill and Wittering before transferring to No 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron on 6 July 1941. 312 was at the time flying Hurricanes from RAF Ayr, but it

re-equipped with the Spitfire Vb at the end of the year. Six war-weary examples of the Spitfire IIa, including P7540, were used to aid the transition. P7540 crashed on 25 October 1941 while being flown by 26-year-old Fg Off František Hekl on a familiarisation sortie. It was only his second Spitfire flight. While passing low over Loch Doon, the Spitfire’s starboard wing struck the surface and the aircraft crashed. Hekl’s body was never found and he is commemorated on a memorial at the side of the loch.

MOSQUITO MOVED TO EAST KIRKBY

PLANS to move Tony Agar’s de Havilland Mosquito NFII HJ711 from the Yorkshire Air Museum (YAM) at Elvington (see News, Aeroplane August 2017) have been brought forward by several months. The machine was dismantled for transportation to the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (LAHC) at East Kirkby during the weekend of 29-30 July. Experts from the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, the LAHC and a group of YAM volunteers ensured that the disassembly of this precious aeroplane went smoothly.

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Loading of Mosquito NFII HJ711 begins at Elvington on 30 July. ANDY DAWSON

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News September 2017

P-51B makes Atlantic crossing Lee Lauderback celebrates the end of his trans-Atlantic flight in P-51B Berlin Express at Duxford on 4 July. DAVID WHITWORTH

ABOVE: The ‘Malcolm hood’ disintegrates during Nick Grey’s first pass in Berlin Express at Duxford on 8 July. KARL SKERSTINS

O

N 4 July, American Independence Day, Lee Lauderback — the highest-time Mustang pilot in history — landed at IWM Duxford, Cambridgeshire in North American P-51B 43-24837/N515ZB at the end of an epic, 4,775nm, sevenday ferry flight from Texas. The fighter, recently acquired by Houston-based

Comanche Fighters from Max Chapman, is painted as 357th Fighter Group P-51B Berlin Express flown by Capt Bill Overstreet from Leiston, Suffolk during 1944. The restored Mustang is based on parts of a 363rd FG machine from Staplehurst, Kent, which crashed on 10 June 1944 at Beckley, East Sussex during a training exercise, the pilot

surviving after taking to his ’chute. A rebuild was started during 2012 at Pacific Fighters in Idaho Falls, Idaho, from where company founder John Muszala took it for a first flight on 7 November 2014. The P-51B is fitted with a ‘Malcolm hood’, and is the first P-51 to feature this canopy to be seen in Britain since shortly after the war.

Unfortunately, the hood didn’t last long during N515ZB’s display at Duxford on 8 July, the opening day of the 25th Flying Legends show. Shortly after pilot Nick Grey began his first flyby, the canopy Perspex shattered, causing some light damage to the tail. The Mustang sat out the rest of the weekend, and missed the Royal International Air Tattoo. Lee Lauderback has some 9,750 hours on the P-51, 25.5 of those on the Berlin Express trans-Atlantic flight. An ‘Aeroplane meets…’ article with Lee begins on page 62.

Firebirds Lightning at ‘Brunty’ THE Lightning Preservation Group’s English Electric Lightning F3 XR713 was unveiled in a new dual colour scheme at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire on 23 July. The starboard side now wears the markings of a No 56 Squadron Firebirds aerobatic team machine, complete with the serial XR718, while the port side has been repainted in the markings XR713 wore with No 111 Squadron at Wattisham in the mid-1960s. The Firebirds repaint came about following discussions between the Centre of Aviation Photography (COAP) and the Lightning Preservation Group during October 2016, the project being partsponsored by COAP. The repaint was carried out during June/July.

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The spectacular Firebirds scheme that now adorns the starboard side of Lightning F3 XR713. RICHARD HALL

The Firebirds — so named after the No 56 Squadron crest — was the official aerobatic team of the RAF during 1963, flying nine Lightning F1As from Wattisham. XR713 first flew from the BAC factory airfield at Warton on 21 October 1964, being delivered to No 111 Squadron on 8 January the following year. It

served with No 5 Squadron at Binbrook from October 1974-March 1978, moving on to the Lightning Training Flight in September 1985. During March 1987 it was flown to Leuchars where it was given the identity 8935M for use as a battle damage repair airframe, and ended up as a unit mascot within the ‘Treble One’

complex. The squadron disbanded in March 2011, and XR713 was put up for disposal when control of the historic Scottish base passed to the British Army. Following a fundraising campaign it was secured by the LPG, and during March 2015 was roaded to its new home at Bruntingthorpe.

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September 2017 News In gleaming natural metal, Sea Fury T20 WE820/ N85SF gets airborne at Auburn Municipal Airport on 1 July with Ken Dwelle at the helm. MARK LOPER

NEWS IN BRIEF VLADO LENOCH KILLED IN P-51 ACCIDENT

Highly regarded Chicago-based warbird pilot Vlado Lenoch and passenger Bethany Root died when P-51D Mustang N251PW Baby Duck crashed on 16 July after departing from Amelia Earhart Airport in Atchison County, Kansas. Lenoch, 64, began flying in 1970 when he was 17, and was noted for his P-51 displays. 34-year-old Root was the Amelia Earhart Airport manager.

Sea Fury flies again NEARLY 14 years after it last achieved glory as the most radically modified of all the Hawker Sea Fury racers in the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, Sea Fury T20 WE820/N85SF made its first post-restoration flight at Auburn Municipal Airport, northern California on 1 July with Ken Dwelle at the controls. The ex-Fleet Air Arm machine has been rebuilt back into its original military two-seater configuration, and will now be painted in the markings it wore while serving with 738 Squadron at Lossiemouth in the mid-1950s. The fighter-trainer now bears no trace of its recent past, which began during 1984-85 when WE820 was transformed into a single-seat racer named Blind Man’s Bluff for New Jersey resident Eric Lorentzen. Modifications included the installation of a small, low-drag canopy over a new cockpit located in the rear fuselage, reduction of the wingspan by 4ft to 34ft, the fitting of a squared-off tailplane 14in taller than the original, installation of a 3,250hp Wright R-3350 engine turning a Douglas Skyraider propeller, and the fitting of Douglas A-26 cowlings. The engine was adapted to run on methanol. After many travails and blown powerplants, Blind

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Man’s Bluff was flown by Skip Holm into second place in the Unlimited Silver race at Reno in 1987. Now named Critical Mass and owned by combat veteran Skyraider pilot Tom A. Dwelle of Auburn, N85SF achieved greater success in September 1994, placing fifth in the Unlimited Gold race, again with Holm at the helm. Dwelle himself took the second step on the podium

The fighter-trainer now bears no trace of its recent past, which began during 1984-85 when WE820 became a single-seat racer named Blind Man’s Bluff with a low-drag canopy, reduced wing span and a squared-off tailplane after the Unlimited Gold race at Reno in 2000, being beaten into second place by Holm flying P-51D Dago Red. The last appearance at Reno for N85SF was in 2003, when Dwelle placed third at a speed of 446.965mph, after which he retired from air racing. Rebuilding of the fuselage back to stock configuration

and work on the centre section and outer wings was carried out by Sea Fury specialists Sanders Aeronautics at Ione, California. WE820 was completed by a team from Nella Oil, the Dwelle family business at Auburn. The machine was originally built as the first of the third production batch of seven Sea Fury T20s, and delivered to RNAS Anthorn near Morecambe, Cumbria in November 1950. It was allotted to 738 Squadron at Culdrose in March 1952, going with the unit to Lossiemouth in November 1953. Struck off charge in December 1956, WE820 was bought back by Hawker in May 1958 and converted to target-towing configuration before being registered D-COTE and becoming one of 17 examples of the T20 to be operated by Deutsche LuftfahrtBeratungsdienst (DLB), providing target-towing facilities for the German forces based out of Lübeck and Cologne-Bonn (Wahn). The last of the bright red DLB Sea Furies were retired in 1970. After a period in open storage at Wahn D-COTE was sold to John Stokes, the founder of the Central Texas Wing of the Confederate Air Force, and moved to his ranch at San Marcos, Texas, during 1980.

GO-AHEAD FOR BIGGIN MUSEUM

On 19 July the executive of Bromley Council approved plans for construction during the autumn of the Biggin Hill Memorial Museum on the site of the St George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance. The museum was awarded just under £2 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund on 3 July, ensuring that the £5.325-million project can proceed.

NELSON EZELL HURT IN FURY MISHAP

Hawker Fury ISS N254SF made an emergency landing in a field on approach to Stephens County Airport, Breckenridge, Texas on 25 July following engine failure during a test flight, seriously injuring the pilot, well-known aircraft restorer Nelson Ezell. BROOKLANDS MUSEUM

WELLINGTON ‘BACK HOME’

Vickers Wellington Ia N2980 was moved from its temporary ‘tent’ accommodation into the recently refurbished Wellington hangar at the Brooklands Museum in Surrey on 25 July. The hangar has now been given a wartime camouflage paint scheme, based on a still from a Movietone news clip dating from 1946. It is due to open to the public in mid-to-late October.

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News September 2017

MAIN PICTURE: B-29s Doc and Fifi airborne together at Oshkosh on 29 July. PARR YONEMOTO ABOVE: The CAF Dixie Wing’s P-63A Kingcobra 42-68941, which first flew following restoration at Atlanta on 19 February, has now been painted in the markings it wore while being used as a test aircraft with NACA during 1945. More on the P-63 in next month’s issue. NIGEL HITCHMAN

Boeings and Bells star at Oshkosh

W

ARBIRD highlights of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture show at Oshkosh from 24-30 July included the incredible sight of two Boeing B-29 Superfortresses in the air together for the first time in more than half a century. The Commemorative Air Force’s well-known B-29A 44-62070 Fifi was joined by 44-69972 Doc, operated by Doc’s Friends from Wichita, Kansas. Doc made its maiden post-restoration flight on 17 July 2016 (see Aeroplane

NEWS IN BRIEF SEA VIXEN LATEST

On 25 July, Navy Wings issued a press release regarding the wheels-up landing that befell the Fly Navy Heritage Trust’s de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW2 XP924/ G-CVIX at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset on 27 May. It stated: “We now know that when the primary hydraulic pump failed in flight, the secondary pump did not go to full stroke as it should have done. The result was that it did not provide the pressure required to put the undercarriage and flaps down. We have been surveying the aircraft and are now aware that there is extensive damage to the belly and structural frames of the centre fuselage. “We have now suspended the aircraft from maintenance procedures while we continue to investigate plans for complete restoration.”

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September 2016), and its debut air display appearance on 6 May this year at Barksdale Air Force Base near Shreveport, Louisiana. The show also boasted three Bell P-63 Kingcobras and a P-39Q Airacobra from the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, the first time such a large gathering of these rear-engine fighters had been seen since the Cleveland Air Races of the late 1940s.

Lansens and Draken back in the air AT Såtenäs air base in southern Sweden on 11 July the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight’s Saab J 32B Lansen 32542/SE-RMD and J 32D 32606/SE-RME were both flown for the first time in five-and-a-half years by Maj Stellan Andersson. With the support of Saab, the aircraft have now been transferred to the Swedish civil register, having previously been operated under the SwAFHF’s auspices on the Swedish military registry. Single-seat J 35J Draken 35556 has made the same transition as SE-DXR, and took to the air again during late April. The J 32D and J 35J will make their British show debuts at the Jersey International Air Display on 14 September, alongside the flight’s two-seat SK 35C Draken, the AJS 37 Viggen and J 29F ‘Tunnan’.

The two recently reflown Lansens, pictured over Sweden during 2009. GERARD BOYMANS

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News September 2017

Mosquito fuselage breaks cover at V&A T

HE fuselage of de Havilland Mosquito TT35 TJ118 went on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington, London as part of the new Plywood: Material of the Modern World exhibition on 15 July. Owned by the London Colney-based de Havilland Aircraft Museum (DHAM), the fuselage has been salted away for many years at DHAM’s storage site in Tilbury, Essex. The exhibition features many important pieces by architects Alvar Aalto, Marcel Breuer and legendary American furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames, who experimented with plywood during the Second World War. They developed a method for moulding complex curved forms that was used to make plywood parts for various

aircraft including the Vultee BT-13 trainer. The DHAM also has the nose of TJ118 in storage. It was removed from the fuselage during 1963 and sectioned for use in cockpit interior scenes during shooting of the well-loved war film 633 Squadron. It went on to serve the same purpose later that decade during the making of the less well-regarded Mosquito Squadron. It is hoped that one day the remains of TJ118 can form the basis of a full static rebuild, possibly to PRXVI standard. The aircraft was actually ordered as a PRXVI in May

The dramatically suspended fuselage of Mosquito TT35 TJ118 at the Victoria and Albert Museum on 15 July. V&A

1944, but emerged from the Hatfield production line as a B35, being part of a batch delivered between JulyNovember 1945 and going straight into storage with No 27 Maintenance Unit at

Owned by the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, the fuselage of TJ118 has been salted away for many years at the DHAM store in Tilbury

Shawbury. During July 1953 TJ118 was flown to Sywell, Northamptonshire, for conversion into a TT35 target tug by Brooklands Aviation. The last examples were retired from use with No 3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit at Exeter in May 1963. The Plywood: Material of the Modern World exhibition runs at the V&A until Sunday 12 November 2017.

COUNTER INVADER FLIES IN TEXAS

The world’s only flying Douglas B-26K gets airborne in the hands of Steve Swift at Meacham Field, Fort Worth on 8 July. JOSEPH FISCHER

THE world’s only airworthy example of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader, 64-17679 Special Kay, flew for the first time following a seven-year restoration undertaken by the A-26 Legacy Foundation at Meacham Airport, Fort

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Worth, Texas, on 8 July. Steve Swift was at the controls. By late July preparations were under way to paint the machine in the markings of the 609th Special Operations Squadron. This US Air Force unit flew night attack missions from Nakhon Phanom in

Thailand during the secret war over Laos, disrupting North Vietnamese supply lines to South Vietnam on the Ho Chí Minh trail. The airframe originally came off the Douglas production line in March 1945 as an A-26B, 44-34198.

The USAF selected it for modification to B-26K standard in 1964. It was the last of 39 Counter Invaders to be built by the On Mark Engineering company at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles, and was restored to the USAF inventory in April 1965.

AEROPLANE SEPTEMBER 2017

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September 2017 News

DH9 E8894 at Fairford after RIAT 2017, awaiting dismantling and transportation to Duxford. BEN DUNNELL RIGHT: Sopwith Pup N6161 about to leave Duxford in a curtain-sided truck on 18 July. DAVID WHITWORTH

HAC DH9 debuts at RIAT A

IRCO DH9 E8894/ G-CDLI made its public debut in the static display at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on 14-16 July. The 1918-vintage bomber, which is yet to undertake its postrestoration maiden flight, was transported to Fairford by road from the Westfield, East Sussex workshops of Retrotec,

which has been working on the machine for more than a decade. After RIAT, where the DH9 was exhibited as part of the BAE Systems Heritage display and won the trophy for best civilian aircraft in the show’s concours d’elegance, E8894 was transported to the Historic Aircraft Collection’s Duxford base, reassembled and rigged. Ben Dunnell

PUP LEAVES DUXFORD

Sopwith Pup N6161/G-ELRT was dismantled in Hangar 3 at IWM Duxford on 18 July and loaded onto a truck for the first leg of a journey to a new owner in the USA. The reconstructed fighter made its maiden post-restoration flight at Duxford on 17 October 2016 with Shuttleworth Collection chief pilot ‘Dodge’ Bailey at the controls (see News, Aeroplane December 2016), and a sole display appearance at the Duxford Air Festival in May this year. The 80hp Le Rhône-powered machine was restored by Retrotec for previous owner Roy Palmer.

Another Stearman for Hood River

THE latest arrival at the volunteer ambulance driver Western Antique Aeroplane in France during the early and Automobile Museum part of the Second World (WAAM) in Hood River, War, returned to the US Oregon is an airworthy for a while as a Women’s example of the Stearman Air Ferry Service (WAFS) 4D Junior Speedmail, pilot, and then spent a year acquired from Ron Rex of in the UK as an Air Ocala, Florida. This aircraft Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was the 25th Model 4 pilot. The rotund but rakish Stearman 4D Junior Speedmail NC774H has Stearman built, and was Now registered N774H, joined the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in originally registered as the Stearman has been N796H, fitted with a 300hp Hood River, Oregon. MIKE SHREEVE painted as a Western Air Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior. It was purchased new from the Express aircraft which originally carried that registration. It factory in Wichita, Kansas for $15,000 by Long Island makes a fitting addition to the WAAM collection, where it socialite Aline Rhonie, a fascinating lady who learned to fly at joins an example of the earlier Stearman 3, an M-2 mailplane, the age of 20 and studied art in Mexico under Diego Rivera, and the prototype Model 70, which later to become the later painting a 113ft mural on a hangar at Roosevelt Field ubiquitous wartime Model 75 Kaydet trainer. telling the story of aviation on Long Island. Aline served as a Mike Shreeve

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News September 2017

DC-3 gets Aer Lingus scheme D OUGLAS DC-3 ZS-NTE was unveiled in a 1956 Aer Lingus colour scheme in Hangar 6 at Dublin Airport on 20 July, having flown from its base at Zweibrücken, Germany to Shannon on 13 June for the repaint. The machine, which now wears the registration EI-ACD and the name St Gall, appeared at both the Foynes Air Show and the Bray Air Display over the weekend of 22-23 July before heading back to Germany. Aer Lingus has funded and wholeheartedly supported the project, and it is planned to keep ’NTE in the Irish national airline’s colours for the next three to five years. It will return to Ireland next summer, and is due to take part in the 70th anniversary of the start of the Berlin Airlift in 2018 and the ‘Daks over Normandy’ event during June 2019. The aircraft is owned by German businessman Peter Adrian, who is based in Trier and also owns a North American T-28 and a Beech 18. It was flown to Ireland by Flippie Vermeulen, a retired South African Airways captain who owned the

transport before selling it to Adrian in 2015. Aer Lingus originally introduced the DC-3 to service during April 1940, but the war interfered with operations. The type really hit its stride with the airline when nine former USAAF C-47s were purchased in 1945. Seven of these were subsequently converted to DC-3 airliner standard and two were reduced to spares. Two new DC-3s were supplied by Douglas in February 1946, the type becoming the core of the fleet as the airline expanded its network of services. The DC-3s were replaced by the Fokker F27 Friendship, but five of the ageing ‘Dougs’ remained in service until 1963-64. ZS-NTE was built in September 1943 and flew with the RAF until being transferred to the South African Air Force in 1945. After retirement in 1995 it was sold to Springbok Classic Air, and following seven years in storage was restored to flying condition in 2009, being modified from C-47 cargo-hauler to DC-3 passenger configuration.

The sinister Fieseler Fi 103R-4 Reichenberg at Headcorn, Kent, an area where its unmanned brethren made their presence felt more than 70 years ago. SONJA BAILEY/LAWM

Reichenberg hangar co THE Lashenden Air Warfare Museum’s rare Fieseler Fi 103R-4 Reichenberg went on show in a new display hangar at Headcorn aerodrome, Kent on 2 July. The machine can be seen from a viewing enclosure in the building while work continues to fit out the hangar with displays. The manned V1 is one of only six survivors from the 175 built. The Reichenberg was intended for use against shipping or heavily defended ground targets, its major progenitors including test pilot Hanna Reitsch and SSHauptsturmführer Otto Skorzeny. Such was the urgency placed on the project that within 14 days of the Reichenberg programme being authorised, training and operational variants had been completed and testing started. The operational model was the Reichenberg IV, which was intended to be carried to the vicinity of its target beneath a

Heinkel He 111 bomber. In theory the pilot was intended to jettison the cockpit canopy and bail out after aiming his aircraft at the target, but it was calculated that his chance of survival was little better than one in a hundred. At the estimated target approach speeds of 490-530mph it is highly improbable that jettisoning the canopy would have proved practical. The museum’s Fi 103R-4 is believed to have been captured at the Dannenberg V1 factory by the 5th Armoured Division, US Army. It was displayed as part of the German Aircraft Exhibition at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough from 29 October-9 November 1945, fitted with a standard Fi 103 nose cone as there was no nose with the Fi 103R-4 when it was captured. At the end of the exhibition the Reichenberg was passed to the bomb disposal service and placed at the Joint

CAA LIFTS HUNTER GROUNDING

DC-3 ZS-NTE at Dublin Airport on 22 July, wearing what must be one of the most attractive schemes to ever grace this once ubiquitous type. GABRIEL DESMOND

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ON 6 July the UK Civil Aviation Authority lifted its grounding order on British civil-registered Hawker Hunters, imposed in the immediate aftermath of August 2015’s Shoreham Airshow tragedy involving Hunter T7 WV372/ G-BXFI. “This action is a result of the CAA concluding there were no airworthiness issues relating to the Hawker Hunter aircraft that caused or contributed to the accident”, the authority said in a statement. “This is based on our own extensive review and the [Air Accidents Investigation Branch’s] final accident report. All aircraft of this type will have to comply with enhanced maintenance and inspection requirements and, following normal practice, secure all relevant permits and other approvals before they are allowed to fly again.” Ben Dunnell

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PROJECT UPDATE

ar completed Services Bomb Disposal School at Broadbridge Heath near Horsham, Sussex. In 1967 it was transferred to a territorial bomb disposal unit at Fort Clarence, Rochester, where it was covered in thick black paint and left outside. When the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum opened in 1970 a team visited Fort Clarence to acquire some bombs for display, and was told that the Reichenberg was due to be scrapped. After acquiring the machine, museum volunteers carried out a cosmetic restoration to prevent any further deterioration. During November 2007 the machine was moved to Geisenhausen near Munich, where the restoration was carried out by V1 specialist Alexander Kuncze and his team at the Auktionshaus für historische Technik. Work included replacement of the nose cone, as the one previously fitted was not the original. Some of the skinning on the rear fuselage needed replacing, the wing main spar was replaced, and the wings re-covered in the correct grade of plywood. The cockpit has been fully fitted out with original working period instruments, electrical fittings and so forth. The Fi 103R-4 has been finished as it was when displayed at Farnborough in 1945, and is listed as a ‘benchmark’ aircraft in the UK’s National Historic Aircraft Register as being of world, national and technical significance.

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The composite P-40M in the workshop at Hammondsport in late July. STEFAN SCHMOLL

P-40 PROGRESSING AT CURTISS MUSEUM ALTHOUGH the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York State is predominantly concerned with aircraft designed by the company founder, during August 2011 a Curtiss P-40N restoration project arrived from Iowa on a truck provided by local aviation parts manufacturer Mercury Aircraft. The project is based on two P-40s that were recovered from a swamp in Florida, into which they had crashed following a mid-air collision in 1945. When completed — it is hoped in about two years’ time — the P-40 will be displayed in a flight attitude. Visitors will be permitted to sit

in the cockpit and work the controls for flaps, undercarriage, lights, and various other systems. One of the rebuilt Allison V-1710 engines from the Florida recovery will be reinstalled in the aircraft. Despite the fact that P-40s were built 100 miles west of Hammondsport in Buffalo, Mercury Aircraft manufactured complete P-40 and SB2C Helldiver tail assemblies and fuel tanks during the war years. A 1931 Mercury S-1 monoplane racer is on show in the main museum building, alongside more than a dozen genuine and reproduction Curtiss aircraft dating from 1908-31.

BURNELLI ADVANCING RESTORATION of the world’s only Burnelli CBY-3 Loadmaster is progressing well with a group of volunteers at the New England Air Museum, 53 years after the unorthodox ‘lifting body’ transport first arrived at the museum’s Windsor Locks site in Connecticut. Built by Canadian Car and Foundry in 1944 at Fort William, Québec, the machine, CF-BEL-X, was displayed outdoors from 1964 until being moved into the restoration workshop in 2013. The team, led by restoration co-ordinator Bob Vozzola, has rid the huge, bridge-like fuselage structure of corrosion suffered during that protracted exposure to the elements. Work to fit out the interior is challenging, with many parts absent: the machine had 18 hatches and access doors internally, several of which are missing and being remanufactured. All the windows had been smashed and are being remade. The two Pratt & Whitney R-2600 engines and cowlings have been lost, but the museum has a pair of ’2600s from a B-25 that have been restored and are now in storage. The aircraft had suffered rear fuselage damage around the tailwheel, where structural and skin repairs have been carried out, and major structural repairs have been completed on the control surfaces. The machine was the last aircraft penned by Vincent Burnelli, a Texan whose first ‘lifting

ABOVE: The fuselage of the sole Burnelli CBY-3 in the New England Air Museum workshops in mid-July. STEFAN SCHMOLL RIGHT: The Loadmaster in service in South America during the 1950s.

body’ design, the RB-1 biplane freighter, flew in 1920. The CBY-3, which could accommodate 24 passengers, was intended for bush flying operations in northern Canada. Despite garnering great praise in the aviation press and within the industry, the prototype remained the sole example built. After being registered N17N it was to earn its living flying passengers and freight in Canada and South America, eventually finishing its career at Baltimore Airport, Maryland, where it ended up being dumped.

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31/07/2017 14:36

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AER0-MODELLING Reference 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Title

Subtitle

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1959-60

Author VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1963-64

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1964-65

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1965-66

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1968-69

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1969-70

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1970-71

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1971-72

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1972-73

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1973-74

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1974-75

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1975-76

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1977-78

VARIOUS

AERO MODELLER ANNUAL 1978-79

VARIOUS

AN ABC OF MODEL AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION

C RUSHBROOKE

DURATION FLYING MODELS

F ELLIS

FLYING AND IMPROVING SCALE MODEL AIRPLANES

W MCCOMBS

Format HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK HARDBACK SOFTBACK SOFTBACK SOFTBACK SOFTBACK SOFTBACK

Subject AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING AERO MODELLING

Publisher MODEL AERONAUTICAL PRESS LTD MODEL AERONAUTICAL PRESS LTD MODEL AERONAUTICAL PRESS LTD MODEL AERONAUTICAL PRESS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD MODEL & ALLIED PUBLICATIONS LTD HARBOROUGH JOHN HAMILTON LTD.

Published 1959 1963 1964 1965 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1977 1978 1943 N/K 1977

Pages 160 160 160 160 128 128 128 128 144 144 144 144 144 144 80 72 120

Condition FAIR GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD VERY GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD FAIR FAIR FAIR

£ Price 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 10.00 95.00

SOFTBACK

AERO MODELLING

MODEL AIRPLANE NEWS

18

FLYING MODELS, RUBBER, CO2, ELECTRIC & MICRO RADIO CONTROL

TIPS & TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNER & EXPERT, BOOK 2

D ROSS

SOFTBACK

AERO MODELLING

AVIATION PUBLISHERS

1998

240

GOOD

5.00

19

FROG MODEL AIRCRAFT 1932-1976

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE FLYING AIRCRAFT & THE PLASTIC KITS

R LINES / L HELLSTROM

HARDBACK

AERO MODELLING

NEW CAVENDISH

1989

272

GOOD

30.00

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The Boeing KC‐135 Stratotanker More Than a Tanker Robert S Hopkins III

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Jet Fighters since 1950 Tony Buttler

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Dornier Do 335

Shady Lady

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26/07/2017 10:12

Comment

Hangar Talk STEVE SLATER

The Bristol Scout reproduction with its tail in the historic Larkhill hangar this July. DIETMAR MORLEY

I

f ever there is a single building which marks an airfield’s character above all others, it has to be the aircraft hangar. Aerodromes operate quite happily without control towers or even tarmac runways, but without hangars providing shelter for the based aircraft, they’re just not airfields, are they? Even when an airfield is no longer operational, its hangars often remain as a final landmark and monument. It is good therefore to see that these structures are gaining increased recognition, such as the Grade II-listed Municipal Hangar at Shoreham Airport, where restoration work began last month. Built in 1935, to complement the similarly stylish terminal building, it is described by Historic England as “bearing witness to the phenomenal growth of civil aviation in this period, a pioneering and audacious episode of considerable historic interest.” At the beginning of July, Britain’s oldest surviving aircraft hangars, the sheds

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built in 1910 at Larkhill in Wiltshire for the Bristol School of Flying, echoed to the rasp of a Le Rhône rotary engine for the first time in more than a century when David Bremner and Theo Willford swung the propeller on their Bristol Scout replica. Although the airfield is now a housing estate, some of the sheds remain as storehouses for the Army. The engine run was particularly

Collection. Further afield, additional structures of the period face a less secure future ‘thanks’ to the vagaries of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. Sadly, no-one knows the long-term future of the unique collection of Belfast truss hangars at RAF Henlow, or the unique ex-Royal Naval Air Service hangar which was re-erected when, in 1917, the

At the beginning of July, Britain’s oldest surviving aircraft hangars, the sheds built in 1910 at Larkhill, echoed to the rasp of a Le Rhône rotary for the first time in more than a century important historically, as the prototype Scout flew for the first time from Larkhill in February 1914, and no Bristol Scout had been seen there since. Another place to go is nearby Old Sarum, where the equally historic ‘Belfast truss’ hangars with their intricate wooden roof designs house both locally based aircraft and the Boscombe Down Aviation

Royal Flying Corps moved its air mechanics school from Farnborough to Halton in Buckinghamshire. The airfield, the school workshops built by German PoWs, and the adjacent World War One training trenches where ‘erks’ were ‘hardened off’ before being sent to the Western Front, are all threatened by MoD disposal plans. Adding insult to injury, many ‘based’

Comment on historic aviation by the chief executive of the UK’s Light Aircraft Association aircraft have recently been evicted from Halton’s hangars to allow the MoD’s estates division to use them for storing domestic appliances such as washing machines. Ye gods, what fools we are! But for me, Britain’s most historic aviation buildings must be the Cardington airship hangars. The two immense structures, which once accommodated the Royal Airship Works, dominate the Bedfordshire skyline and this year celebrate their centenary. The Cardington sheds are true cathedrals to aviation, measuring 689ft in length, 180ft in width and 157ft to the apex of their corrugated roofs. To give an impression of the immense scale of the buildings, the liner RMS Titanic would have fitted into either shed with just 39ft of her stern protruding. The R101’s crash en route to India in October 1934 sealed the fate of the Royal Airship Works and British airship development. Cardington’s sheds, though, still had a role to play. During 1936 they became the centre of production for the thousands of barrage balloons that protected locations from low-level attack, while in the time of National Service Cardington was the reception unit where thousands of RAF recruits went to be issued with their kit. Today, Cardington’s Number 1 shed is home to the revolutionary Hybrid Air Vehicles design, which combines aerodynamic and lighter-than-air technology to generate lift. The proof-ofconcept Airlander 10 is, at 301ft in length, the largest aircraft currently flying in the world today, yet it is less than half the length of the inter-war behemoths. It fits into Shed 1 with ease. Happy 100th birthday, Cardington. ■

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27/06/2017 09:24

Comment

DENIS J. CALVERT

Flight Line

Recollections and reflections — a seasoned reporter’s view of aviation history

T

his year’s Salon International de l’Aéronautique — and more recently also ‘de l’Espace’ — at Le Bourget was the 52nd in a series that started in 1909, initially as an outgrowth of the Paris motor show. As mentioned in the May issue, I first visited in 1967, when I was but a lad, and have been back intermittently for 50 years since. How did Le Bourget 2017, the largest trade airshow in the world, stack up against the competition? Paris still attracts the largest number of exhibitors, even if manufacturers — and particularly American manufacturers — quietly but fervently wish it would go away. They reason that nobody actually goes to an airshow and decides, on the spur of the moment, to place a massive aircraft order without previously having negotiated it for months, if not years. Events such as Paris are today more about announcing than generating orders. These totalled $150 billion this year, but it is increasingly difficult to prove that attending a show creates new business. In 2003, much of its aerospace industry and the US military boycotted Paris, but commercial pressures, and the fear of missing out, soon brought them back. Le Bourget is a great show site with public transport connections that put Farnborough to shame and a €14 (£12.50; less than the airshow price of three Wall’s Magnums) public entry price that encourages the next generation. The organisers have the recurrent problem of keeping ‘big-name’ aircraft at the show once the first trade days have passed. This year, two noteworthy newcomers in the shape of Brazil’s KC-390 and the stretched A350-1000 had left by mid-week, no

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ABOVE: Heading the British export drive at the Paris show, Hurricane P3351/F-AZXR. DENIS J. CALVERT

doubt to continue test programmes or to undertake sales tours. British participation was decidedly low-key. In the weekend flying display, the UK was represented only by a Hawker Hurricane — and a Frenchregistered one at that, Jan Roozen’s MkI P3351. The Le Bourget crowds are openly

with its ‘square loops’ also drew genuine and spontaneous applause. As at Farnborough, there is much enjoyment in seeking out the wacky newcomers. The Mini Bee-Plane is one such project. A two- or four-seat VTOL ‘personal aircraft’, it features electric propulsion driving eight fans

The plaque marking where Lindbergh touched down is as significant as that on the deck of HMS Victory announcing ‘Here Nelson Fell’ enthusiastic, applauding displays that they especially appreciate. That tends to mean French participants (Chauvin, remember, was a Frenchman) such as the Patrouille de France, which was allocated the top-of-thebill 15.00hrs display slot, and the solo Armée de l’Air Rafale, although the F-35A’s routine

— four fixed and four tilting. This French project, still some way from flying, is promoted with the slogan ‘Drive your Aircraft!’ Another futuristic design, albeit one that had at least reached the hardware stage to be on show, was the SureFly, an eight-rotor, electric-powered two-person helicopter with a 70-mile

range. First impressions were of a drone re-engineered as a manned aircraft. Which, in fact, is pretty much what it is. The Salon is not just about all that is new, however. The Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace is open without charge throughout, for visitors to walk through and enjoy its unrivalled display of (mainly French) aircraft. And other historical artefacts are there if you look for them. On what is now the concrete apron at Le Bourget can be found an engraved stone plaque that commemorates the spot where Charles Lindbergh touched down on 21 May 1927 after his epic, pioneering, trans-Atlantic flight. Now well-worn by the passage of time and feet, this is in every way as significant as the raised brass plaque, known to all British schoolboys, on the deck of HMS Victory that announces, ‘Here Nelson Fell’.

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31/07/2017 10:41

Skywriters

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★ LETTER of the MONTH ★ In every issue, the writer of our Letter of the Month wins a £25 book voucher to spend with leading military and transport publisher Crécy. The fiery aftermath of the Patrouille de France Magister crash at Le Bourget 40 years ago.

Paris ‘67’s fatal finale 

While the 1967 Paris Salon was memorable for Denis Calvert and Richard Waller (see Flight Line in the June issue and Skywriters in July’s), it was also a show I remember particularly well for the event mentioned by Richard, the Fouga Magister crash on the Sunday. That afternoon I was one of a small number of press photographers who made their way across the grass to within a few feet of the main show runway, as was permitted in those days. Being the last event on the last day, most of the ‘snappers’ had gone by the time the Patrouille de France took off to close the show. The climax was a final ‘bomb burst’, with the aircraft scattering to the four points of the compass across the airfield. My camera on this occasion was a clunky Mamiya C3 twin-lens reflex, company-owned and accountable to those who had the temerity to ask for it from the less than amiable head of IPC Transport Press. Looking down into the reflected image, I gauged that the aircraft heading down and planning to cross the runway and the crowdline would be exactly in front of me when it flattened out, looking good for a highly dramatic shot. Following it down in the viewfinder it was suddenly head-on and at my height. I was about to drop to my knees when there was a huge thump, and a yellow and black fireball shot into the air and headed directly for me.

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Never have I moved so fast on my hands and knees as I sought to avoid the fireball. I could feel the heat coming rapidly towards me and, now bent double to avoid being burned alive, ran towards the crowd. I looked round and the fire appeared to stop on the other side of the runway. I looked down… no camera! It had fallen out of its leather case during my frantic dash. Panic and fear gripped me for a second time — what was I going to say to the head honcho as I handed him the lanyard and empty case the following day? “Sorry, your camera is at Le Bourget, in the grass about 30ft from the main runway.” What could I do but retrace my exhausting dash back to what I thought would be the centre of the burning remains of the Magister. Another chap not far away shouted, “What are you doing? Run or the police will grab you!” I ignored him and crawled towards the fire, my one dread being that I would come across the body of the poor pilot. Suddenly, there in the longish grass was the Mamiya. I grabbed it, took three shots and ran. By that time the fire crews were heading towards the burning aircraft and I high-tailed it to the safety of anonymity in the crowd. At the press centre, the Flight group had assembled for the Beech Baron flight back to Gatwick, and away we went. “Good trip?” “Yes, thanks”. “Camera OK?” “Fine…” Barry Wheeler

The Merlin’s French connection

Aeroplane reader Bruno Muller has kindly been in touch with some more information about French Rolls-Royce Merlin applications. The Dewoitine D521 and the Amiot 356 were Merlin-powered derivatives of existing designs; with these in mind, the French Air Ministry considered an order for 463 Merlins to be built in Britain. The D521 was based on the D520, replacing the HispanoSuiza powerplant with a Merlin III. The conversion was mooted in October 1939, and modification of production airframe c/n 41 was completed in early 1940. Seven test flights were made starting on 9 February, clearly showing that the D521 had better performance than the D520. Despite the Merlin being more than 100kg heavier than the Hispano-Suiza, with a maximum recorded speed of 352mph the D521 was 15-20mph faster than the D520, and had a better rate of climb. Unfortunately the Merlin’s thrust line was 20cm lower than the Hispano-Suiza’s, which meant the propeller had to be cropped to avoid damage on take-off. Either the engine bearers would have had to have been moved on production aircraft, or a modified undercarriage used. Without a more refined engine installation the aircraft was difficult to handle. The test pilots concluded that in its current state it was “too dangerous”, not helped by the fact that the Merlin’s rotation was in the opposite direction to the Hispano-Suiza. However, by November 1939 it was becoming clear that Fordair was unlikely to undertake French Merlin licence-manufacture, and so the D521, at one point envisaged as a successor to

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Skywriters the D520, was cancelled. The French Air Ministry’s Merlin order was therefore reduced to 303 engines, of which around 60 were Merlin Xs and the remainder Merlin IIIs. These were to be fitted to the Amiot 353 and 356, twinfinned and single-finned variants respectively of the Gnome-Rhône-engined Amiot 354. Fitted with Merlin X engines and de Havilland propellers, the Amiot 356-01 was extensively flight-tested in the spring of 1940, alternating between single and twin-finned configurations (the Armée de l’Air insisted on twin fins for its bombers to give the rear gunner a clear field of fire). It was the fastest of the Amiot 350 variants, with a top speed of 516km/h at 6,200m (320mph at 19,000ft). During its test programme the British Air Ministry supposedly requested a visit to Boscombe Down for evaluation, as its cooling system and radiators were considered very efficient, but with the fall of France it never made it across to the UK. Instead, back in its single-fin configuration, it was flown across the Mediterranean to North Africa after the June 1940 defeat. Its high cruising speed of 440km/h (275mp/h) justified a transfer to Air France as a fast transport, under the registration F-BAGP. Returning from Djibouti it suffered an undercarriage failure on landing at Athens on 13 December 1941. Repaired on Christmas Day, it suffered the same mishap at the same airport six weeks later on 27 January 1942. The aircraft was seized by German forces in June 1943, and it is possible that it flew again with I/KG 200. Two more Amiot 354s, c/ns 14 and 10, started to be converted to Merlin power by SNCASE at Marignane in July and October 1942 respectively, but were also seized by the Germans before the conversion was achieved. Finally, a variant of the Arsenal VG33, the VG40, was to use a Merlin, but the project did not progress beyond the paper stage. Jakob Whitfield

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Some things never change…

I have just received the July copy of Aeroplane here in Helena, Montana and thought you might like to see a picture of Arthur Williams’ Piper J-3 (featured in that month’s Hangar Talk column) taken on the occasion of its first flight after I’d repaired and rebuilt it — on 30 July 1978! Not much has changed. I bought the aeroplane from Sabena in Belgium after it had been put on its back at Grimbergen by a member of Sabena’s flying club. I actually purchased two, the other becoming G-BDEZ. The photograph was taken at Deanland, East Sussex, where I operated a maintenance set-up when not flying TriStars for BA. At the time I was an engineer and a PFA inspector amongst other things. Brian Dunlop

Shorts at sea

Having a personal connection — my grandfather was an air mechanic on Ark Royal II from July 1915 through to the tail end of 1917 — it was good to read such a well-researched feature as Grant Newman’s ‘Shipborne into Battle’ on the Dardanelles campaign in the July Aeroplane. It was a particular relief to see the Short Type 166s identified correctly, these particular machines so often being mislabelled as Type 184s. I must, however, take issue with the wording of the caption for the photograph of the Type 166 on page 38 in which it is stated: “…the 166 did not have the performance to carry a torpedo aloft in the conditions in the Aegean”. All six of the original production batch of Type 166s, numbers 161-166, were delivered to Ark Royal from April to October 1915, complete with the crutches necessary for carrying such ordnance — if not the necessary mechanism to launch them. It is true that the Type 166 never did actually drop a torpedo in anger, but it would seem that the carrying and delivery of torpedoes was indeed achieved by this type of seaplane. The weekly

operations report from Air Service Headquarters, Mudros, for 31 March 1916, states: “Further experiments have been carried out with [a] 200hp Short Seaplane [Type 166] carrying a torpedo. In the last flight complete success was attained, the attack being delivered from a thousand yards and a hit scored. The dropping gear is, however, improvised and may not, in consequence, prove reliable, but the results obtained justify as many of the 200hp Short Seaplanes as possible being fitted with it to meet the emergency of the enemy fleet offering a target, before the arrival of the proper dropping gear from England.” The next report, dated 7 April, stated: ‘No further torpedo carrying experiments have been undertaken as the only seaplane in the ship [HMS Ark Royal] which is able to carry a torpedo has now been fitted and tested and is accordingly being preserved in case a target should be offered before other machines have been fitted.” The most likely aircraft to have undertaken these torpedo-carrying flights would have been number 163. This machine is noted in the ship’s log of 30 March as returning

after a 30-minute “experimental flight”, this preceded by several similar short flights in the days beforehand. Four of Ark Royal’s other Type 166s were, at this time, operating from the seaplane base at Stavros on photo-reconnaissance duties. All these torpedo experiments were seemingly carried out in Mudros Bay, Ark Royal having arrived there from Salonika, on 15 March. More interesting information relating to the possible use of torpedoes is to be found in a document dated 21 February 1916, detailing proposals for future operations. Headed Headquarters, RNAS Mudros, a section of it states: “… seaplanes at Stavros will be available for torpedo and anti-submarine work”. Also: “two Short seaplanes … should be sent to Imbros with torpedoes and bombs and kept in readiness to operate from Lake Aliki as opportunity offers in the Dardanelles.” History tells us that no enemy targets were forthcoming, and it would seem that these flights from Ark Royal would be the last of any such experiments involving the Type 166 and torpedoes. The next time one of Ark Royal’s aircraft was equipped with such ordnance would be in January 1918 when a Short Type 184 was tested in readiness for a possible attack on the German battle cruiser SMS Goeben — but that is another story altogether. As an aside, the machine illustrated on page 38 is probably the last of the original batch, number 166, and the location is almost certainly Talikna Point in Mudros Bay. Its serial was blanked out as part of the process of re-marking that was carried out on Ark Royal’s aircraft during the winter of 1915-16. Peter Cowlan, Ottery St Mary, Devon

The editor reserves the right to edit all letters. Please include your full name and address in correspondence.

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Q&A

COMPILER: BARRY WHEELER

WRITE TO: Aeroplane, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1XQ, UK E-MAIL TO: [email protected], putting ‘Q&A’ in the header

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

THIS MONTH’S ANSWERS

to Bahamas Helicopters in April 1957. It was damaged on landing near Benghazi that May and shipped back to the UK, but not repaired. Stored at Croydon, it was officially cancelled in April 1963.

why the Bv 141B did not enter service was not limited visibility, but the lack of BMW 801 engines, which were urgently needed for the Fw 190 fighter. Additionally, the competing Fw 189 offered twin-engine safety and there were few significant benefits in ordering the Bv 141. By April 1942, only seven Bv 141Bs had been completed while production of the twin Arguspowered Fw 189 was in full swing towards the eventual 864 that rolled off lines in Germany, France and Czechoslovakia.”

Rapide ‘Juliet Golf’

Damage repair

Benghazi-based in 1956, the fates of Dragon Rapides G-AKZP and ’KTZ are summarised here.

Rapides in Libya

Q

The above photographs come from Geoff Bywater, who took them in Libya in November 1956. The de Havilland Dragon Rapides flew a regular supply service from Benghazi for oil exploration workers and Geoff believes, correctly, that they were operated by Bahamas Helicopters Ltd. G-AKZP (c/n 6882) was taxiing when it hit a patch of soft sand and nosed over. Repairs were made on site before it was flown out. Geoff wonders what happened to the two aircraft. G-AKZP began life as Dominie NR806 with the RAF in April 1945 before joining the civil register and flying with a number of small companies. It was acquired in 1956 by Oilfields Supply & Trading Co — later Bahamas Helicopters — based in Tripoli. On 16 March 1957, the aircraft was en route to the UK for overhaul when it ran out of fuel and, during an emergency landing, overturned and caught fire at Hammamet, south-east of Tunis. G-AKTZ (c/n 6482) was delivered to the RAF in May 1940 as R9554, serving through the war until being struck off charge and civilianregistered in March 1948. It went to Morton Air Services at Croydon in May 1953 and to Gordon, Woodroffe & Co in September 1956, transferring

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Q

Following the Hooks’ Tours feature on Rapides in the June issue, Derek Bunning wonders if G-AGJG was operating at Thruxton on 21 April 1965. He remembers stepping out of a Rapide over the airfield as a 17-year-old parachutist and is curious to know if it was ‘Juliet Golf’. Mike Hooks’ photo of ’GJG was taken at Thruxton in 1962 when the aircraft was owned by Gerald Dommett. It also flew from the Christchurch Aero Club and was used by the British Skydiving Club from 1962-67, moving to Booker in June 1967. Co-restorer, current co-owner and pilot of ’JG Mark Miller kindly checked in the aircraft’s logbook and confirms that it was operating at Thruxton on the day of Derek’s jump, logging a total of 20 minutes’ flying.

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Q

In the June issue, Tim van der Krabben enquired about damage repair and how was it fixed. Jonathan Pote responds with more recent examples of airframe damage. “More serious structural damage in peacetime now”, he says, “involves the manufacturer or design authority making a bespoke repair, often much larger than the original damaged area but guaranteeing the aircraft’s ‘as new’ return to service. “As far as the RAF is concerned, active operations called for service engineers to

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undertake repairs in situ, often in consultation with the manufacturer, as occurred with the most severely damaged Tornado GR1 which received a missile strike during the 1991 Gulf War. The photo shows patches of lighter paint indicating repair, supplemented with a new rudder and tailplane”. The example in question was ZD843, then of No 31 Squadron, now a GR4 variant that is still in service and saw action (again) in Afghanistan. The image illustrates several hits uncomfortably close to the crew, and the need for a new rudder and tailplane. “I understand”, Jonathan says, “that it was the most severely damaged Tornado to get home, after a missile nearmiss.”

‘V-bombers’ in Southern Rhodesia

Q

In the May issue, David Russell asked if the Valiants and Vulcans he saw at Salisbury airport in the 1958-63 period carried nuclear weapons on their regular ‘Lone Ranger’ visits. It can be safely assumed that ‘V-bombers’ did not carry nuclear bombs on their detachments to Salisbury. The

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Offset oddity

Q

In the June issue, Bob Millichap questioned the advantages or otherwise of the Bv 141. Maximilian Meindl responds, “the reason

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RAF Tornado GR1 ZD843 during the 1991 Gulf War, showing obvious damage repairs from the areas of lighter colouring.

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THIS MONTH’S QUESTIONS sheer amount of infrastructure required to transport and guard aircraft so armed in peacetime would have been noticeable and they certainly would not have been parked anywhere adjacent to commercial operations at the airport.

Spitfire fin tips

Q

In the July issue, Ian Statham queries the use of different rudder shapes on Spitfire IXs and why they changed. Paul Hillier quotes from the Morgan and Shacklady magnum opus Spitfire – The History, which says that from March 1942 into 1943 directional/lateral stability issues were experienced during testing on the Griffon-powered MkXII, resulting in a “violent swing to port on take-off”. The pointed fin/rudder was fitted to help counteract the swing. It appears that the overall area was not increased from the standard 13.75 square feet, only the profile being changed. However, as the engine power and overall performance rose through 1945 and on to the final versions, the fin/rudder area increased to 16.73 square feet, later designs having a less pointed and more rounded design. Thanks also to Michael Geldart who adds that the first MkIXs, converted MkVs with Merlin 60s and four-blade propellers, retained the ‘C’ wing (two 20mm cannon and four 0.303in machine guns) and the rounded fin tip, while John Usher confirms the use of the larger fin/rudder on the MkXII and larger still on the MkXIV, culminating in further increases on the Mk24, Seafire Mk47, Spiteful and Seafang.

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The Orion’s ‘Dave’

Q

A photo of the Germanoperated Nakajima E8N ‘Dave’ floatplane aboard the cruiser Orion appeared in the July issue. On the question of whether the E8N was the only Japanese aircraft operated by Germany, Maximilian Meindl says that at

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Bearcat power

Q

Christian Hardt would like to know if pilots were able to use war emergency power (WEP) in the early Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat fitted with the Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W as well as on the later F8F-1B model. While WEP is listed in the handbooks, there is nothing on its usage, apart from the ‘On Entering Cockpit’ section which says, ‘WEP switch — OFF’. Under what circumstances should the switch be ‘ON’ and on what model?

Spearfish colours

Q

Rob Smith is building a model of the Fairey Spearfish, but is unsure of the colours carried by the five aircraft built. Can someone provide some guidance?

MAP test pilots

Q

In conducting research into wartime American Lend-Lease, Doug Rough and Derek Wands are trying to locate and consult the logbooks of two Ministry of Aircraft Production test pilots, Arthur R. C. ‘Dutch’ Holland and Anthony Phelps. ‘Dutch’ died in 1963 and Tony’s logbooks were auctioned off in London to a private buyer on 22 September 2006. Can anyone help on the current whereabouts of the logbooks?

Ministry of Aircraft Production test pilots ‘Dutch’ Holland (wearing the tie) and Tony Phelps.

Can a reader assist in identifying the badge on this RAF Thunderbolt and confirm its location?

Medal winner at Fayid?

Q

Military Medal recipient Gwyn Morgan of the 7th Rifle Brigade paid a visit to an RAF Republic Thunderbolt II-equipped unit in Egypt, but where and when? From the serial KJ348 and the large number 9 on the aircraft on the left, we guess it could be No 73 Operational Training Unit at Fayid, but where does the prominent ‘ace of spades’ badge fit in? Geoff Fuhrmann in Brisbane, Australia, would like to know as Gwyn was his father-inlaw and received the MM from Gen Montgomery in Egypt.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS • An amendment to the RAF Varsity unit table in the August Database: Stradishall was home to No 1 Air Navigation School before its transfer to No 6 FTS. It became a Training Command base on 1 December 1961, when No 1 ANS and its Varsities moved in. These continued to serve until the Dominie arrived from August 1965. • The image on page 73 of the June issue captioned as showing flares being loaded onto a Valiant actually shows the manual winding of the refuelling hose onto the hose and drum unit fitted to the tanker variant.

least one other example was procured and supplied to the auxiliary cruiser Stier by the supply ship Tannenfels in September 1942. It was to replace the unsuitable Arado Ar 231 (a type developed for U-boats), but Stier’s captain refused to take the Nakajima on board as it lacked a

• Further to the list of airworthy classic jets lost to the UK scene in recent years that was included in the July issue’s feature by Richard Paver, Hunter FGA9 XE601/G-ETPS and the other Hunters acquired by Apache Aviation in Dijon, France were seemingly shipped to Canada during 2016. • The photos in the June issue’s article on East German Stasi air operations that were credited to ‘via Volker Liebscher’ should have been given as coming from the BSTU, the Bundesbeauftragter für die Stasi Unterlagen.

suitable radio. With Stier attacked and sunk later that month and Tannenfels returning to Bordeaux, what happened to the Nakajima? German operations in the Pacific included a U-boat base at Panang, Malaya, established in late 1943 and codenamed Gruppe Monsun. Two Arado

Ar 196s with Japanese markings were based there and the U-boat commander in that theatre, Fregattenkapitän Wilhelm Dommes, apparently exchanged a Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 gyroglider for a Japanese aircraft, but the type is unknown. Can anybody provide clarification?

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Subscribe for 2 years and choose from... MALTA SPITFIRE BOOK Twenty-five thousand feet above Malta - that is where the Spitfires intercepted the Messerschmitts, Macchis and Reggianes as they swept eastwards in their droves, screening the big Junkers with their bomb loads as they pummelled the island beneath - the most bombed patch of ground in the world. One of those Spitfire pilots was George Beurling, nicknamed ‘Screwball’, WORTH who in fourteen flying days destroyed twenty£9.99! seven German and Italian aircraft, and damaged many more. Hailing from Canada, and after hard training and combat across the Channel, Beurling finally made it to Malta in the summer of 1942. “Malta Spitfire” tells his story and that of the gallant Spitfire squadron, 249, which day after day climbed to the ‘top of the hill’ to meet the enemy against overwhelming odds.

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25/07/2017 17:05

DUNKIRK FILM

It’s been eagerly anticipated, not least thanks to the use of several real aircraft rather than CGI, but does Christopher Nolan’s epic new film about the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation live up to expectations? WORDS: MATTHEW WILLIS

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The three Spitfires involved in filming Dunkirk were all provided by Comanche Fighters: MkIas X4650 and AR213, and LFVb EP122. The ‘little ship’ in the foreground named Moonstone is a 1939 motor cruiser really called Revlis, which was used by the Royal Navy during wartime but was not at Dunkirk. MELINDA SUE GORDON/WARNER BROS PICTURES

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DUNKIRK FILM

RIGHT: Tom Hardy in his role as RAF Spitfire pilot Farrier.

MELINDA SUE GORDON/ WARNER BROS PICTURES

I

t will have been hard for anyone with an interest in World War Two history to avoid the increasing hype around Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk recently. Expectations were undoubtedly high for the big-budget dramatisation of the moment when hundreds of thousands of British and French troops escaped almost certain destruction by a rampant German military. For the most part, the film meets expectations admirably. Cinema-goers looking for stunning nautical and aerial action, executed substantially ‘for real’ in a way that recalls the 1960s epics, will not be disappointed. Neither will those who go looking for a thoughtful, human take on the events of 1940. Nolan’s use of unconventional narrative techniques is familiar to filmgoers, and in Dunkirk, as with Memento, Inception and Interstellar, he plays with the passage of time. There are three narrative strands: ‘The Mole’, centring on the breakwater representing the only means of transferring men directly to larger ships; ‘The Sea’, depicting the passage across the English Channel, and ‘The Air’, following a vic of Spitfires

setting out to provide air cover. Each strand takes place over a different length of time — a week, a day and an hour, converging with stomachchurning inevitability towards the same denouement. The mismatch in timescales may lead to occasional moments of confusion, but the other side of the coin is the ability to witness the same events from different perspectives, which does wonders in cutting the distance between protagonist and audience. Each strand has its own small groups of characters negotiating the perils of land, sea and air: Fionn

Whitehead’s Tommy and a waxing and waning knot of soldiers; Mark Rylance’s Dawson sailing his motor yacht Moonstone with the armada of ‘little ships’ and a shivering soldier plucked out of the water along the way; Tom Hardy’s Farrier and Jack Lowden’s Collins with the section of Spitfires; the two senior officers on the Mole, Kenneth Branagh’s Cdr Bolton (based on several historical characters including James Campbell Clouston) and James Darcy’s Col Winnant. This gives Dunkirk both its epic sweep and its intimacy. We follow no single character. Rather, it’s an ensemble piece, in which most of the members of the ensemble converge but never

We follow no single character. Rather, it’s an ensemble piece, in which most of the members of the ensemble converge but never quite meet. The inevitability of events instead provides the narrative thread, and it works

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quite meet. The inevitability of events instead provides the narrative thread, and it works. The film opens surreally in a deserted town, soldiers mutely studying German leaflets promising certain destruction. From there, the Dunkirk beach (playing itself in an important nod to authenticity — even the respected 1958 feature was filmed at Camber Sands) appears in its nightmarish glory. Thousands of men queue silently as though on a parade ground. “Grenadiers here, mate”, Tommy is told as he attempts to join the end of a queue. Stretcher-bearers



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trudge through wind-whipped sea foam. Hardly anyone speaks for the first quarter of an hour, the silence broken instead by Hans Zimmer’s eerie, ambient score and the everpresent ticking of the clock; before, that is, the Ju 87 ‘Stukas’ arrive to shatter the pregnant tension. The aerial sequences are breathtaking, especially on an IMAX screen where they become immersive. The effort to use authentic aircraft where possible — this must be the first time since the Second World War

that two Spitfire Ias have appeared together on film — and to shoot in the air with an ingeniously modified Yak-52TD trainer rather than in front of a studio green screen, is utterly justified. The so-called ‘Yakfire’, bulky IMAX cameras attached to the fuselage in various positions, served as a cameraship for the dogfight scenes, in which it was able to get in close to the fast-moving fighters. It was most innovatively used, however, as a stand-in for the Spitfires, with its cockpit modified to closely resemble that of the fighter, fake exhaust stubs attached to the cowling and an authentic paint job. Through artful filming angles the results are surprisingly realistic. It’s quite possible for the viewer to believe that Tom Hardy really is flying his Spitfire. Indeed, the viewer may sometimes feel as though they are flying it. The physics of flight may be stretched a little for dramatic purposes once in a while (and in one particular sequence, the disconnected timelines serve to exacerbate this), but this is no Pearl Harbor with X-Wing fighter

MAIN PICTURE: Fionn Whitehead plays young British soldier Tommy, part of the British Expeditionary Force awaiting evacuation from Dunkirk. MELINDA SUE GORDON/ WARNER BROS PICTURES

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31/07/2017 10:49

DUNKIRK FILM

Nolan puts the audience right in the heads of the soldiers desperate to escape the trap any way they can, and the airmen and sailors putting themselves into harm’s way to help save lives

ABOVE: To avoid depicting aircraft of any particular squadron, the Spitfires involved in Dunkirk wear code letters LC, these having been allocated in reality to the Station Flight at RAF Feltwell.

MELINDA SUE GORDON/ WARNER BROS PICTURES

manoeuvrability or Red Tails with CGI computer game graphics. In fact, the employment and use of real aircraft most of all evokes 1969’s Battle of Britain, which may well be deliberate. Keep an ear cocked for the voice of the fighter controller, which many will find strangely familiar. In addition to Comanche Fighters’ Spitfires — the MkIa pair of X4650 and AR213, one of which was landed on a northern French beach as part of the filming, joined by LFVb EP122 — the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Bristol Blenheim IF puts in a welcome appearance, and the Spitfires’ main antagonist is represented by Historic Flying’s Hispano HA-1112-M1L Buchón (a Battle of Britain veteran, of course) playing numerous Messerschmitt Bf 109Es. Other aerial work, notably with Heinkel He 111s and Junkers Ju 87s, as well as sundry crashings and ditchings, is performed with large-scale flying models and mock-ups. Some of the ‘Stuka’ scenes

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in particular were filmed ‘live’, cleverly using forced perspective, rather than compositing the aircraft onto scenes with actors. Here, the commitment to a look and feel that’s as real as possible definitely makes a difference on screen as the interactions effectively are real. At sea, the presence of a real destroyer — the Maille-Brez, towed laboriously from Nantes to appear in the film shoot off Dunkirk itself — is prominent, playing two British destroyers. It may not be quite the real deal, but being a 1950s vessel based on a 1930s design, it’s as close as any film is likely to get these days. The minesweepers standing in for other warships large and small are shot cleverly, angles and distances rendering them convincing enough to do the job. A number of the ‘little ships’ need no such sleight of hand as they are the genuine articles. The scenes set at sea are every bit as pulse-racing as those

in the air — it becomes clear to the characters as it becomes clear to the audience that finding their way onto a ship was not the end of the nightmare, only the exchange of one set of dangers for another. These sequences are as immersive, in more ways than one, as the aerial action. In the attempts to capture one of the film’s most striking scenes live, one of the hideously expensive IMAX cameras on which Dunkirk was filmed sank to the bottom of the English Channel, necessitating a complex retrieval and desperate efforts to save the film and its footage. It was worth it. While Dunkirk is not overly violent, the sheer intensity of the scenario means it is certainly not for the faint-hearted. In a sense, that’s the point. Nolan puts the audience right in the heads of the soldiers desperate to escape the trap any way they can, and the airmen and sailors putting themselves into harm’s way to help save lives. Not everyone behaves

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end, the sea crowded with ships and boats. This feels a little like a missed opportunity, but in view of the power of the narrative it can mostly be forgiven. There will naturally be some questions raised about historical accuracy, mostly focussing on what is left out rather than what is included. This is a largely British film, largely depicting the British experience, and some may feel the narrative diminishes the role of the French, for example. It should be pointed out, though, that the French army is far from written out of the story. While the French involvement is pushed to the margins for the majority of the running time, and occasional references may be seen as less than complimentary, at the beginning of the film it is the French army we see holding the perimeter under sustained German attack, while the fact that the French mostly have to wait until the British have been evacuated before they get their turn is made clear.

well — this is not propaganda, after all — and some characters respond to the pressure better than others. The advantage of the intimate, privileged position in which Nolan places the audience is that it’s all too understandable when protagonists let the situation get the better of them, and we’re right there to feel the consequences too. There’s no shying away from the psychological onslaught. It’s not enough to see the intensity, terror, joy and shame on screen. Nolan wants us to feel it, even to live it. Unrelentingly, he succeeds. If there is a complaint it is that the scale of the canvas, significant as it is, doesn’t quite match reality. Nolan’s obsession with avoiding CGI is admirable, but the corollary is that we never quite feel the sheer mass of men and barely-organised chaos on the beach (the Dunkirk scenes of Joe Wright’s Atonement capture this side better), the swarms of aircraft and, apart from a few aerial shots near the

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The Germans themselves are a faceless force, represented mainly by the words on a leaflet (“We surround you!”), howling aeroplanes and munitions appearing out of nowhere. There is no Tora! Tora! Tora!-style attempt to show everything from all sides, but Dunkirk being substantially a film about the creation of a British legend, this will come as no surprise. It’s almost unavoidable that the role of the ‘little ships’ and the small number of civilian volunteers is played up perhaps more than their historical contribution compared with the Royal Navy, say. To the film’s credit, the fact that most of the civilian vessels were crewed by Royal Navy sailors is touched upon. But it would be churlish to say the part of the ‘little ships’ is overdone. If it hadn’t been for the fleet of unarmoured and unarmed small boats, far fewer troops would have made it off the beach to transfer to the larger ships offshore, and many fewer would have escaped captivity or death. The legend of the ‘little ships’ is partly what separates the story of Dunkirk from other snatched-fromthe-jaws-of-defeat evacuations such as Gallipoli and Arnhem. Despite the fact that the majority of viewers will know how the story ends, the suspense continues to ramp up to barely tolerable levels by the climax. Some of the characters will make it home, others will not, and which of them fall into each category will keep the audience guessing

for the majority of the film. Some, particularly those on the beach, are rarely out of mortal danger. Even then, already knowing that the evacuation succeeds does not detract from the drama. And despite the sprawling nature of the action, Dunkirk feels taut and economic, the pace relentless. It is, after all, only an hour and 46 minutes in length, surprisingly short for such an epic subject. There’s no spare space to lose focus — the inescapable countdown keeps everything moving forward inexorably. For all the spectacular action, and there is no shortage of heartin-the-mouth moments, the main performances — Whitehead, Rylance, Branagh, Hardy — are notable by their understatement. There is no scenery-chewing, no Saint Crispin’s Day speeches. Churchill’s “We shall fight them on the beaches” speech is almost mumbled by a soldier reading from a newspaper. Hardy, required to perform in the confines of a Spitfire’s cockpit, frequently with his oxygen mask obscuring his face, is so convincing it’s easy to imagine his character Farrier growing up fast through the Battle of France, gaining experience, guile and toughness, leading to the assured figure we meet on screen — a ‘Sailor’ Malan or an Al Deere. Rylance can say more in a look or a phrase than most actors could in a soliloquy, his story and motivation beautifully and economically fleshed out as the yacht crosses the Channel, encountering threats from the enemy and closer to home. Fionn Whitehead’s mute shock at the horrors around him, his occasional flashes of overwhelming terror and stoic courage, draw us right in with him. Dunkirk is by turns spectacular, unsettling, heartwarming, shocking, terrifying, absurd and emotional, the hyper-real occasionally swinging into dream-like surrealism. But it is the small, human moments that stay with you and continue to work even as the spectacle fades. Dunkirk, certificate 12A, is in cinemas now.

NEXT MONTH…

The October Aeroplane will continue our coverage of the Dunkirk movie, with behind-the-scenes insights into the film’s impressive aviation aspects. Don’t miss it.

www.aeroplanemonthly.com 31

31/07/2017 10:50

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05/07/2017 14:10

SARO JET FLYING BOATS

END of the LINE

Neither of Saunders-Roe’s two commercial jet flying boat projects, the P131 and P192, saw the light of day — but the concepts in themselves were impressive WORDS: RICHARD PAYNE

A

fter the Second World War, the future of British flying boats looked bleak. However, while Blackburn and Short Brothers turned their attentions mostly towards landplanes, Saunders-Roe continued to persevere with major new flying boat projects. Henry Knowler had been the Saro chief designer since 1927, having previously worked at English Electric and Vickers. By the time he retired in 1957 he was acknowledged as one of the leading names in marine aircraft. In the post-war period his team’s creations included a new single-seat jet fighter flying boat, the SRA/1, and a 100-plus-seater turboprop passenger airliner, the Princess. Plans had been proposed for the Princess to operate on the South Atlantic routes of British South American Airways (BSAA), for

which seven may have been procured. However in March 1951 the Secretary of State for Air Arthur Henderson announced that BOAC, which had absorbed BSAA, would not be using the type. The reason was obvious. On the Australia run, the Short Solent flying boats the airline was using would take 10-and-a-half days, whereas the Lockheed Constellation landplane took just four-and-a-half. By the time the Princess took to the air for the first time on 22 August 1952, its fate was sealed. Two further aircraft under construction at Cowes were not fully completed and instead towed to join the sole flyer at Calshot. There they were cocooned until the last was broken up in 1967, despite a multitude of projects to put them into service.

Surprisingly, given all this negativity and the lack of potential orders for such aircraft, SaundersRoe unveiled two further flying boat airliner projects during the 1950s — both powered by jet engines. The last aircraft to be penned by Henry Knowler was the beautiful P131 or Duchess, a 500mph, six-de Havilland Ghost-powered jetliner employing the most advanced aerodynamics. Details were announced in Flight magazine during May 1950, the project being offered to Tasman Empire Airways Ltd (TEAL) to operate between Australia and New Zealand. In a manner very similar to the DH106 Comet, the six engines were installed in the wing, which, unusually, was mounted above the hull. As with the Princess, the lateral stabilising floats retracted to lie within the wingtips.

A period illustration by Saunders-Roe of the planned P131, or Duchess. AEROPLANE

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SARO JET FLYING BOATS

It was intended for ranges between 1,300 and 2,000 miles and could accommodate 74 passengers and their luggage plus 3,500lb of freight. As determined by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors, the direct operating costs were given as 1¼d per passenger mile for a 1,300-mile stage and less than 2d per passenger mile for a 2,000-mile stage. Tests of model hulls in water tanks produced satisfactory results, and it was announced during early 1950 that Saunders-Roe managing director Capt Edward Clarke was discussing the project in New Zealand with TEAL. The airline was seeking to re-equip in 1951 as its Solents would need replacing by around 1957. With no suitable flying boats available the only alternative was to purchase landplanes or a small number of flying boats built to TEAL’s own specification, a costly prospect. The airline’s chairman Sir Leonard Isitt said that a number of landplanes from British and American suppliers were being looked at as well as the Duchess, despite the fact that the number of flying boats needed was very small. Just two months later, Isitt said he was still hoping to operate flying boats as they could bring passengers directly to city terminals, while the cost of seaplane terminals was cheaper than land airports. ABOVE: The final concept for the Duchess was a single-finned layout, though a V-tail had been studied. GKN

The design was to carry 74 passengers in a four-abreast layout within a pressurised and airconditioned cabin. This was split into two compartments, separated by the freight hold. Each cabin contained its own toilets. A flight crew of four was joined by two cabin crew. The freight hold was located above the centre of gravity and could accommodate 600 cubic feet of cargo. One design for the Duchess featured a V-tail and

Napier Nomad engines, but this was replaced by a more elegant single fin and rudder. Another version was to be powered by six Rolls-Royce Avons, which would have had a maximum speed of 559mph and a cruising speed of 475mph as against the Ghost-engined variant’s cruise speed of 468mph. It was envisaged that the Duchess would be the most economical medium-range aircraft yet designed.

SARO’S GIANTS COMPARED

P131 Duchess

P192

Engines

Six de Havilland Ghosts (variant and output unknown)

24 Rolls-Royce Conways, 18,500lb thrust each

Length

124ft 6in

318ft

Wingspan

135ft 6in

313ft

Wing area

2,364 sq ft

17,650 sq ft

All-up weight 130,000lb

1,500,000lb

Passengers 74

1,000

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The project never came to fruition. It would have taken a few years to bring the aircraft into production, and TEAL, the predecessor of Air New Zealand, ceased many flying boat operations in the early to mid-1950s. The airline was then hoping to buy Bristol Britannias, although it ended up purchasing Douglas DC-6s. Its last flying boat service, which ceased in 1960, was the famous ‘coral route’ linking New Zealand to Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands. While the Duchess was an elegant design, the follow-on project, the P192 — sometimes known unofficially as the ‘Queen’ — was gargantuan in every way. Even by the standards of today’s airliners it was huge: the Airbus A380-800 is some 238ft long, against the P192’s 318ft, and ‘only’ has a wingspan of 261ft compared to 313ft. In 1955 J. Dundas Heenan, a consultant working for the P&O shipping company, requested a feasibility study for a 1,000-passenger flying boat that would be capable of plying the route between Britain and Australia in around two days rather than the sea journey of between

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two and three weeks. Saunders-Roe came up with the P192 to meet this requirement. The specification demanded luxury-liner comfort on board the aircraft, hence the dimensions. The fuselage had a constant diameter of 33ft with wings so large that engineers would have been able to walk through them to access the engines in flight. Only the Hughes H-4 had a greater wingspan, although it was considerably smaller and less than a third of the weight. The P192 was to be a high-wing airliner of all-metal construction powered by an incredible 24 RollsRoyce Conway engines positioned within the huge delta wings. The wing design provided the best compromise between the requirements for a high critical Mach number, large internal storage space, low induced drag and low structural weight. It featured interconnecting spoilers and ailerons, split flaps and slotted flaps and retractable floats at the tips. The V-tails were located well above the water spray, while the positioning of the engines meant that there were sheltered air intakes for water operation together with normal air intakes. The multi-bay engine position should have ensured good manoeuvrability on the water when using differential thrust while retaining orthodox engine cut characteristics. The hull bottom form combined excellent seaworthiness with low structure weight, with a low-spray forebody form and well-ventilated streamlined step. Hydroflaps beneath the rear fuselage aided in water manoeuvring. As well as the basic design, different studies under the P192 moniker included one featuring a T-tail with power provided by 16 Bristol BE25 turboprops. Others were powered by 20 Rolls-Royce Conways with both V and T-tail arrangements. Like the super-liners of the seas, the P192’s passengers had lounge

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seats, sleeping berths and dining room places. Accommodation was laid out over five decks. Great care was to be taken of the passengers. They would arrive at Southampton Water, many by rail, proceeding by escalator and then down covered gangways before entering the airliner. Firstclass passengers entered through the door on the port side just forward of

The P192’s specification demanded luxuryliner comfort on board the aircraft, hence the design’s dimensions the leading edge of the wing, giving direct access into C deck’s first-class saloons. Once on board they would probably have been greeted by either the captain or first officer before being shown to their seats by one of the 40-strong crew. Access to the upper decks would have been by a large, centrally located staircase. For second and third-class passengers embarkation was via a

starboard-side door under the trailing edge of the wing, again reached by covered gangway. As with first class they reached the upper and lower decks via the central staircases. Much attention was paid to the facilities that such aircraft needed. These included designs for floating decks into which the aircraft would berth — much like a boat, and from where all the services could be provided — together with refuelling rafts. Freight was loaded through the aft port-side door, under the tailplane. The preferred route to Australia would begin with lunch at Southampton Water. After that the aircraft would take off at about 12.30hrs on the first stage to Fanara in Egypt, which would last about five hours. Dinner would be served on arrival. The four-and-a-halfhour flight to Karachi offered a chance to sleep before being served breakfast when the aircraft got there. A three-and-a-half-hour journey to Calcutta brought the half-way stop, lasting about six hours. Passengers could go ashore prior to setting off again for a four-and-a-half-hour journey to Singapore. Those on board could again get some rest during the five-hour flight to Darwin, where breakfast would be served before the final stage to Sydney, estimated

ABOVE: This exploded diagram shows how the P131 would have carried 74 passengers in a four-abreast layout, and how the cabin was split into two compartments, separated by the freight hold. AEROPLANE

BELOW: The mighty P192 was a remarkable design achievement, but wholly impractical in terms of the cost of building facilities to support it at a time when the commercial flying boat was on its way out of service. GKN

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SARO JET FLYING BOATS

GKN

ON BOARD THE P192 Deck A Tourist-class accommodation for 252 plus a control deck of immense size that was comparable with an ocean-going liner, behind which was a flight crew rest room. Deck B 170 first-class passengers in the front with dining saloons, bars and lounges, one of which was located at the very front of the aircraft. At the back, provision was made for 180 tourist passengers, again with a bar and lounges. Also contained the electronics compartment.

Deck C Mixed accommodation, 124 first-class and 156 tourist-class. A separate bar and lounge were provided for tourist passengers, and also here was the purser’s office.

Deck E The lowest deck on the aeroplane, containing the forward and aft galleys from where meals would be taken to the respective levels by lift, and the staff sleeping quarters.

Deck D The final passenger deck on the giant flying boat airliner, accommodating 118 tourist passengers with the usual bar and lounge. The crew’s lounge and dining room, together with the general stores, were on this deck.

In total, provision was made for 53 toilets on the four decks, plus washroom accommodation capable of being used by 230 people.

at four-and-a-half hours. Each intermediate stop was expected to last about three hours and would enable refuelling. Arrival in Sydney was due at 19.30hrs after a journey of some 45 hours. The return leg took slightly longer, 48 hours, with greater flying times over the routes from Karachi to Fanara and onwards to Southampton. Alternative routings were considered, including Marseille, Alexandria, Aden, Bombay, Trincomalee, Jakarta, the Cocos islands, Fremantle and then Sydney. There were even plans for a longstage route calling at just Fanara, Bombay, Jakarta and finally Adelaide. The 192 was planned to operate over stage lengths of 1,900 miles, achieving a maximum speed of 400kt at 40,000ft when carrying 438,000lb of fuel. The project engaged SaundersRoe in quite detailed design work through the early part of 1956. Besides the basic aircraft, much effort

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was expended on the interior layout including complex designs for turning dining areas into sleeping berths. A dedicated cargo variant was mooted, which could have carried up to 67,000 cubic feet of freight. However, for both this and the Duchess the age of the flying boat had sadly passed. BOAC, which had operated large fleets of Short flying boats after the war, ceased using them in 1950. The airline saw landplanes as its future and was starting the slow process of buying American aircraft. Aquila Airways took over many of BOAC’s flying boats, operating services to Jersey, Capri, Funchal and Genoa amongst others. But the absence of a new type to replace its ageing Solents meant that, on 30 September 1958, the commercial operation of such aircraft in Britain came to an end. One of the major factors was the number of airfields built during the war with long

Cargo could be carried on decks C and D at the front and B and D at the rear.

runways that could now accept large landplanes. A later study undertaken by the consultants Saben Hart for a yet larger flying boat failed even to reach the levels of activity that Saunders-Roe had achieved on the P192. This was really the last attempt to see if there was life in the large flying boat concept. Sadly, the answer was that there was no place for such a machine. Speed was now of the essence. The ocean liners became cruise liners, and seaplanes became a thing of the past. The 192 left the legacy of a design that would have become one of the largest airliners ever. Whether it would have actually been built given different circumstances is pure conjecture — the complications of converting such a design into reality would have been immense, with production facilities requiring enormous expansion. However, it remained a remarkable achievement.

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26/07/2017 11:12

VICKERS VC11

Turned up to11

The VC11 or Type 1400 was the last, now forgotten, commercial transport from the great Vickers company before it was merged out of existence WORDS: RICHARD PAYNE

A three-view arrangement of a tri-jet Vickers Vanjet concept, one of several proposals put out under that name.

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W

hen British European Airways put forward a requirement for a new jetliner in July 1956, the airline hoped it would be met by a Vickers project, having been so impressed by the company’s Viscount. For Vickers it was a way of continuing aircraft design and production at the Weybridge factory, and one of the cornerstones of the government-led reorganisation of the British aircraft industry that began at the end of the 1950s. Vickers had already looked at various designs for developments of the Viscount, a process that led to the Vanguard when BEA felt it only required turboprops for its mediumrange routes. However, the success of the Rolls-Royce Avon jet-powered Sud-Est Caravelle and its purchase by a number of major European airlines negated this thinking. Suddenly BEA needed a jet transport, and urgently.

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LEFT: A Vickers promotional model of the VC11 illustrates the similarity to its big brother, the VC10. ALL PHOTOS BROOKLANDS MUSEUM

Six British companies responded to BEA’s requirement: Armstrong Whitworth, Avro, Bristol, de Havilland, Handley Page and Vickers. Only Avro, Bristol and de Havilland were asked to progress their designs. The specification called for an airliner faster than the Caravelle and with more than two engines, which the airline hoped would be rear-mounted. The winner was de Havilland’s DH121. Through the excellent Brooklands Museum archives, many projects are revealed. One study for what Vickers dubbed the MRJT, Medium-Range Jet Transport, used the Vanguard’s fuselage combined with a new wing and tail unit, this featuring two rear-mounted engines with a midset tailplane. It seated 72 first-class passengers, or 80 in tourist class with five-abreast seating. Another study, called the MkII, had a longer fuselage that could accommodate up to 100 passengers five-abreast. Under the Vanjet name, these proposals morphed into tri-jet designs with swept wings and powered by three Rolls-Royce Avons mounted on the rear fuselage, two of them in pods on either side of the fuselage, the third buried in the tail. A MkIII design used four rear-mounted paired engines, similar to the later longrange VC10. A proposal for a small Jet Viscount powered by RB140 engines was included in a brochure for the US airline Continental in May 1959. At this time Vickers had the Vanguard on order for BEA to the tune of 20 aircraft, the deal having been done in July 1956. A purchase by Trans Canada Air Lines (TCA) in January 1957 added 20 more. Meanwhile, just a year after the cancellation of Vickers’ own VC7 project, BOAC had issued a requirement for a new long-range jet. This evolved into the VC10, for which BOAC placed an order for 35 examples plus 20 options in January 1958 — figures very much amended over the next few years. However, despite this seemingly healthy order book, little interest was being shown by other major airlines, already wedded to Boeing and Douglas jets. The future of Vickers’ commercial aircraft production was now

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dependent on just the two home carriers, plus one overseas airline — TCA — that had always been loyal to the company. Recognising the need for a new project to keep the Weybridge plant busy, and hopefully to generate future sales and profits, the VC11 was born. The company had continued to refine its Vanjet design, even after it had not progressed to the next stage of development for BEA’s requirement. The resultant VC11 was to be a larger type than that planned for the state carrier.

In the summer of 1959, the grapevine reported that the VC11 was in design. Flight drew attention to it first, in its 28 August edition. It revealed that TCA would like to be the first operator. Around the same time it became apparent that US carrier United was also talking to Vickers about the programme. Did the aircraft conflict with Vickers’ other project, the Vanguard? Vickers didn’t seem to think so. It still envisaged increasing demand for this ‘bus stop’ airliner (which was never realised), viewing the VC11

ABOVE: During 1959 the VC11 configuration evolved into what would basically be its final form, with four rear-mounted engines and a T-tail. ALL PHOTOS BAE SYSTEMS/ BROOKLANDS MUSEUM

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31/07/2017 13:27

VICKERS VC11

RIGHT: Would the VC11 have been a potential British rival to the Boeing 727? Vickers had high hopes, but it would have been tough to take on the might of the American giant.

as being pitched to a completely different market. Design work on the VC11 had begun seriously at Weybridge during 1959. It became a major programme from October onwards, further involving Vickers’ sister design team down at Bournemouth Hurn. The project was to occupy both facilities for more than a year-and-a-half. The concept that evolved looked very much like a baby VC10, using the same basic design of four rearmounted engines with a T-tail and a wing incorporating high-lift devices and boundary layer control. Seating was to be six-abreast, with various layouts for up to 138 economy-class passengers, or 101 in a mixed-class arrangement (48 first-class and 53 tourist). Range would be about 1,500nm with maximum payload. In the meantime, from 1957-59 serious efforts were made to merge the aircraft interests of de Havilland, Vickers and English Electric. Had this occurred, it would have

had a major impact on the future progression of the British aviation industry. By early 1959, Vickers’ growing financial problems had forced it to increase the pace of merger talks. This malaise stemmed from a major underestimation of the costs of the VC10 and Vanguard, combined with their poor sales. That June the firm warned that it would be in financial problems without help from the state, yet it still wanted to develop a larger VC10 — the Super variant — as well as launching the new VC11. Both would require government launch aid. Although discussions with English Electric progressed well, talks were opened with de Havilland. Vickers wanted a dominant position in the commercial aircraft sector, having achieved leadership on the only

TRIDENT VERSUS VC11 It is interesting to compare the original DH121 and the VC11 before BEA’s panicked decision in 1959 to scale back the de Havilland project due to falling traffic figures — a decision that some feel killed off its wider international sales prospects. Although the VC11 was still a

larger aircraft, with a gross weight of 170,000lb, the original DH121 had a gross weight of 123,000lb, and projected versions may have increased this to 150,000lb. What eventually became BEA’s Trident 1 was, as this table shows, a very different beast.

DH121 Trident 1

VC11

Engines

Three Rolls-Royce RB163s, 10,100lb thrust each

Four Rolls-Royce RB163/1s, 10,850lb thrust each

Max take-off weight

105,500lb

170,000lb

Maximum coach seats

100

123

Length

114ft 8in

136ft

Wing span

89ft 10in

103ft

Wing area

1,358 sq ft

1,600 sq ft

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remaining major military programme of the period, the TSR2, after the cancellations that followed Duncan Sandys’ infamous defence review at the end of the 1950s. While de Havilland revealed much about its DH121, Vickers remained very tight-lipped about its own studies, apart from the fact that the VC11 existed. It was not until April 1960 that initial details were revealed, and that was from a foreign source. This was to be a heavier and more powerful machine than the now downsized DH121. de Havilland felt it was in a strong place. It already had BEA as a launch customer for the DH121, and although the design was now smaller than the VC11 there would still be competition between the two — but would the government support both aircraft? As far as de Havilland was concerned, the VC11 would have limited appeal with its greater size and four engines, although the fact that it was the size of the eventual Boeing 727 proved that Vickers had got the capacity correct. Consideration was now being given to Vickers taking over de Havilland in a joint bid with Rolls-Royce, with or without English Electric. Always perceived as the crème de la crème of the British aircraft industry, de Havilland was still hoping not to be drawn into this re-organisation. It wanted to remain independent even if this meant no further government money. DH had the ongoing Comet programme, the new DH121 with BEA’s major order, the Fleet Air Arm’s Sea Vixen and a new business jet, the DH125, in the offing. It was also looking at feederliner studies to succeed the Dove and Heron. de Havilland wished to start a joint research and development company for new projects, for Vickers to drop the VC11, and for English Electric to include its aircraft production factory

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in the new concern. DH would keep its guided weapons and equipment separate from the new company, plus a link with its engine firm. Under Sandys’ 1959 plan the government had announced that it would contribute up to a maximum of 50 per cent towards the launch costs of new commercial projects. These included the VC11, the government having realised that the cost of new airliner development efforts was increasing beyond the reach of industry alone. It agreed to contribute £9.75 million towards the launch of the VC11, the total cost of which was estimated at £19.5 million. Those launch costs were due to have been recovered after the sale of 72 aircraft. Vickers sales teams set out on a North American visit in JanuaryFebruary 1960, talking to TWA, Eastern, Northeast, Pan Am and TCA. That September, a first flight was envisaged as taking place approximately three years hence, with a certificate of airworthiness being achieved by December 1964. One carrier that showed interest was New Zealand’s Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, especially for its ‘coral route’. A proposal was made to TEAL in June 1960 for a variant capable of travelling from Auckland to the western seaboard of the USA with a full passenger load. This would have had additional wingtip fuel tanks, with initial deliveries in the first quarter of 1965. Australian flag-carrier Qantas was also seen as a potential buyer of up to 10 aircraft. Vickers needed an agreement as soon as possible in order to land a letter of intent from Canadian airline TCA by the end of November 1960, and thus launch the VC11 programme. As well as the Rolls-Royce RB163/1, engines under consideration included the company’s AR963-6 and RB963-1, both developments of the RB163-1. When

Vickers held in-depth talks with Pan Am in November 1960, these included discussion of a Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1-powered variant, which would have accommodated 113 passengers split between 24 in first class and 89 in tourist class. This derivative would have had to feature four Class III-standard overwing exits, and a three-crew layout was necessary for US operations. A preliminary contract was even drawn up, showing how hopeful Vickers was of obtaining a Pan Am order. The carrier’s Latin American division was possibly looking for between 10-15 aircraft, and maybe up to 25. The British aircraft industry’s reshuffle was finally settled during 1960, when de Havilland agreed to be taken over by the Hawker Siddeley grouping which further included

Avro 771 small jetliner, while other competition came from the French Caravelle and Boeing’s 727. At that point the airlines were saying that they would have preferred the chosen aircraft to have just two engines. The Vickers — now strictly BAC — team had visited Australia in October 1960, and the operators were certainly interested in the VC11, even feeling it may have the edge over the 727. The combined TAA/ Ansett order could have equated to a deal worth up to £36 million. As late as January 1961, Ansett remained in the frame. During early December 1960 Flight cited a Daily Express report stating that BAC had secured an option on 20 VC11s. The company later confirmed that an airline had optioned a number of aircraft, but fewer than 20. In the event this turned out to be a letter of intent signed by TCA for 14 aircraft. It was hoped at Weybridge that the carrier might increase this in 1961. After TCA representatives had visited Weybridge in September 1960, the project was revised. The fuselage width was increased and a first flight date was given as September 1963. BAC was intending for TCA to receive the first six to 10 aircraft should it place a full launch order. Plans were also drawn up in December 1960 for Canadian industry to produce significant locally built content for the VC11. Those items looked at included manufacturing of the fin, tailplane, elevator, rudder, ailerons and flaps. Some work on the engines may also have been carried out, while Dowty’s Canadian arm would contribute towards the undercarriage, and Dunlop towards the tyres. Competition was however on the way from across the Atlantic in the form of Boeing’s new 727. On 20 November 1960 United and Eastern Airlines signed letters of intent for

The government agreed to contribute £9.75 million towards the launch of the VC11... Those launch costs were due to have been recovered after the sale of 72 aircraft

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Avro, Armstrong Whitworth and Blackburn. The second new concern, the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), was created by joining the aviation interests of Vickers and English Electric together with Bristol, and then the takeover of Hunting Aircraft in May 1960, which brought that company’s longprojected Hunting 107 small twin jetliner into the fold. Flight reported during December 1960 that interest was being shown in the VC11 from Australia, with both Ansett and Trans Australia Airlines looking for new jet fleets. Against the BAC pairing of the VC11 and the Hunting 107 (now renamed the BAC 107) was pitted an alternative all-British offering from Hawker Siddeley of the DH121 and the

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VICKERS VC11

BELOW: The VC11’s planned interior layout, a four-abreast affair seating a maximum of 101 passengers.

40 examples. When these were firmed up on 5 December, suddenly the need for other carriers to show their support for the VC11 programme became more pressing. VC11 sales activity and presentations, which had increased towards the year’s end, entered 1961 with more urgency. Continental Airlines showed interest, the bosses of Vickers and the carrier having a close relationship. Air France was visited on 20 December, and in January the team went to see Lufthansa. Other campaigns continued with SAS (for more than 10 aircraft), Austrian Airlines, KLM (eight to 12) and Middle East Airlines (between three and five). In North America, National Airlines had a possible requirement for five aircraft and Northeast/ TWA for between 20 and 40. How realistic any of these prospects were is open to question. However, the general manager of British West Indian Airways (BWIA), John Rahr, was told by BOAC chairman Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Slattery “that he saw no reason BOAC should not buy the VC11 themselves and lease to BWIA”, as the carrier saw a requirement for such an aircraft. There was felt to be a potential market for between 100 and 190 VC11s among Viscount operators, plus an additional 130 to 170 aircraft by 1965. This figure was projected to increase to nearly 600 by 1970. Production plans were being drawn up in November 1960, with the final sets of drawings due to be issued by the following October. It

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was envisaged that Bristol would manufacture the wings at Filton, having been responsible for their design, while the Vickers factory at Hurn would build the fuselage. As the wing was a scaled-down version of the VC10’s design it was not felt that static and fatigue testing would be required, and in November the wing area was increased from 1,600 to 1,650 square feet. February 1961 saw an announcement that Cathay Pacific was looking at the VC11 as well as the Boeing 720 and Trident. A month later Cunard Eagle was said to be studying the project alongside the Hawker Siddeley product. Vickers had spent the considerable sum of more than £385,000 on VC11-related efforts by the spring of 1961, but delays in launching the aircraft meant potential customers were switching to the 727. For the company’s long-term future a decision was needed. As the months progressed, so the VC11’s possible first flight ‘slipped to the right’. It was now due in March 1964. Sir George Edwards, executive director — aircraft at the new BAC, ordered the company to undertake an in-depth evaluation of the world market for the smaller BAC 107 jet while he made a tour of the US, touting reaction to both the VC11 and the 107. The feedback was that the 107 would be the better programme to launch, although it needed to be larger and have more

powerful engines. The result was that this project was redesigned into the BAC One-Eleven, dropping the Bristol Siddeley BS75 engines and replacing them with two RB163s, and stretching the fuselage. In a letter dated 13 March 1961, Sir George Edwards wrote to the president of TCA, Gordon McGregor, to advise him that BAC was not going to be proceeding with the VC11 programme and that the company was released from its obligations. A good working relationship had developed between the two men, even though the airline had also been denied an opportunity to buy the VC7. Having studied this market research, BAC decided to launch the One-Eleven on 9 May 1961. With it came the cancellation of the VC11, the government launch aid being transferred over to the new project. The One-Eleven did encompass some design features of the VC11, and was launched without the backing of a British state carrier. Its launch customer was the newly formed second-tier airline British United Airways for 10 aircraft, quickly followed by American carrier Braniff. In March 1961, Lufthansa became the first export customer for the 727, signing up for 12 aircraft. American Airlines, which never featured heavily in potential lists of VC11 pitches, placed letters of intent for 25 of the new Boeings in May 1961. One by one, many of the VC11’s target customers fell to Boeing, so that by 1967 Air France, National, Continental, Pan Am, BWIA, Ansett, TAA, Northeast and TWA had placed orders for more than 160 examples of the 727 between them. Those numbers only swelled in subsequent years. On the one hand, the VC11 was larger than the Trident as eventually built for BEA, which may have garnered additional sales. On the other, having four engines would have proved costly and might have deterred customers. After nearly two years, thousands of man-hours and hundreds of thousands of pounds, the VC11 died. However, the One-Eleven was able to embody some of the research from its former sister programme. It remained a BAC product until the establishment of British Aerospace in 1977 and carried on well beyond that, keeping Weybridge and Hurn in work and providing valuable foreign currency for the UK when it was so desperately needed.

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DOUBLE-DECK VC10

A DOUBLE DOSE of VC-TENDERNESS

With proposals for a double-deck VC10, the British Aircraft Corporation was some way ahead of its time WORDS: BRUCE HALES-DUTTON

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ould the much-loved, if little-sold, VC10 have been twice as popular if its capacity had been doubled? That was the question British Aircraft Corporation engineers were asking themselves half a century ago as they sought ways of competing with the enlarged versions of American jets that were then being envisaged.

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The favoured solution was to create a double-decker by effectively placing one VC10 fuselage on top of another. Such an aircraft could have been in service with the British Overseas Airways Corporation in the late 1960s or early ’70s. Consideration of larger variants of the VC10 came early in the programme. This led initially to the Super VC10, with passenger capacity

raised by 15 per cent compared with the original. And despite BOAC’s all-too-obvious lack of enthusiasm for the VC10, BAC continued to look at ways of extending its appeal at a time when Boeing and Douglas were releasing details of their projected 250-seat airliners, the 707-820 and the DC-8-61 and -63. BOAC said it would probably need five or six such aircraft by

ABOVE: The cover of BAC’s March 1965 study of different double-deck VC10 configurations, showing the various arrangements of the RB178 engines.

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DOUBLE-DECK VC10

ABOVE: BAC examined several designs for the proposed double-decker, as shown in these general arrangement drawings. The first shows the ‘doublebubble’ fuselage; then come the -300R with rearmounted engines, the -300 A/F with powerplants at the rear in the form of RB178 cores mated to larger fans, and the -300 U/W with underwing power units.

the late 1960s but insisted it wanted direct operating costs at least 15 per cent lower than the 707-436s it was currently flying. Although the 707-820 was, for a while at least, the standard to aim at, BAC boss Sir George Edwards insisted in September 1964 that the corporation’s interpretation of BOAC’s requirements would not necessarily result in something resembling the Boeing product. "That”, he said, “would be technically easy… which is one reason why we probably won't do it." He was certainly right about the designs for bigger VC10s not being like the -820. But his statement that BAC’s engineers were “knee-deep in drawings” was a slight exaggeration, although it was true that a large number of ideas did emerge from Weybridge in the mid-1960s. Today, these ideas, in the form of papers, drawings, graphs and brochures, are filed away in the BAC archives, now housed at Brooklands Museum. To meet the competition and BOAC’s requirements, BAC had

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come up with some fairly radical ideas. These included a projected 300-seater with two standard VC10 fuselages and four tail-mounted engines, and a 450-seater with three fuselages and six engines. The conclusion then was that the most practical and cost-effective layout was for six seats abreast on two decks in a double-bubble fuselage. Initially, the Rolls-Royce Conway, which powered the existing VC10, was being considered but BAC engineers were soon eyeing the RB141 Medway. This unit had been specified for the DH121, which was abandoned in its original form in favour of the smaller airliner that ultimately became the Hawker Siddeley Trident. The Medway was eventually shelved upon cancellation of the Hawker Siddeley HS641 VTOL transport. But it wasn’t before BOAC chairman Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Slattery had, in 1963, revealed plans for a VC10 development with Medway

engines offering 10 per cent lower fuel consumption than the Conways. The Medway had also been considered for a 235-seat Super VC10 outlined in several versions: a short-range, high-capacity variant for British European Airways, a long-range freighter for the RAF and a double-decker with 265 seats. But the Medway’s cancellation forced BAC to turn to another of the engine manufacturer’s projected turbofan designs, the RB178 with its 5.7:1 bypass ratio. The idea of a double-decker was also gaining traction outside BAC. In mid-1965 Flight reported: “There is an intuitive feeling in high places in both BOAC and BAC that another semi-double-decker with a downstairs lounge, like the Stratocruiser, could make a big impact on air travel and particularly the trans-Atlantic market.” BOAC was reported to have asked BAC about a 200 to 250-seat stretch of the Super VC10, which it wanted by 1968. At the time Concorde was dominating BOAC’s thinking,

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and although some in the airline were wondering how quickly a new subsonic jet would become obsolete, others saw a need for something to carry the bulk of the traffic. A confidential study dated March 1965 contained details of three projected double-deck VC10 developments designated the 300 series. The key driving force was said to be the need for seat-mile costs 20 to 25 per cent lower than those of the Boeing 707-320B. Projected capacity was now for 300 economy-class passengers on the London or Paris to New York route. BAC’s market research had indicated that airlines operating on this route “would need aircraft with just under twice their current passenger-carrying capacity within the next five to seven years.” The earlier double-bubble crosssection had now been superseded by a faired-in oval with six-abreast seating on the upper deck and five on the lower. Interior width was 130in (330.2cm) with 86in (218.4cm) headroom on the upper deck and

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81in (205.7cm) on the lower. Overall fuselage width was 156in (396.2cm). Around 24 different configurations and engine types had been evaluated, from which three were selected for further study. They shared the same basic fuselage and wing. They varied mainly in the location of the RB178 engines, although there were some minor differences in seating capacity. All three had a lower cabin bisected by the wing structure. This provided a front section seating 50-70 passengers and a rear saloon for 3045, depending on the seat pitch. Top deck capacity was 191-195. The 300R featured rear-mounted engines, while the 300 U/W had its power units mounted under the wings. The 300 A/F — standing for aft fan — had three rear-mounted powerplants comprising RB178 cores

mated to larger fans. The middle unit would have been positioned in the rear fuselage Trident-style. The key advantage would have been the saving in weight from having three engines rather than four and therefore burning less fuel. At this stage, before the arrival of the Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed TriStar, BAC engineers were uneasy about selling the idea of a three-engined long-range airliner for use on over-water routes and one, moreover, using unproven powerplants. Specifying four such units would have got around most of these objections but would have created “almost insoluble installation problems”. The trijet’s advantages were great, but the engineers realised a lot of research would be necessary before such an aircraft could become reality.

Flight reported that BOAC and BAC felt a double-decker could make a big impact on the transAtlantic market

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DOUBLE-DECK VC10

BELOW: An October 1965 drawing showing the cross-section of the ‘double-bubble’ fuselage layout.

It was clear which of the three arrangements BAC favoured. With larger-diameter engines, underwing mounting would mean reduced ground clearance or longer undercarriages. The structural penalties resulting from rear-mounted engines were reduced by the effects of the deeper double-deck fuselage. The government, meanwhile, was continuing to make it clear that it expected BOAC to buy British and that would include an expanded VC10. Asked in June 1965 for his views on a “hyper VC10”, aviation minister Roy Jenkins was guarded, but did acknowledge that it was “under fairly active consideration.” A BAC brochure dated September 1965 described a double-deck airliner based on the Super VC10 and aimed at meeting the seat-mile costs required by BOAC. Now there were two versions, designated Super VC10-265 and -265/80. They would have used the Super VC10’s wings, tailplane and undercarriage, suitably stiffened to permit a maximum takeoff weight of 372,000lb (169,000kg). Other existing components would be incorporated to minimise acquisition and maintenance costs. The design featured a fuselage 33in (84cm) longer than the Super’s, with two decks accommodating a total of 265 passengers “to BOAC standards of amenities and comfort”. The rear freight hold would have a gross volume of about 2,100 cubic feet (59 cubic metres).

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The upper cabin would seat 201 passengers and have the same crosssection as the VC10’s. This would mean that existing furnishings, windows, galleys and toilets could be used. The BAC paper pointed out that the rear section of the upper cabin was identical to the Super’s rear saloon. The lower fuselage section would have the same radius as the upper one to form a true double-bubble, about 40.5in (103cm) deeper than the VC10’s body. Up to 64 business or tourist-class passengers could be accommodated in the lower saloon forward of the wing and there would be a self-contained galley, two toilets and additional stowage areas. Simple straight stairs would connect the two sections. Once more, existing furnishings and windows could be used in the lower fuselage. All passenger, servicing and emergency doors would be of the VC10 outward-opening plug type in three basic sizes. The largest, 57in (145cm) wide, would permit the simultaneous loading of two streams of passengers at the front of the aircraft to the upper and lower sections. Access to the rear saloon in the upper section would be via a normal Super VC10 rear entrance door. Freight compartments on both decks would be accessed via a large door. It was envisaged that the aircraft could swiftly be converted to carry freight instead of passengers. Indeed, the BAC document highlighted the flexible internal arrangements possible from the double-deck configuration, which was also claimed to “present the stylist with first-rate opportunities for individual airline presentation.” The aircraft would have been powered by four rear-mounted RB178-14 engines each offering 27,500lb of thrust. BAC claimed: “The take-off performance approaches that of the standard VC10, which will permit flexibility of operation on the complete BOAC network rather than just on the North Atlantic. It will also help to offset future noise restrictions”. With basic fuel tankage, it added, the aircraft should be able to carry a full load of 265 passengers from London to New York. But the document pointed out that the -265’s centre section, wing and fuselage were designed to permit a maximum take-off weight of 400,000lb (180,000kg). There was a

revised wing, designed to the same limits as the Super VC10 but with area increased by 7.5 per cent to 3,150 square feet (293 square metres). A strengthened undercarriage would have enabled the -265/80 to carry an 80,000lb (36,360kg) payload from London to New York or a 42,500lb (19,300kg) payload to Los Angeles. It was suggested that an extended fuselage would make it possible for up to 330 passengers to be accommodated. The double-decker was thought to offer much more development potential than “the over-stretched, over-developed single-deck aircraft”. The double-bubble structural philosophy avoided the weight penalty and unknowns likely to attend “the excessively long, slender pressurised tube approach.” BAC’s engineers were so enthusiastic that they believed the Super VC10-265 could herald the start of a new era in airliner development, even though it was based on existing knowledge and components. A further brochure dated September 1965 described three variations on a high-density, shorthaul theme. One would have been a double-decker similar to the -265 but accommodating 212 passengers in six-abreast seating on both decks. Seat pitch was envisaged as being 30in (76cm) and power would have come from a pair of rear-mounted RB178s. The following month, yet another brochure described what was called the Super VC10 DoubleDeck Airliner. Passenger capacity had risen to 295 with a consequent improvement in operating costs. The two variants were now designated Type 1180 and Type 1181. They would have shared the same double-bubble fuselage cross-section with a smaller upper lobe having an internal width at shoulder height of 136in (345cm) and the lower one measuring 147.2in (374cm). A quartet of rear-mounted RB178-14s would have powered it. The main differences between the pair concerned their passenger accommodation. The higher-density Type 1180 would have carried 205 passengers on the upper deck with six-abreast seating at a pitch of 34in (86cm). There would have been 90 seats on the lower deck. The Type 1181 would have provided a higher standard of accommodation for 286 passengers at the same seat pitch. Range with 295 passengers was now 4,500 miles (7,250km).

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BROOKLANDS: ROARING INTO LIFE

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he work to transform Brooklands Museum, covered in depth in the March issue, is gathering pace. Completion of the first stage of the £8.1-million Heritage Lottery Fundbacked Brooklands Aircraft Factory and Race Track Revival project was marked at the museum’s Double Twelve Motorsport Festival on 17-18 June when Goodwood supremo Lord March re-opened the track’s finishing straight. It has been

BAC stressed that the layouts were based on preliminary discussions “with many of the world’s major airlines”. The aircraft could be ready for service in 1969. It claimed that the rear-mounted engine layout “provides a long-range turbofan aircraft of the size needed at the end of the decade and which has a true profit potential greater than any other similar capacity aircraft on offer at this time.” But by May 1966 BAC had come up with another double-decker. It could have been built in two versions, one with wing-mounted engines, the other with aft-mounted powerplants. In both cases power would have come from a quartet of high-bypass ratio turbofans. The former version would have been able to carry a 70,000lb (31,800kg) payload and the latter 74,200lb (33,700kg). Direct operating costs for the rear-engined version were expected to be 6.5 per cent better than the other due, it was claimed by BAC, to lower drag and less weight. There were, though, some safetyrelated issues raised by these ideas. The double-deck arrangement could have created difficulties in the event of an emergency evacuation with lengthy escape slides required for upper deck passengers. Lower deck occupants would have been uncomfortably close to the ground in a heavy or wheels-up landing. Ditchings on water could have been problematic, too.

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refurbished for motoring use for the first time since 1940. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Factory — using the restored WW2vintage Bellman hangar — and Flight Shed buildings are nearly finished, with a scheduled opening in October. The museum is looking for donations to complete fundraising towards both. Over at Dunsfold Park airfield, the latest taxi run by Brooklands Museum’s ex-RAF VC10 K3 ZA150 took place on Saturday 15 July. Its next activity will be on Sunday 27 August, in the form of a full-bore taxi run as part of the annual Wings and Wheels show at Dunsfold being staged

On the other hand, the deeper fuselage would have brought added structural strength to the VC10’s long nose, while the altered aerodynamics removed the need for special nosewheel tyres to eliminate the risk in wet weather of spray being ingested by the engines. BAC’s legendary chief test pilot Brian Trubshaw was convinced there were no insurmountable difficulties. He told Lance Cole, author of VC10: Icon of the Skies — BOAC, Boeing and a Jet Age Battle (published by Pen and Sword) that the double-decker was “entirely viable.” Because the basis of the idea was for one VC10 fuselage on top of another, much of the tooling had already been paid for and costings could have been kept reasonably low. Cole told Aeroplane: “Trubshaw was convinced that it was a viable engineering and marketing project which would have competed directly with the DC-9-60 and wiped out the Boeing 707-400. He considered it a brilliant project which was technically viable.” BAC’s engineers continued to seek other ways of increasing the VC10’s capacity. One proposal, dated February 1966, envisaged a 300-seat single-decker with rear-mounted engines and an oval, four-arc-section fuselage with space for 10-abreast seating.

on 26-27 August. On both the Saturday and Sunday of that weekend, there will be tours inside the aircraft. Various Brooklands-organised activities will again feature at Wings and Wheels — see www.wingsandwheels.net for more information. Ben Dunnell For further details and to contribute to the Brooklands Aircraft Factory and Race Track Revival project, visit www.brooklandsmuseum.com. Many thanks to the Brooklands Museum archives for their assistance with these features.

And they were busy on VC10 developments into the 1970s. This is confirmed by a brochure dated December 1971, which described a proposal to accommodate 179 to 225 passengers at 31in (79cm) pitch, with power courtesy of a pair of rearmounted Rolls-Royce RB211s. This design was designated RTOL/ VC10/RB211, the first four letters standing for reduced take-off and landing as it was envisaged that in short-haul form it would offer sparkling field performance. A longhaul variant would have had more conventional performance. Interestingly, this proposal seems to have been under consideration at Weybridge a year after the government had refused support for the promising BAC ThreeEleven and decided against official participation in the European Airbus programme. By now, though, wide-body aircraft had become a reality. The first Boeing 747 had arrived at Heathrow in 1970 and all the proposed VC10 developments stayed firmly on the drawing board. For a while, though, a double-deck version of the British four-jet airliner had seemed like a good idea. So, as the Airbus A380 marks the 10th anniversary of its entry into commercial service, it’s interesting to speculate whether Britain really could have been first with a double-deck jet airliner.

ABOVE: VC10 K3 ZA150 taxiing at Dunsfold this July. STEVE POMROY/ BROOKLANDS MUSEUM

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RUHR EXPRESS The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Lancaster cruises above the clouds in its new, temporary guise as KB700 Ruhr Express. DAVID BLAIS/CWHM

The war diaries of

New colours on the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Lancaster salute the

BELOW RIGHT: Reg Lane and the rest of KB700’s ferry crew, including poodle puppy mascot Bambi.

CWHM

BELOW: The newly completed KB700, still devoid of squadron markings but wearing its Ruhr Express nose art.

CWHM

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he decision to set up a Canadian shadow factory for Avro Lancaster production was born of necessity. Away from the attentions of enemy action, and with aircraft manufacturing capacity fit for expansion, Canada was an ideal place. The subsequent establishment of an entirely Royal Canadian Air Force-manned group within RAF Bomber Command cemented a link that made a very meaningful contribution to the Allied strategic offensive during the latter half of World War Two. It was on 18 December 1941 that a contract was placed with Canada’s National Steel Car Corporation to build the Avro machine. The firm would do so at its aircraft plant in

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Malton, Ontario. This facility was relatively new, and had already been turning out Westland Lysanders and Avro Ansons for the RCAF, along with major sections and components for several other types. However, it still required considerable expansion on what remained a fairly small company, and one with no experience of making such a large aeroplane. Upon the formation in October 1942 of No 6 (RCAF) Group, the impetus for Canadian Lancaster production grew. There was understandably a desire for the group’s RCAF-manned units to receive their own Canadian-built equipment. Lancaster I R5727 had been ferried across from Britain to act as a pattern aircraft, but National

Steel Car was felt to be lagging behind the government’s desired schedule. On 4 November 1942, its aviation department was taken over by the state as a Crown corporation and given a new name: Victory Aircraft. Canada’s first Lancaster provided an opportunity for a major propaganda campaign, emphasising the country’s part in the Allied war effort. The Packard Merlin-engined, Victory Aircraft-built derivative was designated as the Lancaster X, and the initial example, KB700, was ready in the summer of 1943. Before taking to the air, it was given nose art: the name Ruhr Express in a yellow arrow over a falling red bomb. Such was the desire to get Ruhr Express to the UK and into service

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f RUHR EXPRESS

WORDS: BEN DUNNELL

ute the first example of the type to be built in Canada, and its wartime record that there would be little in the way of production flight-testing. KB700 made its maiden flight at Malton on 1 August 1943; five days later, it would be ‘christened’ as Ruhr Express during a high-profile ceremony and, with national radio coverage of the occasion, begin its delivery flight to Britain. A Canadian crew was put together for the ferry, headed by the very experienced Sqn Ldr Reg Lane DSO DFC. Already with more than 50 operational sorties to his credit, Lane had flown a Halifax on the March 1942 attack against the German battleship Tirpitz in the Trondheimfjord. He was thus no stranger to operations out of the ordinary, but even so he found it disconcerting to discover that the new Lancaster’s engine instruments were unserviceable. Lane said later: “In front of all the workers, officials, and media it would have been an unmitigated disaster not to take off. As well, it would have had an adverse effect on morale.” KB700 made it to Dorval, Montréal, to complete the first leg. Further testing there uncovered more problems, including an engine failure. Weather delays en route threw a further spanner into the works, but

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the trans-Atlantic stretch passed off uneventfully and, at last, Ruhr Express arrived in the UK. At this stage, prior to allocation to an operational unit, the Lancaster wore no squadron codes. It is this point in KB700’s existence that the port side of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s Victory Aircraftbuilt Lancaster X, FM213/C-GVRA, was painted to represent during May of this year. The CWHM has often applied different markings

to FM213 as a means of saluting various Lancasters with a Canadian connection, and Ruhr Express is the latest of these. But what of the original KB700 and its subsequent career? The operations record books of the two RCAF squadrons with which it served in Bomber Command tell that story vividly. They provide a snapshot of one Lancaster — albeit one especially significant Lancaster — and its war.

ABOVE: Great excitement at Victory Aircraft’s Malton plant as its first Lancaster is unveiled on 6 August 1943. CWHM

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RUHR EXPRESS

NO 419 SQ Plt Off Harold Floren of No 405 Squadron at the controls of Ruhr Express. Flying another of the unit’s Lancasters, Floren was lost during a mission to Braunschweig on 14 January 1944. CWHM

NO 405 SQUADRON GRANSDEN LODGE 30 October 1943: “Flt Lt G. Bennett DFC flew the Ruhr Express from Wyton to the squadron today.” This took the squadron’s strength to 24 Lancasters: 23 MkIIIs, the British-built, Packard Merlin-engined derivative, and one MkX. KB700 was coded LQ-Q. Its operational baptism a few weeks later, in the hands of a crew headed by Plt Off Harold Floren, proved an eventful affair. 22 November 1943: “Bombing attack on Berlin. Fourteen aircraft detailed… Aircraft ‘Q’, Ruhr Express, pilot Plt Off H. A. Floren, abandoned mission when 40 miles from target when port outer engine went unserviceable and aircraft began losing height. Three 2,000lb bombs were jettisoned and later on another 2,000lb bomb was jettisoned but aircraft continued to lose height… finally at 9,000ft it was decided to return… Aircraft ‘Q’ returned direct and met heavy flak when over Amsterdam when aircraft then at 4,000ft… Tail assembly was damaged when landing.” BELOW: KB700 with codes LQ-Q soon after its arrival at Gransden Lodge for No 405 Squadron in late 1943. VIA ANDREW THOMAS

Such was the publicity value of the Canadian Lancaster’s debut sortie that a debrief was staged for the press despite the failure of KB700’s mission. It soon had another go. 26 November 1943: “Bombing attack on Berlin. Fourteen aircraft detailed. Our 14 aircraft reached and bombed primary from an average height of 20,000ft in clear visibility with no cloud. Numerous fires were observed and were visible for 200 miles on homeward journey.” Again headed by Floren, the crew of KB700 reported: “No cloud with slight haze in target area. Dropped load on red TI [target indicator] burning on ground at 21.14hrs from 21,000ft… Landed base undamaged.” This was the last mission for Ruhr Express with 405. The Lancaster X was not compatible with the unit’s MkIIIs despite their common powerplants, and so it was decided to transfer KB700 to a squadron that planned to re-equip fully with MkXs when enough were available.

T

his No 6 Group unit was converting to the Lancaster from the Halifax II. With 419, KB700 was coded VR-Z.

12 December 1943: “Two Canadian-built Lancasters arrived for the use of the squadron with the immediate results that all sections took up a certain amount of training in Lancaster equipment.” 20 December 1943: “The Ruhr Express, the first Canadian-built Lancaster, having been allotted to this squadron was brought home by Flt Sgt Parker and was the object of a great deal of interest.” The unit carried on receiving new Halifaxes as attrition replacements, but dual training and ground instruction was now ongoing with Lancasters. At the end of January 1944, unit CO Wg Cdr W. P. Pleasance reported that conversion was proceeding “fairly satisfactorily”. The lack of aircraft was the main hold-up, “only one being serviceable for conversion flying” out of three Lancasters on strength. And KB700 certainly had its problems. 5 February 1944: “The Ruhr Express was flown down to No 20 MU for overhaul.” 21 February 1944: “A crew was sent down to No 20 MU to pick up the Ruhr Express but were unable to do so owing to an unserviceable starboard outer engine.” 29 February 1944: “A further attempt was made to collect the Ruhr Express but this again proved abortive.” As of that month’s end, 419 had no Lancasters on strength, and its Halifax IIs were taken off use against Bomber Command’s main targets. Pleasance was “particularly anxious” to see reequipment as rapidly as possible. 5 March 1944: “The Lancaster Ruhr Express returned to the squadron from No 20 Maintenance Unit, Aston Down. The radar section commenced the fitting of H2S [ground mapping radar] equipment on this aircraft. If successful, this will be the first Lancaster X to be fitted with this equipment.” 24 March 1944: “The H2S installation in the Lancaster Ruhr Express was completed, and test-flown for the first time. The range received was very good, and the large bomb-doors did not appear to interfere with the working of the equipment, and excellent results were obtained.

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19 SQUADRON MIDDLETON ST GEORGE It is hoped that this modification may be incorporated in all Lancaster X aircraft to be received.” Five Lancasters were on the squadron by the end of March. Monica V tail warning radar equipment had been fitted to four of them as of early April, but not KB700. Training on type was gathering pace, including night flying.

The Ruhr Express nose art carried by KB700 throughout its life has been faithfully reproduced on the CWHM’s FM213. ERIC DUMIGAN/CWHM

11 April 1944: “Further experiments in H2S equipment in the Lancaster Ruhr Express were carried out, the changes being tested on a cross-country flight during the day. Performance was found to be excellent, and a maximum range of 48 miles was obtained with this equipment.” 419’s first operational bombing raid with Lancasters — not including KB700 — took place on 27 April 1944. Eight Lancasters and five Halifaxes attacked rail marshalling yards at Montzen, just outside Aachen in the west of Germany. In the words of the ORB, re-equipment “again makes the unit a first-line striking force”. Conversion was complete by the end of the month, this being announced at the squadron party, “a bang-up affair.” 8 May 1944: “The radar section received one complete set of ‘Boozer’ equipment [another radar warning receiver], with servicing equipment. It is proposed to fit this to the Ruhr Express (KB700) for trial purposes. If these trials prove successful, it is expected that this warning device will be fitted to all aircraft of the squadron.” 5-6 June 1944: KB700 was part of a ‘maximum effort’ mission the day before the Allied invasion of Normandy. All 20 available aircraft were used, seven of them bombing gun emplacements at Longues-sur-Mer, the rest — including KB700, which had been undergoing modifications in the hangar — Merville. For its first operational sortie with 419, Ruhr Express took off at 22.17hrs and landed at 03.36, its crew headed by Plt Off G. E. Holmes. He reported: “Ten-tenths cloud, tops 7-8,000ft. TI red and green falling through clouds at 00.27hrs. Bombed glow of TI red beneath clouds. Several bomb bursts seen through clouds on red glow.” 6-7 June 1944: Another whole-squadron effort, this time to Coutances. In the hands of Fg Off W. J. Anderson, KB700 took off at 21.50hrs, watched by AOC No 6 Group, AVM McEwan. “Bombed centre of three lots of red TIs. Marking scattered and no possibility of judging results”. As with all of 419’s aircraft, Ruhr Express diverted into Colerne on returning to the UK.

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9-10 June 1944: Among 14 aircraft involved in a low-level attack on Le Mans airfield. “Weather conditions were poor, resulting in the bombing height being from 2,000 to 5,000ft. Tactics were very difficult, and navigational results were good. This attack has since proven to have been a really good effort”. KB700’s pilot Flt Lt A. J. Byford reported: “Three large explosions seen behind after aircraft left target area at 00.32. Many bomb bursts seen among TI red. Ground detail seen and attack should be successful.”

KB700 was part of a ‘maximum effort’ mission the day before the D-Day invasion. All 20 available aircraft were used 14-15 June 1944: Part of a raid against road and rail junctions at Saint-Pol, piloted by Anderson. “Bombed on spot fires. Flares and TIs badly scattered in target area. MB [master bomber] very indistinct. Briefed to bomb at 11,800ft but cloud so heavy aircraft dropped 400ft hoping to get better vision without success.” 16-17 June 1944: The first mission to the Ruhr by Ruhr Express, the target Sterkrade near Oberhausen, piloted by Fg Off W. F. Dix. “Lots of bellows of smoke seen in target area after aircraft left up to 20,000ft. Doubtful of success of attack owing to scattered bombing seen”. The ORB recorded, “Subsequent PRU photography

showed that the attack was, however, very accurate, and a very concentrated bombing operation was carried out”. For his part, Dix managed to evade a Luftwaffe night fighter. 23-24 June 1944: Dix was again at the controls for an attack on the V1 site at Bientques. One of KB700’s 16 500lb medium bombs hung up over the target area. 24-25 June 1944: Another strike against a V1 site, this time at Bamières. “This was considered a first-class attack in all its aspects… During the operation, a trial was made of ‘Boozer’ equipment fitted to aircraft ‘Z’ (the Ruhr Express), the results of the trial being inconclusive, and further trials were planned.” 27 June 1944: “Trials were again made in aircraft ‘Z’ of the ‘Boozer’ tail warning device, these being again unsuccessful, apparently owing to interaction from other radar equipment.” 6 July 1944: An attack on the V1 bunker at Siracourt. KB700 “[bombed] centre of smoke as instructed by MB with high explosives.” 7 July 1944: One of a dozen aircraft mustered at short notice for an attack against an enemy troop concentration at Caen. KB700 was flown by Sqn Ldr J. G. Stewart, who recorded: “MB seemed to be moving bombing around to cover all of the target. Bombing good. A large cloud of black smoke suddenly billowed up from the centre of the markers in the target area. Very good attack. No troubles anywhere.” 12 July 1944: “Bombed with Gee [radio navigation system] as ordered by MB”,

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RUHR EXPRESS

8 August 1944: “Excellent attack” on Chantilly, this time by day, as recorded by Dix.

What remained of KB700 after it was burned out on the ground at Middleton St George in January 1945. BOMBER COMMAND MUSEUM OF CANADA

9-10 August 1944: Targeting V1 sites at Acquet; “very satisfactory”, Dix wrote. 10-11 August 1944: A mission to hit oil storage tanks at La Pallice, the main port at La Rochelle. Results considered good. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Middleton St George on 11 August. Several of 419’s officers were invested with awards, including the DFC and Bar to Wg Cdr Pleasance, the CO. The squadron was also finally given its official ‘Moose’ emblem. 12-13 August 1944: This sortie to Braunschweig was successful, but not for KB700. It was flown by Fg Off J. E. Errington, who recorded: “Failure of electrical system and all four engines at times”. He jettisoned the bombs and returned to base.

recorded Dix of this attack on Thiverny, which was considered successful. 15-16 July 1944: KB700 targeted a V1 site at Bois de Jardines. 18 July 1944: The target here was “German forces opposing our own troops at Caen”. Pilot Fg Off J. A. Anderson wrote in his postmission report: “Overshot slightly to make sure bombs fell east of river, as computer box unserviceable… The whole target area was covered with smoke and should be devastated. Own bombs appeared in area OK. Very good attack”. According to the main ORB, “Messages of appreciation were subsequently received from the Army commanders for the help rendered by forces of heavy bombers on this occasion.” 18-19 July 1944: A raid on Wesseling near Cologne. “The tactics on this attack were most unusual, the aircraft proceeding to the target at various levels, some as low as 2,500ft over enemy territory. The bombing was actually carried out from a height of 13,000ft and appeared to be very effective.” 20 July 1944: Target Anderbelck, pilot Fg Off Kent. “Bombs seen bursting all round and amongst the TIs. If TIs were on the aiming point the attack should be successful.” 23 July 1944: A raid on Kiel, with Dix flying KB700. “No flares visible when aircraft bombed, heard to say bomb red so bombed glow on cloud where they had been seen falling… H2S not very good.” 24-25 July 1944: Dix again at the helm for a mission to Stuttgart. The ORB states: “The

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information regarding tactics and route was late in coming through… This was the first really long trip for some crews, and, with the involved tactics, some difficulty was experienced…” 1 August 1944: This sortie to Acquet was aborted without attacking; KB700 jettisoned its bombs. 3 August 1944: A successful strike against V1 and V2 sites at Bois de Cassan.

Messages of appreciation were received from Army commanders for the help rendered by forces of heavy bombers 5 August 1944: “Visibility on take-off was very bad, the aircraft disappearing from sight when they were abut 250 yards down the runway”. The attack on Saint-Leu-d’Esserent was deemed a success. “On the return from this operation, aircraft were instructed to practise formation flying when proceeding up England. This was successfully carried out from Reading to Dishforth.” 7-8 August 1944: The objective on this day was “to assist the Canadian Army to make a break through the German lines at Caen… The aiming-point was marked by PFF markers and artillery star-shells”. KB700’s crew, headed by Dix, reported: “One large and one small explosion right on markers. Unusually concentrated bombing… Trip altogether good.”

16 August 1944: WO2 L. H. McDonald was at the controls for a raid to Stettin. He wrote: “Very large fire seen in target area. Centre of city looked to have been hit”. The attentions of a Luftwaffe Bf 110 night fighter proved no match for McDonald’s evasive manoeuvring abilities. 18-19 August 1944: Errington flew KB700 on this raid against Bremen. “The target area seemed to be all in flames”, he wrote. He diverted on his return due to weather. 29-30 August 1944: Another mission to Stettin. “Bombing well concentrated”, wrote pilot Fg Off G. E. Holmes, but: “Damage port side fuselage below mid-upper turret. Slash about 18in long, may have damaged stringers”. Flak was the cause. 10 September 1944: A daylight attack on gun emplacements at Le Havre “in cooperation with the Army forces in that area”. Results were “excellent”, but KB700, piloted by Flt Lt W. C. Cameron, aborted due to an unserviceable bomb sight computer. He then tried to jettison fuel prior to landing, but the starboard fuel tank valve would not open, “so went out to sea to jettison bombs”. Ruhr Express returned to base safely. 12 September 1944: Back to the Ruhr, this time Dortmund. “The time on target was 18.30hrs, and the last aircraft took off at 16.00hrs, which meant that the aircraft must proceed practically directly to the target, cutting all corners to make it in time”. Nonetheless, Anderson’s crew reported, “should be a good attack.” 17 September 1944: Again KB700 was forced to abort, this time en route to Boulogne. Fg Off G. R. Duncan recounted: “Primary not attacked as bomb sight wouldn’t work on run

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Avro Lancaster X ‘KB700’/C-GVRA Ruhr Express Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum ERIC DUMIGAN/CWHM

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RUHR EXPRESS

over. Fixed it but it was too late to bomb on a second run. Jettisoned the full load safe. Saw a Halifax going down and as we heard the SOS message we didn’t send one.” 19 September 1944: All of 419’s aircraft on this raid to Donburg were recalled because of bad weather, their bombs being jettisoned. 25 September 1944: Poor target marking could not prevent Fg Off W. W. Osborne and crew attacking gun emplacements south of Calais. 14-15 October 1944: Plt Off R. G. Mansfield was forced to bring KB700 back early from this mission to Duisburg, “as all four engines were fluctuating — could not get any height over 17,000ft and engines were pushed at that. Decided to abandon operation at Reading”. Some of the bomb load was jettisoned, the rest brought back. 23-24 October 1944: “From two reports it would appear that this was not a particularly effective attack”, says the ORB entry for this raid on Essen. On returning, Flt Lt A. A. Bishop diverted to Woodbridge in KB700, which was “short of petrol and needed a long runway for landing with air speed indicator unserviceable.” 30-31 October 1944: To Cologne, the pilot again Bishop. Crew recounted: “General bombing could have been better if markers were more concentrated”. All aircraft diverted on their return, KB700 to Little Snoring. 1 November 1944: A largely uneventful mission to Oberhausen. 4 November 1944: Flt Lt A. G. R. Warner’s first mission piloting KB700, to Bochum. “Large fires covered an area two miles square… Excellent attack”. He flew Ruhr Express on all but one of its subsequent sorties. 6 November 1944: “It was not expected that the results of this attack will be good”, said the ORB of this raid on Gelsenkirchen. 15 December 1944: Target Ludwigshafen. “Well concentrated, fires really going to town”, wrote Warner. KB700 landed back, along with several other aircraft, at Deopham Green. 18 December 1944: A challenging sortie to Duisburg. “On the route to and from the target, very bad weather was encountered combined with severe icing, with big wind changes. The target was obscured by 10/10ths cloud and bombing was done on Gee, H2S and Wanganui [a sky-marking method]”. KB700 employed Gee, and diverted into Abingdon on its return. 21 December 1944: Fg Off W. W. Osborne flew KB700 this time, the target being marshalling yards in Cologne. It had one 500lb

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ABOVE: Perhaps the most famous Canadian Lancaster of them all, thanks to its extensive flying with the CWHM, now depicts the first. ERIC DUMIGAN/CWHM

and one 1,000lb bomb hang up; both were jettisoned safely. 28 December 1944: The crew reported of this raid on Opladen, “If PFF [Pathfinder Force] was on, attack was definitely a success!” 29 December 1944: With low cloud, KB700 bombed the Scholven oil refinery outside Gelsenkirchen with the aid of skymarking flares. “One large explosion seen with flames and black smoke (oily) coming up through the cloud. Good attack.”

KB700 overshot the runway, and when taxiing back hit a trench-digger. A fire started and the aircraft was destroyed 30-31 December 1944: “Bombing concentration seemed to be very poor” on this mission to Cologne. 2-3 January 1945: “Weather clear”, wrote Warner after this raid on Nuremberg. “Identified target visually… Really good prang — everything concentrated in centre of town.” However, as the ORB describes, this mission came to an unhappy end. “On the return from this operation, KB700 […] overshot the runway on landing, and when taxiing back to the perimeter track, hit a trench-digger; a fire started and the aircraft was almost completely destroyed. KB700 was the first Canadian-built Lancaster and was delivered to the squadron

just over a year ago. It was used for some considerable time as a training [aircraft], having dual controls fitted, and all of the squadron’s original Lancaster crews were converted from Halifax IIs to Lancaster Xs on her. KB700 was christened the Ruhr Express and it met this inglorious fate on completion of its 50th sortie.” The event also featured in the summary of the month’s activities by 419’s new CO, Wg Cdr M. E. Ferguson. “The loss of KB700 by fire on the night of 2 January was most regrettable”, he wrote, “particularly as this aircraft was the prototype of Lancaster Xs… It was used on D-Day. From that time it was used operationally and it functioned very well until this most unfortunate incident…” With that, hopes of returning KB700 to Canada for preservation came to an end. As the records show, Ruhr Express had become increasingly troublesome, with many instances of unserviceability and long periods out of action. Some dubbed it ‘the Ruhr Whore’. But the first Canadian Lancaster deserved a better fate than to burn out after a ground incident. The CWHM machine will carry the Ruhr Express markings on its port side throughout its 2017 flying season, which ends on 11 November. The starboard side still sports the serial KB726 and codes VR-A, repainted more accurately this year, in lasting tribute to Plt Off Andrew Mynarski VC of No 419 Squadron. So, Canada’s last flying Lancaster now salutes its first, as well as the most gallant of all exploits by an RCAF crew member on the type. AUTHOR’S NOTE: The extracts from operations record books included in this piece have been edited for house style.

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E D A C T JE ALITALIA MB326s

adopted it , e g a t je e th d re rrier Alitalia ente ca l a n o ti a n n lia a It n Whe e delightful th h it w , h tc a m to t training RO a new system of pilo WORDS: LUIGINO CALIA le ro l a tr n ce a in Aermacchi MB326 ABOVE: Alitalia’s first Aermacchi MB326D, the ill-fated I-ADIA, over the Alps during a pre-delivery test flight.

W

hen Alitalia was created in 1947, most of its pilots were veterans of bomber and transport units in the Regia Aeronautica and Aeronautica Militare. Many had also flown pre-war with Ala Littoria, the Italian national airline established in 1934 by the fascist government. In the years immediately following hostilities, Alitalia was able to use the training set-ups employed by BEA and BOAC to instruct its new pilots. It benefited from a collaborative agreement with the British flagcarriers, which held significant shares in Alitalia until 1957, when they were transferred to IRI (Italy’s Institute for Industrial Reconstruction). But in the 1960s, with the advent of new jet aircraft and an increase in traffic that brought Alitalia to eighth place in the

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ranks of global airline companies in terms of passengers carried, it became necessary to review the entire training syllabus, to the point at which the company decided to create its own flying school. Another aspect was the need recognised by the Aeronautica Militare to prolong the period of service for its pilots, especially those on short-service commissions, in order to prevent the haemorrhage of operational pilots tempted by the civilian sector’s better financial rewards. In 1962 the national carrier announced the establishment of its own ab initio jet flying school at the military airfield at Brindisi, with a flying training syllabus that would be all-jet from start to finish. Alitalia opted to purchase four Aermacchi MB326s, the two-seat jet trainer that had just entered service

with the Aeronautica Militare’s flying school at Lecce. They were configured as unique MB326D versions, specifically equipped to meet the company’s requirements and very different from those of the Aeronautica, being fitted with navigation and communications systems tailored to civilian operations. Among the items installed were a Collins VHF omni-directional radio range localiser, instrument landing system and automatic directionfinding, a Bendix radio magnetic indicator, a Sperry pictorial deviation indicator, and a dual Collins VHF radio kit. The Centro di Addestramento di Brindisi officially became operational on 15 February 1963, in which month its first training course commenced. After a rigorous assessment process

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S T E D at the new Centro Addestramento Alitalia (CAA) at Rome’s recently opened Fiumicino airport, 105 cadets were chosen from more than 2,000 applicants. Transferred in 1961 from Ciampino, the centre not only trained the new cadets but also existing pilots (almost all ex-military) who had to undergo a basic course to become Alitalia pilots or to convert onto the company’s aircraft. To this end its complex included classrooms, offices, and flight simulators for the Vickers Viscount, SE210 Caravelle and DC-8-43. Prior possession of a pilot’s licence was not considered to be of vital importance for selection. In fact, the company actively preferred to recruit young trainees without flying experience, believing that someone coming from the general aviation

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sector could have acquired a mentality that was not in line with that required by an airline pilot. Successful candidates were sent on to the theoretical course at the CAA, where they studied subjects such as aerodynamics, engines and onboard systems, aviation law, aviation medicine, navigation, instruments, meteorology, the rules of the air and English. These were all required for the award of first, second and third-grade Italian pilot licences, first and second-class navigators’ licences, and a certificate in English radio-telephony. Classroom studies occupied six hours daily, but the programme also included navigation sessions in the Link Trainer and familiarisation missions using the

DC-8-43 and Viscount 785 simulators. Once they had passed the exams at the end of the theory course, the cadets transferred to Brindisi for flying training. There the Aeronautica Militare had delegated to Alitalia a portion of the military base, including aircraft hangars, accommodation for the instructors and students, briefing areas and technical and administrative offices. The first MB326D, I-ADIA (c/n 6291/61), arrived on 27 May, to be followed on 3 June by I-ADIE (c/n 6292/62), on 8 July by I-ADIO (c/n 6293/63), and lastly I-ADIU (c/n 6294/64) on 16 July. Responsibility for the school was entrusted to Comandante Vernetti, an Alitalia commander who previously had been an officer pilot with

ABOVE: The emblem adopted by the cadets on the fifth course.

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ALITALIA MB326s

TOP: A line of MB326Ds headed by I-ADIE, which today is preserved at the Istituto Tecnico Malignani in Udine. ABOVE: The Alitalia MB326D’s cockpit differed from that of the military version by way of the equipment required to facilitate flight in civilian airspace. ABOVE RIGHT: Cadet pilot Chianese prepares for a training flight in the second stage of the syllabus.

the Aeronautica. The remaining instructors, including chief pilot Comandante Alonzo, were ex-military pilots who had just been taken on by Alitalia and posted as instructors on the MB326 instead of going straight on to airliners, initially as navigators on the DC-8 or co-pilots on the Viscount. There were subsequently a few cases of instructors who, having finished their service at Brindisi, preferred to return to the Aeronautica rather than transfer for good to Alitalia. The airline provided all the technical support personnel, although Aermacchi detached a respected engineer to Brindisi, Manlio Flebus. Similar arrangements were put in place for Viper engine support, Bristol Siddeley sending one of its engineers. The first course followed a unique format, the 105 cadets being divided and graded according to the outcome of the selection tests into three individual courses of 35 cadets each. At the end of the first phase of flying training, which comprised 60 missions, they returned to the classroom for another theory course.

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They went back to Brindisi to gain their third-level pilot’s licence and their instrument rating, flying a further 20 sorties. For all subsequent courses, the theoretical element was conducted prior to the start of flight training. It was a rigid regime; to give an idea, at the end of the first three courses, of 105 cadets accepted only 48 managed to gain their licences. The average duration of the entire training procedure was 18 months. The flying portion comprised both day and night flying with a couple of landaway navigation missions, normally to Lecce Galatina, home of the Aeronautica Militare jet flying school. It involved a minimum of 80 one-hour missions for the student, of which 68 were with an instructor and 12 solo, as laid down by the requirements for third-level licence qualification. Some leeway was permitted, depending on the capabilities of the individual student, but this was always fairly limited. The first solo was scheduled for the 18th mission.

A typical day would include at least one flight preceded by an hour of briefing, with a debrief to follow. The dual-control missions comprised all the manoeuvres typical of military jet training — stalls, spins, and even aerobatics, although the latter element was not included in the final examination — together with compressibility, stalls at high alpha, engine flame-outs and inflight relights, simulated engine-out or flapless landings, and so forth. These activities were accompanied by training more specific to airline operations, with a greater focus on the precise conduct of the flight, essential navigation and simulated instrument flying under the blind flying hood. Obviously, neither formation flying nor weapons firing was carried out, and the practice was not to fly a classic military run-and-break, but to join the circuit in standard civilian fashion. At Brindisi, besides the flying training, cadets received classroom lessons in English radio-telephony. In-flight communications were always conducted in English.

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The MB326D proved more than capable, with excellent performance and good reliability. Because they flew more conservative mission profiles than the MB326s operated by the military, with less stress on the engine and airframe, the Alitalia aircraft had reduced engine fatigue, to the point that it was possible to increase the time between overhauls to almost twice that of the similar aircraft in service with the Aeronautica Militare. The professionalism of the instructors and the reliability of the aircraft also gave favourable results in terms of flight safety. Apart from an isolated wheels-up landing, only one MB326D was involved in a serious accident during the school’s four-year existence. On 12 December 1966, during a solo night training sortie, a student on the ninth course lost his life when I-ADIA flew into the ground near Cellino San Marco, probably due to pilot error. At the end of the Brindisi course, the new pilots were incorporated into Alitalia under the company’s standard career structure — navigator on the DC-8, third pilot on the Caravelle or co-pilot on the Viscount — and sent on to their appropriate type conversion course, which usually lasted around four months. No pilot from the Brindisi school ever failed to pass. Despite the excellent results achieved during the 10 courses at Brindisi, which saw more than 20,000

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The professionalism of the instructors and the reliability of the MB326D gave favourable results... No pilot from the Brindisi school ever failed to pass their type conversion course on the DC-8, Caravelle or Viscount hours flown and over 200 pilots qualified, in 1967 Alitalia decided to suspend the school’s activities and close it down. This was principally down to operational economics. The company had many aspiring students but a small and expensive training structure, while the Aeronautica Militare had a large training structure but few aspiring cadet pilots. It was decided to establish a new agreement, under which the Aeronautica undertook to transfer 30 pilots to Alitalia every year. Instead of being assigned to an operational unit on completion of flying training, they entered the Alitalia crew system, completing three years of obligatory service as an Alitalia pilot while remaining at the military grade of Sottotenente (lieutenant). This lasted just a few years, as with the first oil crisis of the early 1970s Alitalia suffered its own period of turmoil. A decision to suspend the induction of new pilots for around four years resulted in the end of this experiment in joint pilot training.

The three remaining MB326Ds were passed to the Aeronautica Militare, and after being modified to military standard went on to serve with the school at Lecce. The trio were assigned serials MM54266 (the former I-ADIE, today preserved at the Istituto Tecnico Malignani in Udine), MM54267 (ex-I-ADIO) and MM54268 (previously I-ADIU, now with the Piana delle Orme museum). Increasing demand for new pilots and the difficulty in finding enough of them forced Alitalia to re-establish a flying school in 1980. Based at Alghero, its fleet comprised four SIAI-Marchetti SF260Cs and two Piaggio P166-DL3 twins. The latter were replaced during 1987 by three Piper PA-42 Cheyennes. Nevertheless, following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, which caused yet another air transport slump, the school was wound down. It was finally closed in 2007. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Capts Riparbelli and Chianese, Giorgio Apostolo and Francesco Ballista.

BELOW: Members of the fifth course just before their final examinations at Brindisi in 1965.

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meets

LEE LAUDERBACK Flying Comanche Fighters’ P-51B Berlin Express across the North Atlantic this summer was a very special experience for the Stallion 51 founder, the world’s highest-time Mustang pilot WORDS: BEN DUNNELL

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he audience at IWM Duxford on Tuesday 4 July applauded with good reason. As Lee Lauderback climbed out of Comanche Fighters’ P-51B Mustang Berlin Express, he was completing a journey that followed in the flight paths of many American aviators delivering aircraft to Britain during the Second World War, one that remains challenging even with all the equipment and support at the modern pilot’s disposal. Going trans-Atlantic was one of the few things Lee hadn’t accomplished in a Mustang. He is by some margin the world’s most experienced P-51 pilot, not just now but ever. Modestly, he stresses that the late Bob Hoover used to hold that accolade, with more than 7,000 hours on type. Lee, however, has around 9,750. “In a sense”, he says, “for the last 30 years all I’ve done is fly P-51s”. Of course, other types — including other warbird types — have sometimes intervened. But, as Lee outlined to me at Duxford two days after his arrival, the North American fighter has long dominated his professional life. Not just Lee’s, either. He’s the second of five brothers, and, as he says, “four of us work together all the time. My standard joke is that I break Mustangs, my twin brothers fix and rebuild Mustangs, and my little brother, ‘Johnny 5’, sells Mustangs. It’s truly a symbiotic relationship.” His father having been a US Navy pilot on Consolidated PBY Catalina

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patrol aircraft, no wonder Lee, in his own words, “really had the passion of wanting to fly, wanting to become a military pilot”. He began flying gliders aged just 14, and went solo on a powered aircraft, a Cessna, on his 16th birthday — 21 July 1966 — in Orlando, Florida. Moving on from his private pilot’s licence, he obtained his commercial and multi-engine licences and an instrument rating, and instructed on sailplanes. “I ended up going to LSU [Louisiana State University] on an athletics scholarship, majoring in aeronautical engineering. That took me out of the cockpit. At that time I was an air force ROTC [member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps]. I knew my vision wasn’t quite 20:20, but I figured out I’d find some way to make it work. It didn’t. I just couldn’t read the last line. Military aviation was not in my destiny at that time.” Fascinating experiences in civil aviation, however, were. Not long out of college, Lee started flying for golfer Arnold Palmer. “I was flying a Shrike Commander, a Baron and a bunch of other different airplanes for a charter company. Arnold Palmer came in with his Learjet 24, and needed to take the airplane back. Charlie Johnson, who later became president of Cessna, and I flew it home, and we hit it off. I went from occasionally being used to being a full-time co-pilot. Charlie ended up going to Gates Learjet as a production test pilot, and I became Arnold Palmer’s chief pilot. I stayed

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Lee Lauderback after his arrival at Duxford on 4 July in Comanche Fighters’ P-51B Berlin Express. HARRY MEASURES

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AEROPLANE MEETS… LEE LAUDERBACK

TOP RIGHT: During 1970, Lee met Bob Hoover when the famed combat, test and demonstration pilot was flying P-51 Ole Yeller. Much later, the pair were to fly Mustangs together, and Lee sometimes displays this very machine.

VIA LEE LAUDERBACK

MIDDLE RIGHT: Working as chief pilot for golfing legend Arnold Palmer.

VIA LEE LAUDERBACK

BOTTOM RIGHT: A memorable trip with Arnold Palmer in a Grob G103 glider. The inscription to Lee reads, “A great job as always”.

VIA LEE LAUDERBACK

BELOW: The early days of Lee’s flying, with Cessna 150 N3087X in Orlando, Florida.

VIA LEE LAUDERBACK

with ‘The Boss’ almost 18 years, flying the Lear, most of the Citation series airplanes and the MD500E helicopter.” Palmer was one of the highestprofile proponents of corporate aviation. “He was a terrific pilot”, recalls Lee. “I would attribute it to hand-eye co-ordination, as with so many professional athletes. He wasn’t a technical pilot, he was a stick-andrudder guy. Going into New YorkLaGuardia in a blowing snowstorm in a Lear 24 with no reversers, he was absolutely right on it. “And we had a great time. We did many flights together over 18 years, some of them international. My first Atlantic crossing was to Prestwick with him in a Citation 650, for him to play in the British Open. Our friendship went on from start to finish; he passed away last year, and it was a big loss in my life. “I retired from working for ‘The Boss’ in 1990. I just couldn’t keep the pace going any more — he wore me out! What had happened was that two of my brothers, the identical twins Peter and Richard, came out of the Air Force and started working on corporate airplanes. One of the corporate guys bought a P-40 that had been up in the Aleutian Islands, and another bought a Mustang. They started working on warbirds, and focusing more and more on rebuilding them. At one time in the early ’80s, one of the identical twins was working on a P-40 project for a guy, and the other identical twin was working on a P-40 project for another guy, in the same hangar at Orlando. Once I watched them get in a fist-fight over whose parts were going on whose airplane! “In 1976 I’d had a chance to fly a dual-control TF Mustang out of King City with Gordon Plaskett. I’d been flying T-6s and all sorts of different things. I truly fell in love with it

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and thought, ‘Wow, this is what I’m supposed to do in life’. I tried to figure it out; I even tried to convince Arnold Palmer that maybe we should have a P-51. “How it happened was that in 1987 a former business partner of mine, Doug Schultz, realised that the US Naval Test Pilot School had a contract for what they call qualitative evaluation work. They wanted their test pilot students to experience something that isn’t state-of-theart, that isn’t all sorted out, and had propeller torque effects. The TF‑51 was ideal. It’s totally different to what they’re used to, and by today’s standards it has many deficiencies. We identified a dual-cockpit, dual-control Mustang that met their requirement, told the bank we had a contract, told the military we had an airplane, and everything passed in the middle of the night”. Based then as now at Kissimmee, Florida, that was the start of Stallion 51. “When I retired from Mr Palmer in 1990”, Lee continues, “I started really

“All I wanted to do was be in the military and fly fighters. This was a back-door approach to that. It checked that box for me. I would sit on the wing of the Mustang, and a kid who flies an F/A-18 would come along and say, ‘I’d give it all up to fly the P-51’. Five years later they’re probably not flying, they’re in a desk job, while I’ve been flying the P-51 for well over 30 years.” The TF-51D with which Stallion 51 was formed, 44-84745/N851D, was one of only six such dual-control examples in the world at that time. “Nobody really wanted the airplane”, Lee remembers, “because it wasn’t a ‘stock’ fighter and it was the highestpriced Mustang ever. Today at that price it would be the bargain of the century. Fast-forward 30 years and everybody wants a TF. I think we helped change that image.” The company named that first Mustang Crazy Horse. “It’s still my favourite of all the Mustangs I’ve flown. It’s like putting on your old pair of loafers — you’ve got to dust ’em off, and they’re not bright and shiny, but you can wear them all

I’d like to think that, in 30 years, we at Stallion 51 have had a dramatic impact on the safety of the Mustang. Our graduates have had a terrific safety record building the whole programme. I ended up buying my partner out of the business; he wanted to do more jets, and I was so enamoured, as I totally am today, with the Mustang. That’s when we started doing the formal check-out training programmes, the orientation flying, the airshow work. “I learned to fly the Mustang in a test pilot environment, and there were so many lessons learned — we were spinning the airplane, departing the airplane, doing all kinds of off-thewall stuff. The accident record of the Mustang in its early years with civilian pilots was very, very poor. They were losing something like 10 per cent of these airplanes every year, because you’d have inexperienced pilots without good training flying a high-performance military fighter. Stallion 51 recognised the need for a good training programme, so we took the lessons learned from the Test Pilot School and developed an FAA-approved training syllabus to do that. We developed the entire business around that premise, and we’re still doing that 30 years later.

day and they feel great”. A second, 44‑74502/N351DT, followed in 2005. “We realised that, for operational requirements, we couldn’t take ‘Horse One’ and completely restore it. My brothers had actually rebuilt a Mustang into a TF for a gentleman, and he ended up putting it on the market. We bought it, and the dilemma became how we were going to paint it. Crazy Horse was such a well-known airplane — there are thousands and thousands of people who have flown it — and it was on all our merchandising and everything. So we just made it Crazy Horse2. That turned out to be a very good business decision”. With 44-74497/N51LW Little Witch also operated for its owner, Stallion 51 has three machines at its disposal. “There are”, Lee describes, “two different categories of people. There are students of the programme, who come in and train and maybe stop at some point in that programme. Then there are what we call graduates, who have checked every box in a very rigid syllabus. Nobody gets a pass; you

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can’t buy your way into graduation. We’re approaching 200 graduates now. [A lot of people] would say, ‘Oh, I’m a graduate of the Stallion 51 programme’, but we’re going, ‘Wait a minute’. Now we’ve got numbered patches so you can’t bluff your way in.” There are today more and more P-51s flying, and more and more P-51-qualified pilots. “I’d like to think that, in 30 years, we’ve had a dramatic impact on the safety of the Mustang”, Lee comments. “Our graduates have had a terrific safety record, and the training’s responsible for a lot of that. It’s a big part of the legacy of our programme — I’m just the keeper of the keys for a while. Improving the safety record and the training aspects is something I’m very proud of.” Work with all three US armed services continues, too. Having started out flying for the USNTPS, Stallion 51 has supported its US Air Force equivalent as well, in both cases showing students and instructors areas of the flight envelope such as gyroscopic effects and precession that cannot be demonstrated in more modern propeller-driven aircraft. It recently undertook a specialised programme for the US Army, looking at unusual flight attitudes. Lee’s own efforts to learn more about the Mustang and impart that information to the wider community have seen him exploring areas of its envelope that no-one else in the modern era has looked into. “One of the claims I can make”, he says, “is that I’ve got two-and-a-half hours of engine-out time in a P-51, doing glide test work. We would take the airplane to 14,000ft, and because it’s water-glycol-cooled we could completely shut it down without shock-cooling the engine. Then with very sophisticated barographs and GPS equipment we determined glide ratios, looked at best L over D [liftto-drag ratio] at different weights, prop configurations, bank angles, flaps — all these parameters. I’ve done that with two different airplanes to compare a TF to a P-51D. If it happens for real, it’s just another day”. For this sort of activity and more, Lee was inducted into the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Commercial aviation in all its forms goes through peaks and troughs, but Stallion 51 looks forward to the future with great confidence. “From our side, interest in the Mustang is as strong as it ever has been. There are many people looking to own a P-51, who

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AEROPLANE MEETS… LEE LAUDERBACK

RIGHT: The two TF-51Ds named Crazy Horse — the cornerstones of the Stallion 51 fleet. The first Crazy Horse has been with the company for all of its 30 years.

PAUL BOWEN/STALLION 51

FAR RIGHT: Lee has become renowned for his P-51 displays. Here he’s standing with Crazy Horse2.

STALLION 51

come down and train. We haven’t seen a drop-off in that, and we haven’t seen a drop-off in the orientation flights. We are seeing a younger generation interested in it, but occasionally we’re still flying older guys. The other day we flew a 92-year-old Mustang pilot, who wanted to fly a P-51 one more time in his life.” Lee has enjoyed many of those special moments. He’s flown with a whole range of notable aviators, from present-day US Air Force fighter pilots in the Heritage Flight programme — of which he was an original member 20 years ago — to several famous veterans. “One of the guys I trained was having a TF built, and he ended up painting it in Robin Olds’ Scat VII colours. Robin found out, and the guy asked him if he wanted to fly the airplane. He then asked if I’d be willing to let Robin fly in the front seat of the P-51. I said, ‘Absolutely’. Robin Olds and I got together — I’d been a kid in high school reading about this guy. He and I went and flew the Mustang, and had a great time. About a month later he called me up and said we needed to get the keys to Scat VII again. We did this for quite a while, flying the Mustang round the country. “When Bob Hoover was having his medical issues with the FAA, I was flying a TF with him. In a sense he was flying on my credentials, which made it legal. One day I got a call from Bob, who had a big suite in the Airport Hilton at Reno and told me to come on up. When I showed up it was [American Volunteer Group pilot] ‘Tex’ Hill, Bob Hoover, a couple of bottles of gin, a couple of bottles of whisky and a couple of bottles of vodka. Those guys told stories for four hours. “One of my real treasures is being able to interact with these people. I’ve also flown with ‘Chuck’ Yeager, ‘Bud’ Anderson, ‘Pete’ Peterson — many guys who did it for real. I haven’t done it for real, I’ve just done it a long time. These chapters are closing, and that was the whole thing with the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends that we did, one in 1999 and another in 2007. We wanted to say ‘thank you’ to those guys while they could move around, tell their stories and be part of the whole thing. They were a cast of characters. We had to close the bar many times when they were still talking…” Lee has a simple but effective philosophy when it comes to P-51

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operations. “These aren’t just Mustangs we’re flying, these are national treasures. We’re bringing the history alive, but the key is to do it safely, and that makes it fun for everybody”. This was vital when it came to flying P-51B Berlin Express to Britain. “The whole Berlin Express project started with Max Chapman”, says Lee. Max was the Mustang’s previous owner, the aircraft having emerged from restoration by Pacific Fighters in late 2014. “He and I have done business together for 25 years. We were involved in marketing the airplane, and I was flying it at different times. “I’m real close to Ed Shipley, and we’ve done a lot of flying over the years. When Dan Friedkin purchased the airplane we were joking around a little bit, and the next thing I know he was telling me Dan would really

like to fly it to Duxford. I basically said that with the right team of people, with the right support, that I would consider doing it. Dan, who is so passionate about the history of these airplanes, totally jumped on board and got the team of people and the support that we needed to do Operation Berlin Express. We started looking, talking, designing and planning the mission. The mission was to have Berlin Express here on 4 July — what a great way to celebrate. “Dan grasps the whole concept of the heritage of the Mustang and so many different fighter aircraft. His ability to keep that at the forefront is great. This is so important today, because all of these treasures could otherwise be relegated to the back of history. He’s instrumental in many things — he founded the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation,

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he’s the founder of the professional Horsemen routine, he’s involved in the recovery of airplanes and finding lost servicemen who have never been accounted for. And he and Ed are scary good when it comes to formation flying! He puts his heart, his soul and his support behind doing it and doing it professionally, and I couldn’t be happier that Berlin Express is in Dan’s caring hands.” Ed Shipley had experience from ferrying TF-51D Miss Velma over for The Fighter Collection exactly 10 years earlier. “We were comparing notes”, says Lee. “At that time I said to him, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’, but now it was him calling me on the ’phone to say, ‘What are you doing?’ The whole key is to do it safely, and what Dan brought to the table was allowing me the team that I needed to safely take the airplane

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over 5,000nm. One of the things was the support airplane. It took a lot of the administrative load off of my shoulders as far as the paperwork, the flight planning and the customs requirements were concerned. “It also provided an operational team that became very important to the mission. One of my brothers, Richard Lauderback — one of the twin brothers who’ve built Mustangs for 40 years now — was key. ‘Little John’ Muszala, who was instrumental in building Berlin Express from scratch, was too. My confidence level was there. So we had one guy who knew the airplane inside-out because he’d helped build it and another guy who’s been building Mustangs for over 40 years. That was the maintenance team. Then there was Louis Horschel, who

was a very important known quantity because of the formation requirements of the mission. The two King Air pilots weren’t military-trained, had no formation experience and no experience of the compatibilities and the differences of the two airplanes. But they were terrific, Kevin St Germain and Kenny Patterson. Rounding out the team was Justin Shipley to document the mission from start to finish. A great team!” The whole timescale was incredibly compressed. It took about three weeks between the project first being mentioned to Lee and the flight’s scheduled completion. “When Ed started talking about it and Dan made the decision to bring the airplane over, I thought they were talking about Duxford in 2018. Richard, my brother, had never had a passport in his life. We had to expedite getting him one.

ABOVE: Crazy Horse leading an F-22A Raptor and F-15C Eagle in a USAF Heritage Flight formation. Lee helped qualify the Raptor for participation in the programme when the Lockheed Martin ‘air dominance’ fighter was first introduced to these displays. USAF

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AEROPLANE MEETS… LEE LAUDERBACK

“We launched on Wednesday 28 June from south-western Texas, where the airplane is based, to Paducah, Kentucky. The weather was working well, and it gave me the ability to prove the fuel, to prove the systems and to work on the formation tactics. Fuel, obviously, was vital. We looked at different drop tanks, and the drop tanks Ed had [for his 2007 crossing in Miss Velma] were sitting on the shelf. I said, ‘Give me those!’ If you look, they had Operation ‘Bolero II’ on them. We put Operation Berlin Express on the other sides. “We did a second leg that day, about 550nm or so, to Dunkirk, New York. That’s where Louis Horschel lives; we were looking at home-town support and the ability to spend the night. We were training en route. I wanted to get on the wing of the King Air and simulate IFR conditions, shooting a full-up ILS approach to minimums in formation. We were doing that and, all of a sudden, here comes another Mustang [February, also a Comanche Fighters machine]. It had to be Ed. It was a great send-off from him and Dan’s team of people. That made me feel really good.

BELOW: Berlin Express over the stunning, if inhospitable, scenery encountered when flying out of Narsarsuaq on 2 July. THE FRIEDKIN GROUP

“One of the things we did on every single leg — and this is just the way I like to run business — is that everything was briefed and everything was debriefed. We debriefed all the lessons learned from the first day. The second day, we got up and got going from Dunkirk to Bangor, Maine, which was a 500nm leg. We applied the lessons learned, and the whole team kept getting better and better. “From there we did the second leg up to Goose Bay, Newfoundland. We looked at the airplane, because now we were going into the first overwater leg. Things changed a little bit. I got into full-up water survival gear, trading my parachute for a raft, and wearing a ‘poopy suit’ to allow me the

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ability to survive in cold water for a while. Then there was flotation gear and survival gear, survival radios and things like that. I was attached to the raft via the harness I was wearing. “We rested and regrouped. The maintenance team, Richard and ‘Little John’, took a hard look at the airplane to make sure Berlin Express was ready to go over water. The weather co-operated; there was a lot of cloud cover, but we were fortunate enough to be able to fly over virtually all of it at 13,000ft. “The first over-water leg was on the 30th. Louis helped me get into the survival gear. The leg was 676nm, from Goose Bay to Narsarsuaq in Greenland. Your mindset turns a little bit different, and the team was maturing. Three hours 12 minutes later or so, ‘land ho’. As you can well imagine, at Narsarsuaq hangar space is at a real premium and very expensive, so somehow the team negotiated that if I did a low pass they would waive the hangar fee. I got to do a really fun low pass with approval, and we had a free night of hangarage. That was terrific. Of course, I was fairly excited about everything going as well as it was. “The scenery was breathtaking — in some ways scary, because of the scope of it, but breathtaking. In many ways it was beautiful — the raw beauty of big icebergs and things of that nature. We were constantly learning lessons of how to do this mission better and how to work better together as a team of people. We debriefed that night and started looking at the next morning. “Dan Friedkin saw the ability to make this a worldwide aviation event with modern-day technology, between satellite ’phones, tracking devices, ‘breadcrumbs’ to tie in to the internet, and Justin taking real-time images. When I would get out of the airplane it was like live TV, which is really spectacular. Instead of just a group of people doing this, the whole world was involved. “Coming out of Narsarsuaq to Keflavík was a little shorter, by 16 miles or so. We made another good call in getting out of there before the weather deteriorated. Again, we were on top of the cloud cover at about 12-13,000ft. We picked up a bit of a tailwind, so at one time we were doing 260kt ground speed and making pretty good time. “We made very disciplined fuel changes. Obviously I was planning on them, but Louis and the King Air team were backing everything I did

up and documenting the time. Every 30 minutes I took a fuel change and I would manage the fuel based on that time hack. I’d go, say, from the left main fuel cell for 30 minutes over to the right drop tank, then to the left drop to balance the airplane, back again to the right and back to the left. That took the majority of the fuel out of the drop tanks. Then I’d go to the fuselage tank for 30 minutes, and back over to the right main. In a sense I was ‘fat’ on fuel; I had 6.1 hours of fuel on board the airplane for, in the worst case, a four-hour leg. Most of them were just a little over three. On one leg I even left a little bit of gas at home because I didn’t want the weight. “We came into Keflavík and again the tower goes, ‘Hey, you’ve got to give us a flyby’. That was on 2 July. I felt we were on schedule, not too far ahead but not behind. The whole thing was planned to the last detail. It’s very important from the safety aspect to run it that way, like a

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LEFT: In the cruise, bound for Keflavík. THE FRIEDKIN GROUP

BELOW LEFT: A walk-round of Berlin Express prior to embarking on the first leg of the transAtlantic voyage. THE FRIEDKIN GROUP

BELOW RIGHT: Kitted out in ‘poopy suit’ and survival gear for the long over-water stretches. THE FRIEDKIN GROUP

military operation versus, ‘Oh, let’s go and see how it works’. “There were several options for the next leg to Wick, Scotland. It was the third and last over-water leg, about 650nm. I felt a bit better because we had some better diversions, better air-sea rescue spots. The mindset was to get to Wick, and assess the weather. We called the weather guy in Narsarsuaq, who did a spectacular job. It was a very good leg. By now we were doing section take-offs; as the King Air rolled, I’d be right beside him, so I wouldn’t have to do any sort of rejoin. “In addition to swapping fuel every 30 minutes, we did what we termed a leak check. I would fly a ‘high stacked formation’ over the King Air, and the two maintenance guys would snap a picture and look underneath the belly of the airplane to make sure I wasn’t leaking something — not that they would have told me if I was! We were always working. There was very little

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monotony. You concentrate on the mission, which makes the time go quickly. “We ended up at Wick, flying by some scenic castles. That was leg seven of the eight-leg mission. We’d got it down to a science. At Wick we got a weather brief, because we were considering going from Wick to Cambridge, where we could do an instrument approach. The weather wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad. The weather guys were telling us that tomorrow would be better; the whole mission was aiming for 4 July, so we had the ability to spend the night in Wick and go down to Duxford on 4 July. We knew how to do this, right? As we all talked about, ‘Let’s not mess this up now’.

“Out of all those legs, the eighth should have been the easiest. Well, not true! The forecast that we got saying tomorrow would be better was totally incorrect. All my gut instincts were to go ahead and get down that way, but you base it on the professionals. We’d done the mission completely in the VFR sense even though we were on IFR flightplans. That worked very well, and the weather guys had been spot on, but this time they missed it. The weather brief we got at Wick was still very optimistic that we should be between layers and that we would be able to do it VFR. Calling down to Dan and Ed [at Duxford], they said the weather was looking pretty good. I got out of the ‘poopy suit’ — wow,

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AEROPLANE MEETS… LEE LAUDERBACK

ABOVE: Members of the Operation Berlin Express team on Cambridgeshire soil. From left to right, Richard and Lee Lauderback, Louis Horschel and John Muszala II. THE FRIEDKIN GROUP

BELOW RIGHT: Very much IFR conditions en route from Wick to Duxford. THE FRIEDKIN GROUP

BELOW: On the wing of the Beechcraft King Air 350 support aircraft, a crucial element of the whole transAtlantic plan. LEE LAUDERBACK

that was nice. I put all of my survival gear away and got back into my parachute. “It was a two-hour leg, just over 490nm. It was nothing to be taken lightly, and we didn’t. That was a good thing. We were all ready for take-off, and the tower said, ‘Stand by’. There was an emergency in progress with a helicopter, and they told us to taxi back to the ramp and shut down. Well, the weather kept on getting a little bit worse. I was thinking, ‘Come on, let’s get going here’. By the time the helicopter got safely on the ground and they’d put the fire trucks away, it delayed us about 45 minutes. “We took off and started out en route at 12,000ft. It was getting darker and cloudier, and we began to get in some clouds. My job was to stay right on the wing of the King Air, flying a pretty tight formation, because he was like my flight director. He turns left, I go with him, he turns right, I go with him. We were now at 12,000ft in IFR conditions. I could

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see the other side of the King Air. I wasn’t too concerned. “But then we started picking up a little bit of icing, which isn’t good for the P-51. The King Air’s fine, but the Mustang has no real anti-icing equipment. We were forced to go down to a lower altitude, and Louis was instrumental in the decisionmaking. “We descended to 8,000ft, which took us underneath the freezing level. That was going pretty well for a while. Then we picked up a little light precipitation, and we started deviating. What had happened was that with the time delay, the rain showers began developing quickly, so our clear path was going away. It required major deviations to get around that. “With its radar and everything, the King Air was steering the mission. I was going, ‘OK, this is manageable. It can’t get much worse than this’.

But the clouds got a little bit thicker, and now I could only see pieces of the King Air at times. Louis kept throwing me little titbits of hope, like, ‘75 miles ahead there is some sunshine’. After 150 miles, I was going, ‘Hey, where’s that sunshine?’ “We ended up stepping down lower and lower, some of it due to air traffic control, and some of it due to having to find better weather. There were several seconds at a time that I was not flying off the King Air any more, but just his wingtip. All of a sudden we hit turbulence, and we were both getting jockeyed around. After a lot of concentration, just hanging with the King Air, we saw a bit of an improvement. I was on the wing for an hour and a half, virtually never seeing the ground through the clouds, which isn’t something I do every day… “We made Duxford in something like 2.7 hours. I went behind the airfield, held for a few minutes and then did a couple of passes before I landed. “It was quite the adventure. I kept thinking on the way over of all the servicemen who did this without a GPS, without an escort aircraft, without all the weather resource. You really have to take your hat off to them. It was a real honour to be able to do this. I couldn’t be more proud of the team of people that made it happen. There was a lot of ground support, there was a lot of airborne support. I just happened to be the guy driving the Mustang.” P-51s aside, in his 22,000-hour flying career to date Lee has flown the Corsair, Sea Fury, Spitfire, Bearcat and P-38. He’s had time in two-seat military jets like the F-15, F-16 and F/A-18, enjoying back-seat rides with both the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels. But, he says, “My heart is in the Mustang”. Through Stallion 51, a lot of other pilots have experienced the joy of North American’s great fighter for themselves, and so much of that is thanks to Lee.

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RAF SWORDFISH

STRINGBAGS Even towards the very end of World War Two, the biplane had meaningful front-line roles to play. Following last month’s feature on the Albacores of No 415 Squadron, we continue the story of RAF biplanes in action near the conclusion of hostilities through the words of some of the men who flew the black Swordfish operated by No 119 Squadron WORDS: DAVID NICHOLAS

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No 119 Squadron became the only RAF squadron to be fully equipped with the Swordfish when it replaced the Albacore in January 1945. This MkIII, NF410/NH-F, has a Donald Duck motif on the nose. It was photographed flying off the Dutch coast during the spring of 1945.

VIA NORMAN WILLIAMSON

GS

over the W

SCHELDT

ith the Allied invasion of Normandy completed successfully, the promise that had been made to the Canadian government was fulfilled and No 415 Squadron reassigned to Bomber Command. On 19 July 1944 its Albacore Flight at Manston became No 119 Squadron, though in reality little changed. The Canadian who led the Albacore Flight, Sqn Ldr J. I. T. Davis, was given command of the ‘new’ squadron. One of 119’s first sorties was an unusual daylight mission on 20 July when eight Albacores laid smoke to

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protect a convoy in the Channel. Sadly, the next day one of the leading Albacore crews comprising Fg Off Oliver Mennie and the newly commissioned Plt Off Roy Leach went missing over the Channel during an anti-shipping patrol. They were never found. 119 moved out of Manston on 9 August to the nearby advanced landing ground (ALG) at Swingfield. There its 11 Albacores were later joined by the naval-manned Swordfish of 819 Squadron as No 157 (General Reconnaissance) Wing. The then Flt Lt Norman Williamson

recalled: “Because of the overcrowding at Manston the coastal wing was moved a few miles away to a place called Swingfield between Dover and Folkestone. It was simply a grass field and we lived under canvas. For the first couple of weeks, until we had established fuel supplies at Swingfield, we had to operate from Manston. We landed there every night to refuel and bomb up, operated through the night, then returned to Swingfield at dawn. “I well remember taking off late from Swingfield one evening, having had trouble with the Coffman starter, and finding myself in a melee of

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RAF SWORDFISH

fighters in the Manston circuit, to be told, ‘Orbit at angels 18, your turn to land is 107!’ Not even St Peter himself could have reached 18,000ft in an Albacore. After a few terse remarks over the VHF I was allowed to sneak in onto the grass, out of everybody’s way.” Once a flare path was laid on the strip, nocturnal anti-E-boat patrols recommenced. A convoy of small ships off Gravelines was attacked on the night of the 19th, though one pilot also liked to use the forward-firing gun, leading to a scare for one of the groundcrew. Norman Williamson recalled: “The Albacore had one fixed forwardfiring gun, a Browning, housed in the starboard mainplane. Roy Brown, who had previously flown Beaufighters, felt that during our dive-bombing attacks this gun should be brought to action. We older hands did our best to dissuade him — our only defence, we pointed out, was concealment in the dark until the last possible moment. Roy, however, was not to be deterred and duly tried out his idea. Luckily, his gun jammed after firing a few rounds and after his attack he returned to Manston. “There we relied on the duty groundcrew, and the poor duty armourer knew nothing about the Albacore’s Browning. He carefully sat astride the lower mainplane and struggled in the darkness with the unfamiliar mechanism. At long last he managed to open up the casing, whereupon the breech block slammed forward, detonating the round ‘up the spout’ — which of course had to be a tracer. The terrified armourer watched it curl away from between his legs across the airfield towards flying control. We carefully kept it out of the squadron’s operational records. That was the last time Roy Brown tried out his new-fangled theories!” Now the English Channel was largely filled with Allied shipping, the areas of total bombing restriction increased. These were somewhat resented, as the aircrew thought that the Navy felt it could fire on anything that flew — and usually did! Albacores co-operated with an RN force to interdict enemy shipping evacuating the garrison at Boulogne on 1 September. The biplanes attacked with bombs, pressed home in the face of heavy fire. It resulted in one of the aircraft being lost off Calais with its crew of Flt Lt Eric Ross and Flt Sgt

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Joe Hyams, joined by Flt Lt Claude Slatter who had gone along for some air experience. At 01.30hrs on the 2nd, the CO and his navigator Fg Off Lundy left Swingfield in Albacore BF730/NH-U. Forty minutes later they were heard to have made an attack on a large convoy off Boulogne. However, they failed to return and have no known grave. Norman Williamson was promoted to take over command. With the Channel ports neutralised at the beginning of October the No 157 Wing squadrons moved to Bircham Newton, Norfolk, for intensive training in night antisubmarine operations. At the month’s end 119’s Albacores moved to the continent, initially to the captured airstrip at St Croix near Bruges and then Knokke-le-Zoute, a pre-war airfield close to the port of Zeebrugge. Still part of No 16 Group, 119 thus became the only Coastal Command squadron to be based in continental Europe, as Williamson remembered. “I flew across to Belgium and, with the help of one of the 2nd Tactical Air Force staff officers — who was vastly amused at flying around in the back of an Albacore — tried to find a suitable airfield. We had to be as near as possible to the coast, of course, as well as the front line in order to obtain our best range north of the Scheldt estuary. The trouble was that at this time there was a considerable number of enemy troops held in a pocket in northern Belgium. “Eventually, we found a tiny grass strip, once used for light aircraft only, cut into the woods at St Croix just east of Bruges, and this I reckoned was just feasible. Accordingly, we laid claim and 2nd TAF HQ started to move in bombs, fuel, flares, tents and the rest of the necessities. There were two snags. The first was that on the north side of the landing strip a battery of field guns had set up home and were busy plastering enemy strongpoints a short distance to the north. The other snag was that the low-scanning radar and control centre we needed to vector us to the vicinity of targets at night was at Ostend, and because of its distance and low-level siting it did not have a great range. This was going to be rectified by siting a new radar on top of the Blankenberge casino, but this was still in enemy hands. Despite these difficulties we managed to start

operating from Maldegem and then St Croix, but major servicing and engine changes still had to be carried out at our rear base at Bircham Newton.” Searches for enemy shipping continued, though there was a paucity of surface targets. Towards the end of the month came another move. “Not long after”, said Williamson, “the Army overran the last pocket of resistance in northern Belgium right up to the Scheldt estuary. I went up the next day in a truck to assess the possibility of using the airfield at Knokke-le-Zoute. Knokke was a reasonably sized grass airfield with a couple of hangars and a small flying control building and tower, obviously built pre-war. The location was ideal for our purposes, so a start was quickly made in clearing mines from a strip and taxi track to each end. “The squadron moved as soon as possible and this increased our sphere of operations well to the north of The Hague. Our quarters were in various commandeered buildings in the town. The officers took over the Memlinc Hotel, which I believe is still

a displacement of 17 tonnes. Carrying a crew of two and with two torpedoes, they had a range of more than 200 miles on the surface or 63 submerged, and could dive to a depth of 160ft. The Kriegsmarine commissioned 137 of them and, with their light weight, they proved relatively immune to depth charge attack. To interdict Allied naval operations around the Dutch and Belgian coasts, having been evacuated from France, K-Flotille 261 — under Korvettenkapitän Hans Bartels, a 35-year-old Knight’s Cross holder — had set up forward bases at Poortershaven and Hellevoetsluis on the Maas estuary, though its main base was at Rotterdam. As the deployment became known to Allied intelligence, hunting these dangerous small targets became the squadron’s main task, as Norman Williamson described. “Around this time the German Navy started to use small one-man and two-man submarines — Bibers — and also explosive motor boats to attack Allied shipping using the newly captured port of Antwerp. To offset this new threat we found ourselves hunting these targets by day around the Dutch islands of Schouen, Walcheren and so on, as well as carrying out the usual night divebombing operations. The daytime attacks against such targets were made at low level using depth charges.” Eighteen Bibers left Poortershaven and Hellevoetsluis on the evening of 22 December, but the operation was a failure. By year’s end 31 of them had been lost against the sinking of a single merchant ship. It was not until 23 January 1945 that one of 119’s Albacores made the first aerial sighting of a mini-submarine, but in spite of an attack with six depth charges the vessel survived. This was the last attack that the Albacore made on the enemy. With an increasing paucity of spares it was decided to re-equip the squadron with the type’s lineal predecessor, the Fairey Swordfish! This would give commonality with 819 Squadron, which was also at Knokke, though it was withdrawn to Bircham Newton in late February. Although ordered to convert to a new aircraft, Williamson was instructed to maintain his operational capability. This was achieved by sending several crews at a time back

LEFT: An Albacore being loaded with 250lb bombs, which proved effective against German shipping. RCAF

BELOW LEFT: A Swordfish of 119 is serviced by a mixture of RN and RAF groundcrew. VIA NORMAN WILLIAMSON

We had to be as near as possible to the coast, as well as the front line in order to obtain our best range north of the Scheldt estuary, but there were enemy troops in a pocket in northern Belgium

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in existence, and we received much hospitality from the local Belgian population.” Towards the end of 1944 the enemy began using midget submarines to disrupt Allied shipping in the northern Channel and the Scheldt estuary. These one or two-man boats generally carried two torpedoes strapped to their side, but had limited range and were somewhat unstable in rough water. Nonetheless, they had the potential to become a serious threat. The Molch class were single-man boats of eight tonnes with a range of just 40 miles and no ability to recharge batteries at sea. They proved difficult to control and suffered heavy losses during combat operations. The six-and-a-half-tonne Biber-class boats were also single-manned and, once again, design flaws and hasty crew training resulted in heavy losses. The third and largest type of midget submarine was the Seehund class, also known as the Type XXVII, which had

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RAF SWORDFISH

ABOVE: Armed with a variety of bombs and flares and showing the ASV radar radome between the undercarriage, the antiquated appearance of the Swordfish III — this is NF374 — belied the type’s effectiveness for night inshore patrols.

VIA NORMAN WILLIAMSON

BELOW: A tractor pulls a Swordfish out of the hangar. With its engines running in the background is 119’s Anson I EG257, which sank a mini-submarine by ‘buzzing’.

VIA NORMAN WILLIAMSON

to Bircham Newton. There the Station Flight held a number of Swordfish IIIs for the training task, later formally established as 119’s Training Flight. WO Gilbert Mills remembered the change. “The Swordfish, with its ghastly flywheel starter, fixed-pitch prop and lack of flaps — the angle of all four ailerons were altered instead — was far more elementary than the Albacore. Admittedly, we were given the MkIII version, equipped with a Pegasus XXX engine, but its extra power was more than offset by a large, ungainly bump under the nose housing the new ‘hush-hush’ MkIX ASV. This proved to be an excellent airborne low-level radar set, but its shape was not calculated to enhance the aerodynamics of the aircraft! We navigators had to get used to the ASV radar, which was excellent for the job of searching for small targets close in-shore. It was rather like AI and we could detect small targets if they were around at about 12 miles’ range, though it had a theoretical range of about 25 miles against ships. In good conditions it could also detect a

U-boat snorkel, but only in very calm seas and at distances out to about five miles. The navigation techniques remained the same, however, though the Swordfish was considerably slower — and much windier! Thus, we had to keep a close hold on charts, navigation equipment and the like. “Perhaps the most depressing thing about the ‘Stringbag’ from the crew’s point of view was its open cockpits instead of the comfortable enclosed cockpits of the Albacore. Believe me, sitting cramped for about three hours at 3,000ft over the North Sea in the small hours of a January night can be cold and miserable beyond imagination. My normal attire was aircrew ‘long john’ woollen underwear, shirt, thick woollen aircrew sweater, woollen scarf, battledress trousers and blouse, Irvin jacket, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of socks and fleecelined flying boots. As it was, one became so stiff with the cold that one had to be assisted by the groundcrew to climb out of the cockpit after landing.” Williamson also remembered the training period. “The pilots had to practise a new technique for night dive-bombing, as the cockpit was behind the mainplanes as opposed to in front in the Albacore. The new technique was to track the aircraft so that the target appeared to move down the port side between two guidelines on the lower port mainplane. Once the target emerged from beneath the trailing edge between its marker lines, the pilot simply heaved the nose up and kicked in left rudder. The ensuing stall turn

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through 90° and the dropping of the nose brought the target — with luck! — on to the nose of the aircraft in the required angle of dive.” Although antiquated in appearance, the ASV MkIXequipped Swordfish III was in many ways ideal for the squadron’s difficult night task. Painted black overall they became known on the squadron as ‘Blackfish’, and by the end of January 119 had fully converted. Action for 119’s ‘Blackfish’ came in early March as the Kriegsmarine continued to despatch its minisubmarines on operations. Few returned, however. For example, on 6 March 11 examples sailed but none made it home. During the night of the 9th Swordfish NF307/NH-G was lost, believed to have been shot down with the loss of Flt Lt Sutton and Fg Off Radford. Frank Sutton’s loss particularly affected the CO, who recalled wistfully: “Though tour-expired, many crews simply carried on, provided they were considered by the MO [medical orderly] and myself as fit to do so. Few left, most wishing to carry on with the last of the ‘Stringbags’ to the bitter end. One loss, however, grieved me greatly. My senior flight commander at this time was a man named Frank Sutton who, as a sergeant pilot, had flown one of the earliest Swordfish to enter squadron service in early 1935. I always promised him that, God willing, he would fly the last one when the war ended. Sadly, he was shot down in March 1945, some six weeks before the end of the war in Europe.” This was the squadron’s only Swordfish to be lost on operations. Searches were flown through the

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night looking for the missing crew without success. These continued into the following day, resulting in what was undoubtedly the squadron’s most bizarre success. To ferry crews and spares between Knokke and Bircham, 119 had an Avro Anson I, which was always flown unarmed. On the 11th it was being flown by Flt Lt Campbell, searching for Sutton and Radford. As the unit record states, “Having a keen eye, he spotted something suspicious in the sea 10 miles west of Schouwen, and on flying down to investigate identified the conning tower of a Biber. No RT, no WT, but remembering his early training he switched on his IFF to Stud 3 trusting that it would be picked up and understood, but it wasn’t. As the Anson was unarmed there was no possibility of attacking the midget, but a spot of ‘beating-up’ was attempted without, however, shaking the Jerry sufficiently to make him do anything silly. “After several attacks it was eventually given up as a bad job, and the aircraft was just making for home when, lo and behold, another little Biber made its appearance about a mile away. Campbell tried out the same tactics, and this time success greeted his efforts for the ‘U-boat commander’ (as the subsequent newspaper story dubbed him) evidently didn’t like the feel of an aircraft roaring over him at 20ft, and on the third dive the pilot and observer glimpsed one large rump disappearing over the side of the U-boat. On the final return a figure was seen trying to struggle into a dinghy, the midget turning turtle and slowly disappearing beneath the waves.” Based on Campbell’s report a Swordfish (coded NH-H) flown by Fg Offs Corbel and O’Donnell took off immediately, followed soon afterwards by NF377/NH-R in the hands of the CO and his navigator Fg Off Gardiner, to search for the mini-sub that was still at large. At 18.25hrs, just off the coast north of the island of Schouwen, Corbel and O’Donnell sighted the cupola of a Biber just surfacing, and as they circled it broke cover fully. Diving to attack, Corbel’s first depth charge exploded about 30 yards ahead of the vessel. It continued on course, though it turned sharply to port when a second depth charge landed off its starboard bow. A third was dropped, and the fourth exploded very close as its plume completely enveloped the Biber, which disappeared. Soon an oil slick was

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spotted. Corble dropped a flame float and the CO’s aircraft was homed in. Williamson dropped his four bombs in two attacks on the oil patch, “to make sure”. 119’s vintage biplanes had at last encountered their elusive foe. The daily report concluded: “Needless to say there was a great deal of tailwagging in the mess that night.” These boats must have been among the 15 Biber and 14 Molch-class vessels that had sailed, most of which were lost. At 16.40hrs on the 12th, Swordfish NH-L attacked and sank a Biber just off The Hague, probably after it had left the entrance to the port of Rotterdam. An hour later the crew of NH-R found and sank another Biber off Schouwen. A further claim came the next night, possibly one of the three Seehund vessels lost to aircraft in March. Patrols continued fairly uneventfully until the end of the war. Norman Williamson recalled: “I flew the last operational sortie of a Swordfish myself on 8 May 1945. The surrender of the German forces was due to come into effect at midnight, but the previous week we had been warned that a number of attacks on Allied shipping might be expected from German Navy fanatics in their midget submarines. I landed back at Knokke at 21.40hrs that evening, having made an attack on a Biber […] 40 minutes earlier. As I came over the coast from the last Swordfish operational sortie of the war the celebration bonfire was already alight in the square in front of the Memlinc Hotel.” Williamson’s attack was the final air attack of any kind during the

war in Europe, thus enabling 119 and its vintage ‘Blackfish’ to claim a unique niche in RAF history. Patrols looking for possible rogue units were continued until the 11th. The squadron was ordered back to Bircham Newton on 22 May, Williamson recounting: “We left Knokke-leZoute in style, the entire squadron in formation, and maintained this over our old group headquarters — No 16 Group at Chatham — on our way to Bircham.” No 119 Squadron was disbanded three days later and the Swordfish ended its career with the ‘light blues’ of the RAF. It is appropriate that the last words should be from its final commanding officer. “When the squadron was disbanded I myself took the ops records and so forth to the Air Historical Branch. I also took the original of the squadron crest signed by King George VI and J. D. Heaton-Armstrong, the Garter King of Arms. Very few people know that 119 had a crest. It consists of a sword crossing an anchor, both covered half-black and half-white signifying day and night operational roles, and the motto of course is ‘By Night, By Day’ in English. It was designed for me by one of the ops room squadron leaders on No 157 Wing when we were at Manston, the Hon — later Sir — George Bellow, who prior to the war was Chester Herald at the College of Arms. What better bloke to design a crest for you?” ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The author is indebted to Wg Cdr Norman Williamson DFC and Gilbert Mills for their kind help in the research for this article.

ABOVE: Some Belgian civilians help the groundcrew lift a cradle holding a 250lb bomb before loading. On the left under the wing can be seen light series bomb carriers used to carry flame floats and flares. VIA NORMAN WILLIAMSON

EDITOR’S NOTE: One Swordfish is preserved in RAF colours: NF370 at IWM Duxford. It is an ex-No 119 Squadron aircraft, and appears in those markings.

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Our new bi-monthly series, examining in depth an a Vulcan rotary aircraft cannon

BRIEFING FILE RAF McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2

T

Had no internal gun but regularly carried a cannon in a centreline pod

Gas drive cylinder

Barrel

Exhaust gas

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4

SUU-23/A pod GAU-4/A cannon

Camshaft piston Return Feed chute chute

The SUU-23/A pod

GAU-4/A 20mm cannon

Drive Connects gun rotation to conveyor system. Also, links starter unit to gun

Starter unit Rotates gun until gas drive system takes over

Brake Prevents gun overspeeding

Conveyor system Moves rounds from drum to gun

C

H

Ammunition drum Capacity: 1,200 rounds

VULCAN ROTAR Y

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he desire to achieve effective firepower in aerial combat has always been challenged by the requirement of delivering the critical weight of fire onto the target in fleeting, threedimensional, dynamic combat. By the end of World War Two it was clear that a new solution was required for ranging still higher volumes of fire in ever briefer ‘ontarget’ opportunities. Fitting groups of heavy guns to aircraft had fallen out of favour, and the ability to speed up the rate of fire of a single weapon was found to be limited by both the fundamental mechanical time strictures of chambering, firing and extracting a round, as well as the heating and wear of the barrel that was exacerbated by fast — if brief — bursts of fire. By the war’s end, many innovative attempts to increase the weight of fire had been tried,

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An M61A1 Vulcan cannon as fitted to current USAF fighters. USAF

mostly running to dead ends. But one remarkable project was to revolutionise aircraft gunnery. In June 1946, the Armament Division of the General Electric (GE) company was awarded a US military defence contract which GE entitled Project Vulcan.

Unusually, it looked to historic technology for the answer, revisiting the long-obsolete original Gatling gun, which had proven highly reliable. That had been externally powered, usually by a hand crank. The project team borrowed a 1903 Gatling

gun from a museum and coupled it to an electric motor drive, briefly achieving a remarkable 5,000-round per minute (rpm) rate of fire before, unsurprisingly, breaking down. Building on this, the Gatling rotary cannon concept was reengineered from scratch. The first trial batches of guns were delivered in 1950, initially in 0.60in, 20mm and 27mm calibres. The calibre settled on was 20mm, and the Vulcan gun was adopted by the US Air Force in 1956. The gun is normally used at a selected rate of 4,000 or 6,000rpm though the design is able to fire at rates of up to 7,200rpm. This obviously takes place in very short bursts, usually less than a second, both because the objective is the maximum weight of fire in brief periods, and since carrying ammunition for extended firing would be weight-prohibitive as well as wearing out the barrels.

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E UR AT FE

gas

W NE

pth an aspect of aviation technology or tactics. This time our subject is the The GAU-4/A’s gas drive mechanism Round

Breech bolt

Cam follower

1

8

5

3

7 Camshaft

6

Cam Fixed cam path

How the mechanism works

Cam Rotor follower

1 An electrical contact is made through the firing

4 Other barrel ports at the opposite end of the

7 At the same time, on the other side of the rotor,

2 Exhaust gas is ported from barrel to gas drive cylinder, pushing the camshaft piston forward

5 Meanwhile, cam followers on the breech

8 As they rotate, the breech bolts are cammed

pin to a round and it is fired

3 The cam motion causes a cam follower

attached to the barrels, breech bolts and rotor to rotate the whole assembly (note that camshaft piston, shaft and cam do not rotate)

cylinder ensure the camshaft reciprocates back and forth, maintaining rotation bolts follow a fixed cam path on the inside of Battle of the gun housing, pulling them backwards as the Ruhr they rotate

The RAF’s McDonnell Douglas Phantom was, like the original F-4 design, not equipped with an internal gun (though other Phantoms were). The RAF obtained the SUU-23/A pod which had the GE GAU-4 Vulcan gun as a self-contained unit. This could be fitted to the FGR2, F-4J(UK) and the ex-Royal Navy FG1 versions, though originally the Navy’s FG1s were not so equipped. Unlike other fixed mountings of the Vulcan family

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rotation the empty cases are ejected

on aircraft, it was designed not to use any of the aircraft’s power to rotate the barrel unit, but was gas-operated with a podmounted internal electric inertia starter to start the firing run. This accelerated the gun to a firing rate of 5,400rpm before automatically disengaging; the gun’s gas operation runs up to 6,000rpm. The ammunition drum at the rear of the pod contains 1,200

WORDS: JAMES KIGHTLY ARTWORK: IAN BOTT

rounds of electrically primed 20mm ammunition of ball, armour-piercing or incendiary type. The six barrels are rigidly clamped together to achieve a minimum dispersal pattern though other clamp configurations can be used to provide a greater spread. The pod is hung from two suspension units with the electric power, ammunition state and firing circuits run through them

The podded Vulcan cannon as used on an RAF Phantom FGR2. DENIS J. CALVERT

forward until the rounds are chambered ready for firing

6 As the breech bolts near the bottom of their

R Y CANNON Modern aircraft versions are mostly externally powered by electric power rather than by the conventional gas or recoil operation of most other firearms. Thus the gas-operated version illustrated here is conventional in firearms terms, but unusual for an aircraft rotary cannon. This was chosen to ensure that the entire unit was self-contained in the pod.

new rounds are guided into the breech bolts via the conveyor system

from the aircraft. The attachment is the weakest aspect of the unit, early examples jolting off target due to the recoil. Like many ideas, once successful the rotary gun concept spawned several spin-offs, ranging from the famous Volkswagen Beetle-size 30mm cannon as fitted to the Fairchild A-10, and a range of original Soviet designs, to small ‘mini-gun’ machine gun versions used from the Vietnam War onwards. Currently a US company offers a pod-mounted mini-gun rotary cannon on the open market, which can be fitted to your own aircraft, or even your car. Correction: In note 6 of the Oboe Briefing File feature (July 2017), the Morse codes for ‘B’ and ‘C’ were accidentally reversed. ‘B’ should be _... and ‘C’ _._. when correct. Thanks to former radio officer David Fletcher, Lt Col (retired).

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DATABASE IN-DEPTH PAGES

DH84 Dragon II G-ACOR Fiona of Northern and Scottish Airways. AEROPLANE

Development

DE HAVILLAND DRAGON WORDS: JAMES KIGHTLY

Technical Details

● DH’s return to airliner production

In Service

● Opening up new air routes ● Military and civilian operators ● A comfortable conveyance

Insights

DH84M Dragon 22 Iraqi Air Force CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY

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DEVELOPMENT DE HAVILLAND DRAGON Test pilot Hubert Broad with the first Dragon. AEROPLANE

Back in the airliner business

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ust in excess of 200 de Havilland DH84 Dragons were built, but it was briefly an important, fast-selling type. It was notable for enabling the development of a remarkable network of medium-range airlines in Great Britain, and some overseas. Even though the Dragon was quickly eclipsed, it nevertheless gave notable service through and beyond World War Two. Edward Hillman had been using the DH83 Fox Moth very successfully in his eponymous airline, and the DH84 was a response to his request for a larger passenger aircraft. The Fox Moth carried three passengers with the power of one engine, which Hillman had found to be economical, and which enabled, for the first time in Britain, airline flying without excessively expensive tickets or the support of government subsidies. Moreover, the de Havilland company had noticed that the Fox Moth, even though it wasn’t a great seller, was popular as an air taxi. DH saw something between it and the larger airliners as a commercial opportunity. Such a machine would also, it turned out, meet a nascent Iraqi Air Force requirement for a multipurpose twin-engined type, as outlined to de Havilland during 1932 by Flt Lt H. E. Forrow, RAF adviser to the newly-formed air arm.

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Although it was mostly known for its well-regarded light aircraft, de Havilland had built a number of airliners prior to the Dragon, commencing with the Airco DH18, followed by the DH29 Doncaster, DH34, DH50, DH54 Highclere, DH61 Giant Moth and DH66 Hercules. While some of them had been successful, none was to prove as cost-effective as

de Havilland style. Power was provided by two of the firm’s proven Gipsy Major engines. Unlike the layout of DH’s earlier transports, the pilot was placed at the very front of the fuselage, ahead of the passenger cabin, and the passengers and the pilot were fully enclosed. The fuselage was of the simplest box structure, though more

The Dragon was an immediate success as a passenger airliner because of its remarkably low operating cost would the Dragon, nor indeed its successor, the Dragon Rapide. The design process for the Dragon followed de Havilland’s regular practice of evolution. It had a new, boxy fuselage and biplane inner wings, coupled with tail surfaces in the very identifiable

streamlined than it first appeared. Though it was designed to be operated by one pilot, Dragon users often added a crewman, able to act as starter for the hand-swung Gipsys as well as performing the roles of aircraft engineer, baggage loader, cleaner, ticket seller and more.

ABOVE: Dragon E.9 under test. de Havilland got the new design remarkably right from the start. BAE SYSTEMS

The first Dragon flew on 24 November 1932 at de Havilland’s Stag Lane aerodrome, in the hands of Hubert Broad. The design process was rapid, as The Aeroplane reported on 21 December 1932: “A remarkable fact is that the design was only talked about in August of this year and was actually not started until September…” It initially bore the manufacturer’s allocated code of E.9, and was originally known and advertised as the Dragon Moth (the North American apatelodes torrefacta), fitting with the nomenclature adopted originally by lepidopterist Geoffrey de Havilland for his aircraft. But the ‘Moth’ suffix was quickly abandoned. The Dragon was an immediate success because of its remarkably low operating costs. For the first time a full-size airliner offered exceptional load-lifting capabilities and minimal running costs. Flight was impressed with the economics of the type: on 22 December 1932, the journal stated: “… the tare weight of the machine, equipped to carry six passengers, is 2,300lb (1,045kg) and the permissible gross weight is 4,200lb (1,910kg), so that the ratio of gross to tare weight is no less than 1.825. The machine, in other words, carries as a normal disposable load and

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n imaginative de Havilland press demonstration — as was typical for the company — of the Dragon took place on 6 March 1933. It involved G-ACAO flown by Hubert Broad carrying six photographers, 60lb of baggage and two cameras. After taking off from the DH airfield at Stag Lane near Edgware, north London, the Dragon flew to Southampton at 105mph and 2,000ft, circled the docks and then headed back, Broad switching off the port engine and using full power on the starboard. He returned at 80mph and dived to get the prop started again before landing on both engines, an example of the DH84’s ability. Mike Hooks

Insights

AEROPLANE SEPTEMBER 2017

GOOD PUBLICITY

In Service

not in any way an overload, 82.5 per cent of its own weight! This is a quite remarkable achievement, and has only been equalled, to the best of our knowledge, by the de Havilland Fox Moth, in which the value exceeds 90 per cent”. It went on: “The top speed of the de Havilland Dragon is about 130mph (official figures are not available, but flying the Dragon against a Puss Moth, the former was the faster)… At 85 per cent of top speed the cruising speed is 111mph, so that the machine is not by any means a slow one”. Other early tests demonstrated that the aircraft cruised at 109mph using 13 gallons of fuel per hour while carrying six passengers with 45lb of baggage each. One Dragon, G-ACGG, was equipped as a VIP four-seater for the Prince of Wales. He was a notable supporter of British manufacturers. Previously owning a Fox Moth, he later operated an Airspeed Envoy and a Dragon Rapide in the King’s Flight (commanded by ‘Mouse’ Fielden), all painted in the colours of the Brigade of Guards. Another, G-ADOS, was obtained by Smiths Instruments and fitted out with all the firm’s available equipment as a flying technical showroom, being operated as such across Europe.

Technical Details

ABOVE: The Prince of Wales’s G-ACGG in its Brigade of Guards colours of red, blue and silver. It later went to Australia as VH-AAC before impressment as A34-10. AEROPLANE

The military variant, specified from the beginning of the design stage, was given an ‘M’ suffix, becoming the DH84M. The first batch was for the Iraqi Air Force. This version entailed no major changes to the airframe or engine, although the dorsal fin was given a reflex curved extension, but it was equipped with comprehensive armament: a fixed forward-firing gun on the starboard nose by the pilot’s leg, and in a dorsal position a Scarff-type ring-mounted gun with a detent rail protecting the empennage from enthusiastic gunners. It had provision for 20lb of light bombs on external racks under the fuselage. Radios, bombsight, cameras (plus bombsight and camera apertures in the fuselage floor) and associated fittings and other military equipment were housed in the otherwise sparsely furnished fuselage. There was greater access to the cockpit from the cabin because of cutaways on both sides of the bulkhead. The examples designated as DH84Ms that were sold to other military operators or converted from DH84s lacked all the enhancements and armament provisions of the Iraqi machines.

Development

DH84M

ABOVE: A development DH84M shows how light bombs could be mounted under the fuselage. AEROPLANE

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DEVELOPMENT DE HAVILLAND DRAGON many users it effectively replaced the Dragon. During 1934, de Havilland advertised the Rapide “for high-speed transport”, whereas by contrast the Dragon was offered “for air route development”. No wonder the DH84 was quickly eclipsed by faster, more exciting types. The day of the utilitarian Dragon, used by low-cost operators like Edward Hillman, was a very brief one.

ABOVE: The second Dragon II, G-ACKU — here fitted with a small nose probe for test purposes — competed in the Oases Circuit Race in November 1933. AEROPLANE

DRAGON II Sixty-two Dragons were built before de Havilland improved the design in production. It introduced a number of enhancements, visually evident by way of the individually framed windows and faired-in undercarriage struts. These strengthened the design and improved the type’s capability and costefficiency, its key selling-point. The changes added another 5mph to the top speed and allowed for a 250lb rise in baggage capacity. More importantly, however, they increased the range of the aircraft by 85 miles. There were 53 of these later Dragons built, from September 1933. They were known retrospectively as the Dragon II, although this does not feature in the paperwork of the time, the variant simply being called the ‘improved Dragon’. Stag Lane’s aerodrome licence was cancelled in January 1934, so all production was moved to Hatfield, where the remaining British-built Dragons first flew from. The decline of the Dragon’s production run can be ascribed in part to other de Havilland types capturing some of its market, notably the faster DH89 Dragon Rapide and the executive DH90 Dragonfly, both of which the company’s salesmen preferred to sell for their notably higher performance

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— and, importantly in financial terms, because they were more expensive. The pace of aeronautical development is amply illustrated by the appearance of the DH89 Dragon Six, soon renamed Dragon Rapide, in 1934. The prototype flew in April of that year, less than two years after the Dragon’s first flight. The Rapide was an improved, refined Dragon, but not a direct development, as it owed more to the DH86 Express four-engine airliner that came between the two, and which contributed to the Rapide’s detailing and configuration. Like the Dragon II, the Rapide benefited from better streamlining, and for

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION The Dragon was to see a resurgence. When the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) had an urgent need for locally built radio trainers, resulting from supply problems due to the pressure on UK manufacturers and Japan’s entry into the war, the DH84 Dragon was chosen. This might seem counterintuitive at first, as the DH89 had already been put into production and service in the UK as a radio trainer, the Dominie. But the DH82 Tiger Moth was in production in Sydney, built by de Havilland Australia (DHA) with locally made Gipsy Major engines from General Motors Holden in Melbourne. These Australian production Dragons were utility versions with unframed windows, similar to the first production-

standard Dragons. The first example was built in a storage area of Grace Brothers’ department store in central Sydney, and they were thereafter manufactured at DHA’s Mascot plant (not, as sometimes reported, at Bankstown) at a cost of Au£6,000 each. Between January 1940 and March 1941, the RAAF had already impressed seven Dragon and four Dragon II airliners that were in Australia, so the first locally produced version was serialled A34-12. It flew on 29 September 1942. After 87 DHA Dragons had been completed, production ended in June 1943, and a further order was cancelled. As well as their original role of radio training, they were used for communications, rescue, and air ambulance roles (with No 2 Air Ambulance Unit), and by multiple squadrons and flights. By June 1946 the remaining 56 aircraft had been sold to civil operators, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, who were desperate for any aircraft that could fill the transport or airliner roles successfully. The last of the 87 DHA-built machines brought to a final close a production run that had previously seen 62 early-model Dragons and 53 Dragon IIs being built in the UK.

ABOVE: de Havilland Australia Dragon production in full swing during 1942. THE COLLECTION VIA G. GOODALL AND R. JAHNE

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TECHNICAL DETAILS DE HAVILLAND DRAGON Development Technical Details

he DH84 Dragon had an all-wooden structure. The fuselage was built up as a plywood box, supported by spruce longerons and stringers. The biplane wings and tail were made of wooden spars (solid spruce routed to L-sections) and ribs, the wings and control surfaces were fabric-covered, and the fuselage and fixed empennage had a ply covering, with fabric overall. Access to control runs beneath the fuselage was provided by zip fasteners or lacing in the underside of the fuselage. The fixed horizontal tail was adjustable for trim by a screw-jack on the front spar. The rudder was balanced. The whole structure was covered with a nitro-cellulose finish, and the rear fuselage longerons with three-ply covering were treated with bitumastic paint to protect against condensation. The divided undercarriage, with its 12ft span, was fixed. It had a tailwheel and usually had light alloy spats covering

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the mainwheels for streamlining and as mudguards — as well as for aesthetic purposes. Bendix brakes were used. The suspension’s only moving part was one telescoping section, with a rubber in-compression shock absorber per mainwheel. It was recommended that the Dunlop low-pressure 8.5in x 26.5in tyres be pumped up to

nacelles. A jury strut, fitted to the front of the outer wing cellule when the wings were folded, was telescoped shorter and could be clipped to the underside of the upper wing when not required. Wing folding was by hand. The lower centre section had no dihedral, with just over 2° on the upper. The upper wing root had intakes for the cabin air vents, and a 12-volt

The cabin was usually configured for one pilot and six passengers, but the theoretical maximum load was 10 passengers a pressure of 28lb per square inch (higher at maximum load). The fully castoring tailwheel also had a low-pressure tyre and rubber in-compression suspension. The equal-span, two-bay wire-braced biplane wings had a 3° dihedral on the outer planes. The incidence of 3° and a very minor degree of stagger, 7.5°, was to facilitate outboard folding of the engine

dynamo could be fitted to the outboard port lower wing centre stub. The struts were of steel tube, while the ailerons on all four wings were linked by struts and had the standard DH-type differential action. The single-pilot cockpit was entered via an open bulkhead from the main cabin. Standard flying controls, a trim wheel and a Reid & Sigrist turn indicator were fitted. Engine

instruments were on the nacelles. A V-type windscreen was made of safety glass, as were side windows that could be lowered into the fuselage side “for ventilation and in misty weather”, according to the manual. The remainder of the glazing was celluloid. The cabin was usually configured for one pilot and six passengers, plus a 50-square foot baggage compartment (with an access door on the starboard side) and lavatory, but these could be removed and the cabin extended to take eight passengers. The theoretical maximum load was 10 passengers. The normal cabin dimensions were 9ft 9in long, 4ft 6in wide, and 4ft high. An executive-type layout was designed around one pilot and four passengers accommodated in relative luxury. Standard cabin equipment was sold separately for £95, and weighed 100lb. All Dragons had a single entry door aft of the wing on the port side, and an

Insights

T

Sturdy and utilitarian

In Service

ABOVE: Wartime Australian Dragon manufacturing showing the fuselages being built up in the Mascot factory. THE COLLECTION VIA G. GOODALL AND R. JAHNE

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TECHNICAL DETAILS DE HAVILLAND DRAGON

ABOVE: A demonstration of how the Dragon could be used as an air ambulance is carried out with G-ACBW of Air Dispatch, which also operated the ‘Paris Dawn Express’ service from Croydon. AEROPLANE

emergency exit in the roof. Various other doors and hatches were added for specialised roles. Military transport Dragons usually had fewer interior fittings and less soundproofing. The Australian production run developed a full ambulance interior with stretcher and attendant, basin, lockers and alternate provision for walking wounded. At the outset, power came from DH Gipsy Major Is of 130hp, without starter motors, provided with Kygas primer pumps, and powering a two-blade wooden fixed-pitch propeller each. The units were

mounted via rubber shock absorbers on steel tube mountings attached at four points, with a metal and asbestos fireproof bulkhead behind. Two 30-Imperial gallon fuel tanks were standard, sitting on the extended engine bearers above the wing centre section and covered by wood and fabric nacelles, with Smiths fuel gauge and a fuel pump. A 2.25-Imperial gallon oil tank was sited below each fuel tank. de Havilland offered a tailwheel steering stick and stub-plane telescopic jack set for ground handling and undercarriage inspection.

SPECIFICATIONS: DH84 DRAGON (early) POWERPLANTS Two de Havilland Gipsy Major I four-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engines, 130hp each

ABOVE: A typical DH84 cockpit showing the type’s single-pilot configuration. STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND

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DIMENSIONS Length: Wingspan: Width with wings folded: Height:

34ft 6in (10.52m) 47ft 4in (14.43m) 25ft 4in (7.72m) 10ft 1in (3.07m)

WEIGHTS Empty: Loaded: Maximum take-off:

2,300lb (1,045kg) 4,200lb (1,909kg) 4,500lb (2,041kg)

PERFORMANCE Maximum speed: Cruise speed: Range: Service ceiling:

128mph (111kt, 206km/h) 109mph (95kt, 167km/h) 460 miles (400nm, 740km) 12,500ft (3,800m)

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TECHNICAL DETAILS DE HAVILLAND DRAGON Development

DH84 DRAGON

Technical Details In Service Insights

DH84 DRAGON

DH84 DRAGON II

DH84 DRAGON FLOATPLANE

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IN SERVICE DE HAVILLAND DRAGON The first Dragon II, G-ACMC, was delivered to Jersey Airways in December 1933 and named St Brelade’s Bay. AEROPLANE

Opening new airline markets

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he first Dragon was re-finished in Hillman’s Airways’ colours and registered G-ACAN, with fleet number 7 on the nacelles. It went to Hillman’s on 20 December 1932, when it was christened Maylands after the airline’s home airfield near Romford, Essex by Amy Mollison (née Johnson). The type’s inaugural commercial flight took place on 1 April 1933, at the start of the new summer season, when the first four Dragons were ready to enter service together. This betrays a remarkably brief testing period and suggests satisfaction with the design right off the drawing board — no mean achievement then,

or now. It was a success from the start. The Dragons operated by Hillman’s soon had their baggage compartments removed in favour of two more seats, taking the passenger

The Dragons were ideal for extending Britain’s rail and bus routes to areas where trains or coaches could not go or were too slow number up to eight. Initial performance pleased Hillman, as the aircraft achieved a consumption of just 13 gallons of fuel per hour’s flying. The company paid its bus drivers and pilots the same wage, and pared fares to the bone to

ABOVE: Highland Airways’ G-ADCT being recovered by post boat from Rousay for repair. TOMMY GIBSON

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enable higher-volume traffic. Two further Dragons followed. DH84 services rendered more attractive the route operated by the three-passenger Fox Moths from Maylands to Le Bourget, Paris.

Amy Mollison was among the pilots flying for Hillman’s on its Dragons, one of only two regular jobs she was able to get — in this case as a volunteer — despite being the British Empire’s most famous woman aviator. She flew the London-Paris daily service for a few weeks in 1934. Five years later, she remembered her time there: “Never shall I forget the late Edward Hillman [he died later in 1934 at the age of 45], the ‘bus conductor of the air’ as he was often called. A ‘rough diamond’, but a most sound businessman, he had made a small fortune with his bus service. Then seeing a future in the air, he sold his business and converted everything into an airline to

Paris. Undercutting the fares of all competing companies, he made his own company pay without the help of any subsidy, giving almost a hundred per cent regularity and safety, although his passengers did not get quite the same degree of comfort as they had on other lines. ‘Second-class air travel’ he called his service, and an excellent idea it was too.” The Dragons were ideal for extending Britain’s effective rail and bus routes to areas where trains and coaches could not go or were too slow, particularly the mountainous environment of Scotland and its islands, and across the sea to the continent and Ireland. Railway Air Services, building on this idea, was one of the main British operators, with a fleet of nine Dragon IIs operating LiverpoolBirmingham-Cardiff-Plymouth and Birmingham-Bristol-Isle of Wight. An Australian-built Dragon, Torquil Norman’s G-ECAN, is a regular at UK airshows in Railway Air Services colours; it will be auctioned by Bonhams at the Goodwood Revival meeting this September.

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IN SERVICE DE HAVILLAND DRAGON

AEROPLANE

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eventeen Dragons were impressed into the RAF inventory upon the outbreak of war. No 3 School of General Reconnaissance at Squires Gate operated G-ADOS, the former Smith’s showroom, alongside BA Eagle ES948/G-AEKI, while five other DH84s were with No 24 Squadron at Hendon: X9395/G-ACIU (c/n 6041), which was lost at Mourmelon, France, in April 1940, X9396/G-ACMJ (6058) and AV982/G-AECZ (6105), plus two that escaped formal impressment, G-ACJT (6043) and ’DDI (6096). The former was written off in a crash at Weston on 20 December 1939, while ’DDI was sold to Vickers and survived the war. It was used on charter work at Croydon by Air Charter Ltd, owned by Freddie Laker, who was to make his name some years later with rather larger equipment! Nos 6 and 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Units at Ringway, Manchester and Castle Bromwich, Birmingham employed Dragons as well. Mike Hooks

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Insights

RAF IMPRESSMENTS

Touquet, Deauville and Dieppe, the second of the services being in the nature of an experiment. During the season 1,484 passengers were carried”. Furthermore, “From 1 May to 1 September Blackpool and West Coast Air Services Ltd carried no fewer than 3,762 passengers and some 40,000lb of newspapers on a twice-daily service between Liverpool, Blackpool, and the Isle of Man, using a DH Dragon — an increase of 100 per cent on the 1933 figures. Regularity was 99.6 per cent, and a daily service is being maintained throughout the winter.” One outstanding achievement even for this radical era was that of Jersey Airways. Originally established in 1933 with a capital of £20,000, a proving flight was carried out on 15 December that year using its first Dragon, G-ACMJ, with just the airline’s executives aboard. That December, there were 80 bookings from Jersey alone, so the airline immediately borrowed two additional Dragons from other operators, pending delivery of more of its own. A single fare of 32s 6d was offered from Portsmouth to Jersey, with a round trip at 55s. Flight charted the carrier’s subsequent growth: “The rise to prominence of Jersey Airways Ltd, though remarkable, might, perhaps, have been prophesied in view of the considerable saving of time. Started with a single Dragon between Portsmouth and St Helier on 18 December 1933, the Heston-PortsmouthJersey service has been filling

In Service

in February 1940 when approaching Dalcross airport, Inverness. Again, the passengers and pilot survived, but this time the Dragon was beyond economic repair. In March 1933, de Havilland advertised that 24 Dragons had been sold. Seven months after the type’s introduction into service, the figure had risen to 43. While these numbers may not seem that remarkable today, it was exceptional for the period, and even more notable given that the effects of the 1929 Wall Street crash were being experienced globally. In its airline round-up of 10 January 1935, Flight amply illustrated how much DH84s had opened up air routes across (and beyond) the UK. The journal reported, “the British Air Navigation Co Ltd, apart from their extensive charter work, have operated between Heston and Le

Technical Details

ABOVE: Dragon G-ACEV was in the Hillman’s fleet until August 1936.

eight machines daily during the season, and six fully equipped DH86s were ordered in November for this year’s operations. Despite the difficulties caused by the fact that the beach is used as a landing ground at St Helier, necessitating a continually changing timetable, 18,530 passengers were carried up to 10 November, and even in the winter the weekly average has been in the region of 250. During the season an average of 4.5 passengers per trip was carried. In July a bi-weekly Paris service was run from Jersey, but this year the trip will be made to Rennes, an important railway junction for the north of France. From 31 September onwards a daily service to Jersey has been continued”. In the 1934 season, the airline carried 19,761 passengers. A year after the Dragon’s rapid airline introduction, and following quick initial sales, a de Havilland advertisement in The Aeroplane’s last issue of 1933 estimated that one million miles had been flown by DH84s around the world. It boasted that the strengthened ‘1934 Dragon’ (now known as the Dragon II) was capable of carrying a greater payload and complied with ICNA (Ingénieur du Contrôle de la Navigation Aérienne) requirements. The Dragon came with electric engine starters, effectively enabling safe, single-crew

Development

In the north, the Scottish Motor Traction Company had one Dragon in readiness for ambulance trips to the Western Isles. Highland Airways (with four Dragons) and Aberdeen Airways (three, operating from Dyce) established viable routes and soon merged into Scottish Airways. In 1933, DH84s replaced Fox Moths on the routes of Midland and Scottish Air Ferries. Northern and Scottish Airways was founded with one Dragon operating from Renfrew, Campbeltown, Islay and the Outer Hebrides. The intensity of usage was high, and technical support limited, but even so Dragon airline operations were remarkably safe by the standards of the time. DH84s were often the first aircraft of their size to fly into and out of marginal, recently adapted airfields. Sometimes, inevitably, they came to grief. Dragon G-ADCT of Highland Airways crashed on approach to Trumland airfield on Rousay Island, Scotland. The pilot, John Rae, had his head pushed through the windscreen, but he and the passengers escaped major injury, even though the Dragon came to rest against the wall of Westness House’s vegetable garden. The Dragon was dismantled and shipped in sections by post boat to Kirkwall, where it was rebuilt and flew again, until crashing

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IN SERVICE DE HAVILLAND DRAGON operation at unmanned airfields, and navigation lights, for the reduced price of £2,750. The first DH84s, according to Flight, were sold for £2,795 complete, or £2,700 without cabin equipment. A complete set of instruments was included, among them a turn indicator as standard, but a radio was an optional extra. The de Havilland manual noted: “The interior of the cabin is treated with fireproof dope so that it conforms to the Air Ministry regulations allowing smoking to be indulged in”. Dragons were initially delivered with aluminium paint on the flying surfaces and any one colour the customer chose (excluding gold or white) for the fuselage, struts and undercarriage. Dragons were sold to private operators such as W. L.

Everard, who owned two, G-ACEK Leicestershire Vixen II and G-ACKU. Commercial Air Hire’s fleet delivered early editions of the daily newspapers from Croydon to the continent, starting in 1936, and saw use on army cooperation night flying contracts, working with searchlight and other units as international tensions grew. Some Dragons soldiered on, increasingly in the shadow of later types. Air Navigation & Trading’s G-ACIT and G-ADDI operated at Squires Gate for pleasure flying around Blackpool seafront until the 1960s when the wooden airframes started to be regarded with suspicion by officialdom, and maintenance became uneconomic. G-ADDI survives and is occasionally flown as N34DH in Oakville,

Dragon EI-ABI Iolar was the first aircraft operated by Aer Lingus. AEROPLANE

Washington State, USA, while G-ACIT is held by the Science Museum in its Wroughton, Wiltshire store. Scotland has one Dragon in the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune, East Lothian, to remember how the country was opened up by the type, though it is an ex-Australian machine, VH-SNB (formerly A34-13 and VH-ASK). Now

airworthy in Scotland, meanwhile, is George Cormack’s recently restored G-ACET in Scottish Motor Traction colours.

IRELAND In Ireland, the newly formed Aer Lingus started operations on 27 May 1936 with a single Dragon. This was the former

RECORDS AND RACING

T

he Dragon was unusual as a Fuel tanks and other equipment de Havilland type, as unlike were re-used in G-ACJM Seafarer II, many of its brethren it was to a replacement aircraft sponsored net few records. Construction and shipped to North America by number 6014 was taken from the Lord Wakefield of Castrol fame. The production line and configured to Mollisons tried to depart from the requirements of Amy and Jim Wasaga Beach, Georgian Bay, Mollison to attempt the world Ontario on 3 October 1933, at a long-distance record. The first plan, maximum load of 7,334lb, but the which was beset by false starts, got third take-off attempt damaged the the aircraft to New York, and from aircraft. Sold to Messrs J. R. Ayling there to Baghdad. and L. Reid and renamed Trail of the The close connection between Caribou, it successfully flew the Amy Mollison (née Johnson) and Atlantic eastwards, leaving — again Edward Hillman was exemplified from Wasaga Beach — on 8 August when, at Hatfield, Amy and her 1934. Due to excessive fuel husband Jim used a standard consumption, the team was unable ABOVE: Amy and Jim Mollison with their modified Hillman’s Dragon to practise their to reach Baghdad and beat the Dragon, G-ACCV Seafarer. AEROPLANE high-weight take-off technique. record, so they put down at Heston Registered as G-ACCV, their special Dragon was named to almost no reception after 30 hours 50 minutes flying time. Seafarer, and was equipped with a stronger undercarriage They had difficulty throttling the engines, caused by a special required to support three extra tanks in the cabin, which adaptation to prevent carburettor air icing, which they had not increased the aircraft’s weight to 7,334lb. This enabled an been able to manage properly while airborne for more than six estimated range of 6,500 miles, even against the prevailing hours in blind flying conditions. Ironically, on examination winds they expected to face. afterwards, it was found that the tanks still held enough fuel to Alas Seafarer was to be dogged by troubles. On 8 June 1933, have reached Baghdad. Another attempt, hoped to take place it hit a ditch attempting a max-load take-off at Croydon and the following year, did not go ahead. Though not the hoped-for nosed over. Repaired, another attempt was made from Pendine world record, Ayling and Reid’s was the first flight from Sands, Wales, since some beaches provided longer, flatter and mainland Canada to mainland Britain, Alcock and Brown having better weight-bearing take-off surfaces than many grass flown from then-independent Newfoundland to Ireland in 1919. airfields of the time. Flying west for 39 hours, Jim and Amy The first of the improved Dragons, G-ACKU, was built for were misled at Bridgeport, Connecticut, by ground activities W. L. Everard in November 1933. The following month it was and lighting and attempted (without realising) to land flown to victory in the Oases Circuit Race in Egypt by W. D. downwind. The Dragon overshot and was wrecked, and Jim Macpherson. Alan Butler, chairman of de Havilland, entered a and Amy ended up in hospital. Patched up, they later received DH84 as number 59 in the handicap section of the 1934 a ticker-tape parade through New York. MacRobertson air race, but did not make it to the start line.

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IN SERVICE DE HAVILLAND DRAGON

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AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND Two of the first Dragons in Australia, VH-URF and ’URG, were operated as survey aircraft for the Western Mining Corporation in Western Australia’s vast deserts. Respectively christened Gay

Insights

AEROPLANE SEPTEMBER 2017

One of the initial clients for the Dragon was the Iraqi Air Force, a new air arm founded in 1931, effectively under British control. The requirement was for an aircraft to quell local disturbances and carry out patrols and communication flying. The aim was continuation of the RAF’s ‘air policing’ role, but by British-trained Iraqi air and groundcrews. Eight Dragons were built as DH84M military variants and flown away to great media fanfare by their Iraqi crews, the first leaving on 13 May 1933. The air force used them against revolts by tribes in Diwaniya and Rumaytha, southern Iraq, in 1934. As far as civil operations were concerned, G-ACKC and ’KD were used for oil pipeline patrols by the Iraqi Petroleum Transport Company.

Prospector (later Golden Prospector) and Golden West in October 1933 by Mrs W. S. Robinson, the wife of the company founder, they went on to survey tens of thousands of square miles of potential goldfields. Based out of Kalgoorie, they were fitted with Williamson Eagle IV cameras, toilets, thicker windows to improve soundproofing, strengthened undercarriages with oversize tyres for rough airfields, extra tanks enabling flights of up to eight hours’ duration, and a wing root-mounted winddriven generator to power the Marconi radio and associated direction-finding kit. Scheduled to complete the survey of 80,000 square miles in two years, the DH84s did so

In Service

After serving with several British airlines, one Dragon, G-ACNI (c/n 6071), was delivered to the Irish Air Corps as serial 18 in March 1937 after conversion to DH84M standard by Airwork at Heston. It served at Baldonnel with No 1 Reconnaissance and Medium Bombing Squadron, and later as a target tug, but was lost in a take-off crash on 16 February 1941 due to ground locking devices having been left in place. Mike Hooks

IRAQ

Technical Details

IRELAND’S MILITARY DH84

ABOVE: Iraq’s eight DH84Ms awaiting delivery from a rather wet Hatfield aerodrome in May 1933. AEROPLANE

in September 1934. They went on to be used as transports for Western Mining Corporation staff and equipment. As well as Hollyman Airways’ Tasmania run, MacRobertsonMiller Aviation operated three Dragons on the 2,252-mile Perth-Dailey Waters route in Western Australia, while Butler Aviation flew a single example between Charleville and Cootamundra as a leg of the England-Australia air mail service. During 1949, one Trans Australia Airlines Dragon was used in Queensland to drop bait as a means of eliminating dingoes, certainly one of the type’s more unusual jobs. Schutt Airfarmers employed two Dragons for cropspraying, certainly a punishing task for the aircraft, while others were flown in less demanding conditions with Marshall Airways and the Royal Aero Club of New South Wales. What was Australia’s last active Dragon, VH-UXG, crashed with six fatalities in 2012, but A34-92 is on static display at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook, and a third is in private hands for a long-term restoration. Dragons were the first twin-engine transports to become operational in New Zealand, with East Coast Airways’ ZK-ADS and ’ADR flying from Napier to Gisborne four times a day starting in April 1935. Today an Australian-built Dragon, Stan Smith’s ZK-AXI Taniwha (named after a Maori water monster, or ‘dragon’) is available for pleasure flying from North Shore Airfield north of Auckland, having

Development

G-ACPY, leased from Blackpool and West Coast Air Services — part of the Olley group — and registered as EI-ABI. It was christened Iolar (Eagle). The DH84 flew between the Irish Air Corps airfield at Baldonnel, Dublin and Bristol, until replaced in 1938 by Dragon Rapide Iolar II. The company had just 12 staff and it was claimed that all the spares were kept in a biscuit tin. Restored to the UK register as G-ACPY, the former Iolar was lost during World War Two, flying with Great Western and Southern Airlines between the Scilly Isles and Land’s End when it was shot down by a Luftwaffe aircraft on 3 June 1941. All six on board were killed. Aer Lingus decided in 1967 to obtain a Dragon to restore as Iolar, ready to be put on show next to its first Boeing 747 during 1971. The derelict former G-AECZ/EI-AFK was returned to taxiing condition, then hung in the departures hall at Dublin Airport. In 1985-86 it was fully restored, registered as EI-ABI and flown again, in an inspiring project by volunteer staff. Currently active under the ownership of the Aer Lingus Charitable Foundation and flying with the Irish Historic Flight Foundation, this second Iolar has had periods of grounding but remains a popular aircraft on the European scene.

TURKEY AND THE DRAGON

The Turkish Air Force received four Dragons. Following extensive six-week demonstrations in Turkey during November 1934, G-ACXI (c/n 6087) was sold to the country’s armed forces the following month and three more ordered. Originally registered G-AEIS, ’EIT and ’EIU (c/n 6107-6109), they were converted to military standard and delivered in December 1936. Turkey had given no official requirements for the aircraft but de Havilland had demonstrated that it could be a transport or a navigation and photographic trainer. No details of their service use have been reported, though they were extant at least as late as 1943. Mike Hooks

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Its equipment for the training role was felt to

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IN SERVICE DE HAVILLAND DRAGON

ABOVE: Dragon VH-AOR of Qantas Empire Airways at Lae, New Guinea in 1948, in front of grounded Avro Ansons of Guinea Air Traders and sunken wartime Japanese ship Tenyo Maru. AL BOVELT COLLECTION VIA GEOFF GOODALL

ABOVE: The final two DH84Ms in service were flown by the Portuguese Air Force. The last of them remained operational until at least 1953. AEROPLANE

been restored and flown again 20 years ago. Other Dragons were used in the tough environment of New Guinea, one each being operated by Territory Airlines, Madang Air Services and Mandated Airlines. Wooden airframes did not survive long in the hot, humid and challenging flying conditions there.

A later-production Dragon II, CF-AVD had been sold to Canada as late as February 1935. It was fitted with floats designed by the Canadian Fairchild company and the DH84M-style extended fin to counter the larger keel area forward of the nose. It was much publicised for its utility, but substantial orders for

MAINLAND EUROPE

CANADA

Substantial orders for float-equipped Dragons did not follow: there were just two

Dragon CF-APJ was delivered in May 1933 to Canadian Airways Ltd of Montréal, where it was profitably used for summer joyriding from Cartierville airport. It then joined the airline’s Maritimes division, carrying the mail between Moncton, New Brunswick and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, but was eventually cannibalised in October 1942, enabling Dragon CF-AVD to be reconditioned.

float-equipped Dragons did not follow. There was only one more sale direct from production, that of CF-AVI. CF-AVD survived until May 1944 when it stalled on take-off at Baie-Comeau, Québec. CF-AVI was swept over a dam at Godbout during a storm in January 1941.

In October 1933 the Hærens Flyvertropper (Danish army air force) ordered two DH84s. Capt C. C. Larsen flew both of them from Hatfield to Copenhagen. Serialled S-21 and S-22, they were based at Værløse and intended for observer training, with a pilot, instructor and four pupils in each aircraft. S-21 was destroyed with the loss of three crew members at Ringsted on 24 February 1936, while attempting to search for a phantom ‘lost’ aircraft. S-22 crashed on 9 August 1939, the six aboard surviving. Interestingly, the Danes decided to replace the DH84s with the DH90 Dragonfly for the same tasks, as well as pilot blind flying training. Several Dragons were registered in France, comprising F-AMTN to ’TR, ’MUZ and ’NES. Two of them equipped Lignes Aériennes

Nord Africaines (LANA) in North Africa. Single Dragons ended up in some remarkable locations; the former G-ACIE, for instance, was re-registered OK-ATO to the Bata shoe company of Czechoslovakia. The Portuguese military received three Dragon IIs for use as trainers and transports in 1937. Configured without armament but with the extended fin, they were the first enclosed-cabin aircraft in service with the Aeronáutica Militar, while the last two of the trio delivered were the final British-built DH84s. They were given serials 504 to 506 and allocated to the Escola Militar de Aeronáutica, where one was destroyed. The others soldiered on until 1952 when they were transferred to the Força Aérea Portuguesa. 504 was still flying in 1953.

ABOVE: DH84 Dragon CF-AVD Canadian Airways CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY

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Development

AT WAR IN SPAIN

T

AFRICA, INDIA AND BRAZIL

Registration (c/n)

Previous operator

G-ACDL (6106)

Luxury Air Taxis, Worthing

G-ACEV (6023)

Airwork, Heston

G-ACKC (6056)

Commercial Air Hire, Croydon

G-ACKU (6066)

Wrightways, Croydon

G-ACNA (6067)

Olley Air Services, Croydon

In Service

All arrived eventually, although ’CKU returned to Croydon with engine trouble and was grounded with leaking fuel tanks — five-gallon tanks had been strapped into passenger seats and stacked on the floor, connected to the main tanks by rubber hoses and a hand-pump for the non-stop flight to Barcelona. The remaining aircraft of the 12 ordered never left the UK, an export ban having been imposed. Meanwhile, the four in Spain were fitted with rudimentary armament and joined the Republican ‘Red Wings’ squadron, which operated a mixed bag of types. On one occasion, several Dragons were part of a bomber formation that included a Fokker F.VIIB/3m, a Latécoère 28, six Breguet XIXs, a Vickers Vildebeest and a DH89M (three of which had been built and delivered in June 1936). A fighter escort of four Nieuport 52s was provided. The Dragon was an easily recognisable type, but when a pair of Savoia-Marchetti S62 flying boats were attacking Dornier Wals off Algeciras, one of them landed in a panic on sighting an ‘enemy fighter’ — this proved to be Dragon G-ACCZ of Crilly Airways, which was running secret errands for Gen Franco! Mike Hooks

Insights

Dragons ZS-AEI and ’AEF were registered to the Aircraft Operating Company in South Africa. ZS-AEI, the former G-ACDM, arrived in March 1934, and was unusually configured with porthole windows and the extended DH84M fin. It was later impressed into the South African Air Force as SAAF 1570. Arriving on 30 June 1933, ’AEF was used for a 20,000-square mile air route survey of Northern Rhodesia, but crashed in Johannesburg on 29 September 1933, killing company founder Maj William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick and Sir Michael Oppenheimer. Two more Dragons were used in southern Africa. ZS-AEG was registered to African Air Transport Ltd in 1933. Going on to see use with Rhodesia and Nyasaland Airways, it was re-registered as VP-YBY in 1938 and based at Salisbury. It was taken over by Southern Rhodesia Air

Services in 1939. ZS-AEH went to Stewart & Lloyds of South Africa in November 1933, and was named Corby in service, joining the SAAF as 1414 in March 1940. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, was Wilson Airways. It operated DH84s VP-KAW and ’KBA, and offered services to Mombasa, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. G-ACKD was flown by the Ethiopian government until it crashed on take-off at Akaki in March 1936. Egypt’s innovative Misr Airwork was equipped with SU-ABH, ’ABI and ’ABJ, using them to extend its routes further afield from 1933. By 1939, only one was operational. VT-AEK and ’AEL were delivered to Indian National Airways, leaving from Heston on 2 November 1933. A single DH84, PP-SPC, went to Viação Aérea São Paulo of Brazil. It was delivered by W. T. Ballantyne, de Havilland’s local representative, who flew the aircraft across the South Atlantic with his wife as passenger.

Technical Details

he Civil War between Spanish Nationalists and Republicans would seem an unlikely place to find Dragons, but they were involved. In 1933, Automobiles Fernández of Barcelona bought c/n 6020 new for its Aerotaxi services, and it was ferried to Spain in temporary marks as EC-W14 before becoming EC-TAT on arrival. On the outbreak of war it was requisitioned and pressed into service in Catalonia with the Republicans. An attempt to buy 12 more Dragons was only partially successful, five leaving the UK on 15 August 1936. They were as follows:

Dragon VP-KBG of Wilson Airways in good, Imperial Airways, company at Kenya Colony, Kisumu. G. ERIC MATSON/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

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INSIGHTS DE HAVILLAND DRAGON LEFT: The first Dragon delivered to Hillman’s Airways, G-ACAN Maylands, as christened by Amy Mollison in December 1932. AEROPLANE

A delight to fly

A

my Mollison recalled in 1939 her earlier flying for Hillman’s Airways: “Day after day, in all weathers, I turned up in the morning to fly the 9am service to Paris with full loads of six passengers and baggage in a DH twinengined Dragon plane. I was in sole charge of the aircraft and used a wireless telephony set to communicate with Croydon and Le Bourget. With no blind-flying instruments such as we know them today, and with only telephonic radio communication, no directional wireless, and no blind-landing apparatus, some of those crossings were far more hazardous than my passengers ever guessed. However, two completely reliable engines saved us from trouble.” When Amy christened the first Dragon in Hillman’s service on 20 December 1932, a Flight correspondent recorded their experience of a subsequent press trip: “We had the pleasure of a short flight in the Dragon on this occasion, and were very favourably impressed with the comfort afforded. It is definitely quieter than a Puss Moth and very comfortable indeed. In whatever part of the cabin the passengers sit, they get a reasonably good view, in fact, better than one would at first imagine possible, bearing in mind the twin-engined arrangement. The cabin is so quiet that speech is quite possible without raising the voice unduly, while the upholstery of

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the inside should prove as durable as it is comfortable and practical. Adequate arrangements are provided for the introduction of fresh air and also for keeping the cabin warm”. This author, incidentally, can confirm that the Dragon is still a comfortable and enjoyable conveyance in the 21st century. “From the pilot’s point of view”, the report went on, “the Dragon must be considered an excellent machine for commercial purposes. The outlook is unrestricted in all directions, and, in fact, cannot be better, while Mr H. Woods, the chief pilot of Hillman’s Airways, told us that he finds the Dragon admirable to fly. From a maintenance point of view it is also very accessible.”

‘PONTIUS’ PILOTS THE DH84 A pilot’s report on the Dragon was published in The Aeroplane on 16 August 1933,

under the nom de plume of ‘Pontius’, and it was a remarkable write-up. “I suspect that the average pilot thinks of the multi-engine aeroplane as a Higher Mystery, like slide-rules or moneymaking”, the anonymous aviator wrote. “Let them try the Dragon. Nothing could be simpler, easier or more self-explanatory. “Sitting in the pilot’s seat the petrol taps and the switches obviously belong to their appropriate engines. The instruments are those of the ordinary aeroplane, and are clearly seen, although the compass might be raised nearer the Reid and Sigrist turn-indicator. RPM indicators and oil pressure gauges are clearly visible on the enginehousings. A generous tail adjustment wheel with trim indicator provides a very sensitive and excellent adjustment, necessary with the great variations of load which can be accommodated in the cabin. Two segmented windows open cunningly.

A very elegant, unmarked, Dragon II — possibly the initial such example, G-ACMC, before it was registered. AEROPLANE

“The take-off is short, full control is available straight away, and there is a marked absence of tendency to swing. I tried taking off with one engine throttled well back and still kept perfectly straight… Flying light we reached 1,000ft in exactly 50 seconds from opening the throttles. There was no difficulty in synchronising the engines, as the throttles very sensibly have a wide angle of movement. The aeroplane can rapidly be trimmed to fly ‘hands off’, and could be left for many seconds ‘feet off’ as well. The view in the air is not good, it is magnificent. “The controls are the best I have ever used on an aeroplane of this size, and better than a number of light aeroplanes. I was sorely tempted to acrobat a little, but did not know what accumulators and loose stuff were aboard. Steeper turns can be made, effortlessly, than is usual, and a few level stalls showed perfect control harmony. We turned freely against either engine in our light condition. We took the opportunity of a cloud layer to fly blind for 10 minutes, and found no vice but a good deal of virtue in this respect. “Incipient spins to left and right showed that the aeroplane really would stall, in extremis, which seemed almost surprising after the rather searching but uneventful ‘errors of judgement’ which I deliberately perpetuated. Spin recovery is positive and instantaneous. There is aileron control up to and even into the spin, which is a very fine testimonial.” ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Maurice Austin and Phil Vabre of the Airways Museum, Monica Walsh of the RAAF Museum Archive, Geoff Goodall, and Stan Smith, operator of New Zealand’s airworthy Dragon.

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Events

Flying Legends Air Show

L

ike any airshow, Flying Legends has evolved over the years. The most obvious departure in 2017 was the opening of Sunday’s show by the Red Arrows, whose routine was interrupted for several minutes by an airspace infringement to the north of Duxford, and was in any case aligned some way off to crowd right in order to prevent overflight of local avoids. But The Fighter Collection’s annual celebration of historic aircraft has changed in other ways, too. Take the Balbo finale. Go back two decades and the number of aircraft in it regularly hit the high 30s. For 2017, 19 were mustered, all UK-based, plus of course the gap-filling ‘Joker’ — or, rather, ‘Jokers’. For Saturday the role was performed in spectacular fashion for the first time by Richard Grace in Anglia Aircraft Restorations’ Fury ISS, but Sunday saw him followed by Nick Grey in Comanche Fighters’ Spitfire Ia X4650, back in its Dunkirk film markings. And while the Balbo itself may not be so large as in the past, other elements of the show have grown, such as the range of early World War Two aircraft. For many, the weekend’s highlight was the Battle of Britain section. No fewer than five Hurricanes had been parked together on Duxford’s grass — two of them, Hugh Taylor’s P3717 and P2902 from Anglia Aircraft Restorations, have of course been completed in 2017, this being the public debut for P2902 piloted by Stu Goldspink. With them were Hurricane Heritage’s R4118, the Shuttleworth Sea Hurricane and the Historic Aircraft Collection’s ‘P3700’. All five took to the air, accompanied by the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Blenheim and three Spitfire Ias.

Morten Andreassen flies the Dakota Norway DC-3 like no-one else. HARRY MEASURES

As the others got into formation, Brian Smith and Pete Kynsey in the two Comanche Fighters Spitfires gave a polished performance as a pair before departing to join the IWM’s N3200 at the formation’s rear. On Saturday Hurricane P2902 developed a minor problem after take-off, which prevented Stu Goldspink from joining up. Sunday, though, was better, and we witnessed five Hurricanes, the Blenheim and three Spitfires pass overhead before they broke for separate routines. It was not lost on some that the grouping represented well in percentage terms the numbers of each type on Fighter Command strength during 1940. More traditionally, the programme’s warbird action was opened by an excellent sequence involving nine

8–9 JULY

Spitfire/Seafire variants, a series of formation passes preceding a trademark Duxford tailchase with one group performing to the south while the other flew passes closer to the crowd. On Saturday they were followed into the air by one of the show’s stars, P-51B Berlin Express, but its appearance proved fleeting as the ‘Malcolm hood’ canopy disintegrated just over the runway when Nick Grey made his opening fast run-in. With the Mustang safely on the ground, there was then a delay while the airfield fire service searched for and removed the debris. As Berlin Express was also due to feature as one of the Horsemen team, this item had unfortunately to be cancelled from Saturday’s programme. That evening, the Horsemen rehearsed with Robert Tyrrell’s Miss Helen replacing the damaged Berlin Express in what was now a P-51D trio alongside the Norwegian Spitfire Foundation-operated ‘sharkmouth’ example and Comanche Fighters’ other visitor, Frenesi. All was fine for them to display on Sunday, and as

Hurricanes on the grass, the Balbo in the air: wonderful moments at Flying Legends 2017. HARRY MEASURES

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The Battle of Britain formation — Hurricanes, Blenheim and Spitfire Ias — stole the show.

With super-sub Miss Helen joining ‘the Shark’ and Frenesi, the Horsemen put on a typically superb Mustang aerobatic display.

PHIL WHALLEY

HARRY MEASURES

Air racing greats: Comet, ‘Mystery Ship’, Mew Gull and Cosmic Wind. JOHN DUNNELL

The Sea Hurricane and three Hurricanes, flown by Paul Stone, Dave Harvey, Keith Skilling and Frank Chapman, fly through as Stu Goldspink aerobats P2902 behind. HARRY MEASURES

anticipated the routine by Steve Hinton, Ed Shipley and Dan Friedkin was outstanding. Miss Helen and Frenesi then formed the closest pair you are likely to see, though the naval ‘Ultimate Pistons’ duo of TFC’s Bearcat and the Fury in the hands of Pete Kynsey and Richard Grace ran them close. The Swiss-based Classic Formation of DC-3 and Beech 18s is well suited to Legends, especially accompanied by the melodies of the Manhattan Dolls. Later a pair of DC-3s should have flown, but an engine problem en route with the Swedish Flygande Veteraner machine meant we were down to one. Fortunately this was Morten Andreassen in the Dakota Norway example — a display that never fails to impress, the question of whether or not his wingovers go past the vertical always being asked (they don’t, incidentally).

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Some new combinations added variety. A North Africa campaign segment saw Alan Wade in TFC’s P-40F chasing and being chased by John Romain at the controls of the ARC’s Buchón, complete with smoke generator. The Buchón looked splendid in its temporary 1941 desert scheme. Plane Sailing’s Catalina and TFC’s Wildcat performed a surprisingly attractive duet. Perhaps it was something to do with the difference in size between the two types making it often seem as if they were occupying the same piece of sky, but this was very nicely done by Derek Head and Dave Southwood. Further reminding us that Legends isn’t just about warbirds, an unusual air racing group comprised Shuttleworth’s DH88 Comet and Mew Gull, Richard Seeley’s reproduction Travel Air Type R ‘Mystery Ship’ and Pete Kynsey’s Cosmic Wind Ballerina, with commentary from former

Red Bull Air Race champion Paul Bonhomme. The first day’s simulated contest was well spaced-out but it was tightened up the second time round, Anna Walker and Ballerina indulging in some spirited overtaking of ‘Dodge’ Bailey in the Comet. But back to the Balbo, and unfortunately there was a sting in the tail, with the problems encountered right at the event’s close by TF-51D Miss Velma. It was with great relief that the crowd heard there had been no injury to the pilot following the two-seat Mustang’s forced landing in a field east of the M11. This wasn’t the happiest conclusion to what had otherwise been a rather fine weekend’s flying, with plenty of highlights. Certainly, the Battle of Britain formation, the Horsemen and Sunday’s pair of ‘Jokers’ will stick in the Flying Legends memory bank. John Dunnell

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Events

8

JULY

RNAS Yeovilton Air Day

I

nitial impressions of Yeovilton’s 2017 Air Day were of a varied and interesting static park. Notable were an RAF-camouflaged Czech Air Force Aero L-159 marked as AD572/DU-C to represent a wartime Spitfire Vb of No 312 Squadron, Royal Danish Navy Lynx S-191 of Eskadrille 723 in a superb preretirement ‘1980-2017’ colour scheme, and both Martin-Baker Meteors, WA638 and WL419, lined up together in what was surely an airshow ‘first’. WA638 has been involved in testing the Mk16E ejection seat for the F-35, as evinced by a badge on its nose; a good case of the old meeting the new.

The BBMF’s ‘Thompson Formation’ really is quite superb. BEN DUNNELL

The ‘home team’ of Navy Wings and the RN Historic Flight was well represented, statically speaking, with Swordfish W5856 and Sea Fury FB11 VR930 alongside Sea Vixen XP924, which looked deceptively intact after its wheels-up landing of 27 May, and the Fleet Air Arm Museum’s Sea Venom. Sadly, the paperwork for Sea Fury T20 VX281 had not yet been signed off after its restoration, while Swordfish W5856 awaits engine parts and was also unable to fly. The RNHF was thus represented in the air only by Chipmunk WK608, piloted by Chris Götke in an impressively tight display of aerobatics.

The weather was kind for the flying, in which several aircraft (Patrouille Suisse, RN Wildcats, Czech L-159 and Gripen, Belgian F-16) made use of flares to light up the sky — not that the sky needed lighting up. The BBMF Lancaster made a welcome return, appearing alongside Spitfire XIX PS915 but without giving its customary solo display. The crowd’s favourite was surely the two-ship of Aéronavale Rafale Ms from Flottille 11F at Landivisiau flying a noisy, all-action routine. With good organisation, friendly security and bag-checking, a five-hour flying programme, an airfield full of things

Habib Boukharouba joined in the spirited Air Tattoo departure day action with his gleaming Magister. BEN DUNNELL

Royal International Air Tattoo

W

hat aircraft now qualify as historic? Given that this year’s RIAT line-up of current operational types included a US Air Force B-52H built in 1960, and two Andravidabased Hellenic Air Force F-4E Phantom IIs that entered service in 1974, the definition can be somewhat elastic. The RAF’s ‘desert pink’-painted Tornado GR4 reminded us that this type has flown operationally non-stop for the past

RIAT’s Heritage Flight duo: Frenesi and F-22A. DAVID HALFORD

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25-plus years, whereas the Austrian Air Force has had its venerable Saab 105OEs since 1970, and they still look the same now as they did then. The Sukhoi Su-27 is definitely redolent of the Cold War, though the ‘pixelated’ liveries applied to the two Ukrainian Air Force examples present, one giving very welcome flying displays — the first by a ‘Flanker’ in the UK since the great Anatoly Kvotchur performed at Jersey in 2001 — indicated that they were upgraded single-seat Su-27P1M and two-seat UB1M variants. The French Air Force had already marked the centenary of the arrival of American forces in France in 1917 by sending the Patrouille de France on a six-week tour of the USA this spring. To salute that critical event, and the centenary of the squadron SPA 85 ‘La Folie’, one of the two Alpha Jet Es from Tours had various figures painted on its tail, including that of Eugene J. Bullard,

14-16 JULY

who from May 1917 was the first and only African-American pilot to fly operationally in World War One. A most elegant reminder of an earlier French classic trainer, the Fouga CM170 Magister, was parked next to them, Habib Boukharouba’s immaculate F-AZXV showing off its lines admirably in Monday’s departure ‘wing wave’. Meanwhile, the 30th anniversary of the Armée de l’Air’s second major attack on Wadi Doum in Libyan-occupied northern Chad in January 1987 was commemorated in markings on the desert-camouflaged Mirage 2000D of the Couteau Delta pair, one of the show’s stand-out display teams. The BAE Systems exhibit always includes a range of historic aircraft harking back to its ‘ancestor’ companies. This year’s selection included Hurricane Heritage’s Hurricane I, Shuttleworth’s Provost T1 and Mark Petrie’s Strikemaster

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Event Planner September 2017 UK

01-03 02-03 02-03 03 08-10 08-10 09-10 14

23-24

Sywell, Northants: Light Aircraft Association Rally — www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk Low Green, Ayr, S Ayrshire: Scottish International Airshow — www.tsia.scot Portrush seafront, County Antrim: Airwaves — Northern Ireland International Air Show — www.airwavesportrush.co.uk Old Warden, Beds: Shuttleworth Heritage Day — www.shuttleworth.org Foxlands Farm, Cosby, Leics: The Victory Show — www.thevictoryshow.co.uk NOTE: Airshow on 09-10 September only Goodwood, W Sussex: Goodwood Revival — www.goodwood.com/flagship-events/goodwood-revival RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire: Scampton Airshow — scamptonairshow.com St Aubin’s Bay, St Helier, Jersey: Jersey International Air Display — www.jerseyairdisplay.org.uk NOTE: Static display at Jersey Airport open 13-15 September St Peter Port, Guernsey: Guernsey Air Display — www.guernseyairdisplay.co.uk Southport seafront, Merseyside: Southport Airshow — www.southportairshow.com NOTE: Evening airshow on 15 September only IWM Duxford, Cambs: Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show — www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/airshows/2017/ duxford-battle-of-britain-air-show Sywell, Northants: Sywell Classic Pistons and Props — www.sywellclassic.co.uk

02-03 02-04 02-04 02-04 09 09 09 09 09-10 09-10 13-17 16 16 16 16-17 16-17 16-17 16-17 16-17 17 22-24 22-24 23 23-24 29-01 Oct 30 30 30-01 Oct 30-01 Oct

Steamboat Airport, Steamboat Springs, Colorado: Wild West Air Fest — www.steamboatchamber.com Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland National Air Show — www.clevelandairshow.com Lake Ontario, Toronto, Ontario: Canadian International Air Show — cias.org Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan: Thunder over Michigan Air Show — www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow/# Altus AFB, Oklahoma: Altus AFB Airshow — www.altus.af.mil/Airshow2017.aspx Burnet Municipal Airport, Texas: Bluebonnet Air Show — www.bluebonnetairshow.com Golden Age Air Museum, Grimes Airfield, Bethel, Pennsylvania: Flying Circus — www.goldenageair.org/events.htm L. O. Simenstad Municipal Airport, Osceola, Wisconsin: Wheels and Wings — www.wheelswings.com Akron-Fulton Airport, Ohio: Props and Pistons Festival — wadsworthairshow.wixsite.com/wpapf Mather Airport, California: California Capital Airshow — www.californiacapitalairshow.com Reno-Stead Airport, Nevada: National Championship Air Races and Air Show — www.airrace.org Roland-Désourdy Airport, Bromont, Québec: Spectacle Aérien des Cantons de l’Est — www.spectacle-aerien.com County Fairgrounds, Hughesville, Pennsylvania: Balloonfest, Air Show and So Much More — www.lcrotary.com Ocean City Airport, New Jersey: Airport Festival — www.oceancityvacation.com JB Andrews, Virginia: Joint Base Andrews Open House Midland International Airport, Texas: CAF Airsho — www.airsho.org Montrose Regional Airport, Colorado: Tribute to Aviation — www.tributetoaviation.com NAS Oceana, Virginia: NAS Oceana Air Show — www.oceanaairshow.com Stewart International Airport, New Windsor, New York: New York Air Show — airshowny.com Ocean City Boardwalk, New Jersey: Boardwalk Aerobatic Airshow — www.oceancityvacation.com London International Airport, Ontario: Airshow London — www.airshowlondon.com MCAS Miramar, California: MCAS Miramar Air Show — miramarairshow.com Camdenton Regional Airport, Missouri: Lake of the Ozarks Air Show — www.lakeoftheozarksairshow.com Colorado Springs Airport, Colorado: Pikes Peak Regional Airshow — www.pprairshow.org Huntington Beach, California: Breitling Huntington Beach Airshow — www.hbairshow.com Easton Airport, Maryland: Easton Airport Day — eastonairportday.com Leesburg Executive Airport, Virginia: Leesburg Airshow — www.leesburgairshow.com Flying W Airport, Medford, New Jersey: Flying W Airshow — flyingwairshow.com Grand Junction Regional Airport, Colorado: Grand Junction Air Show — gjairshow.com

02 02 02-03 02-03 02-03 03 03 08 09-10 09-10 09-10 09-10 09-10 10 15-17 16 16-17 16-17 16-17 16-17 17 20-24 23-24 24 30-01 Oct

Breda Airport, The Netherlands: VSV Breda Airshow — vliegshow.com Örebro, Sweden: Örebro Flygdag — www.orebroflygdag.se Hradec Králové, Czech Republic: Czech International Air Fest — www.airshow.cz Militärhistorisches Museum, Berlin-Gatow, Germany: Flugplatzfest — www.mhm-gatow.de Rodez-Marcillac Airport, France: Free Flight World Masters — www.freeflight-wm.com Cuatro Vientos, Spain: Fundación Infante de Orleans Flight Demonstration Day — fio.es/Exhibiciones.html Notodden Airport, Norway: Telemark Air Show — www.notoddenairshow.no Hechtel, Belgium: Sanicole Sunset Airshow — www.sanicole.com Borkenberge, Germany: Flugplatzfest — www.borkenberge.com Krems, Austria: Austrian Airfest 2017 — www.airfest.at St-Junien, France: Légend-Air en Limousin — legendairenlimousin.blogspot.fr Schmerlat, Switzerland: Flüügerfäscht — www.schmerlat.ch Sinsheim, Germany: Flugtag Sinsheim — www.flugtag-sinsheim.de Hechtel, Belgium: Sanicole International Airshow — www.sanicole.com Sion Airport, Switzerland: Breitling Sion Airshow — www.breitlingsionairshow.com Den Helder Airport, The Netherlands: Heldair Show Maritiem — www.heldairshowmaritiem.nl Lausitzring, Germany: Red Bull Air Race — airrace.redbull.com/en_INT/event/lausitz Ostrava-Mosnov, Czech Republic: NATO Days and Czech Air Force Days — www.natodays.cz Sivrhisar Air Park, Turkey: Sivrihisar Air Show — www.shgairshows.com Tanagra AB, Greece: Athens Flying Week Air Show — www.athensflyingweek.gr Laval-Entrammes, France: Laval Aero Show — www.lavalaeroshow.com Santa Susanna seafront, Spain: Festa al Cel — www.festaalcel.com Luqa International Airport, Malta: Malta International Airshow — www.maltairshow.com Avignon-Caumont Airport, France: Avignon Air Show — www.avignonairshow2017.fr Gergovie, France: Cervolix — www.cervolix.fr

Both of Martin-Baker’s Meteors graced the Yeovilton static line. PAUL FIDDIAN

14 15-17

to do and an adult ‘on the gate’ ticket price of £28, Yeovilton 2017 surely represents (controversial personal opinion coming up) the best-value family day out on the UK airshow circuit. Denis J. Calvert

23-24

Mk82A, but all were overshadowed by the debut outing of Aero Vintage’s magnificently restored Airco DH9. Apart from reintroducing the Lancaster for the first time at RIAT since its engine fire, overhaul and application of new markings, the BBMF added an elegant fighter four-ship of Hurricane LF363 and three Spitfires, their extended ‘dumbbell’ tailchase covering the full crowdline. With the Lancaster they made up ‘Thompson Formation’, a nod to the flight’s founder 60 years ago, Wg Cdr Peter Thompson DFC. Sadly they were not awarded the Steedman Display Sword for best demonstration by a UK participant, which went to the rather underwhelming RAF Typhoon instead. All major USAF-led shows have to have two main ingredients, the six F-16Cs of the Thunderbirds, who largely failed to impress, and the Heritage Flight, flown here by Dan Friedkin in P-51D Frenesi with an F-22A Raptor tucked in alongside. Preceding this were displays from B-17G Sally B and Peter Teichman’s P-51D Tall-in-the-Saddle, the latter’s landing circuit interrupted on Sunday by the sudden arrival of a B-2A Spirit accompanied by two F-15Cs. An historic American aircraft on static, Tony de Bruyn’s OV-10B Bronco, attracted an unexpected visitor in the form of Gen Tod Wolters, commander of US Air Forces in Europe. The general was a Bronco pilot at Sembach, Germany, early in his career, and later an instructor on the type. It will be interesting to see what the RAF will come up with to mark its 100th anniversary at RIAT next year. The USAF’s 70th has certainly set the bar high. David Halford

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NORTH AMERICA

MAINLAND EUROPE

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Reviews

REVIEWS RATING ★★★★★ Outstanding ★★★★★ Excellent ★★★★★ Good

★★★★★ Flawed

★★★★★ Mediocre Enough said

The latest books and products for the discerning aviation enthusiast

BOOK of the MONTH Hurricane R4118 Revisited by Peter Vacher published by Grub Street

We wouldn’t normally give such prominence to the second edition of an existing book, but this one absolutely deserves it. Peter Vacher’s tome on Hurricane R4118, which he recovered from India in 2001 and had restored to flying condition, first appeared 12 years ago. Back then, the Battle of Britain veteran fighter had only been airworthy for a few months. It is now a familiar attraction on the air display circuit, but much has changed in the intervening time. Further research into R4118’s history has unearthed a great deal of previously unknown information, and, of course, the aircraft itself has changed hands. New owner James Brown cherishes the

Junkers

by Mark A. Chambers published by The History Press This is much more then the sub-title ‘Military Aircraft of World War II’ suggests, the first 58 pages giving an overview of the company and its aircraft from the beginning in 1895. The company’s inter-war civil transports from the F 13 to Ju 90 are covered, as are research aircraft of the period. The Ju 52 begins the bomber section, since it had an early bomber variant. Each type is described in great detail, including the Fw 190/Ju 88 Mistel combination, and the same goes for the advanced Junkers piston and jet engines. Future projects to the end of WW2 are discussed, and there

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Hurricane just as Peter Vacher did, and his Hurricane Heritage organisation has established itself firmly on the UK historic aircraft scene. Some of the updated material — Nicolas Livingstone’s remarkable tale of how R4118 shot down an RAF Whitley in a ‘friendly fire’ incident, and James Brown’s splendid piece on how he came to acquire the machine — will be familiar to Aeroplane readers from our September 2015 and July 2016 editions, but is no less fascinating for that. And there’s plenty more, including wartime letters home from No 605 Squadron pilot Christopher ‘Bunny’ Currant, who flew this Hurricane in 1940, a contemporary ‘from the cockpit’ report by Keith Dennison, and quite a lot of new or recently found imagery. Criticisms? Well, the book’s design is less than inspiring, and there are instances where a further sub-editing intervention would have been beneficial. But this detracts little from an excellent account of one of the finest warbirds to be seen in British skies. Ben Dunnell ISBN 978-1-910690-43-7; 9.5 x 6.75in hardback; 192 pages, illustrated; £20 ★★★★ are notes on the company’s impact on aviation and warfare. Some lead one to ponder further; for instance, the Ju 287 with a forward-swept wing and four Jumo 004 turbojets had a fixed, spatted undercarriage, hardly conducive to the proposed maximum speed of 487mph! Many illustrations are unfamiliar and are credited to the US National Archives. Readers will know of the painting-out of swastika tail markings on photos released post-war, but here they are all shown complete with these marks as they should be. There are eight pages of good colour illustrations. This is a very interesting book, but it seems somewhat insulting that the washed-out full-page illustration facing the title page shows Hitler and Goering, while the only picture of Hugo Junkers — not a supporter of National Socialism — is a passport-size inset on page 2. Surely this warranted the full-size position opposite

the title page? I suspect the designer is to blame, not the author. Mike Hooks ISBN 978-0-7509-6418-0; 10in x 9in hardback; 168 pages, illustrated; £25 ★★★★

Evolution of British Jet Engines 1926-1966

by Bill Howard published by Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) For the author to cover — and to cover so succinctly — as wide a sweep as is suggested by the sub-title ‘Early British Aero Gas Turbines from the RAE and Whittle to the pre-eminence of Rolls-Royce’ is a considerable achievement. The story of British jet engines starts with work done at RAE Farnborough as early as 1926, while the period covered ends in 1966, when Rolls-Royce took over Bristol Siddeley Engines to become the major (didn’t say ‘only’) UK player. Howard’s comprehensive and accessible text covers the technical innovations, production programmes, the inevitable politics, mergers within the industry, the arrival of viable jet and turboprop aircraft, the development of VTOL flight and much, much more. This is not a large-print run book from a major publisher; rather, it is a perfect-bound (glued) volume with a clear-coated cover, and all illustrations are black and white. That said, it is welldesigned and laid out, with numerous illustrations, tables and diagrams. Factually, everything seems to check out impeccably, save the statement on page 133 that, “An American version of the Harrier was built by McDonnell Douglas as the AV-8A”. All AV-8As were produced in the UK; it was the later AV-8B that was built by McDD at St Louis. DJC no ISBN; 11.7 x 8.3in softback; 222 pages, illustrated; £18.50 from www.fastmuseumshop.org.uk ★★★★

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by Mario Overall and Dan Hagedorn published by Helion & Co It would take more than my allotted word limit to explain the strange circumstances which led, in 1969, to El Salvador and Honduras crossing swords in a short armed conflict that would become known as ‘The 100 Hour War’. To state the causes as being soft fruit and football would be simplistic, yet both were undeniably contributing factors. Neither Central American country had large or well-equipped armed forces. El Salvador’s front line included a mix of F-51 Mustangs and FG-1 Corsairs, while Honduras had F4U Corsairs and armed T-28 Trojans and T-6 Texans. Despite all being 25 years past their sell-by date, these types proved strangely wellmatched. A few air-to-air engagements also took place between these largely WW2-era fighters before the inevitable ceasefire came into effect. This is a fascinating story, little-known and here well-related. All photos (save the cover) are in black and white. The reproduction is good, as evinced by the shot on page 21 of requisitioned civilian Salvadoran P-51D YS-210P, although some of the originals were seemingly of poor quality. All, though, fully justify inclusion by virtue of their extreme rarity. Denis J. Calvert ISBN 978-1-911096-50-4; 11.7 x 8.3in softback; 72 pages, illustrated; £25.00 ★★★

CALENDARS Cross & Cockade International

The First World War Aviation Historical Society, Cross & Cockade International, has launched the 2018 edition of its popular annual calendar — available in a limited edition of 500.

Each of the 12 months features a painting by a different artist of an aircraft or combat scene from the 1914-18 conflict; shown above is the October page, with Ivan Berryman’s lovely depiction of a Farman F40 going after a Taube. Proceeds go towards the British Air Services Memorial at St-Omer, erected by the society in 2004. £10.00 plus p&p from www.crossandcockade.com

MODELS Diverse Images Lightning F3 Diverse Images, with more than 20 years’ experience in producing hand-crafted pewter models of a high standard, has just released a 1:72-scale depiction of an RAF English Electric Lightning F3. It represents XR749, sporting unusual light blue upper surfaces as well as a dark blue spine and fin, when in service with the Lightning Training Flight at Binbrook, Lincolnshire, in October 1985. This was the former No 11 Squadron aircraft in which Flt Lt Mike Hale famously overtook a British Airways Concorde during a training exercise; on a separate occasion it intercepted a USAF Lockheed U-2. Note that the model is a limited edition of just 25 copies. £179.00 plus delivery; two optional figures £15 extra

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! IN W

The 100 Hour War

Battle of Britain book

Aeroplane is delighted to offer four readers the chance to win a signed copy of The Battle of Britain, the new book by wellknown author and broadcaster James Holland with specially commissioned illustrations by Keith Burns. Part of the recently launched Ladybird Expert series, written for an adult readership, The Battle of Britain presents, in the publisher’s words, “a new narrative of one of the most important battles and key turning points of the Second World War”. It forms part of a 12-volume history of WW2 in the Ladybird Expert series. The Battle of Britain by James Holland is available now, published by Michael Joseph in hardback, price £7.99. To be in with a chance of winning a copy, answer the following question:

Who was the commander-inchief of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain? Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number, to: Battle of Britain Book Competition, Aeroplane, Key Publishing, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1XQ, UK. Alternatively, e-mail your answer and contact details to [email protected] with ‘Aeroplane Battle of Britain Book Competition’ in the subject thread. The winners will be the first three correct entries drawn after the closing date, 17.00hrs UK time on Friday 15 September 2017. Winner will be drawn at random. There is no cash prize alternative and the editor’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. Competitions are not open to employees of Key Publishing, their family members or anyone else professionally connected to the company. On occasions, Key Publishing Ltd and Michael Joseph may make offers on products or services that we believe to be of interest to our customers. If you do not wish to receive this information, please write NO INFORMATION clearly on your entry. No purchase necessary.

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Archive

Ben Dunnell explores The Aeroplane’s outstanding archives to cast new light on past stories

‘LONGSTOP’

What was at the time the biggest airborne exercise mounted in Britain since the war took place 70 years ago

A

s of 1947, Britain’s airborne forces and its military air transport fleet were straddling two eras. On the one hand, they had at their disposal capabilities that were soon to become obsolete: troop-carrying gliders, for example. On the other, while new aircraft like the Handley Page Hastings were still to enter service, the likes of the Douglas Dakota and Avro York remained very capable, as would be proved the following year when the Berlin blockade demonstrated the growing Soviet threat. ‘Longstop’ was the name given to what The Aeroplane called “the largest airborne exercise since the end of the war”, staged at Netheravon, Wiltshire and Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on 22-23 September 1947. “Seven

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hundred men, their guns and jeeps, on the end of parachutes make a very impressive sight. Equally impressive is the speed with which the present-day mobile staging post for the forward air supply of the army is established. We know, because we have seen for ourselves.” This was in some ways rather more of a demonstration than an exercise, although it did fulfil military training purposes. It took place before “a 3,000-strong gathering of Army, Navy and Air Force officers, the military and air attachés of practically every country in the world and representatives from home and overseas commands in the RAF”. Distinguished visitors

included the Secretary of State for Air, Philip Noel-Baker, Chief of the Air Staff and Marshal of the RAF Lord Tedder, and Field Marshal Lord Montgomery, then Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Given the mutual antipathy between Tedder and Montgomery, one can presume that they spent little time in conversation… The scenario involved showing “how an airborne assault into an enemy territory is planned and executed, followed by ground operations for establishing an air base on [a] captured enemy airstrip”. For this purpose, The Aeroplane described, “Salisbury Plain was part of the semi-civilized country bound to ‘Blueland’ by a military treaty. Because of an inefficient and ill-equipped

ABOVE: Waves of RAF Dakotas stream in over Netheravon during the paratroop-dropping phase of Exercise ‘Longstop’. ALL PHOTOS AEROPLANE

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Archive

TOP: At Brize Norton, the Yorks line up in front of the assembled dignitaries, ready to offload their cargoes. ABOVE: Dakotas lined up at Brize Norton as still more make their landing approaches in the background. ABOVE RIGHT: A small static display of transport was mounted at Brize for the interest of the VIPs: from left to right are a Vickers Viking from its manufacturer, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster from the newly established US Air Force’s All Weather Flying Center, and a Bristol 170 Freighter demonstrator.

military force, it was vitally necessary for ‘Redland’ to establish an air base immediately…” This base was Netheravon, then an RAF station. That demonstration was ‘Longstop’s’ prime purpose was evinced by the fact that elements of the exercise were cancelled due to strong winds. To begin with, the 4th Parachute Battalion and a liaison detachment from the 2nd Parachute Brigade HQ should have been dropped a mile south of Netheravon, capturing and holding the airstrip “until the arrival of reinforcements the following morning”. However, with the wind speed reaching 25mph as against a peacetime limit of 18mph, this aspect was canned. The wartime limit was cited as 26mph. Instead, the 47 Dakotas and three Handley Page Halifaxes flew past with their cargoes still on board. It gave the BBC’s Charles Gardner something to talk about during his broadcast that evening, recorded during the afternoon’s proceedings.

96th Airborne Light Battery. “Their equipment included guns, jeeps and gun teams”. Further Halifaxes and Dakotas then appeared, towing the assault gliders over from Fairford: 12 Airspeed Horsas and nine General Aircraft Hamilcars. According to the reporter, “the accuracy with which they all finished up in a bunch at the appointed place on the aerodrome was quite remarkable. Without delay they disgorged their equipment, mainly made up of special rolls of tracking for temporary runways, and powerful bulldozers.” A Waco Hadrian had landed as an addendum to the glider force, and once an airfield surface had been prepared it was snatched back into the air by a suitably equipped Dakota. The idea here was that the Hadrian was being “used for the evacuation of VIP prisoners”. The Aeroplane noted presciently how “the use of helicopters (for short-range work) would be more practicable”, and indeed a trio of Sikorsky Hoverfly IIs were on hand “to demonstrate their suitability for bringing staff officers into battle”, flown by “RAFtrained Army pilots”. In its ‘Longstop’ report, Flight recounted that this “took place in very close — almost too close — proximity to the spectators.”

One Avro York simulated an arrival with one engine out, whereupon the recently airborne ground crew pounced upon it and started work on replacing the engine with one flown in previously

Conditions had improved somewhat the next day, though the wind was only a little more favourable. The first drop was

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scheduled for 10.30hrs, involving 48 Dakotas carrying members of the 6th Parachute Battalion and, again, the 2nd Parachute Brigade HQ. “Flying in ‘vics’ of three, they came over in four waves of 12 aircraft each. To those, like ourselves, who have not seen a mass drop of this nature, the concentration obtained was quite incredible. Within 10 minutes the contents of these No 46 Group Dakotas had been disgorged. On the average, there were 20 men in each aircraft, plus one or two supply containers. Amongst the latter,

there were some failures. With the exception of a few bruises due to being dragged along the ground on landing, there were no casualties amongst the troops.” That last line, with the benefit of other accounts, seems to have been over-optimistic. At least one paratrooper’s ’chute failed to open, fortunately leading to nothing more than heavy contact with terra firma. Ten Halifaxes followed, containing one troop each of the Royal Artillery’s 9th Anti-Tank Battery and

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“Final deterrent to the already outnumbered enemy”, The Aeroplane continued, “was provided by the arrival of a flight of Dakotas with four Jeeps, and trailers and 75mm howitzers. Even more impressive was the unhurriedly regular arrival of 48 Dakotas carrying the 1,000 men of the 3rd Parachute Battalion. The speed with which the men deplaned and marched off created a marked impression.” That drop concluded ‘Longstop I’. The same afternoon, attention switched to Brize Norton for ‘Longstop II’, demonstrating the operation of an RAF mobile staging post and an Army forward supply organisation. It had not been considered possible to hold the whole affair at a single airfield, and, as the report said, “The practice dropping of paratroops, moreover, is always made where there is a minimum risk of landings being made on hard surfaces.” This time, “it was assumed that Brize Norton had been captured, with runways intact, apart from minor damage, but with all buildings and internal communications destroyed by previous bombing attacks and ‘scorched earth’ destruction by the enemy. Since its capture, the airfield had been sufficiently developed to receive heavy transport aircraft and all the equipment for the staging post and forward air supply organization had been flown in. The afternoon’s demonstration was confined to a

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demonstration of the arrival of the last loads of equipment, their distribution and use.” The assets involved mainly hailed from No 47 Group, beginning with Yorks containing RAF movement personnel and related equipment. The loads that followed took in the Army forward air support organisation, RAF maintainers and their equipment (including spare aircraft engines and wheels), and further Army personnel and equipment. One York simulated an arrival with an engine out, whereupon “the recently airborne ground crew pounced upon it and started work on replacing the engine with one flown in previously.” Activities relating to this wave of aircraft “occupied little more than 15 minutes”. Six more Yorks brought further supplies, and a final quartet carried RAF signals and medical equipment and personnel, jeeps and an RAF Regiment platoon. The Aeroplane described ‘Longstop’ in its entirety as “one of the most convincing demonstrations that we have seen since the war”, though aspects of it had been altered for the purposes of demonstration. For instance, the staging post built during ‘Longstop II’ was a compact affair, whereas in real-world conditions it would have been dispersed across the site. Likewise, Flight in its report mentioned how “the timing appeared to be a trifle optimistic, and later

aircraft had to keep their engines ticking over for a considerable period before the aircraft in front of them had unloaded and cleared.” Both the RAF and Army considered ‘Longstop’ to have met their main aims. But one aspect of the exercise, carried out in front of a privileged few observers only, had perhaps the most immediate significance. This was a demonstration by 24 Dakotas of what The Aeroplane called “controlled landing at close intervals”, employing “new methods of radio control”. The technique had been developed by the research department at Transport Command HQ and tested at Bassingbourn. At this stage, it allowed aircraft to land at a rate of one per minute under instrument flying conditions. At Brize Norton the Dakotas flew in at twominute intervals, with a maximum error of just 40 seconds. Such capabilities would be brought to bear in Berlin, once the airlift’s own air traffic systems had been sufficiently refined. This was perhaps the main legacy of the capabilities shown as part of ‘Longstop’ — named, incidentally, after the moniker applied by Allied troops to a strategically important hill in Tunisia during the campaign there in June 1943. However, as a relatively public means of demonstrating Britain’s airborne capabilities, covered extensively in the press, the event had served a wider propaganda purpose.

ABOVE: A Jeep being driven gingerly out of a York’s side loading door.

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in I the SS O Th U C Co UK E TO e nte o go B nts n 1 es ER su 4 on bje S ct EP sale to TE ch M an ge BE . R

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Limited to just 4,999 editions

– First orders receive lower edition numbers On the 17th May 1943, a squadron of WWII’s most successful night bombers prepared to embark on Operation Chastise. The courageous crews and iconic Avro Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron were led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson as they soared into military history as The Dambusters. Honour these brave men and their mighty planes on the landmark 75th anniversary of the Lancaster’s active service with a limited edition watch. Officially endorsed by the Lest We Forget Association,, this handcrafted watch features an oversized crown and numerals, sleek hands inspired by WWII pilots watches and a genuine brown leather strap. The working timepiece mechanism is exposed, whilst the blue-toned face is adorned with a detailed rose gold-plated Lancaster design. The casing reverse is etched with a tribute to the WWII aircraft in addition to a depiction of three Lancaster Bomber’s approaching the Möhne Dam. Only 4,999 of these watches are available. To validate the limited edition, each watch is etched with the individual edition number on the reverse. Applications are now open and this offer is likely to attract great interest, and not just from watch collectors, so please apply promptly.

Shown smaller than actual size. Watch bezel (inc. crown) measures 1.81 inches (4.6 cm) in diameter. Strap (inc. buckle) measures 7 inches (18 cm) in length x 0.75 inch (2 cm) in width..

KEY DETAILS EVENT: The 75th anniversary of the Lancaster’s active service. LIMITED RELEASE: Only 4,999 watches are available. Each is etched on the reverse with the individual edition number. The earlier your order the lower your watch number will be.

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The rear of the casing features a tribute to the Lancaster Bomber in addition to an engraved depiction of three Lancasters

FORMAL APPLICATION: DAMBUSTERS LANCASTER BOMBER MECHANICAL WATCH

DO NOT SEND ANY PAYMENT WITH THIS APPLICATION: if successful, you will be notified in writing within 7 days YES, I wish to apply for ______ (Qty) of the ‘Dambusters’ Lancaster Bomber Rose Gold-Plated Mechanical Watch for just £129.95, payable in five interestfree instalments of £25.99 (plus £9.99 S&H). The watch is limited to just 4,999 editions. Each is etched with the individual edition number. A customdesigned presentation case and a Certificate of Authenticity are included free of charge. I do not need to send any money now. If my application is successful I will be notified in writing within 7 days. I understand the watch is covered by your 120-day money-back guarantee. I confirm I am 18 years or over.

To apply now, send the coupon below. For priority, call now, on

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© The Bradford Exchange. * S&H - Service & Handling. Offer applies to UK only. Our guarantee is in addition to the rights provided to you by consumer protection regulations. This mechanical watch has been endorsed by the Lest We Forget Association (charity number 1162122). Applicants must be aged 18 years of age or over. UK mainland addresses only. *Offer applies UK only and is subject to availability. A credit check may be carried out by a licensed Credit Reference Agency. Full Terms and Conditions are available on request. Please note, we may contact you via email and mobile with information about your reservation and other relevant offers. From time to time, the Bradford Exchange Telephone/Mobile Third Party Companies 526-WAT02.02 may allow carefully screened third party companies to contact you. Please tick the boxes if you do not wish to receive such communications by: Email

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