Aeroplane Monthly 2017-10

TYPHOON FORCEIN THE LUFTWAFFE’S SIGHTS SPEED KINGS MILES M52 VERSUS BELL X-1 • Circuit of Britain • J 29, Bearcat and ‘Blackbird’ records MEMORIES OF ...

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SPECIAL ISSUE

THE QUEST FOR SPEED

October 2017 Issue No 534, Vol 45, No 10

HISTORY IN THE AIR SINCE 1911

TYPHOON FORCE IN THE LUFTWAFFE’S SIGHTS

DATABASE BLACKBURN SHARK

SPEED KINGS

MILES M52 VERSUS BELL X-1 • Circuit of Britain • J 29, Bearcat and ‘Blackbird’ records

MEMORIES OF THE ‘MOSSIE’… and more

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Contents October 2017

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See pages 26-27 for a g reat subscription offer

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NEWS AND COMMENT

FEATURES

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OPERATION ‘BODENPLATTE’ The Luftwaffe’s ‘last throw of the dice’ did much damage to RAF Typhoons and Spitﬁres on the ground at Eindhoven DUNKIRK BEHIND THE SCENES Insights into ﬁlming Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed movie

DEVELOPMENT BLACKB URN SHARK

109 DATABASE: BLACKBURN SHARK Matthew Willis recounts the history of a forgotten torpedo bomber

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DATABASE IN-DEPTH PAGES

Birth of Blackbur BLACKBURN SHARK new n’s torpedo

Shark IIs from HMS Courageous ﬂying in formation prior to making a mass mock attack on the British ﬂeet as it returned from the 1937 spring cruise. AEROPLANE

WORDS: MATTHEW WILLIS

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bomber

he Blackburn Shark is aircraft to the regarded today Fleet Air Arm, as a a role it would minor part of metal structures, retain until the Fleet Air Second World Arm history, suitable for naval particularly ABOVE: The War. During B-6 Shark prototype thoroughly eclipsed 1920, Blackburn because of their aircraft conducting torpedo-dropping developed additional near-contemporary by its tests from Gosport the Swift, a large strength and the Fairey Napier better tolerance in early 1934. As designed, Swordﬁsh. The Lion-powered to the marine the Shark’s torpedo Shark served single-seater environment. gear carried for barely two that, as the Dart, the projectile The Ripon IIc years in with a distinct nose-down introduced operational squadrons service with the entered duralumin ribs trim, which the Fleet Air Fleet Air Arm — and steel spars, Arm 1935-37 — and in 1923. The and the experimental reduced. AEROPLANE requested be spent most of Dart its career in unglamorous Ripon III replaced by the was of 1928 brought two-seat in an all-metal second-line roles, Ripon, and in structure with turn a streamlined facing the enemy only brieﬂy Bafﬁn, an upgradedby the fuselage, and promote the and without square-cut Ripon conspicuous powered by a to simplify fabrication. wings number of idea of a smaller success. Bristol Pegasus multi-purpose actually had slightly Yet it radial. The pattern for types replacing better the performance Blackburn’s approach aircraft had fallen RN carrier accepted single-rolethree than into three Swordﬁsh, handledthe evolving tried-and-testedof main types by aeroplanes, permitting just as well the mid-1920s: and possessed designs each the torpedo aircraft, and carefully design to perform more modern features, such several introducing new spotter-reconnaissa the roles and maximising as an enclosed ● An ‘extraordinarily stable’ technologies nce aircraft cockpit and stressed-skin enabled its products their and the ﬁghter. torpedo usefulness. As bomber All three types to a result, the structure. improve steadily could also carry Admiralty began ● Embarked with the ‘Whistling in bombs, but In 1918, the Royal performance otherwise the which roles could to consider Shark’ and capability. roles were introduced torpedo Navy ﬁrst be One such development relatively combined. The distinct. In 1930, aircraft ● Superior to the Swordﬁ was in obvious intended speciﬁ Fleet Air Arm sh? solution was cally ofﬁcers began to combine the from aircraft carriers. for use to torpedo By the and spotterearly 1920s, the reconnaissance Blackburn The trials programme requirements, Aeroplane and as both were Motor Car showed the aircraft fulﬁlled by be extraordinarily Company had multi-place become the to stable in all aircraft leading supplier and loadings, good endurance needing of torpedo engine on or axes at all speeds off carrying capacity. and load-

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Shark I K5625 444 Catapult Flight, Fleet Air Arm CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY

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The aircraft that would emerge as the Shark evolved

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Insights

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SKYWRITERS Q&A Your questions asked and answered HOOKS’ TOURS More superb colour images from Mike Hooks’ collection — this month, depicting the Vickers Viking REVIEWS EVENTS NEXT MONTH

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In Service

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1911 CIRCUIT OF BRITAIN One of the UK’s ﬁrst great air races MILES M52 VERSUS BELL X-1 New research casts doubt on the notion that Britain could have beaten America to Mach 1 PLUS! Special book offer SAAB J 29 Sweden’s little-known world speed records DARRYL GREENAMYER’S BEARCAT The fastest propeller-driven aircraft of its day LOCKHEED SR-71 RECORDS The ﬁrst and last USAF ‘Blackbird’ records

JETSTREAM AT 50 The early years of the last Handley Page aircraft 84 NACA P-63 The ﬂight test years of a rare warbird 90 AEROPLANE MEETS… DAVID OGILVY The ex-RAF Mosquito pilot who became a leading ﬁgure in the early days of the UK ‘ﬂying museum’ scene 100 MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT A key episode in the Paciﬁc War

Technical Details

REGULARS

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FROM THE EDITOR NEWS • Mustang beats speed record • Another Buchón at Sywell • Mosquito NFII re-assembled …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

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127 AEROPLANE ARCHIVE: DESOUTTER A war of words that reached the press COVER IMAGE UK: A Royal Canadian Air Force pilot completes a mission in a Hawker Typhoon. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

COVER IMAGE US: A US Air Force Lockheed SR-71A. USAF

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Editor From the

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So much about our present-day alk to those who were aviation museum scene can be put involved in the earlier years down to buccaneering approaches of aircraft preservation in like these. Individual aircraft may Britain, and a number of never otherwise have been acquired familiar themes come up. “No-one or restored. Entire museums may told us we couldn’t” is one. There never have existed. There’s a lot weren’t people around to tell those to be thankful for as a result. Of preservation pioneers they couldn’t course, museums and their staff set up their own flying museum, or couldn’t do a lot of it now. All sorts acquire a particular airframe. They just of present-day concerns — many of got on and did it. Another favourite them perfectly legitimate; I’m not was the use of a bit of subterfuge. one for looking through rose-tinted Even at major museum institutions, spectacles — would get in the way, senior figures found that the best way something especially true of the to push projects through was simply national collections in these times of to get on with them in the absence of decreasing funding from the public official permission. That way, when purse. And with the top men found aviation museums out, it was already Due recognition today being far too late to call a should be paid to those more highly halt. developed than This came whose early endeavours was the case 30, across very did so much to further the 40 or 50 years ago, strongly in my interview a few UK aircraft preservation the opportunities rarely exist. But months back with movement due recognition Dr Christopher needs to be paid Roads about the to those — and there were many, Imperial War Museum’s pioneering quite apart from the names most days at Duxford, published in the often remembered — whose early April issue. He forged ahead with endeavours did so much to further the expansion of the IWM’s presence the movement, even when they did into more and more hangars at the so through means that would find Cambridgeshire airfield, to the point no favour in the 21st century. Some at which it was impossible for anyone museums, the Newark Air Museum in higher authority to roll things back. being a shining example, have done It was re-emphasised this month much to document and champion by David Ogilvy in our ‘Aeroplane their own histories. Others have been meets…’ feature. As general manager less active in this regard, even when of the Shuttleworth Collection from there are tremendous stories to be 1966-80, when there were things told. Above all, the whole sector owes he wanted to pursue, he found it its pioneers a lot. preferable to press on rather than go Ben Dunnell through all the official channels.

ESTABLISHED 1911

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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 TONY BUTTLER In this issue Tony brings together two aircraft that were both designed speciﬁcally to break the ‘sound barrier’, the American Bell X-1 and British Miles M52. Under development at the same time, these designs experienced extremely contrasting fortunes. The X-1 became the ﬁrst to ﬂy supersonically, while the M52 was cancelled very controversially before it had ﬂown. Incorporating his latest research, Tony’s article examines the design and development process, the early stages of the X-1 ﬂight programme and the background to the demise of Britain’s contender.

STEPHEN CHAPIS Stephen is a full-time emergency medical technician, a private pilot, and a retired 21-year veteran of the District of Columbia Air National Guard where he was an F-16 bomb loader. He is currently the associate editor for Warbird Digest, and has been a frequent contributor to several Key Publishing titles. His ﬁrst book, Allied Jet Killers of World War 2, will be published as part of Osprey’s ‘Aircraft of the Aces’ series in November 2017.

ALAN DOWSETT “I joined Handley Page in 1959”, says Alan, “and did a ﬁve-year engineering apprenticeship followed by ﬁve years on ﬂight test instrumentation, mostly on the Victor and Jetstream. I was an instructor in HP’s gliding club and gained a PPL on the ﬂying club’s Auster Aiglet. After HP the rest of my working life was spent with BAe at Hatﬁeld, and then MBDA at Stevenage, retiring in 2006. I became a founder member of the Handley Page Association in 1979 and for much of the time have been its newsletter editor.”

MATTHEW WILLIS Matthew developed an early interest in naval aviation, growing up near the former naval base at Harwich and the seaplane testing station at Felixstowe. He has written several books on naval aircraft including the Skua, Flycatcher and Barracuda, favouring lesserknown types, of which this month’s Database subject, the Blackburn Shark, is an example. His book on the Shark for the Warpaint series will be out later this year, as will a biography of test pilot Duncan Menzies, published by Amberley.

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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

Hinton breaks world piston speed record

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teve Hinton Jr ﬂew North American P-51D Mustang N551VC Voodoo to a new world piston-engined air speed record in the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) class C-1e — landplanes with a take-off weight of

3,000-6,000kg — at Challis, north-western Idaho on 2 September, with an average speed of 531.53mph (855.41km/h) over four runs of the 3km course. It is the ﬁrst time a Rolls-Royce Merlinpowered aircraft has gained the record. ABOVE: Multiple-times Reno Unlimited Gold champion Steve ‘Stevo’ Hinton Jr in the cockpit of Voodoo, which is run by a team from Dan Friedkin’s Pursuit Aviation. SCOTT GERMAIN

ABOVE: Sponsorship for Voodoo on the record-breaking ﬂights came from Seattle-based Aviation Partners Inc, which specialises in performance-enhancing winglets for airliners and bizjets. The ﬂights were made at company founder Joe Clark’s base at Challis, Nevada. PURSUIT AVIATION

The previous holder was Lyle Shelton and his Grumman F8F Bearcat Rare Bear, which made four runs over a 3km course in New Mexico in August 1989 at an average speed of 528.31mph (850.24km/h). The FAI subsequently ‘retired’ that 3km record due to changes in the sporting code, which categorised future contenders in sub-classes governed by take-off weight. During Hinton’s ﬁrst timed run on 2 September he got

Voodoo up to a phenomenal 554.69mph (891.57km/h). The highly modiﬁed Mustang, which is owned by Bob Button of Wellington, Nevada, was ﬂown to victory in the Unlimited Gold Trophy race at Reno by Hinton Jr in 2013, 2014 and 2016. Once the 2017 Reno races are completed on 17 September, it is said that Voodoo will be retired, and is rumoured to be heading for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

The record-breaking run, with Voodoo hitting 554.69mph (891.57km/h). SCOTT GERMAIN

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More Buchón arrivals

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wo more examples of the highly prized Battle of Britain film Hispano HA-1112 Buchón arrived at Sywell on 22 August for restoration to fly with Air Leasing. They join two other Buchóns at the Northamptonshire aerodrome, including the only surviving two-seat derivative,

HA-1112 Buchón C.4K-152/N4109G/ G‑AWHR, still wearing its Battle of Britain film paint, being unpacked at Sywell on 22 August. ASHLEY STEPHENSON

HA‑1112‑M4L C.4K-112/ G‑AWHC, which was enginerunning in late August. It has now been fitted with a framed canopy, in place of the blown canopy it wore while in service

with the Spanish Air Force and during filming. After completion of the aerial sequences for Battle of Britain at the end of the wet summer of 1968, the four Sywell

SNIPE BACK TO NZ

SEA FURY FLIES Naval Aviation Ltd’s Hawker Sea Fury T20, VX281/G-RNHF, flew again at North Weald on 1 September for the first time since it suffered an engine failure and undercarriage collapse during the RNAS Culdrose Air Day in July 2014. The CO of the Royal Navy Historic Flight, Lt Cdr Chris Götke, was again at the controls of the Bristol Centaurus-powered fighter trainer — having been awarded the Air Force Cross for his expert emergency landing at Culdrose — and the aircraft is due to

Sea Fury T20 VX281/G-RNHF getting airborne for the second test flight at North Weald on 2 September. HARRY MEASURES

fly back to its base at RNAS Yeovilton once five hours’ test flying has been completed.

Long Kesh Wildcat partially painted The Ulster Aviation Society has painted the port side of its Grumman Wildcat V, JV482, as restoration of the former Fleet Air Arm fighter gradually approaches completion. It is being finished in the 882 Squadron markings it wore at the time of its participation in the Allied landings in the south of France in August 1944. Four months later, on Christmas Eve, JV482 made its last flight when Sub-Lt Peter Lock ditched the machine in Portmore Lough, County Antrim, following an engine fire. At this time 882 was temporarily based for work-up purposes at RAF Long Kesh, Lisburn — on the site of which the society is based. The recovery of the Wildcat was carried out using an Army Air Corps Lynx in 1984. It

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Buchóns were part of a cache of film aircraft that went to one of the principal pilots, Wilson ‘Connie’ Edwards, and were to remain stored at his ranch in Big Spring, Texas until 2015.

The freshly painted port side of Ulster Aviation Society Wildcat V JV482 at Long Kesh on 31 August. BEN DUNNELL

has since been the subject of a gradual restoration, which society president Ray Burrows hopes will be finished in around five years’ time. Ben Dunnell

Sopwith Snipe reproduction ‘F2367’/ZK-SNI left its home at Stow Maries, Essex at the end of August for transportation back to The Vintage Aviator Ltd at Wellington, New Zealand, who constructed it. The Bentley BR2-powered fighter had been operated by the World War One Aviation Heritage Trust for the past couple of years, and made its last show appearance at the Shuttleworth Edwardian Pageant at Old Warden on 6 August (see page 124). Meanwhile, at Old Warden on 31 August, the team from the Batley, Yorkshire-based Northern Aeroplane Workshops that built Sopwith Camel ‘D1851’/G-BZSC for Shuttleworth visited Old Warden for a private display of the aeroplane by the collection’s chief pilot ‘Dodge’ Bailey. The hoped-for debut public appearance of the exquisite 140hp Clerget-powered machine fell foul of the blustery winds at the Shuttleworth Heritage Day display on 3 September. Another recent Old Warden Sopwith resident, Andrew Wood’s Dove reproduction G-EAGA, was due to be auctioned by Bonhams during the Goodwood Revival on 9 September.

BBMF ENGINE PROBLEMS TRACED

Following the grounding of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Rolls-Royce Merlin-powered aircraft on 16 August, the RAF announced: “Our investigation has confirmed an issue with a pinion gear in a Merlin engine. With the precise cause of the problem known, each pinion gear is now being inspected to confirm it meets our exacting standards, with the BBMF and industry putting all of our efforts into getting these beautiful aircraft safely back in the air as soon as possible”. Griffon-engined Spitfire PRXIX PS915 was still able to represent the BBMF at events, though it was hoped to return a Hurricane to the air by the Scampton Airshow on 9-10 September.

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News October 2017

Mosquito re-assembly begins

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e-assembly of Tony Agar’s de Havilland Mosquito NFII, HJ711, got under way at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby over the weekend of 26-27 August, following its arrival from Elvington (see News, September Aeroplane). Valuable assistance came from a team visiting from the de Havilland Aircraft Museum at Salisbury Hall, including Mosquito FBVI TA122 restoration project leader Bob Glasby, Philip Birtles and Ian Thirsk. Leading the East Kirkby contingent was Keith Brenchley, chief engineer on the LAHC’s taxiable Avro Lancaster VII, NX611. Tony Agar hopes to have the Mosquito taxiable during the 2018 season.

Mosquito NFII HJ711 following the lowering of the fuselage onto the wing at the end of the day’s work at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre on 27 August. ANDY DAWSON

Replica ‘Biffs’ arrive at Omaka

The fuselage of the Death Hunt Bristol F2B replica being removed from its container in Los Angeles to begin the long journey to its new home at Omaka. GRAHAM ORPHAN

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our Bristol F2B Fighter replicas built in the late 1970s for the ﬁlm High Road to China arrived at Omaka, New Zealand on 24 August, following acquisition by Graham Orphan from an owner in California.

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Orphan, the director of the Classic Fighters Airshow at Omaka, had been looking for the aeroplanes for years. With the help of Sonoma-based warbird pilot Chris Prevost he ﬁnally tracked them down to a warehouse just east of Los

Angeles, where they had been hidden away for several decades. Orphan said, “As it turns out, all seven aircraft had been acquired by an old guy whose core business seemed to be following movie studios and

acquiring ﬁlm props on the cheap. He’d created this bizarre condominium of containers stacked on top of each other. Fortunately, the things we wanted were in the top containers.” A total of seven of the Ranger-powered F2Bs were built for the ﬁlm, but all the effort went to waste when the director chose not to use them. At least one of the machines did eventually see use on the big screen in production of the 1981 ﬁlm Death Hunt, starring Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson. Graham and his team will now conduct an intense inventory and work schedule plan for all four aircraft. A couple will be sold on to recover some of the costs, but at least one of them will remain at Omaka. Orphan adds: “It seems appropriate. In 1928, the ﬁrst aeroplane ever to land at Omaka aerodrome was an F2B.”

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October 2017 News

Jim Pearce 1929-2017

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he most successful warbird recovery specialist of the past 25 years, West Sussex-based Jim Pearce, died on 26 July at the age of 87. Born on a farm in Surrey on 21 October 1929, Jim began his working life there, but dreamed of becoming a pilot from a young age. He served with the RAF in Aden, and was to combine his love of ﬂying and his roots in agriculture in the 1970s when he formed a crop-spraying business, going on to clock up thousands of hours dusting all over the world. Jim rebuilt several 1950s Percival EP9 Prospectors at Lympne during the late 1970s. A little over a decade later, after the fall of the Soviet Union he was able to access many crash sites in the former Eastern Bloc through some of the contacts he had made through crop-dusting. Jim and his team went on to recover more than 50 aircraft, many of which are either now ﬂying or on show in museums around the world. One of the ﬁrst recoveries involved the substantial remains of a Focke-Wulf Fw 189 — a previously extinct type — which had forcelanded at Louhki near Murmansk in May 1943. It arrived at Jim’s farm close to Findon in Sussex in February 1992, along with a Messerschmitt Bf 110E-2

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NEWS IN BRIEF DAUNTLESS FLIES

Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless BuNo 10694/N34N made its first post-restoration flight at Cameron Park, Sacramento in mid-August, following a six-year restoration with Vultures Row Aviation for owner James Slattery/Pissed Away (see News, Aeroplane July 2017).

Jim Pearce (left) with Lothar Mothes, the wartime pilot of Focke-Wulf Fw 189A-1 Werknummer 2100/V7+1H, sitting in the aeroplane at Biggin Hill on 15 September 1996. The last time Lothar had seen it he had been crawling away after being shot down in it in May 1943. MICK OAKEY/THE AVIATION HISTORIAN

found 40 miles west of Murmansk. This was followed by several examples of the Hawker Hurricane, Messerschmitt Bf 109, Curtiss P-40, Ilyushin Il-2, the remains of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8, another Bf 110, and totally intact lake-recovery examples of the Bell P-39 Airacobra and Bf 109E-7. The Bf 109, Werknummer 3523, was originally built as an E-1 and is a Battle of France and Battle of Britain survivor. While being ﬂown on the Eastern Front by 36-victory ace Wulf-Dietrich Widowitz on 4 April 1942, it belly-landed on a frozen lake near Pestamo, eastern Finland, sinking through the ice and remaining on the lakebed until

being recovered by Jim in 2003 (see ‘Emil and the Detectives’, Aeroplane October 2004). It is now with Comanche Fighters in Houston, Texas, and will be preserved in original condition. Jim Pearce also operated a Pilatus P2 and, latterly, a Miles Messenger from his strip in Sussex. On 10 August, at the close of Jim’s funeral at St Mary’s Church, Shipley, warbird pilot John Dodd gave a display in Martin Phillips’ Spitﬁre IX RR232/G-BRSF, another former Jim Pearce aeroplane, which he sold for restoration to ﬂy during 2001. It took to the air again at Filton in December 2012.

HOVERFLY ‘GROUNDED’ AGAIN

After nearly 15 years spent suspended from the ceiling in the Milestones of Flight building at Hendon, the RAF Museum’s Sikorsky Hoverfly I, KK995, was back on terra firma on 23 August, and will now go on display alongside the other historic helicopters in the main hall at Hendon.

SAVE THE GATWICK HERALD

The fate of the Gatwick Airport Fire Service’s Handley Page Dart Herald 209, G-CEXP, is hanging in the balance. The Handley Page Herald Group is trying to save the unburned aircraft from oblivion. For details on how to help, go to www.facebook.com/ groups/580682918715404.

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04/09/2017 15:26

News October 2017

Toronto ‘Lanc’ for disposal

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vro Lancaster X FM104, which has been in storage at Toronto Pearson International Airport since the Toronto Aerospace Museum vacated its Downsview Park site in September 2011, has been put up for disposal by the City of Toronto. The Victory Aircraft-built bomber was part-way through restoration by a team at the museum, the biggest issue with the airframe being that the ﬂoor and spars were cut before it was mounted on a pylon in the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds, close to

Lake Ontario, in 1964. A steel girder was also installed through the length of the fuselage to stop it sagging, but by the time it was removed from the pylon in November 1999 the aircraft was near-derelict. The interior was totally stripped-out, and the restoration crew at Downsview was re-creating the pilot’s seats and other ﬁttings. With the City of Toronto now wanting FM104 off its books, there doesn’t appear to be any group in Toronto that would seem to want, or be able to take over, the restoration. The National Air

The paint-stripped nose section of Lancaster FM104, currently in storage at Toronto Pearson International Airport. In the background is a full-size replica Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow.

Force Museum of Canada at Trenton, Ontario, is due to take delivery of Lancaster Mk10AR KB882 from Edmundston, New Brunswick soon, and it is understood that the Royal Canadian Air Force is taking an interest in the future of FM104. The Edmundston Lancaster still retains the post-war, 40in extension to the nose, which accommodated navigation/ weather radar and equipment.

After arrival at Trenton it will go straight into the workshops for restoration in Mk10AR conﬁguration, and be ﬁnished in an overall silver scheme. The work is expected to take about seven years, with a target to have the bomber — which ﬂew 12 missions during 1945 with No 428 Squadron at Middleton St George — on display in time for the 100th anniversary of the RCAF on 1 April 2024.

Spartan 7W arrives in France

Spartan 7W Executive N47W outside the Aéro Restauration Service hangar, shortly after its arrival on 17 August. VIA SÉBASTIEN MAZZUCHETTI

Spartan 7W Executive N47W arrived at the Aéro Restauration Service hangar at Dijon-Darois in a crate on 17 August, at the end of a journey from Canton, Connecticut. The October 1939-built machine is now owned by Sébastien Mazzuchetti, one of the Plane Sailing pilots who ﬂies Duxford-based PBY-5A Catalina G-PBYA. Mazzuchetti will display the Spartan at shows during 2018. The Executive was originally delivered to the cosmetics company Luziers Inc of Mississippi as NC17656, and in March 1942 went into US Army Air Forces service as

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42-38288. Restored to the civil register in July 1945 and subsequently re-registered N47W, it was acquired by the legendary air racing and motion picture stunt pilot Paul Mantz and based at Culver City in Los Angeles County, California. Mantz operated the Spartan for ﬁve years. The polished metal machine was acquired by Spartan LLC at Canton during January 2007. It will now become one of just three airworthy examples of the type in Europe, the other two being Nigel Pickard’s Little Gransden-based machines.

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Corgi chose Lancaster B.III ED888 named ‘Mike Squared’ to mark the 75th anniversary of the first flight of Avro’s famous bomber. ED888 put in an astonishing 140 missions, more than any other Lancaster and survived the war. A big 1/72 scale with 435mm wingspan and in the usual super presentation box. We’re offering this one at just £99.99, saving £49 from the recommended price! (AA32624)

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30/08/2017 09:18

News October 2017 Reid and Sigrist RS4 Desford G-AGOS taxiing under the power of its two 130hp de Havilland Gipsy Majors at Spanhoe on 26 August. MICK BAJCAR

Desford taxies again

R

eid and Sigrist RS4 Desford VZ728/ G-AGOS was undergoing taxiing trials at Spanhoe airﬁeld, Northamptonshire on 26 August, following restoration to ﬂy with Windmill Aviation. The aircraft is registered to Leicestershire County Council, and was stored at the Snibston

Discovery Museum at Coalville until it was permanently closed during July 2015. Built in early 1945 at the Reid and Sigrist factory at Desford aerodrome, about seven miles from the centre of Leicester, the aircraft was designed as a small, twinengined conversion trainer, the RS3. It ﬁrst ﬂew on 9 July 1945,

and was test-ﬂown at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down by Polish ﬁghter/test pilot Janusz Żurakowski. The type was not adopted by the RAF, and remained with the manufacturer, registered G-AGOS. During 1949 it was modiﬁed for prone-pilot

experimentation, with a lengthened, glazed nose, and ﬁtted with a set of controls for a second pilot who lay on his stomach. Named the Bobsleigh and allotted the serial VZ728, it ﬁrst ﬂew in modiﬁed form in June 1951, and was used by the Institute of Aviation Medicine at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. After the conclusion of test work in January 1956, the Desford had the second set of controls removed, which made it an excellent camera-ship, and in March 1958 it was acquired by Film Aviation Services. In 1963 it passed to Kemps Aerial Surveys at Eastleigh airport, Southampton. After disposal in 1972 the new owner painted G-AGOS in an inaccurate camouﬂage scheme, and it was ﬂown at the Flight International/Aeroplane Monthly-sponsored Cranﬁeld Air Pageant show in September 1973 by Nick Grace. The Desford was acquired by Sir William Roberts for his Strathallan Aircraft Collection in Perth, Scotland in 1975, but was disposed of in the famous Strathallan auction on 14 July 1981.

Comet replica comes together at Salisbury Hall Wildcat BuNo 55052, now on display in the USS Hornet following a six-year restoration. VIA MICHAEL McCARRON

HORNET WILDCAT COMPLETED Following a six-year, in-house restoration, Grumman FM-2 Wildcat BuNo 55052 went on display on the hangar deck of the USS Hornet at Alameda, California in mid-August. The fighter, built by the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors, was recovered from Lake Michigan in October 1994. It was ditched into the lake on 14 June 1945 by a trainee pilot following a loss of power during a ‘wave-off’ from the USS Wolverine.

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At the de Havilland Aircraft Museum at Salisbury Hall, re-assembly is now under way on a DH88 Comet replica that was built for the 1991 Australian TV miniseries The Great Race, a dramatised story based on the 1934 MacRobertson race from Mildenhall to Melbourne. The machine appeared as G-ACSS Grosvenor House in the series, during which it was ﬁtted with DH Gipsy Queen engines and taxied for the cameras. It is now due to be painted up in the black and gold markings of Comet G-ACSP Black Magic, which was ﬂown by Jim Mollison and his wife Amy Johnson during the MacRobertson. On 21 October 1934, following an unscheduled refuelling stop at Jabalpur, India, during which unsuitable petrol provided by the local bus company was taken on, ’CSP suffered a seized piston and ruptured oil line, and the

The taxiable DH88 Comet replica from the Great Race mini-series coming together at Salisbury Hall. MIKE SHREEVE

aircraft was retired from the race at Allahabad. Also under restoration at Salisbury Hall is DH53 Humming Bird J7326/G-EBQP, which during October 1925 was used for launching experiments from a trapeze ﬁtted to the airship R-33.

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October 2017 News

A-20 wins at Oshkosh

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ighlight of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture show at Oshkosh from 23-29 July may have been the Boeing B-29 Superfortress duo (see News, Aeroplane September) but there were plenty of other even more rare aircraft on show. Among the prizewinners at Oshkosh, the Grand Champion World War Two award went to the San Antonio-based Douglas A-20G Havoc, 43-21709/N747HS, of Lewis Air Legends, which made its maiden postrestoration ﬂight from Chino, California on 15 July 2015. The Collings Foundation’s Spitﬁre IX BR601/NX645Q from Stow, Massachusetts was awarded Reserve Grand Champion World War Two. The ﬁghter — the sixth MkIX delivered to the RAF — ﬂew again on 31 August 2016 following a two-year restoration by The Spitﬁre Company at Biggin Hill, Kent (see News, Aeroplane November 2016). An EAA Gold Wrench Award was also presented to the Spitﬁre Company. Best Bomber went to Doc’s Friends of Wichita, Kansas for B-29 N69972 Doc, and the Antique Grand Champion recipient was Scott Woods of Tiburon, California for his 1937 Stinson SR-9F, N18445. The Judges’ Choice

Pictured in the early-morning sunlight near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the world’s only airworthy A-20 Havoc, 43-21709/N747HS, won the Grand Champion World War Two gong for owner Rod Lewis at the EAA’s AirVenture show. RICHARD VANDERMEULEN

award was presented to the Commemorative Air Force Dixie Wing for Bell P-63A Kingcobra N191H (featured from page 84). A surprise for British visitors was Riley Dove N772S, thought to be the only Dove airworthy in the USA, and deﬁnitely the only Riley conversion still ﬂying. Owned by Don E. Marcrum, the recently refurbished machine is based in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. Originally built as an executive Dove 6A at Hawarden in 1956 as c/n

The world’s only airworthy Riley Dove, N772S, making a surprise appearance at Oshkosh. NIGEL HITCHMAN

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04467, it was soon ferried to Venezuela as YV-P-BAP, serving as a corporate transport for a large electrical contracting company. During 1966 it was acquired by the Riley Aeronautics Corporation at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and converted to Riley Turbo Executive 400 conﬁguration, the comprehensive rebuild including the replacement of the 380hp DH Gipsy Queen engines with 400hp Lycoming IO-720s, a swept ﬁn, modiﬁcations to the wings for greater aerodynamic efﬁciency, a new ‘centrestacked’ instrument panel, and a restyled interior. It returned to Venezuela, and in 1969 was traded to an aircraft dealer in Miami. The aircraft was then sold to an owner of Service Auto Rentals in Sarasota, Florida, who used it until his death in 1986. It didn’t ﬂy again until 1993, when Thomas C. Hudson of Bessemer, Alabama, acquired N772S and had it totally restored. It moved 20 miles west to Vestavia Hills after being purchased by Don Marcrum in September 2012.

NEWS IN BRIEF P-39 RECOVERED

The remains of a Bell P-39 Airacobra were salvaged from Lake Shukozero near Murmansk during July by a team from the Russian Navy.

BREITLING DC-3 COMPLETES WORLD TOUR

In the hands of Francisco Agullo, the Breitling-sponsored Douglas DC-3, HB-IRJ, arrived at IWM Duxford on 31 August on one of the final return legs of a world tour that began at Geneva on 9 March. Built in 1940 for American Airlines, once the DC-3 arrives back in Geneva on 12 September it will become the oldest aircraft to have ever circumnavigated the globe. More on this story in next month’s news pages.

BOLIVIA RETIRES T-33s

The Bolivian Air Force retired its last four operational examples of the Lockheed/Canadair T-33 at La Paz on 31 July, the type having served as the main jet trainer and light attack aircraft in Bolivia since 1973.

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04/09/2017 15:27

News October 2017

Ex-CIA B-17 back in the air after 16 B

oeing B-17G Flying Fortress 44-83785/ N207EV Shady Lady left its long-term home at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon on 7 August and is now at American Aero Services, New Smyrna Beach, Florida where it will undergo restoration work before being delivered to its owners, the Collings Foundation (CF) at Stow, Massachusetts. The bomber — which was delivered to the USAAF in early 1945 and was used to transport cargo and passengers in the USA for the remainder of the war — had been on static display at McMinnville for the past 16 years, and was acquired by CF from Evergreen during 2015. Originally bought by Evergreen Helicopters in 1975, the B-17 spent 10 years as a firebomber before work to restore it back to World War Two configuration, with turrets and an operating bomb bay,

began in 1985. It flew again during 1990, appearing at many airshows until 2001, when concerns about the wing spar attachment points grounded the bomber. Although the airframe’s identity is thought to be 44-83785, some historians think the B-17 is actually 44-85531. In the mid-1950s, it was one of five examples transferred to the CIA for secret duties. Painted black, the aircraft were operated by ‘Western Enterprises Inc’ from Taiwan, dropping agents into China from a hatch where the ball turret had been. They were also based at Kurmitola, eastern Pakistan to parachute agents into Tibet. In November 1957 the B-17s were transferred to Clark Field in the Philippines from where they flew lengthy, classified missions. For security purposes, the serial numbers on the tail of the B-17s were regularly changed, creating some doubt

B-17G N207EV Shady Lady en route to Florida in early August. PATRICK BUNCE

regarding the bombers’ real identity. During September 1960, the machine was registered N809Z and sold to Atlantic-General Enterprises, a CIA front company. It moved on to Intermountain Aviation Inc, which was also linked to

the CIA, at Marana, Arizona in 1962. Intermountain specialised in modifying aircraft for specialised operations, the B-17 being fitted with a Fulton Skyhook recovery system involving a rig in the nose for picking up

New Macchi M5 replica taxies at Ta A newly constructed replica of a Macchi M5 seaplane taxied in the waters of the Gulf of Taranto in late July, 100 years after the first production examples reached the base and almost 95 years after the last ones ceased operating from there. Of the 344 M5 flying boat fighters built, none survive. This encouraged a team of NCOs and airmen to build the reproduction in their spare time to promote awareness of the history of the Taranto base, which currently hosts the Italian Air Force Volunteer Airmen School. Construction extended over a 10-month period and totalled more than 2,000 man-hours, with no financial support from the service. The NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) provided some materials and

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The very realistic Macchi M5 seaplane fighter replica on the water at Taranto. GREGORY ALEGI

others were scrounged on base. A local technical school donated a 650cc Fiat car engine, and a retired NCO donated an ultralight propeller. Local chapters of the Italian Air Force Association and other

organisations contributed some financial support, together with donations from base personnel. The reproduction is outwardly realistic, but the internal structure sports several

changes due to incomplete information or the use of model aircraft technology, including a two-spar lower wing and an aluminium tube structure in the cockpit area. The external wooden

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The fuselage of Bristol Freighter Mk31M NZ5911 ready to be ‘sat’ on its pallet for shipping to the UK at Ardmore, Auckland in mid-August.

er 16 years personnel from the ground without the inconvenience of having to land. Later that year, N809Z ﬂew a secret mission to the North Pole, dropping two agents at a Soviet ice station and retrieving them three days later, complete with freshly acquired, classiﬁed information. During 1965 the aircraft was to participate in a ﬁctitious Cold War spy story, being used to pick up James Bond (Sean Connery) and his girlfriend from the sea at the end of the ﬁlm Thunderball. It was then converted into an air tanker and used by Intermountain Airways to ﬁght forest ﬁres in the western United States, before becoming tanker 71 with Evergreen at Marana, Arizona in March 1975. The B-17 is the second example to join the Collings ﬂeet: 44-83575/N93012 Nine-O-Nine participates in the foundation’s Wings of Freedom tours around the USA, giving rides and displays.

at Taranto structures were made watertight with ﬁbreglass. Although designed to be non-ﬂying, the M5 project gradually evolved from purely static to taxiable — a considerable achievement considering the shoestring budget. After making its public debut during the base’s open day, the M5 was put into the water and taxied by Col Francesco Turrisi, the Panavia Tornado navigator currently in command of the Taranto school. The M5 carries the personal insignia of Luigi Bologna (1888-1921), a naval pilot who commanded ﬁghter squadrons during the First World War and won the 1920 Schneider Trophy race held in Venice. Following his untimely death in a ﬂying accident near Venice, the Taranto seaplane station was named after him in 1927.

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PROJECT UPDATE

DAVID BRADLEY

Freighter ready for return

A

t Ardmore airport, Auckland at the end of August, ﬁnal preparations were being made for the loading of Bristol 170 Freighter Mk31M NZ5911 onto a roll-on/ roll-off ship for transportation to the UK, where it is destined to go on display at Aerospace Bristol, the new £19-million aerospace museum and learning centre due to open at Filton later this year. The fuselage is booked on a boat departing New Zealand on 20 September, and it is expected that the sea crossing to Royal Portbury Dock on the southern side of the mouth of the River Avon will take about 80 days to complete. The Freighter — which will be the only Bristol 170 on display in Europe — was acquired for Aerospace Bristol in November 2016 (see News, Aeroplane February 2017). Soon after returning from Ardmore in late August, David Bradley, the restoration manager at Aerospace Bristol reported: “The remaining task is for Pioneer Aero to ﬁnish the platforms that the major aircraft sections will be mounted on for shipping to the UK. There will be three big platforms: one for the fuselage, one for the outer wings, and another for the centre wing section and ﬁn. In parallel they will position and secure the engines, propellers, undercarriages and a huge collection of smaller parts in a 40ft container for transportation in a separate container ship back to the UK. “Despite languishing in the open for nearly 40 years the airframe is in remarkably good condition. The overall camouﬂage paint scheme has helped considerably in this respect as Ardmore isn’t far from the western coast of New Zealand and the Paciﬁc westerlies weather pattern.” A expensive and labour-intensive task was the removal of asbestos in heating ducts within the fuselage. David Bradley explains: “The asbestos was removed in a lengthy process by specialist companies and a formal clearance certiﬁcate was issued in early July. Soon after that the Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel began the lengthy process to disconnect all the control cables, fuel pipes, electric cables and engine controls, all of which run through the centre wing. “In parallel with this work, the search for all the stripped-out parts of the aircraft was in

progress. This was an extremely labourintensive task and took four full weeks searching numerous 40ft containers, each packed absolutely full with hundreds of tea chests and larger wooden crates containing a vast collection of stripped-out Bristol Freighter components, and an even bigger collection of Hercules engine spares. “Of particular concern were the instruments from the cockpit panels, which had all been removed. A formal visit to the RNZAF museum in Christchurch gave the opportunity for detailed photographs of the cockpit layout; these were printed and made up into a composite picture, which was used to ﬁnd the missing instruments. “While this was very successful there were still some parts which were not found. The fuselage of another former RNZAF Bristol Freighter, NZ5902, was traced some 50-60 miles from Auckland to near the top of the Awhitu Peninsula. This was in a very derelict state but retained some of the components that were missing from NZ5911. After locating the owner, he agreed to donate these items to us including the two ADF aerials. With Pioneer Aero’s support we spent a day there removing the agreed parts. “Pioneer has built and installed a steel frame in the fuselage in place of the centre wing to avoid any distortion of the fuselage when tied down for its long voyage to the UK. In parallel with all these activities a major cleaning exercise has been undertaken on all the major components, and also to remove lichen from much of the upper surfaces of the fuselage, wings and so on, and the accumulated sludge inside the engine nacelles and the nacelle structures on the centre wing. All the ﬂying control surfaces have been pressure-washed. They will all be secured inside the fuselage for shipping back to the UK.” NZ5911 was the 11th example of the Freighter Mk31M to be built at the Filton plant for the RNZAF and was delivered in April 1954. The remaining aircraft were retired during 1977 and several were sold to Dwen Airmotive at Ardmore in August 1978. They were either sold on or dismantled, but NZ5911 was to remain in open storage there for nearly 40 years.

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04/09/2017 15:28

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Comment

Hangar Talk STEVE SLATER

Comment on historic aviation by the chief executive of the UK’s Light Aircraft Association

A classic spotting scene from Gatwick in 1967, with a Kingdom of Libya Airlines Caravelle in the foreground of an Overseas National Airways DC-8-55. KENNETH H. HARMSWORTH

T

here was a time when no railway journey in Britain could start without passing a cluster of young people on the platform’s end, earnestly noting the locomotive numbers in their Ian Allan ‘ABC’ guides. Today those platforms are often bereft of such souls, and I must say that I fear too for the future of aircraft spotters. When was the last time you saw a young one? The forerunner of this magazine is partially responsible for the pastime. In 1941, The Aeroplane’s publisher created The Aeroplane Spotter, to provide information and recognition silhouettes to the large numbers of ‘spotters’ who were manning observation posts to identify the approach of enemy aircraft. Their skill in distinguishing hostiles from friendlies enabled timely warning to be given to the workers to rapidly take cover. Their work was supported by the National Association of Spotters’ Clubs. Aircraft recognition training was also a core activity for the

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Royal Observer Corps, which reported hostile and friendly aircraft movements to the air defence network so that plots derived from radar could be classiﬁed. In the services, too, anti-aircraft gunners and aircrews were required to study aircraft recognition, and The Aeroplane Spotter was a vital means of keeping up to date for everyone. Unsurprisingly, all this activity sparked an interest which

within the year had produced the ﬁrst edition of its quarterly Air-Britain Digest, which continues to this day in providing a superb source of current news and historical background for its 3,300 members. Perhaps the heyday of spotting itself is now past. It probably reached its apogee in the late 1960s, when a plethora of highly active military bases and relatively

Spotting probably reached its apogee in the late 1960s, when a plethora of highly active military bases and relatively unfettered access to civilian airports meant a spotters’ ﬁeld day continued beyond the end of hostilities, resulting in the birth of spotting as a pastime in itself. After The Aeroplane Spotter was closed there was little appropriate information to support the hobby, with the big periodicals such as The Aeroplane and Flight primarily being aimed at those working in the aviation industry. In response, during 1948 Air-Britain was formed and

unfettered access to civilian airports meant a spotters’ ﬁeld day, maybe best illustrated by the wonderful viewing gallery that used to crown the Queen’s Building at Heathrow. Today, with one or two exceptions, even the hardiest of enthusiasts will have their enthusiasm tested by the lengthy wait for any activity at a lot of military airﬁelds, while civilian airﬁeld security

measures mean that airliners and other types are often only seen from afar. The good news is that, while the hardy spotter may be an endangered breed in the purest sense, their enthusiasm has carried over into many wider activities, not least photography and ﬁlming. This has been revolutionised by the advent and growth of digital photography and posting information on the internet, which seems to appeal to a far wider age and interest group. It is noteworthy that Air-Britain was at the forefront of this technology when in 2006 it launched www.abpic.co.uk, an online photographic collection where members and the public can submit their digital aviation images. There is a further online information exchange, AB-IX, to allow the sharing of knowledge and information between members. Of course, Air-Britain isn’t alone in offering opportunities for aircraft enthusiasts to share their passion. There are several more regional groups up and down the country, a very good example being Air Aces, the Arun and Chichester Air Enthusiasts’ Society on the south coast. Its members comprise a wonderfully eclectic mix of pilots, aircraft owners, historians, aeromodellers, photographers and not least spotters, who meet monthly to both exchange their experiences and enjoy a wide range of guest speakers. Better still, these enthusiast groups, while admittedly no longer attracting too many teenagers from their virtually connected worlds, still boast a wider-ranging age group among the ranks of their members. Maybe the spotter is not nearing extinction after all — perhaps they are merely embracing wider and more diverse ways of fulﬁlling ■ their interests?

www.aeroplanemonthly.com 19

31/08/2017 21:52

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Comment

DENIS J. CALVERT

Flight Line

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

T

here is a nice quote, attributed to Lord Brabazon of Tara but quite possibly apocryphal, concerning airliner design and safety. Asked to explain why he always chose to ﬂy in four-engined aeroplanes, he replied, “because there are no ﬁve-engined aeroplanes”. For long-haul over-water sectors, four engines had long been considered necessary, starting with the era of the Boeing Stratocruiser and continuing with that of the 707. Later, Airbus promoted its fourengined A340 with the slogan ‘4 engines 4 long haul’, and Virgin Atlantic emblazoned this wording on the engine nacelles of its A340s. Yet despite promising fourengined reliability and comparable economics to its twin-engined counterparts, the A340 failed to sell well, losing out to the better fuel economy and operating costs of the Boeing 767, 777 and 787 and Airbus’s own A330 and A350. The ever-increasing reliability offered by turbofans in the 50,000lb-plus class made possible ETOPS (Extendedrange Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) operations, this certiﬁcation allowing twins to operate longhaul routes provided they kept within a speciﬁed ﬂying time from suitable diversion airports in case of (a single) engine failure. Airliners have traditionally had an even number of engines — two, four, six, eight or even 10: remember the Saro Princess? Every so often, designers have come up with a proposal for a three-engined aircraft. If four engines are too many and two are too few, why not go for three, and enjoy improved asymmetric handling into the bargain? Ford’s Trimotor, Fokker’s F.VII and Junkers’ Ju 52/3m each successfully adopted a

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ABOVE: One of the more unorthodox ‘triples’ — the Trislander, here represented by G-AYTU of Aurigny ﬂying at Bembridge in 1971. DENIS J. CALVERT

three-engined layout in the late ’20s and early ’30s, with the CASA 352, a licence-built Ju 52, remaining in production in Spain until 1954. In the ’60s, UK and American manufacturers came up with a new generation of tri-jet airliners, typiﬁed by the Hawker Siddeley Trident, the Boeing 727, the Lockheed

adding a third Lycoming O-540 atop the ﬁn. Known initially as the Islander Mk3, the aircraft was produced as the Trislander. Yet the three-engined revolution ﬁzzled out again. KLM operated the last passenger ﬂight on an MD-11 in October 2014, although cargo airlines continue to ﬂy

Britten-Norman stretched its Islander and added a third Lycoming O-540, but the threeengined revolution ﬁzzled out yet again TriStar and the (McDonnell) Douglas DC-10 and MD-11. These enjoyed varying degrees of commercial success. On an altogether smaller scale — everything on the Isle of Wight is on a smaller scale — BrittenNorman met the need to stretch its 10-seat Islander by lengthening the fuselage to accept extra seat rows and

the type. The TriStar has fared even worse. The RAF was among the very last users — though some ex-RAF examples are now proposed to return to ﬂight in civilian hands as air-to-air refuelling tankers — and Orbital Sciences’ N140SC, converted as a space launcher, is the ﬁnal ﬂying example. As to the Trislander, the retirement on

21 June to the Duxford Aviation Society of G-BEVT, Aurigny’s last of the type, removed UK enthusiasts’ last chance to ﬂy in a Trislander without ﬁrst going to Puerto Rico or Guyana. If there’s one sphere where the three-engined formula still thrives it is with Dassault Aviation’s line of Falcon business jets. Visitors to the Paris show this June will have seen Falcon 8X F-WWQU giving a display of agility that would not have been out of place for a ﬁghter. That said, very few other manufacturers today have a three-engined aircraft of any kind in production. Meanwhile, Boeing’s eight-engined B-52 ﬂies on obliviously towards its 2040 out-of-service date. Around 80 remain on the USAF’s front line, defying obsolescence and continually sidestepping plans to re-engine the type with four modern turbofans.

www.aeroplanemonthly.com 21

29/08/2017 14:58

Skywriters

In association with… WRITE TO: Aeroplane, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1XQ, UK E-MAIL TO: [email protected], putting ‘Skywriters’ in the header

★ 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.

Prince Bernhard in the cockpit of Bf 108D-1 PH-PBC during 1947, and (inset) another view of the repainted aircraft with the characteristic Dutch orange triangle emblem on the tail.

The Prince and the Taifuns

In your article in the August issue about Prince Bernhard’s wartime ﬂying activities, it was mentioned that he continued ﬂying with a Stinson L-5B-VW Sentinel (c/n 76-3401), which was registered in the Netherlands as PH-PBB in 1947 after Bernhard had acquired Douglas C-47A PH-PBA (c/n 19434, ex42-100971), later converted into a DC-3C, in February 1947. Both were based at Soesterberg airﬁeld near Utrecht. But the prince actually had two more aircraft, which he kept at the same location: Messerschmitt Bf 108D-1 Werknummer 5253, registered PH-PBC, and a Stinson L-1 Vigilant, PH-PBD. For a short time in 1948 he also ﬂew a Fieseler Fi 156C-3/ Trop Storch, Werknummer 5987, which he received on 22 January 1948 from the British Air Forces of Occupation (BAFO) Communications Wing at Lüneburg. Bernhard himself ferried it from Lüneburg to Soesterberg. The planned

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‘personal’ reservation of PH-PBD was, however, cancelled and he sold the Storch — by now PH-NEL — to Anker Emaille-Fabrieken NV. During 1956 the Storch was sold to Germany, and it is still registered as D-EGON. The Bf 108D-1 has a very special history. Probably in July or August 1944 it was built by SNCAN (or Nord) at Les Mureaux under a Messerschmitt contract as Bf 108D-1 5253 and given the military code GS+EZ. In August 1944 the SNCAN company test pilot Louis Filliatreau made its maiden ﬂight. That month Les Mureaux was liberated by American troops, and at the SNCAN plant they found the last two Bf 108D-1s built under German occupation fully intact: Werknummer 5253 and 5254. They took both as war booty, and in 1945 Werknummer 5254 was shipped to the USA for evaluation at Wright Field as FE-4610. Later it was registered as N108M for Ed Maloney, but was badly damaged in a crash landing.

The wreck is stored by the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino, California. Werknummer 5253 was left in Europe. It was given back to SNCAN at Romilly because the French government wanted to receive compensation from the US Army for having ‘stolen’ two new aircraft from the company’s factory. Since SNCAN continued building the Bf 108D-1 under the new Nord 1000 designation, based on its newly applied dataplate 5253 became a Nord 1000, c/n 43, in December 1944. It was probably used by the French Air Force until 1947. The French government donated the aeroplane to Prince Bernhard in 1947. It was given a major overhaul by Mastboom Vliegbedryf and received another new constructor’s number, 730253, as a ‘Me 108D-1’. This is totally wrong because Werknummer 730253 belonged originally to a Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4 night ﬁghter and the designation ‘Me 108D-1’ was never ofﬁcially used, Bf 108D-1 being correct.

On 29 September 1947 the Taifun was registered as PH-PBC for Prince Bernhard, then living at Soestdijk. He ﬂew it frequently until April 1955, when it was handed over to a Dutch aircraft dealer for sale. The machine also became a ﬁlm star: in 1955 it was used as a Bf 109 lookalike in the movie Operation Amsterdam, straﬁng fugitives. The Messerschmitt was sold to Germany at the beginning of 1956, with D-EHAF reserved. After cancellation from the Dutch register on 15 October 1956 it was registered as D-EHAF on 3 June 1957 in the name of Christa Weber from Frankfurt. Rumours state that Prince Bernhard had a relationship with this lady, and a daughter called Alicia born in 1952 — for this reason he donated her the Bf 108 for onward sale. My father acquired it from Mrs Weber in April 1958. He used it as a corporate and private aircraft for more than 12 years from Bonn-Hangelar airﬁeld. His pilot Josef Beier, a famous Bücker factory pilot from 1936-43, performed 1,091 ﬂights all over Europe in the Messerschmitt with 2,126 passengers, all without incident. In 1970 my father sold the Taifun to a friend, and he was on board when in July 1971 it was badly damaged during start-up at BonnHangelar. After many years of slow restoration the aeroplane is now in expert hands for its return to ﬂying condition, which may occur in 2018. So, along with the Stinson and DC-3, another aircraft that Prince Bernhard ﬂew many times has survived. Dr Heinz-Dieter Schneider, Siegburg, Germany

AEROPLANE OCTOBER 2017

04/09/2017 08:30

Skywriters Aussie Merlins

Your excellent account of the development of the RollsRoyce Merlin in the July Aeroplane makes it much easier to follow the convoluted history of this powerplant. However, it didn’t mention Australia’s minor role in its production, which saw it become the only other country besides England or America to build the Merlin. The remarkable story of the fledgling Australian aircraft industry lies in its impressive wartime growth. From a handful of people in 1937, producing light training aircraft without a developed base of sub-contractors, it grew to 5,000 in June 1940, building Wirraways, Boomerangs, Beauforts and Beaufighters, and reached a peak of some 44,000 people by 1944, operating in four main factories and several annexes. By 1943, Australian firms were tooling up to build state-of-the-art Mustangs and Mosquitos for the RAAF, powered by imported Packard Merlin engines, and starting to plan the production of the much-modified Lancaster IV, later renamed as the Lincoln. The latter was to be powered by British-built Merlin 85B engines, and the first Australian example flew in March 1946, but the sudden end of the war a few months beforehand had resulted in the wholesale reduction of aircraft production and the stretchingout of deliveries to keep factories running until the new generation of jet aircraft could be designed and tested. The Australian Lincoln order was cut from 346 to just 73,

Mustang mishap

The article on Sir Charles Masefield’s P-51D Mustang in the August edition reminded me of an incident involving this aircraft that I witnessed at the 1968 Biggin Hill Air Fair. As stated in your editorial, this Mustang represented the first opportunity for many of my generation to see an American World War Two fighter, and I was looking forward to it perform its display. I stationed myself on the crowd line alongside where the Mustang was parked and watched the pilot run up the engine in preparation for taxiing it out to the runway. At the same time the RAF Falcons parachute team was performing its display and landing in the grass area between the runway and the taxiway. However, the last member of the team was caught by a gust of wind and landed on the taxiway about 20ft in front of the aircraft’s spinning propeller. The parachute canopy collapsed over the nose and became entangled in the spinning propeller. There was a loud bang and the propeller stopped abruptly. The parachutist was lucky not to have been dragged by his harness towards the propeller. The Mustang’s display was therefore cancelled and members of the Falcons set about cutting the parachute away from the aircraft’s nose. Here’s a scan of my 49-year-old Instamatic slide of the incident, complete with the head of a spectator who walked into the shot at the last minute. Bruce Hayes but the reliability of the imported Merlin 85Bs was poor, so it was decided to replace them with the newer, and much more robust, Merlin 102, to be built in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation. The first Lincoln with this new powerplant flew in August 1949, and eventually most of the Australian-built bombers were fitted with locally built Merlins. Whether

any experimental CAC Merlin installations were made in Australian-built Mustangs or Mosquitos is unknown, but at that late stage it seems unlikely. Perhaps some of your readers might have more information. In all, some 108 CAC Merlins were manufactured between 1948 and 1952, and served well until the Lincoln was phased out of RAAF service in 1959. Cam Ford, Moss Vale, New South Wales, Australia

Hands off!

RAAF Avro Lincolns, all powered by Australian-built Merlins. AEROPLANE

AEROPLANE OCTOBER 2017

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Reading Database is always interesting, and even more so when you have flown the aircraft in question — in this case the Varsity in the August issue. Allied to this, the article about testing the Decca Navigator brought back memories of my time at the RAF College Cranwell from 1969-72 as a navigation

instructor on the Varsity. It was only when I read the Letter of the Month, ‘Close call in the corridors’, that I was minded to write with a very similar story of an incident that could have had a different outcome. We were regularly tasked at Cranwell with exercising ‘our rights’ of flying into Berlin via one of the corridors, and probably because we carried the Decca Flight Log, located between the two pilots on the Varsity. The nav kit down the back was very basic, certainly not up to flying down a Berlin corridor. Because the Decca was at the front the navigator on the day would use a tubularframed chair from the crew room and sit between the pilots to operate the Decca. On this particular trip we had as passengers three pilots from the Central Flying School at Little Rissington. Everything appeared normal as we progressed down the corridor, but we started to have doubts when the captain found that he was having to continually synchronise his compass, taking our heading further and further away from the designated corridor track angle. However, the Decca showed us to be on the centreline. I left my seat to go down the back to the nav ‘crate’ to investigate only to find, to my horror, one of the CFS pilots sitting in front of the G1VB compass master indicator, twiddling the variation control knob. He was oblivious to the effect it was having up front. Needless to say, I uttered one or two expletives and told him to go and sit on his hands somewhere. Having returned the variation to what it should be, the rest of the trip was uneventful. After this incident we removed the variation knob from the instrument whenever we had passengers on board. I can’t remember if the CFS pilot bought a round of drinks. Les Hurst, Dartmouth, Devon The editor reserves the right to edit all letters. Please include your full name and address in correspondence.

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04/09/2017 08:31

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 That Javelin sound!

Q

Back in the May issue, James MacFarlane posed a question about the unmistakable sound of the Gloster Javelin. Mike Bray was a corporal engine fitter at RAF Odiham in the 1950s and worked on No 46 Squadron Javelins during the type’s pre-service trials. Part of the requirement was for eight aircraft to be selected to fly a given number of hours in just four weeks. He remembers ground night firing trials during which the aircraft were parked pointing away from any buildings and hangars with the engines slow-running; “the noise was awful”, he says. Mike believes it emanated from the very long jet pipe and not from the intake.

A

Merlins for the Germans

Q

Following Jakob Whitfield’s muchacclaimed Database feature on the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in the July issue, Walter Blanchard is curious about the thousands of powerplants that ‘arrived’ in Germany and the occupied countries during World War Two. “With around 8,000 Lancasters and Halifaxes lost during the conflict”, he says, “resulting in at least 32,000 engines ending up in German hands, surely some of these were put to some use by enterprising companies and the military? Not all such powerplants were damaged beyond saving, after all, and a friend in Germany said his father who owned a small engineering company in Hanover used a salvaged Merlin as a back-up electrical generating plant”. Walter also wonders whether the

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A close-up of the wing fence outboard of the 20mm cannon on the HA-1112 Buchón during its Spanish Air Force service days.

Buchón wing fences

Q A

Julian Humphries is curious as to why mid-span wing fences were fitted to Hispano HA-1112 Buchóns in Spanish Air Force service, but not on examples now flying. A response from Col Pope of the Aircraft Restoration Company, which operates Buchón G-AWHK, proved enlightening. He says, “My understanding is that there was a handling problem when the 20mm cannon installed on the Buchón were fired. The cannon installation is just inboard of the outer wing slats, and on firing a shockwave made the slats deploy, causing a violent and uncommanded aerodynamic wing stall — the slats rely on a lack of forward air pressure to deploy. The fix was simple. By fitting the large wing fence, the shockwave was prevented from progressing along the leading edge and flicked away, so preventing slat deployment. “The problem did not affect the earlier Bf 109E as the calibre of the machine guns didn’t produce anything like the shockwave of the 20mm weapon. With the later G model, the underwing cannon allowed the shockwave to pass under the wing. As the warbird HA-1112-M1L G-AWHK only uses film prop ‘gunfire’, the fences are not required.” Germans, like the British, had a scrappage scheme for recycling the metal. In response, Jakob Whitfield says, “Early in the war, Luftwaffe field formations were responsible for salvage and recovery of captured/crashed enemy aircraft, but in April 1940 the Luftwaffenbeute (literally ‘air force booty’ organisation) was

A

created to manage such operations. By the end of that year there were 12 field salvage staffs with nearly 8,000 military personnel and some 700 foreign workers. In 1943, the salvage units were consolidated into salvage battalions, and a Berger-Trupp of 18 men and three NCOs could, typically, recover a crashed heavy bomber and

transport the wreckage to the nearest rail station for transfer on goods wagons to a dump for eventual smelting. Salvage parks (Beuteparks) were set up where usable equipment such as radios, propellers, engines and so on was stored for possible use by flyable captured enemy aircraft, with new and/or unusual kit passed to the DVL for testing. I am unsure, but maybe the RLM allocated usable engines to companies involved in war production, as Walter mentions, but something like a Merlin would need to be substantially derated for use as a generator.”

Medal winner at Fayid

Q

In the September issue, Geoff Fuhrmann sought details on where his father-inlaw was when he posed by an RAF Republic Thunderbolt in the Middle East, a clue being the prominent badge visible on the aircraft’s nose. Rod Sanders says that Sqn Ldr D. H. Clarke describes such markings in his book What Were They Like to Fly? As chief instructor of No 73 Operational Training Unit at Fayid equipped with Thunderbolts, he taught trainees glide approaches and three-point landings: “I indulged in a bit of bull to achieve these results — with a fancy Ace of Spades and Death’s Head insignia painted on the fuselage of each kite. The bull worked! In the end it was a privilege to be trained in the ‘Ace of Spades’ Flight”. One Thunderbolt was painted overall black with a red lightning flash along the fuselage for use by Clarke and the station commander to lead gaggles of pupils during training.

A

AEROPLANE OCTOBER 2017

31/08/2017 21:54

THIS MONTH’S QUESTIONS ‘Secret’ ﬂying boats

Q

Writer Bill Starkey is researching the purchase and subsequent withdrawal and conversion into houseboats of several large inter-war ﬂying boats by the head of MI6, Sir George Mansﬁeld Smith-Cumming. He negotiated their sale from the RAF for £5 each! Bill has identiﬁed the following as falling into this conversion category: Vickers Valentia serial N126, Fairey Atalanta N119, Fairey Titania N129, Saunders-Roe Valkyrie N189 and Supermarine Southampton N9899. N126 (above), one of three Vickers Valentias ordered in May 1918 and completed after WW1, and Fairey Titania N129 at Felixstowe in 1926 (left). Both were comparatively short-lived before being withdrawn from use, but did their hulls end up as houseboats?

On their withdrawal from use, they were apparently converted into houseboats and used around the River Deben at the Felixstowe Ferry area. Were there others, and can anyone assist with details of the boat conversions?

Havoc on the mountain

Q

In connection with the Douglas DB-7/A-20 Database feature in the June issue, Stephen Thair recalls visiting the remains of a Havoc wreck on Carnedd Dafydd in Wales in the summer of 1968; he wonders if it is still there and what the story behind the crash was.

Tolworth bombing

Q

Although he has no ﬁrm date to work on, John Colbert asks if anyone can add to his recollection of a lone bomber attack by a German aircraft with a single ﬁn and rudder on a factory

producing equipment for FN turrets at Tolworth, Surrey, in the summer of 1940. The company name was Mollarts where his father worked. Was this a known target to the enemy or a random attack?

UK airﬁelds — highs and lows

Q

In the August issue (page 91), there was mention that “Little Rissington… was the highest [station] in the RAF, being 500ft above mean sea level…” Brian Murray says that Military Airﬁelds in the British Isles 1939-45 gives RAF Davidstow Moor that honour at 969ft above sea level, with Little Rissington

claiming 750ft, the former closing post-war. The lowest airﬁeld appears to be RAF Tain, Ross-shire, now a

bombing range, at 0ft. Are these ﬁgures correct or should the honours go elsewhere?

A burnt offering

Q

Can anyone identify the circumstances and location of this wreck of Douglas RB-26C Invader 44-35822? It was converted from an A-26C-50-DT in 1950-54 and is believed to have served with the French Air Force.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS • For subscribers who received our 2016 Index with the September issue, it should be noted that — due to an editorial error — it incorrectly says Volume 43 on the front page, rather than Volume 44. • Many thanks to Lynn Williams, who writes that the image on page 128 of the June issue captioned as showing John Taylor running the engine of the ﬁrst Taylor Titch in fact depicts the ﬁrst Taylor Monoplane, G-APRT, which was also for a time painted in RAF camouﬂage. When the photo was taken

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it had been retroﬁtted with a 1,600cc Volkswagen engine. • The reference to the Fort William factory in the Burnelli news item on page 15 of the September issue should have said that it was in the province of Ontario, not Québec. • Chris Farara provides some information to augment the Evolution of British Jet Engines book review on page 100 of the September issue. Work on the AV-8B Harrier II was not exclusively carried out by McDonnell Douglas at St Louis; rather, it was split close

to 50-50 each between McDD and British Aerospace at Kingston and Dunsfold. Chris writes, “The carbon ﬁbre wings and front fuselages were made in St Louis, the centre and rear fuselages and the reaction control systems were made in the UK (as were the R-R Pegasus engines) and shipped across the Atlantic in both directions for the two ﬁnal assembly lines. Tail units were made in both countries. The AV-8Bs were assembled in St Louis and the Harrier GR5s and GR7s were assembled at Dunsfold.”

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31/08/2017 21:55

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October 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the ﬁrst recorded supersonic ﬂight. In tribute to this momentous event, this month’s Aeroplane presents a special section devoted to aviation’s boundarypushing pursuit of ever greater speed

ROUND BRITAIN WHIZ WORDS: PETE LONDON

1911’s Circuit of Britain race did more than just demonstrate the ever-incr eas being attained by the era’s aeroplanes. It also exposed many people to ﬂy

T

he world’s first aviation correspondent, Daily Mail reporter Harry Harper, dubbed 1911 “the year of the great air races”. He’d watched some of the first ever exhibitions of flying, tentative circuits around single fields that were marvellous in their day, but were quickly overtaken by full-blooded cross-country challenges. Hugely popular with the awestruck public, these long-distance contests saw brave Edwardian aviators striving to achieve supremacy on fragile, unpredictable mounts.

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That summer three European races took place, followed by Lord Northcliffe’s gruelling epic: the Circuit of Britain. Aeroplanes were still dangerous; of the European contests, Paris-Madrid, Paris-RomeTurin and the Circuit of Europe, two experienced fatal accidents. Many pilots dropped out with faltering machines, while very few British flyers participated in the continental battles. The Circuit of Britain was sponsored by the Daily Mail, whose proprietor Northcliffe was an ardent supporter of British aviation. First

prize was a huge £10,000, today around £580,000. Northcliffe sought to use his race to show the British people the great progress recently achieved in flying, an enthusiasm dovetailing with his customary readiness to make news and then report it. But, as the Mail remarked too, “This race […] should also awaken our War Office to the full importance of the new art, which in war cannot any longer be denied.” Several leading British pilots entered the competition, among them Samuel Cody (naturalised in 1909),

AEROPLANE OCTOBER 2017

04/09/2017 13:44

CIRCUIT OF BRITAIN

ncr easing speed to ﬂying machines for the ﬁrst time Gustav Hamel (likewise in 1910), Bentfield Hucks, Howard Pixton, John Porte and James Valentine. The wider field included American Charles Weymann, from Switzerland Edmond Audemars, and Austrian Lt Heinrich Bier. But the real threat came from France, for whom two outstanding flyers were Jean Louis Conneau, a naval lieutenant who competed under the pseudonym André Beaumont, and Jules Védrines. Conneau had already won two of the European contests, while Védrines had triumphed in the Paris-Madrid

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event. A professional mechanic, Védrines’ fiery Gascon temperament and do-or-die flying style contrasted with Conneau’s cooler approach. The serviceman planned each journey carefully, laying accurate courses and following weather reports. Rather than merely picking up landmarks along the way, he was skilled in navigating by map and compass. Northcliffe’s mammoth course totalled 1,010 miles, said the Mail, starting and finishing at Brooklands

in Surrey, with 13 stops. To allow as many Londoners as possible a view of the event, on its first day the aviators would travel just 20 miles to Hendon aerodrome. Day two would see them head north to Edinburgh via Harrogate and Newcastle, a total of 343 miles. The third day’s destination was Bristol, stopping at Stirling, Glasgow, Carlisle and Manchester (383 miles). Day four aimed for Brighton, via Exeter and Salisbury Plain (224 miles), while the final day involved a short flight returning to Brooklands (40 miles).

ABOVE: Wednesday 26 July 1911: ‘André Beaumont’ (really Jean Louis Conneau) about to land his Blériot back at Brooklands, £10,000 richer for his considerable efforts. ALL PHOTOS VIA PETE LONDON

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04/09/2017 09:07

CIRCUIT OF BRITAIN

ABOVE: John Porte and his Deperdussin at Brooklands shortly before taking off for the Circuit race. Brieﬂy airborne, he crashed but was uninjured. RIGHT TOP TO BOTTOM: Fresh from winning the Gordon Bennett race, American Charles Weymann entered the Circuit with his Nieuport monoplane. He wore his pince-nez glasses when ﬂying. Wednesday 26 July: at Brooklands, the victorious Beaumont (left) is chaired from his machine.

The race rules were drawn up by the Royal Aero Club. In previous contests, spare parts and even replacement aircraft had been used as needed, but as well as a test of speed the Circuit became something of a reliability trial. All participating machines were obliged to wear 10 official stamps, five marked on the airframe and five on engine parts. As many as six stamped items could be replaced en route, but at least four had to remain for the entire race. That said, doubtless mindful of the many unplanned landings experienced at the time, propellers and undercarriages weren’t included in the ‘replacement’ rule. On top of the eye-watering main prize, other rewards were offered. The British Petroleum Company put up 125 guineas for the aircraft finishing with the most stamped parts remaining. Brighton’s Hotels Association provided a 100-guinea gold cup for the first British aviator to reach the town. The fastest flight between Hendon and Harrogate would earn a silver cup donated by a Mr Ogden, while the quickest British pilot between those two points would secure from the Harrogate Chamber of Trade an enticing 50-guinea tea service. Thirty flyers registered with the Aero Club to enter the race, each paying a £100 fee. Audemars, ‘Beaumont’,

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Lt Reginald Cammell of the Royal Engineers, and Gustav Hamel brought Blériots. Seven Bristol machines were entered, five of them biplanes; just three made the start, piloted by Eric Gordon England (representing Argentina), Howard Pixton and Collyns Pizey. Charles Weymann arrived with his 100hp Gnome-powered Nieuport monoplane, having just won the Gordon Bennett race at Eastchurch; he usually flew wearing pince-nez. Védrines brought a Borel-Morane, lighter and faster than Beaumont’s Blériot. Samuel Cody entered a biplane he’d just designed, powered by a British Green Engine Co unit. Henry Astley flew a Birdling monoplane, a Blériot

copy, and Cecil Compton-Paterson a Grahame-White Baby biplane. Other types included the Blackburn Mercury monoplanes of Hucks and Francis Conway Jenkins, and a Howard Wright biplane piloted by Lt Herbert Reynolds. Porte and Valentine piloted Deperdussins, Heinrich Bier a Lohner-Etrich ‘Renntaube’. Two Breguet biplanes were entered, large metal machines flown by Frenchmen Georges Blanchet and Olivier de Montalent. Sadly, prominent British flyer Douglas Graham Gilmour didn’t participate. A lively lad, his aviator’s certificate had just been suspended by the Aero Club for alleged dangerous low flying over the snooty Henley Regatta. The race began on Saturday 22 July, in sweltering temperatures. New journal The Aeroplane recorded: “Brooklands had become one huge saucepan, and the air was simply boiling out of it”. But the public imagination was well and truly captured. Despite the heat vast crowds had gathered, perhaps 30,000 people. The great and good lolled in an imposing grandstand, among them Prince Henry of Prussia, Portuguese King Manoel and Romania’s Prince Charles. A stubborn gate guardian refused Lord Northcliffe entry, since he hadn’t bought a ticket, until an official arrived and had a flustered word. The hot weather delayed matters. Race organisers warily watched the field’s whirling dust-devils, a warning of turbulent conditions above. Finally,

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at 16.00hrs the first airman got away: Beaumont, racing No 1, the machines starting in their lots-drawn numbered order. Sadly Gordon-England’s Type T biplane suffered engine problems, and was left at the post. Conway Jenkins’ Blackburn overturned while taxiing, generally attributed to a sudden crosswind though it was also suggested the machine had been assembled with crossed control lines, while Porte’s Deperdussin hit an eddy at around 50ft and crashed. Fortunately neither pilot was injured. Last to go were Heinrich Bier with passenger Viktor Klobucar. Of the aircraft originally registered to participate, just 17 left Brooklands. Everyone arrived in north London intact, though their times varied. Harry Harper was there to see them. Védrines landed at Hendon first with 19 minutes 48 seconds on the board, and Beaumont very close behind with 20 minutes three seconds. Weymann had to return to Brooklands to secure his flapping roller-map, alighting at Hendon after 58 minutes 17 seconds, but calculated he’d made the actual journey in 14 minutes, five less than the official fastest time, averaging more than 80mph. Cammell took three-and-a-half hours, having landed to fix a broken engine valve. Again the crowds were enormous. Whistling a merry tune, doyen aviator and Hendon’s owner Claude Grahame-White oiled the turnstiles. No flying took place on the Sabbath, but Monday saw the competition beginning in earnest. The aircraft were dispatched from around 04.00hrs, in order of their arrival at Hendon. Reflecting his faster time, it was intended Védrines be given a 15-second head start over Beaumont. But either Hendon’s stewards became confused or Beaumont jumped the gun; he set off first. Amid furious profanities, Védrines left in pursuit. By then the weather was breaking. For much of the way to Harrogate, fog and mist obscured the ground. Beaumont’s navigating skills gave him an edge over most of his rivals, and he observed smoke rising from urban areas. Later he wrote: “Great plumes […] appear, piercing the fog bank below me and blooming out over the clear, sunlit surface. Evidently, there are the chimneys of some factory below, of an industrial town. My map provides me with its name.” Travelling north, some aviators alighted part-way at Melton

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New journal The Aeroplane recorded, “Brooklands had become one huge saucepan, and the air was simply boiling out of it”. But the public imagination was well and truly captured

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CIRCUIT OF BRITAIN

ABOVE: Cody and his Circuit of Britain machine passing low over Brooklands’ distinctive banked racetrack.

Mowbray, where a fuel store had been set up on the polo pitch. Following an engine test, sadly Collyns Pizey damaged his Type T when it struck the board marking the pitch’s touchline. Hamel came down just north of the town, his engine misfiring, but with cleaned plugs and a new inlet valve he returned to the chase. Despite Hendon’s starting order Védrines arrived first at Harrogate, a mere four minutes before Beaumont. He’d averaged around 60mph. Harrogate’s shops were closed that morning as employees watched the great aerial battle. After 30 minutes’ rest Védrines left for Newcastle, landing at the city’s Gosforth Park still ahead but with Beaumont following closely. Nearby shipyards and factories were silent, their workers staring skywards. Another short break followed before the Frenchmen headed for Edinburgh. The only competitor anywhere near the two leaders by now was James Valentine. At Harrogate he’d only been around half an hour adrift but close to Newcastle he became lost, landing on a golf course by mistake and falling further behind. He had problems in getting away again, because the golfers seeking

to help him thought he wanted his Deperdussin pushed off instead of held back. Alighting exhausted at Gosforth Park, Valentine slept for just three hours before setting off once more. Day two’s final stage to Edinburgh saw hilly terrain, with worsening

to Hendon due to fog, Audemars had retired. The Etrich had been damaged in a forced landing north of Hatfield with a radiator problem, while Bentfield Hucks’ race ended with engine trouble at Barton, near Luton. Of those who’d pressed on, Pixton piled up his Type T and injured himself after running out of fuel over Spofforth, just short of Harrogate. At Roundhay, near Leeds, Weymann damaged his Nieuport trying to avoid spectators who’d gathered after he’d alighted to get directions. Cammell’s Blériot burst a cylinder and he overturned in crops east of Wakefield. Day three, Tuesday 25 July, brought unpleasant conditions for the long journey south to Bristol. Védrines and Conneau left Edinburgh at dawn, flying through rain and high winds prior to resting briefly at Stirling’s King’s Park checkpoint. They’d started for Glasgow before Valentine had taken off from Edinburgh, having waited for the wind to drop. At Glasgow’s Paisley racecourse Beaumont was cheered by 20,000 early risers. Though he was nearby, Védrines couldn’t make out where to land. His enterprising mechanics lit a bonfire to attract his attention through the murk, but to no avail. Fuming, he alighted having lost around 50 minutes. After another

Northcliffe’s great challenge succeeded in presenting the aeroplane to people all across Britain, many of whom had never seen a flying machine. But it also revealed the aerial dominance of the French

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wind and rain. To navigate Beaumont dropped to 300ft, landing at Colinton’s Redford Barracks checkpoint. It had, he said, been “a dreadful morning”. Leader Védrines had arrived 20 minutes earlier. With just a few constables and boy scouts to restrain the crowds, he was mobbed. Several hours later Valentine appeared. In fourth and fifth positions, Hamel and Cody had slipped way back. Hamel made Newcastle at 19.39hrs, and Cody was still at Harrogate repairing a leaking fuel tank. Other aeroplanes were strewn across the country. ComptonPaterson had withdrawn after the first stage; having turned back twice

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brief rest both men continued to Carlisle. Valentine had arrived at Stirling, but en route to Glasgow he came down lost near Falkirk, damaging the Deperdussin’s propeller and rudder. Repairs were put in hand. Engine problems delayed Hamel’s arrival at Edinburgh, but he continued to Glasgow and left for Carlisle. Near Dumfries, again the engine misbehaved. Hamel called it a day; in any case, he was still suffering from the effects of a crash on 1 July while flying in the Gordon Bennett race. Near Settle in North Yorkshire Beaumont too experienced a stuttering engine, but — plugs cleaned and fuel topped up — at 16.47hrs he arrived at Stafford Park, Manchester. Yet Védrines had been unable to take advantage. Losing his bearings near Liverpool he’d wandered off course as far as St Helens, eventually landing at Manchester at 17.20. It was the next stage where the race was really won and lost. At 20.37 Beaumont touched down at Bristol’s Filton landing field, having endured more engine maladies along the way. As well as the usual throng of spectators Sir George White, chairman of the Bristol-based British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was there to greet him. But where was Védrines? Unfortunately he’d mistaken British and Colonial’s flying field for the official race landing ground. Just half

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a mile separated the two. Haggard and perplexed, Védrines arrived at Filton by taxi, beside himself when he realised Beaumont was already there. To add to his misery he’d broken a wire while alighting. Repairs were made, Filton being illuminated with acetylene lamps ready for the hop. When Védrines at last set down it was 22.10hrs. Wednesday 26 July saw both Frenchmen leaving Bristol just before 05.00. They’d agreed to try and reach Brooklands in a single day. Via Exeter’s landing field at nearby Whipton, Védrines alighted at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain at 08.10, Beaumont at 08.32. From there Beaumont flew to the south coast, which he followed to Shoreham near Brighton. Védrines made up a few minutes, but not enough. After a flight of 39 minutes 51 seconds, at 14.08 Beaumont dropped to Brooklands’ grass, exhausted but joyful. His machine’s stamps given the thumbs-up, he was congratulated by Lord Northcliffe. At 15.18, the shattered Védrines put down for second place. Beaumont’s net flying time was 22 hours 29 minutes six seconds, Védrines taking 23 hours 38 minutes five seconds. Beaumont (or, rather, Conneau) scooped Northcliffe’s £10,000 cheque but his rival received just £200 as a consolation, though this was soon topped up by donations from well-wishers.

What of Valentine and Cody? Unfavourable weather impeded their progress but they continued on. Valentine had already won the tea service — his Deperdussin repaired, he finally arrived at Brighton on 3 August and claimed the Hotels Association’s cup. The following evening he touched down back at Brooklands. Dogged and brave, drawing on scant resources compared with many of his rivals, Cody suffered more problems including a forced landing near Durham which damaged his aeroplane’s undercarriage, further breakages at Newcastle, and a coked-up engine that was cleaned overnight at Carlisle. Cody landed at Brooklands on 5 August, the final day allowed by the race rules. His was the only British pilot-and-aircraft combination to finish. Arriving early that morning, none of the race organisers were there to greet him. Lord Northcliffe’s great challenge had succeeded in presenting the aeroplane to people all across Britain, most of whom had never previously seen a flying machine. But it also revealed the aerial dominance of the French. Their aircraft and engines had taken first and second places, the contest emphasising Conneau’s professionalism and Védrines’ passion. Only Valentine — on a French aeroplane — and Cody with his technically sterile machine had flown the flag for Britain. There was a lot of catching-up to do.

ABOVE: Védrines’ BorelMorane, race number 9, enjoying a short respite at Stirling’s King’s Park checkpoint.

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M52 VERSUS X-1 A splendid artist’s impression of Miles M52 RT136 — the second of two serials provisionally allocated — accompanied by a Meteor chase aircraft. DANIEL UHR

The

RACEto MACH 1

On 14 October 1947, the Bell XS-1 became the ﬁrst aircraft in the world to achieve supersonic ﬂight. In March 1946 the Miles M52 — also designed speciﬁcally for that purpose — had been cancelled before the ﬁrst example was ready. Was the British aircraft really a serious contender for what became America’s crown? The latest research casts serious doubts WORDS: TONY BUTTLER

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May 1943: A Supersonic Committee was formed by Ben Lockspeiser, director of scientific research at the UK’s Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP). This move was prompted by a captured German engineer who declared that Germany had looked at an aircraft capable of well over 1,000mph (1,609km/h). It was subsequently established that no supersonic aircraft existed in Germany. September 1943: The decision to start work on an experimental British supersonic project. Miles Aircraft, with which firm agreement was finalised on 8 October, was to undertake it. December 1943: A contract for two Miles M52 airframes with military serials RT133 and RT136 was awarded to Miles Aircraft and specification E24/43 was raised to cover them. In the meantime, jet engine pioneer Frank Whittle had revealed that he had been developing an ‘augmenter’ to provide additional bursts of thrust to help aircraft pass through the transonic speed region and on to supersonic speeds. Developed further, this would become afterburning or reheat. The augmenter appeared ideal for the M52. The new engine, a bypass version of the earlier W2/500, was to be called the W2/700. F. G. Miles (chairman and managing director) and his brother George (technical director and chief designer) had founded Miles Aircraft, but it was Dennis Bancroft who would design the M52 along with his assistant Derek Ruben. After consultation with Dr Maccoll of the Armament Research Department at Fort Halstead, which was the only accurate source of information on the drag of bullets and shells, the decision was taken to design the M52’s layout and fuselage using ballistics data. 11 August 1944: First flight of a Miles M3E Falcon Major (L9075, powered by a DH Gipsy Six) fitted with a very thin, wooden, bi-convex wing to perform low-speed testing on the M52’s surfaces. This aircraft was nicknamed the ‘Gillette Falcon’. In addition, a Vickers Wellington and two Gloster Meteors served as testbeds for the W2/700. November 1944: Around this time, Bell Aircraft began studying a transonic aeroplane, which would become the XS-1. The term ‘XS’ stood

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for Experimental, Supersonic. In due course specification MX-653 was issued to cover the project. It had become clear to NACA (the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), the US Army Air Forces and the US Navy that a research aircraft for flight at transonic speeds was now required. The driving force behind this idea — and another factor in the British decision to build the M52 — was that during high-speed flight pilots of service aircraft were encountering the effects of compressibility, the point where shockwaves first appear, on a regular basis. Bell’s Benson Hamlin became XS-1 project engineer and

The Supersonic Committee met right through into 1946, but it is understood that Miles was never made aware was responsible for both the original design proposal and the aircraft’s preliminary design. Hamlin and his colleagues consulted with official bodies and organisations to garner information as to what the best fuselage shape might be. Again, bullets were the only thing known to fly supersonically, and the choice centred on that of a 0.50-calibre round. Unlike the M52 with its turbojet, the XS-1 was to be rocket-powered using an engine under development by Reaction Motors called the XLR‑11-RM3. This had four 1,500lb-thrust combustion chambers that could be operated simultaneously or individually. The chosen maximum

speed at this stage was 800mph (1,287km/h) since this figure was supersonic at any altitude at which the aircraft might be flying. March 1945: Official British documents made reference to “slow progress” on the M52. The creation of this aircraft broke much new ground for what was a relatively small organisation at Miles. Meetings of the Supersonic Committee continued right through into 1946, but it is understood that the Miles team was never made aware of them.

ABOVE: Charles E. ‘Chuck’ Yeager inside the first Bell XS-1, which he christened Glamorous Glennis after his wife. USAF

March 1945: NACA’s active participation in the XS-1 programme began. Different models were tested in the wind tunnel, including comparative tests between a conventional tailplane and a V-tail. In fact, the second XS-1 was apparently intended to have a V-tail but this never happened. On 15 March a conference was held at Wright Field to assess the proposed design. Soon a contract followed for three XS-1s. 28 June 1945: Clark Millikan, a distinguished academic from CalTech (the California Institute of Technology) and an adviser on aeronautics to the US Navy, visited Miles Aircraft. His notes of this event concluded: “The Miles aircraft for this purpose appears greatly handicapped by the powerplant specified. The Miles design was made without any knowledge of the recent German developments in the transonic field and accordingly has not yet taken advantage of much information which is now available. In general the design appears to have little to offer US designers, although the very thin bi-convex airfoil section, with thick constant-curvature covering, the unbalanced power-boost controls

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M52 VERSUS X-1

ABOVE: This manufacturer’s drawing from 6 September 1944 shows down the left-hand side the various planned powerplants for the M52, their internal arrangement and how these affected the fuselage. The top one has the W2/700 prime mover engine alone with its 18in (0.457m)-diameter duct; next comes the W2/700 plus the fourth design for the augmenter in the jet pipe and the 37in (0.940m) duct, and the third has a 44in (1.118m) duct. The underside, front and plan views show the third of these configurations, along with a larger tailplane. MILES AIRCRAFT

and the all-moving horizontal tail, might be of interest. It is believed that with the present state of knowledge a much better solution of the transonic research airplane problem is possible. In view of the above it is recommended that no further steps be taken at this time to obtain additional information on the project from the British government.” 29 June 1945: Millikan went on to visit the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough. There he met the RAE Aero Department’s Ronald Smelt, who confirmed that the Ministry had not attached a very high degree of urgency to the project. It was felt that the results obtained with the M52 would not be of much assistance in connection with “existing service types”, and so the entire development effort was now regarded essentially as a long-term research programme. Indeed, by about autumn 1945 the M52’s future was becoming bleak and the Supersonic Committee was looking towards other ideas. In a very short time the arguments for cancellation became too strong. 27 December 1945: The first example of the XS-1, serial 46-062, was rolled out of the Bell factory at Wheatfield, New York.

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25 January 1946: Bell’s Jack Woolams made the XS-1’s maiden flight — an unpowered gliding flight — over Pinecastle airfield near Orlando, Florida. Nine more glide flights were completed before the aircraft went back to Bell in March to be prepared for powered flight. Tragically, Woolams was killed in an air crash on 30 August 1946, and so Chalmers ‘Slick’ Goodlin became Bell’s test pilot for the XS-1. In the meantime the Army Air Forces (AAF) had become unhappy with the programme’s slow progress and Bell’s flight test contract was terminated, the task passing to the AAF Flight Test Division. The flight programme for the second machine, serial 46-063, became the responsibility of NACA. 12 February 1946: At a Supersonic Committee meeting, questions were asked as to whether it was justified to continue the M52 in view of new cost estimates, which showed that the sum required to complete the contract had gone up by 150 per cent. In addition, information on advanced aerodynamics coming from captured research establishments in Germany, in particular concerning swept wings, was clouding the issue. The indications were that the M52’s

straight wing would be inferior to a swept surface. 20 February 1946: Lockspeiser wrote of the M52, “We must cut our losses and cancel the contract on this aircraft. I believe the conception behind the decision to build this aircraft was to get supersonic information. We now know that was putting the cart before the horse. No more supersonic aircraft till rocketpropelled models and wind tunnels have given us enough information to proceed on a reliable basis.” Mid-March 1946: Contract action was taken to cancel the M52. For Miles the move was a bombshell, but the firm was unable to make any comments in public because of its high security classification, and this did not change for some time. September 1946: The M52’s existence was at last announced to a very surprised public, and its cancellation made known. The press in particular saw that a huge opportunity might have been lost. The UK government told Miles to pass over its M52 data and drawings to America. 11 October 1946: Goodlin performs the XS-1’s maiden glide

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to America will never be known for sure unless someone makes a major archival discovery. But Millikan’s comments suggest that the M52 might not have been rated too highly by some Americans anyway. A further point stressed recently by Dr Richard Hallion is that the XS-1 did not have a genuine all-moving tail. Rather, it had an adjustable horizontal stabiliser joined to a moveable elevator. When the pilot pulled back on the control yoke for pitch control, deflecting the elevator, he could likewise use a stabiliser trim switch to adjust the horizontal stabiliser position to gain greater deflection. If NACA had been given the all-moving tail, would it then have rejected the concept in favour of a less effective and more complex ‘in-between’ arrangement? Hallion added that while the M52 was still in advanced design, the XS-1 had in fact entered fabrication.

flight in 46-063 from Muroc Army Air Field, which had now become the aircraft’s permanent base. 9 December 1946: The XS-1’s first powered flight, again involving 46-063 in Goodlin’s hands. On 11 April 1947 he would undertake the first powered flight by sister ship 46-062. 7 August 1947: Capt Charles E. ‘Chuck’ Yeager made his — and the AAF’s — first XS-1 flight, a gliding sortie. 29 August 1947: The AAF’s inaugural powered flight in the XS-1, again by Yeager. 4 September 1947: The XS-1’s maximum speed was increased to Mach 0.89, then 0.91 (10 September) and 0.92 (12 September). Mach 0.997 was recorded on 10 October. 14 October 1947: The first manned supersonic flight by XS-1 46-062, nicknamed Glamorous Glennis after Yeager’s wife. This critical sortie was XS-1 flight number 50. Yeager reported that the XS-1 was drop-launched from its Boeing B-29 carrier aircraft at 20,000ft (6,096m) and that all four rocket motor

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cylinders were turned on in rapid sequence, the ensuing climb being made at Mach 0.85 to 0.88 before the aircraft was levelled off at 42,000ft (12,802m) and Mach 0.92. By then two of the rocket cylinders had been turned off, but switching on a third cylinder again pushed the speed up rapidly to Mach 0.98 and then to an estimated Mach 1.05. Yeager had become the first man to fly a human-controlled aircraft at supersonic speed and in controlled level flight. The maximum figure achieved proved to be 700mph (1,126km/h), or Mach 1.06; the altitude at the time the ‘sound barrier’ was breached was approximately 43,000ft (13,106m). Incidentally, the term ‘sound barrier’ was just a journalistic phrase of the day, and really should now be avoided. Ever since the M52’s cancellation, some commentators have stressed that Britain gave its supersonic secrets to the Americans, which then permitted the XS-1 to break the ‘sound barrier’ ahead of the UK. But is this true? Firstly, very extensive searches in archives on both sides of the Atlantic have found nothing to support the idea that the XS-1 benefited significantly from the M52. Just how much M52 material and data went

LEFT: A sketch of the XS-1 from the March 1945 Wright Field Conference papers. Here the design has a span of 28ft (8.53m), a length of 28ft 8in (8.74m) and an all-up weight of 13,550lb (6,146kg). NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

Secondly, there has been no clear and accurate record to indicate just what stage the assembly of the first M52 airframe had reached. Photographs from November 1944 show a completed fuselage jig and a circular frame, but many Miles documents and photos have been destroyed, and currently there is little other evidence to add to this. So, had the M52 not been cancelled, would it have beaten the Bell XS-1 to supersonic flight? A recently discovered document, found after the author’s recent book on the M52 had been published, perhaps casts some doubt. On 7 March 1955, George Miles wrote a long memorandum to his brother F. G. in which he discussed the new Defence White Paper (‘The Supply of Military Aircraft’) published that February. In this he wrote: “No mention is made of the fact that the most advanced project in the world was under development in 1943. At the end of the war, design, mock-up, development of systems and construction were extremely far advanced on the M52. This aircraft would have flown early in 1947.” If this is accurate, then at cancellation the first M52 was almost a year from flight. An early 1947 flight of the first airframe without the augmenter was only nine to 10 months prior to the XS-1 achieving Mach 1, and the supersonic second machine’s first flight would surely have been some months after the first. On top of this, supersonic flight would have been approached in

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M52 VERSUS X-1

ABOVE: The Miles ‘Gillette Falcon’ with its allmoving, bi-convex tailplane. This light aircraft performed a large number of flights to support the low-speed end of the M52 programme. MILES AIRCRAFT

BELOW: A Miles artwork depicting the second M52 research aircraft during a test flight. MILES AIRCRAFT

increments before any attempt to pass through Mach 1 was made. Handling trials would have been necessary, and the performance and behaviour of the innovative W2/700 with its bypass flow and secondary combustion would need to be evaluated in the M52 airframe. If everything had gone smoothly this would still have taken time, so the British aircraft might have struggled to reach its supersonic target ahead of the XS-1. Although the XS-1 design process was started after the M52, from the word go Bell had the capability to put a much greater number of engineers onto the project, which accelerated the programme. Though swept-back and delta wings would inevitably come into full use soon afterwards, the straight-wing XS-1 had paved the way for supersonic flight. In 1948 the XS-1 was re-designated as the X-1, and on 5 January the following year Yeager flew 46-062 when it made its only conventional runway take-off, dispensing with the B-29. On this sortie the aircraft climbed to just above 23,000ft (7,010m) in 90 seconds before the

rocket propellant ran out. Yeager also piloted the first X-1 when it reached its maximum recorded speed, 957mph (1,540km/h) or Mach 1.45, at 50,000ft (15,240m), while Lt Col Frank Everest was the pilot who took this aeroplane to its maximum altitude of 71,902ft (21,916m). The first X-1 was retired on 12 May 1950 after accumulating 82 flights in all, both glide and powered. Today it resides in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. The second X-1, 46-063, was used for transonic/supersonic testing up to flight 74 on 23 October 1951, after which it was retired to be rebuilt as the X-1E with new, thinner wings and other changes. As such it went on to record a speed of Mach 2.1 on 14 September 1956. The third example, 46-064, completed only a single glide flight in July 1951 before being lost in a ground fire. The original X-1 was followed by a series of ever more capable variants up to the X-1E, and then by the swept-wing, Mach 3-capable Bell X-2. The US Navy

also built a supersonic research aircraft in the form of the Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket, which in November 1953 became the first aircraft to exceed twice the speed of sound. In Britain, progress following the end of the M52 was rather slower. At first it was replaced by research using scale models released one at a time from a de Havilland Mosquito, and one modelled on the M52 flew in stable and controlled flight to Mach 1.38 on 9 October 1948. The first British manned aircraft to become supersonic, albeit in a dive and not under full control, was the sweptwing DH108. The pilot was John Derry and this landmark was achieved on 6 September 1948. Requirements were laid down in the middle of that year for a supersonic research aircraft, and during 1954 this brought forth the first flights of the English Electric P1 and the Fairey Delta 2. The latter would smash the world speed record in 1956, while the P1 led to the only all-British supersonic fighter, the Mach 2 Lightning. In 1958, leading British aero industry executive Sir Roy Fedden wrote in his book Britain’s Air Survival: “No single act set back Britain’s aircraft development quite so drastically as the Government’s decision in 1947 not to allow manned supersonic investigations. The Miles supersonic aircraft project was abandoned and we turned to an abortive programme of supersonic investigation through rocket-powered models dropped from Mosquitos… This unfortunate decision cost us at least ten years in aeronautical progress and put us a generation behind the United States.” ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The author thanks Peter Amos, Prof Brian Brinkworth, Dr Richard Hallion and Jim Pratt for their assistance with material and images used in this article.

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THE RIVALS IN DETAIL MILES M52

T

he M52 was essentially conventional in terms of its structure, the monocoque fuselage in particular following contemporary practice, using light alloy with a small amount of steel in stressed regions. The fuselage was a circular tube covered in a thick, stressed skin, and the cockpit was positioned well forward to ensure a good view, but did not go outside the fuselage lines. The entire cabin was jettisonable to improve the pilot’s chances of survival in an emergency. Its windscreen was a moulded glass screen, and there was a vertically positioned Perspex screen behind. A single nosewheel retracted between the pilot’s legs, the narrow-track main undercarriage retracted into wells in the lower fuselage sides, and 250 gallons (1,137 litres) of fuel was housed entirely in the fuselage. A bi-convex section was selected for the wing, tailplane, fin and rudder. The main wing was the thinnest fully cantilevered monoplane wing yet attempted — it had a thickness/chord ratio of 7.5 per cent at the root tapering to 4.02 per cent at the tip, and 2° of dihedral to help with some lateral oscillation expected at high subsonic speeds. Bending loads were absorbed by very thick Dural wing skins and there was zero sweepback at the 50 per cent chord line. Both leading and trailing edges were finished to a razor edge and incorporated

unbalanced ailerons and plain flaps. Small dive recovery flaps were fitted, to open below the wing roots. The tail was allmoving, with no elevator, and there was power boosting on all three flying control circuits. At least 14 different wind tunnel models were used for background research and a full-size wooden mock-up of the aircraft was built. The M52’s centrifugal W2/700 power unit was a bypass turbojet, a common type today but in 1945 representing a big step forward. It was fed by an annular intake around the forward fuselage. The Miles and Power Jets design teams had to work together closely because, with the engine nearly filling the fuselage, changes to either component had a marked effect on the other. Whittle’s augmenter would increase the mass flow of the engine by a substantial volume and bring a corresponding increase in thrust. The high-speed exhaust gases would be ejected through the nozzle at the end of the outer ring, with the exhaust gases from the main engine (the prime mover) flowing out through a tail pipe nozzle. The augmenter was really a second, very simple turbojet with a low compression ratio, and the increase in thrust that it offered would also be important for take-offs. At cancellation, the Power Jets W2/700 with the fourth augmenter design was

With the engine nearly filling the fuselage, changes to either component had a marked effect on the other

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expected to provide 3,200lb static thrust on take-off. The first M52 would have made its initial flights with the prime mover only fitted with an 18.5in (0.457m)-diameter duct, which extended into a cone stretching well beyond the fin. As such it would fly only at high subsonic maximum speeds but would also perform handling trials in the takeoff and landing phases. The second machine with the augmenter would have a 37in (0.940m)-diameter duct and a correspondingly shorter fuselage, the potential supersonic capability being helped by the use of a variable air intake. Had it been continued the M52 would probably have made its first flight off the very long runway at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down, since the grass surface at Miles’ Woodley factory airfield was unsuitable. The M52 was designed to take off unassisted, accelerate to its best climbing speed, climb to its operating ceiling, make a four to five-minute level flight or dive to obtain data, and then return to the aerodrome where it would land normally at about 150mph (241km/h). The contemplated duration of a normal powered flight was some 15 to 20 minutes. It is understood that Capt Eric Brown would most likely have been the primary M52 pilot since he was one of the few to visit and sit inside the full-size mock-up. A diary entry by an American, Clark Millikan, noted that the first M52 without the augmenter would climb to something

ABOVE: A few photographs of the M52 mock-up survive to show how the full-scale aeroplane would have appeared. The nose capsule is not centralised. A variable intake for the second M52 was built and groundtested. ALISTER RABY

LEFT: The mock-up’s port side showed exposed structure. MILES AIRCRAFT

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M52 VERSUS X-1

This image from a colour cine ﬁlm made in about November 1945 shows the starboard side of the mock-up. MILES AIRCRAFT

between 40,000ft and 50,000ft (12,192m and 15,240m) and reach a level ﬂight speed a little in excess of Mach 0.8. RAE calculations indicated that during a controlled dive it should in fact reach a speed corresponding to possibly just over Mach 1.0. The second machine, with the augmenter, had a calculated initial rate of climb of some 14,000ft (4,267m) per minute and a possible operating ceiling of more than 60,000ft (18,288m). Its maximum level speed was estimated to be about Mach 0.93, and in a dive around Mach 1.1 should have been reached. Since the take-off and landing were quite conventional it was speciﬁed that a large number of test ﬂights would be made, and the speed approaching Mach 1 increased very gradually in successive sorties. Diving the aircraft added a component of gravity, which acted in the direction of ﬂight and so added to the engine thrust. There would then be a zoom to high altitude to

produce the necessary deceleration. The M52’s true maximum speed was never, of course, established, but the design case laid down for loading purposes had been a speed of 800mph (1,287km/h). Because of high fuel consumption at higher altitudes it was decided to start the dive from 50,000ft (15,240m) and terminate it at 36,000ft (10,973m), which should have been sufﬁcient to provide the necessary acceleration for the aircraft to attain its maximum speed. The ﬁnal predicted performance data as given in Miles Aircraft documents — with enhanced-thrust estimates by Dennis Bancroft — gave the maximum speed without the augmenter as 585mph (941km/h) at 30,000ft (9,144m), with the augmenter as 705mph (1,134km/h) at sea level, and at 36,000ft (10,973m) after a dive from 50,000ft (15,240m) as 1,000mph (1,609km/h). The best climbing speed was put at 600mph (965km/h).

M52 PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS AS AT MARCH 1946 All-up weights:

6,763lb (3,068kg) with 18in (45.7cm) duct and 200 gallons (909 litres) of fuel; 7,812lb (3,544kg) with 37in (94cm) duct and 193 gallons (878 litres) of fuel

Gross wing area:

141.4 square feet (13.15 square metres)

Wingspan:

26ft 10.5in (8.19m)

Overall fuselage length: 35ft 6.59in (10.84m) for ﬁrst ﬂights using 18in (0.457m) duct with prime mover only; 33ft 6.22in (10.22m) for ﬂights with 37in (0.940m) duct and augmentation; 32ft 8.77in (9.98m) with later planned 44in (1.118m) duct

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BELL XS-1/X-1

A

s noted, the X-1’s forward section closely resembled that of a bullet and the pilot was housed inside the nose contours to maintain this shape; aft of the wing leading edge the fuselage tapered to the engine nozzles. Bell built a full-size wooden mock-up to see if its test pilots could land the aircraft with only small side windows to see out. This nose could not be jettisoned and there was no ejection seat, but the problem of exiting in an emergency was eased because of the rocket powerplant, since the X-1’s pilot did not have to worry about avoiding the air intake, as on the M52. The airframe had a semi-monocoque fuselage, again using an aluminium alloy stressed skin. The midfuselage wing was straight, and the tailplane was positioned on the ﬁn, rather higher than on the M52. The ﬁrst X-1 had a wing of eight per cent thickness/ chord ratio and a six per cent-thick horizontal tail. The second aircraft had its wings and tail increased to 10 and eight per cent accordingly, meaning it would have a lower top speed. The tail thickness was made less than for the wing to ensure that, should the main wing experience compressibility effects, the aircraft would be ﬂying at a speed below the point where the horizontal tail would experience the same trouble. This would mean that the pilot would still have

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: With the success of the XS-1/X-1 programme, the US built an unassailable lead in terms of supersonic ﬂight. USAF

The second XS-1, 46-063, on a glide ﬂight in 1946, just after release from the B-29. NASA

Bell test pilot Chalmers ‘Slick’ Goodlin after the ﬁrst powered XS-1 ﬂight by 46-063 on 9 December 1946. NASM

XS-1 46-062 at high speed under rocket power. NASM

control if he encountered compressibility and, if necessary, needed to reduce speed. The incidence of the tailplane was adjustable in ﬂight to deal with changes in trim, but control in pitch was by conventional elevators. After the machine had behaved very badly upon reaching a speed of about Mach 0.94 the trim actuator was beefed up sufﬁciently to afford some supplementary control in pitch, giving it something like an all-moving tailplane. Overall the X-1’s design worked so well from the stability, performance and control points of view that its shape as built was never changed. The fuel for the Reaction Motors rocket was ethyl alcohol diluted with water and mixed with a liquid oxygen oxidiser. As described earlier, the thrust could be changed in increments of 1,500lb by use of the four chambers. The ﬁrst two X-1 engines had both their fuel and oxygen tanks pressurised with nitrogen, but on later units this arrangement was replaced by gas-driven turbopumps, which increased the chamber pressure and thrust while producing a lighter engine. The biggest difference between the M52 and X-1 was that the American aircraft had to be taken aloft by a ‘mother ship’ since its ﬂight duration was so short under rocket propulsion, whereas the British type would have taken off from the runway under its

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own power. The X-1 was drop-launched from the bomb bay of an adapted Boeing B-29 Superfortress, serial 45-21800. After its rocket engine had burnt out it would glide home to land on Muroc’s dry lake-bed. To begin with the ﬁrst two examples were painted international orange to increase their visibility both in the air and from the ground. After their transfer to NACA in October 1947, number two was painted white and had a black NACA logo applied to its vertical ﬁn.

X-1 PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS Gross weight:

12,250lb (5,557kg), though other sources state 13,034lb (5,912kg)

Gross wing area:

130 square feet (12.09 square metres) including fuselage section

Wingspan:

28ft (8.53m)

Overall fuselage length: 30ft 11in (9.42m) without pitot on nose

SPECIAL OFFER! The full story of the M52 is related in Tony Buttler’s book Miles M52: Britain’s Top Secret Supersonic Research Aircraft, published in 2016 by Crécy. It normally retails for £24.95, but Aeroplane readers can obtain it at £19.99, post-free to UK postcodes, from www.crecy.co.uk — please use discount code M52AERO when ordering. Offer closes on 31 December 2017.

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31/08/2017 22:07

Capt Anders Westerlund with his record-breaking J 29B. Note the covered cannon nozzles.

VIA MICHAEL SANZ, SWEDISH AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY

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SWEDES at SPEED

That the Saab 29 ‘Tunnan’ attained two separate world air speed records, in 1954 and 1955, is relatively little-known today WORDS: JAN FORSGREN

H

aving entered service during May 1951, becoming the first swept-wing fighter to join the inventory of a western European air arm after the end of the Second World War, the Saab 29’s performance resulted in discussions about attempting to secure the world air speed record. Given the type’s particular balance between speed and range, the best options were found to be the 100km, 500km and 1,000km closed-circuit distances without payload. In the event, the Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force) commander-inchief Bengt Nordenskiöld decreed that an effort to capture the world air speed record over a 500km closed circuit would be made. Another individual directly involved was Nils Söderberg, then the secretary-general of the Kungliga Svenska Aeroklubben (Royal Swedish Aero Club, KSAK). The particular record selected was held by Jacqueline Cochran, flying a US Air Force North American F-86E Sabre. She had averaged 950.032km/h (590.323mph) on 23 May 1953. Planning proceeded quickly. Although a circular course would have been the best option, practical considerations resulted in the choice of a 500km closed circuit between Uppsala, where F 16 wing of the Flygvapnet was based, and Lake Armsjön just south of Sundsvall. The National Mapping Administration assisted in measuring the exact distance. The starting point was to be the centre of F 16’s airfield. Most of the sortie was to be flown at extremely low altitude over water along the coast in order to avoid noise complaints from the local population.

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Capt Anders Westerlund, then an instructor at F 16’s bombing and gunnery school, was ordered to undertake the flight. Two J 29Bs on the strength of the wing’s 3rd Squadron were set aside. They were selected on the basis of having the most thrust available. Plans were kept secret, only a select few technicians being involved. The aircraft were highly polished using wax, and the cannon ports covered with balsa wood plugs. Apart from this, the ‘Tunnans’

were completely standard production aircraft. Having already flown the route, Westerlund made a second test flight using one of these J 29Bs. Things did not go as planned. “Initially”, he recounted, “everything was fine with the air speed indicator showing 1,050km/h. Passing near Gävle at an altitude of 50m, I continued along the coast over the sea. All of a sudden, I heard a nasty scratching sound. I immediately reduced engine revs

LEFT: Hans Neij and Birger Eriksson following their successful record ﬂight. VIA MIKAEL FORSLUND

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SAAB J 29

ABOVE: Col Henrik Nordström (right), commander of F 11 wing, congratulates Neij and Eriksson.

VIA MICHAEL SANZ, SWEDISH AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY

to idle, climbing to 2,500m using the excess speed… I had enough altitude for an emergency landing at F 15 Söderhamn.” It turned out that a bolt joint in the engine mount had come loose due to the ram pressure, resulting in strengthened bolt joints being retroactively fitted to all J 29s. One weak point of the Svenska Flygmotor RM2 (de Havilland Ghost) engine was the rear engine bearing. At high rpm, the temperature of that bearing was not to exceed 150°C. For 6 May 1954, the weather forecast spoke of clear skies and calm winds. It was decided to go ahead and make the record attempt. By 15.00hrs, everything was ready. Immediately after take-off, Westerlund turned sharply to pass over the start line at a speed of more than 1,000km/h. Apart from ground observers, an inspector from the Swedish CAA was circling above the Lake Armsjön turning point in a light aeroplane.

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The first leg went well. However, as Westerlund approached the turning point, the lake was covered in haze. Unable to see the CAA inspector’s aircraft, he radioed to ask about its position. Westerlund eventually spotted it, and made a sharp, speedreducing 180° turn southwards. The rear engine bearing thermometer then began to climb to 175°C, far above permissible levels. Reducing speed and climbing to 500m in case of an engine failure, Westerlund crossed the finishing line. His average speed was 967.916km/h (601.56mph). Westerlund’s record flight became headline news in Sweden. It was ratified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in Class C (powered aeroplanes), Sub-class C-1 (landplanes). However, it proved short-lived. The record was recaptured by the USAF later in the year when Maj John L. ‘Jack’ Armstrong achieved 1,045.206km/h

(649.461mph) in an F-86H Sabre during an attempt at the National Aircraft Show in Dayton, Ohio on 3 September. Two days later, he was killed while trying for an even higher speed. As for Westerlund, he remained in Flygvapnet service until retiring in 1982. After such success over the 500km course, plans were approved for a Swedish attempt on the 1,000km closed circuit record. This had been held by the RAF since 12 May 1950, when Gp Capt James Cooksley, using a Gloster Meteor F8, captured it at an average speed of 822.256km/h (510.925mph). In order to make the event more spectacular, two S 29C reconnaissance jets from F 11 were to undertake the flight. It occurred on 23 March 1955, the pilots being Sqn Ldr Hans Neij (1921-85) and NCO Birger Eriksson (1930-2005). The planning was meticulous. In co-operation with engineer Sture Pousette, Neij investigated fuel consumption at various altitudes,

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temperatures and engine rpm levels. The optimum average air speed was calculated as 900km/h (559mph) at an altitude of 6,000m. Due to the distance involved, the S 29Cs would carry external drop tanks. The type’s internal fuel capacity was 2,150 litres, to which these tanks added another 908 litres. It was established that the ‘normal’ minimum permissible fuel load, 400 litres, had to be reduced to 250. This, of course, put added pressure on both pilots. The pair of S 29Cs chosen were serials 29909 (coded Blue D) and 29931 (Blue E). Two mechanics were ordered to take extra care in polishing the metal surface of both ‘Tunnans’ to ensure that all rivets and joints were as flush as possible. Neij and Eriksson made a couple of training flights, checking the rate of climb, turning points and so forth. The 1,000km closed circuit was measured from F 11’s base at Nyköping to the small village of Nätra near Örnsköldsvik. Planning and training complete, a long wait for suitable weather ensued. Extra care was taken that the earmarked S 29Cs were not used for ‘unnecessary’ flights before the record attempt. Finally, on 23 March 1955, all was set for action. The weather was cold and free of clouds, which, at low altitudes, would increase fuel consumption. At high altitude, though, the cold, clear air reduced it. Neij and Eriksson took off from F 11 at 13.00hrs. Their flight was covered by journalists from the national newspapers and radio (television was not introduced in Sweden until 1956). The reporters had only been alerted that morning that the record flight was due to take place, travelling to Nyköping at very short notice. The control aircraft, a Saab S 18A from F 11, circled above Nätra with a Swedish CAA inspector aboard. The first part of the flight went according to plan, the drop tanks being released off Hornslandet. With no separate fuel level indicator being available for the drop tanks, the point of release had to be carefully calculated. Arriving over Nätra, the S 29Cs had to dive from an altitude of 6,000m to 100m, with observers on the ground being required to get visual confirmation that the aircraft had gone around the turning point, as decreed in the FAI statutes. Neij later stated: “Among other things, international regulations demanded that the aircraft must be

visible at the turning point to the inspector. We thus had to descend to extremely low altitude to present ourselves, which was time-consuming as well as putting pressure on our fuel reserves, considering that we then had to climb rapidly to reach optimal, fuel-efficient altitude. My earlier suggestion of photographing the turning point [using a camera sealed by the inspector] was rejected. This caused us to lose many kilometres per hour in our average speed.” Having turned southwards, Neij discovered that the fuel levels were lower than expected, by between 100 and 200 litres. In all probability, this was due to the drop tanks being released too soon.

bale out due to a fuel shortage was not an option. “We completed the flight, with infinite nervous minutes slowly passing by before we crossed over the finishing line… We hurriedly landed at F 11. No time-wasting and fuel-consuming procedures. The fuel levels were alarmingly rapidly approaching ‘nothingness’. I lowered the undercarriage at too high a speed to quickly reduce speed prior to landing. Shortly afterwards, two happy reconnaissance pilots were standing on the 2nd Squadron apron, where our wing commander and many others congratulated us.” Neij and Eriksson attained an average speed of 900.6km/h (559.72mph), slightly above the calculated 900km/h (559.35mph), capturing the world record by a handsome margin. The flight had lasted one hour, six minutes and 37.1 seconds. Hans Neij served with the Flygvapnet until his untimely death in a sailing accident in April 1985, his final posting being that of air attaché in Washington and Ottawa. Upon the end of his air force contract, Birger Eriksson became a pilot for the Scandinavian airline SAS. That a small nation on two occasions managed to secure the world air speed record provided ample proof regarding the qualities of both the Saab 29 and the Flygvapnet’s pilots.

Over Lake Tämnaren the fuel warning light lit up. My mouth went a bit dry. The possibility of aborting was not good

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“Over Lake Tämnaren [near Uppsala]”, Neij continued, “the fuel warning light lit up. This should not have occurred until we were passing over Lake Mälaren. My mouth went a bit dry. The possibility of aborting the flight and having to land at Uppsala or Barkarby so close to the finishing line was not a good prospect! I could well imagine the faces of the people at Nyköping... “By all accounts, my wingman should have had a smaller fuel reserve. I remember enquiring [about his fuel status], receiving the answer that it was the same as mine. I was forced to ‘sell off ’ our speed advantage, and become even more economical with our remaining drops [of fuel]. Crashing or being forced to

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Mikael Forslund, Kurt Ivarsson and Kenneth Nilsson.

BELOW: The two S 29Bs taking off from F 11 Nyköping on 23 March 1955. VIA MIKAEL FORSLUND

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31/08/2017 22:12

GREENAMYER BEARCAT

The Bearcat’s gear is tucked up at the 1970 National Championship Air Races. J. M. KUCERA

Darryl Greenamyer and speed are synonymous. After four years as a Lockheed F-104 production test pilot, taking new Starﬁghters to Mach 2 on their very ﬁrst ﬂights, Lou Schalk hired him to ﬂy the Mach 3-capable A-12. And in the ﬁrst decade of modern air racing Darryl ﬂew his highly modiﬁed Grumman Bearcat to six National Championships and a world speed record WORDS: STEPHEN CHAPIS

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D

arryl Greenamyer recalled how he acquired his nowfamous Bearcat known as Conquest I. “When I went to work for the Skunk Works it took over three months to get my security clearance. It was interesting — I could go to the Burbank factory and watch the A-12s being assembled, but I could not go to The Area [Area 51 at Groom Lake] to fly it. It was about this time I heard about the resurrection of the national air races. A doctor friend was partner in a Bearcat with another doctor and it had been sitting dormant, so I asked if it was for sale and they said no. However, we made a deal. I bought into half the airplane, got it flying, and went racing. I chose to race a Bearcat simply because one was available.” This unremarkable F8F-2, BuNo 121646, rolled off the Bethpage production line on 16 June 1948. It was assigned to Fighter Squadron Sixty-Two (VF-62) at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, where it may have embarked on a North Atlantic and Arctic cruise aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) from 27 October-23 November 1949. After two years and nearly 450 hours with VF-62, the fighter moved to nearby NAS Norfolk. In May 1952 it was delivered to a Reserve squadron in Birmingham, Alabama. It was ultimately struck off charge on 29 February 1956 with just 776 hours’ total time. Once he became part-owner of the F8F during 1964, Darryl made numerous modifications to reduce weight and drag. The most notable change was the small canopy, made from the wingtip lens of a Lockheed P2V Neptune. Greenamyer said the Bearcat’s engine was in bad shape and worsened during the ferry flight from Burbank to Reno due to a faulty blower seal. Unable to replace the seal before the event, the R-2800 used

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tremendous amounts of oil. However, this did not stop Darryl from going all-out. He qualified in second place at 359.51mph and won heat 1-B at 356.58mph, besting the Smirnoff Vodka-sponsored Bearcat of Mira Slovak and P-51D Seattle Miss piloted by Ben Hall. However, the win was handed to Slovak after Greenamyer was disqualified for not landing at Sky Ranch Airport. Organiser Bill Stead required the pilots to do so for the benefit of the television cameras from ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Darryl continued, “I won the first race and they said I would have to land there. So I made my approach and actually touched down, but as I was rolling out I did not think I would be able to get it stopped so I went around and landed back at Reno Municipal. This effectively ended my ’64 race.” Over the course of 1965 Greenamyer’s Bearcat underwent extensive modifications. The outer wing panels were removed, reducing the overall span from 35ft to 27.5ft, and replaced with new tips designed by Lockheed engineer Mel Cassidy. The flaps were sealed and a sleeker Formula One-style canopy replaced the makeshift one from 1964. The Bearcat’s wing root oil coolers were smoothed over and a unique boiloff cooling system was schemed and installed by Pete Law, another Lockheed engineer and a friend of Darryl’s. Greenamyer continued the weight reduction programme on the aircraft. The electrical system was removed and a dry cell battery replaced the heavyweight lead-acid battery. The hydraulic system was taken out, except for the undercarriage retraction cylinders. The landing gear was retracted by a nitrogen

bottle and extended by gravity. These modifications reduced the Bearcat’s weight by approximately 700lb. The stock R-2800-34W engine was replaced by an R-2800-83W with a nose case from a -44 variant with a 0.35:1 gear ratio. Darryl said of these new mods, “The nose case allowed the new propeller to turn slower. The prop was from a Douglas Skyraider and was 13ft 6in in diameter, much larger than a standard Bearcat prop. Because of this my take-offs and landings had to be in a three-point attitude. If I brought the tail up too much the prop would strike the ground. Visibility and directional control was never a problem, though.” The changes paid dividends as Greenamyer took the top qualifying spot at 369.70mph at Reno in 1965. He finished second behind Chuck Lyford’s P-51 Bardahl Special in heat one, but rebounded to win heat three. Darryl recounted an exchange between he and Lyford just prior

ABOVE: A former member of the Air National Guard, Darryl Greenamyer joined Lockheed in 1961. VIA STEPHEN CHAPIS

BELOW LEFT: A rare image of F8F-2 BuNo 121646/N111L in an unmodified state, taken circa 1964. STEPHEN CHAPIS COLLECTION

BELOW: By Reno 1965, the F8F had received numerous enhancements aimed at increasing its speed still further. STEPHEN CHAPIS COLLECTION VIA HAROLD LOOMIS

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04/09/2017 08:38

GREENAMYER BEARCAT

RIGHT: With a stock R-2800 replacing his normal racing engine, Greenamyer’s Reno victory in 1968 was notably hard-fought.

J. D. DAVIS

RIGHT INSET: Previous pistonengined world speed record holder Fritz Wendel (centre) and legendary Lockheed test pilot Tony LeVier (right) with Greenamyer after his 1969 speed record success.

VIA DARRYL GREENAMYER

BELOW RIGHT: All dressed up at the Los Angeles Air Races in 1966, but nowhere to go: the Bearcat’s vertical tail was now too small to provide sufficient lateral stability.

JIM LARSEN

RIGHT MIDDLE: By the time it was retired from racing after the 1975 season, N1111L had received sponsorship from corporate aviation company American Jet and this bright yellow scheme.

DOUG FISHER COLLECTION

to the championship race: “Chuck Lyford was a very good competitor. Right before the race in ’65 he told me that he had a button on the stick of his Mustang that would give him an extra 1,000hp. As we were coming down to start the race I looked over at him and he looked at me, waved goodbye and hit that button. Well, he went out in front about a quartermile and about blew the cowling off the airplane!” As Lyford faded to an eventual second place finish, Darryl charged so far ahead of the field that he was able to throttle back and cruise to his first Reno championship at a leisurely 375mph. Two weeks later, at the Las Vegas International Air Races in Boulder City, Darryl qualified at a blistering 423.40mph. It was clear that he and his Bearcat were going to be a force to be reckoned with. The championship race was a rematch between Greenamyer and Lyford, and for the first seven laps of the 10-lap contest they battled wingtip-to-wingtip, changing positions several times during each circuit. On lap seven the R-2800 backfired, forcing Darryl to pull out of the race on lap nine. For 1966 the previously unsponsored Bearcat sported backing from Smirnoff Vodka. “After I won Reno in ’65”, Greenamyer recalled, “Mira Slovak told me he was getting out of air racing for a while and suggested I talk to Smirnoff about sponsorship. I called the CEO and he agreed to sponsor me, so we carried the Smirnoff name for ’66 and ’67”. The Smirnoff support and continued development of the Bearcat allowed Darryl to handily win the Reno championship in both those years. Prior to the 1968 racing season the Bearcat underwent further aerodynamic enhancements. The joint between the fuselage and wings was smoothed out with fillets and strakes that extended from the trailing edge of the wing. However, due to blowing an engine during an attempt on the 3km world speed record, Darryl had to defend his title with a stock R-2800. The Reno championship race on Sunday 22 September featured two Bearcats and four Mustangs, including Chuck Hall in his highly modified P-51D Miss RJ. Darryl started in fifth place, but had moved up to second by the end of lap two.

As Chuck took the white flag he had a lead of about 200ft over Darryl, but his engine let go just seconds from victory, allowing the Bearcat to pass him and take the win at 388.654mph. Unlike previous years where Greenamyer won at reduced throttle settings, 1968 was a hardfought success. He said afterwards, “I firewalled the throttle and left it there…” At Reno 1969 Darryl qualified first at 414.630mph, the only competitor to break the 400mph mark, and easily won heat one at a throttledback 351.930mph. He took the lead of the championship race at the start, and went on to lap the entire field to take an unprecedented fifth straight title. His average speed of 414.631mph broke Cook Cleland’s 397mph average set in the number 94 F2G Super Corsair during the 1949 Thompson Trophy Race.

It wasn’t all about racing, though. By 1966 the 3km world speed record for piston-engined aircraft had been in German hands for 27 years, set at 469.2mph on 30 April 1939 by Fritz Wendel flying the Messerschmitt Me 209 V1. Although it is not widely known, Greenamyer first attempted to break it at the Los Angeles Air Races in 1966. For this run at the record Darryl had shortened the vertical tail by 18in, but as the Bearcat approached 450mph it became laterally unstable and he aborted the attempt. A month prior to Reno 1968, Darryl and his team headed for Edwards Air Force Base, California for another go at Wendel’s record. On Saturday 24 August the Bearcat was topped off with a special mix of gasoline and nitro-methane fuel tailored to the temperature and humidity. To spectators on the

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ground, Greenamyer’s first run was a disappointment, at a mere 447.5mph, but he’d left a little on the table. He made a second run that day, but one pass was not recorded, thus nullifying the attempt. A third run was aborted, as was a fourth on Sunday 25 August. That afternoon Darryl made his first run through the traps at 498mph, but the engine burned a piston, forcing Darryl to abort both the run and the attempt for 1968. He and his Bearcat, now named Conquest I, were back at Edwards in August 1969 for another crack at the record. The first attempt on 16 August was hampered by an oil pressure problem, but his four-pass average was still an impressive, albeit unofficial, 475mph. However, both Darryl and the Bearcat were damaged during the run. Due to a modification to the exhaust stacks, the exhaust, which

was normally expelled out towards the wing, was now blowing down the right-hand side of the fuselage. The white-hot gases scorched much of the paint off the starboard side of the fuselage, while some entered the cockpit and burned Darryl’s hand as he held the stick. In a few hours, the crew repaired the engine and Darryl, with a bandaged hand, took off for another attempt. He entered the course less than 100ft off the ground and went through the traps at a phenomenal 510.23mph on his first pass. Subsequent passes were clocked at 458.85, 508.46, and 454.63mph for an average of 483.041mph and a new world record. From then on Darryl Greenamyer and Conquest I would stand among other speed record legends such as Jimmy Doolittle

with the Gee Bee R-1 and Howard Hughes with the Hughes H-1. Conquest I was beset with mechanical problems at Reno in 1970, but Greenamyer was back in 1971 seeking his sixth championship. Heat 1-B would feature the first head-to-head clash between Darryl, the veteran, and up-andcoming Lyle Shelton in his Wright R-3350-powered Bearcat Phoenix I. Averaging 409.360mph and 396.627mph respectively Shelton bested Greenamyer in this heat, but the championship race on 26 September would have a different — and controversial — outcome. It featured the Bearcats of Shelton and Greenamyer, three Mustangs and a Sea Fury. Mike Loening jumped into an early lead in his Mustang, but declared a mayday when his engine blew on lap two. The rest of the field climbed to 500ft to give

TOP: Smirnoff backing helped fund development of the Bearcat, and thus its Reno victories in 1966 and — as here — 1967. STEPHEN CHAPIS COLLECTION

ABOVE MIDDLE: The first stage of the Bearcat’s modification, ready for the 1964 Reno races. ROBERT F. PAULEY

ABOVE: En route to a controversial Reno triumph in 1971 — Greenamyer’s last, as it turned out, at the Nevada event. J. M. KUCERA

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GREENAMYER BEARCAT

RIGHT: The newly named Conquest I coming through the Reno ﬁeld in 1969. It won at record pace.

STEPHEN CHAPIS COLLECTION VIA HAROLD LOOMIS

Loening room to make his dead-stick landing. Darryl was in sixth place at the time, and as he flew away from the runways on lap three he knew he would not inhibit Mike’s landing so he maintained his line and passed Shelton. In the next three laps Darryl charged through the field to take the lead. In an incredibly close race he took the chequered flag at a record 413.987mph, with Shelton just 300 yards astern at 413.066mph. However, the battle was not over. Shelton filed a protest against Greenamyer, claiming that he had not climbed to the required 500ft during Loening’s mayday. The race committee ruled in favour of Shelton, but instead of disqualifying Greenamyer they fined him $750 and banned him from racing for one year. Darryl shared his candid thoughts on the controversy that tarnished his sixth championship, “My recollection is that I was behind Lyle and was getting close to passing him when the emergency was declared. It wasn’t really a rule that you had to pull up during an emergency. Bob Hoover always mentioned in his morning briefings that you should give a guy the right of way in an emergency. Well, of course you should. “I saw the airplane [Loening] with the emergency as I was coming from the west around the last pylon and I could see that I was not going to conflict with his approach so I

THE ‘RED BARON’ 40 YEARS ON

The specially built Red Baron Starﬁghter at rest. TONY LANDIS

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passed Lyle, which I would have done anyway. When we got back on the ground Lyle protested me for not pulling up and I said, ‘show me the rule’. During a race, pulling up around someone that can’t see you is dangerous if you just keep flying and maintain your line and watch the guy

with the emergency, which is easy to do if you open your eyes. The whole thing was unfair.” Due to the one-year ban from competition, Darryl secured the services of Richard Laidley, a college friend he’d flown with in the Air National Guard, as the pilot for

S

hortly after winning his ﬁrst unlimited air race championship in 1965, Darryl Greenamyer began searching the country for Lockheed F-104 parts so he could build a hybrid Starﬁghter and go after the absolute world altitude record held by the Soviet Union, but ﬁrst he’d chase another speed record. Darryl explained, “I thought if I used the airplane to break the 3km speed record held by the Navy, I could raise a sponsor for the altitude record”. At the time the low-altitude 3km closed-course speed record was 902.769mph, set on 28 August 1961 by US Navy Lts Huntington Hardisty and Earl De Esch in a McDonnell Douglas F4H-1 Phantom during Project ‘Sageburner’. In 1976, Ed Browning, owner of the Idaho-based Red Baron Flying Service, came on board to provide Darryl with much-needed ﬁnancial and logistical support. Browning’s sponsorship also gave the F-104 its name: Red Baron. On paper, Greenamyer’s unique Starﬁghter looked to be a formidable performer. Modiﬁed with water injection and nitrous oxide systems, the F-4-spec General Electric J79-GE-10 engine produced 18,000lb of thrust. At 11,500lb empty, the machine weighed 3,400lb less than the Aeritalia-built F-104S as used by the Italian Air Force. Even with 1,100 gallons of fuel the Red Baron had a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 1:1, better than any ﬁghter of the day including the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.

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When we got back on the ground Lyle Shelton protested me for not pulling up. I said, ‘show me the rule’. Pulling up around someone that can’t see you is dangerous if you just keep flying and maintain your line

Reno 1972. In the championship race Laidley finished second to Gunther Balz in P-51D Roto Finish Special, but was disqualified for flying too low. Darryl recalled, “Dick was an excellent pilot. The rules say you should pass a pylon with your head equal to or above the top of the pylon.

He may have gotten a little low, but I don’t think he did.” After a two-year hiatus Greenamyer returned to racing in 1975, competing at Mojave and Reno. For its final year of competition the Bearcat wore a bright yellow paint scheme with a bald eagle

On 2 October 1976, Darryl shattered the record with a four-run average of 1,010mph — 108mph faster than the Phantom — but due to the failure of one of the timing cameras the result would remain unofficial. The next year, on 24 October 1977, he took off for another attempt on the ‘Sageburner’ record. Former Air Classics writer Bruce Treadway recounted his experience to the author. “I watched the runs from the roof of my camper, which was parked on the lake-bed to give [Greenamyer] depth perception. I would pick him up in the distance as he approached the lake-bed; seconds later he zipped over my head. By the time I turned around he was out of sight! The ground really shook when the sonic boom hit. The speed was absolutely stunning. After he’d passed I noticed the shockwave had sucked dust into the air. I could not see it as he approached and it cannot be seen in photographs, but I could see and smell it as it hung in the air for a few minutes.” Darryl’s four runs were clocked at 976.969, 985.578, 999.971 and 990.524mph for an average of 988.260mph. To help put this speed in perspective, it took him an average 6.791 seconds to travel the 1.86 miles between the timing stations. Today, four decades later, this supersonic speed record still stands. The Red Baron, however, was lost on 26 February 1978 during a practice for an attempt on the world altitude record. Greenamyer ejected safely after the Starfighter suffered an undercarriage malfunction.

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head and American Jet sponsorship. Darryl took the top qualifying spot at Mojave, but placed third in the championship race. At Reno Darryl once again set a new qualifying record of 435.556mph, the fastest closed-course speed ever for N1111L. Lyle Shelton qualified second at 429.529mph and it appeared there would be one last battle of the Bearcats. Sadly it was not to be. Darryl was unable to start the race due to a prop governor failure, a frustrating end to a phenomenal career. Greenamyer finally retired N1111L, and in 1977 donated the legendary machine to the recently opened Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The aircraft was briefly displayed at the museum on the National Mall before being moved into storage at the Paul E. Garber facility in Suitland, Maryland, where it remained for over 25 years. In 2003 the six-time champion Bearcat was moved to its permanent home in the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport, Virginia.

The unique ‘RB-104’ at 1,000mph over Mud Lake near Tonopah, Nevada.

BRUCE TREADWAY

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SR-71 RECORDS

The Lockheed SR-71A displayed in the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport holds a special distinction in ‘Blackbird’ history: this airframe made the spectacular strategic reconnaissance aircraft’s ﬁrst and last record ﬂights

NASM

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SR-71 RECORDS

“It has exceeded all my expectations” RIGHT: Maj James Sullivan (left) and Maj Noel Widdifield (right) leave the SR-71 with 15th Air Force commander Lt Gen William Pitts standing by to greet them. VIA NOEL WIDDIFIELD

BELOW: Britain’s first ‘Blackbird’ visit, and the end of a record-breaking flight: 972 touches down at a very wet Farnborough on 1 September 1974.

DENIS J. CALVERT

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n the then 26 years of SBAC shows at Farnborough, it was one of the unforgettable moments. Just before two o’clock on the 1974 event’s opening Sunday afternoon, Lockheed SR-71A 61-7972 arrived at the Hampshire airfield at the conclusion of a remarkable flight. In the hands of pilot Maj James V. Sullivan and reconnaissance systems operator Maj Noel F. Widdifield, the US Air Force strategic reconnaissance aircraft had broken the New York-London record, covering 3,461.53 statute miles in just one hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds: an average speed of 1,806.95mph. Lockheed Skunk Works supremo Clarence ‘Kelly’ Johnson was moved to say, “It has exceeded all my expectations.” Given its Mach 3 performance, the so-called ‘Blackbird’ — or ‘Habu’, as it was better known to its crews — was an obvious candidate to show the achievement of the US aerospace industry by making record flights. Already, on 1 May 1965 prototypes of the YF-12A interceptor had set new benchmarks for absolute altitude,

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WORDS: WARREN E. THOMPSON

speed over a straight course and speed over 500km and 1,000km closed circuits. With the SR-71A in active service, another opportunity presented itself. According to Capt Harold B. Adams, who flew 61-7972 back to the US on another record flight, “The decision was made by President Gerald Ford and Senator Barry Goldwater, a two-star general in the Air Force Reserve. Goldwater had

previously flown in an SR-71 and convinced President Ford to send the aircraft over to Farnborough and put it on display to demonstrate American technology.” The crew of Sullivan and Widdifield had started SR-71 training together at Beale AFB, California in January 1971. Upon becoming operational, they undertook deployments to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa for missions

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around the Far East and Griffiss AFB, New York for sorties over the Middle East. They then joined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing’s standardisation unit, ranked as the ‘number one’ SR-71 crew. “A short time later”, recalled Widdifield, “the wing commander told us that there was a good chance that we would be chosen to fly one of

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our aircraft over to the Farnborough airshow. We were also informed that we would probably set a new world speed record on the flight over to the UK. Nothing more was said… I noticed in a couple of days that the base newspaper feature was about how the SR-71 was going to set a new record from New York to London. In my opinion, that made it final!” The sortie was set for 1 September 1974. Sullivan and Widdifield

departed from Beale and took on fuel from a KC-135Q Stratotanker before positioning for the radar timing ‘gate’ that marked the official start of the record attempt. “We crossed over the gate heading east out over the Atlantic Ocean”, Widdifield continued. “In a short while we hit the tanker and once we’d refuelled went back to altitude. “At a certain point, we had something called an ‘unstart’; I

ABOVE: Preparations under way at RAF Mildenhall on 12 September 1974 for the return LondonLos Angeles leg. DENIS J. CALVERT

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SR-71 RECORDS

RIGHT: Pilot Capt Harold B. Adams (right) and RSO Maj William Machorek (left) made up 972’s crew for the flight back across the Atlantic.

DENIS J. CALVERT

BELOW: The SR-71 departs from Mildenhall for its London-Los Angeles record flight — but on 12 September 1974, when the mission was aborted soon after take-off, due reportedly to fluctuating oil pressure on one engine. Period accounts state that moisture on the oil pressure sensor was causing incorrect readings. The flight then took place successfully on 13 September.

DENIS J. CALVERT

BELOW RIGHT: All four aircrew involved in the two record flights in 1974 visited the White House to meet President Gerald Ford. VIA NOEL WIDDIFIELD

can’t remember if it was before or after the refuelling over Iceland. An ‘unstart’ was when the bypass system or the ramjet part of the system failed because the shockwave that was placed in the throat of the inlet to decelerate the incoming air so that the engines can use it became misplaced and was spat out. At that point, you lost 80 per cent of your thrust on that side of the aircraft. The engines and afterburner gave you 20 per cent and the bypass gave you 80 per cent. It gave you a huge yaw motion. The automatic restart systems kicked in, pushing the cone in front of the inlet out to re-position the shockwave into the throat of the inlet. At that time, the engines restarted. I remember thinking that I hoped this would not interfere with

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our efforts to make the record speed run. “We continued on to England at our usual high Mach and crossed over the London gate in good shape. Immediately after that, we began our descent into Farnborough. The mission was perfect in that there were no serious problems and we didn’t meet any stiff headwinds. We got word that we had made the run in one hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds, which accomplished what we had set out to do. “Landing at Farnborough was memorable because there was a huge crowd waiting to greet us. It included a couple of US senators, several generals, Lockheed personnel

and a large number of people from the international media. However, the first person to see us when we opened the canopies was an official from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale to verify that we were the same individuals who were in the cockpit when the aircraft took off!” It should be noted that a back-up ‘Blackbird’ was ready to step in at the last minute had a serious problem cropped up with the main aircraft. An hour after Sullivan and Widdifield began their flight, another took off, trailing behind it. It followed the same route through the New York gate. When word came back that the primary SR-71 was running perfectly at high Mach, the back-up aircraft returned to base. The aircrew on that machine comprised pilot Maj

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Pat Bledsoe and RSO Capt Reg Blackwell. They would have been ready to try for the record if required. In all probability, both SR-71s would have broken it. Having spent the Farnborough show on static display, 61-7972 flew to RAF Mildenhall on 9 September to give the Suffolk base its first look at a future resident. From there was mounted the second record attempt, from London to Los Angeles on 13 September — a total distance of 5,463 miles. This time the crew was pilot Capt Harold B. Adams and RSO Maj William Machorek. “The weather was good at takeoff ”, said Adams. “I went down to the south-east, turned around and headed for London’s timing gate. We could not go supersonic over Britain,

The first person to see us was an official from the FAI in order to verify that we were the same individuals who were in the cockpit when the aircraft took off so the first 53 minutes of the mission were all subsonic. We met our first tanker off the north-eastern coast of Britain, refuelled and then accelerated to altitude. “We proceeded across the Atlantic and came down in the Newfoundland area. At that point, we met three more tankers — one was a spare. We filled our tanks and started accelerating in the climb. At that time we encountered some strong headwinds, 100kt, in the refuelling track, which was chewing up valuable time. “We got back up to altitude and continued on as we passed the Midwest. We had agreed to call Gen Russell Dougherty, who was commander of Strategic Air Command. We gave him an update and what our expected time was. At that time, we had every intention to set a world speed record. “As we approached California, we started to decelerate so we would be

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subsonic by the time we got to the mountain range on the east side of Los Angeles. We had to be subsonic by the time we got to that part of the landmass. We went to the coast, which was several minutes of flight time from Los Angeles International, because they had a radar timing gate there. We flew through it, and then we knew we had completed the mission. They confirmed the record time of the flight”. This was three hours 47 minutes and 39 seconds, an average speed of 1,435mph. “We turned back around, headed back over the mountains out in the desert, met up with the tanker and picked up 30,000lb of fuel, and flew from that part of California down to Beale AFB. We only used Los Angeles for the timing gate and did not land there. When we got to Beale, we did a couple of flyovers and then landed. The press was there and there was a sizeable turn-out. “I could never say that flying the SR-71 was uneventful, especially one that flies one mile in 1.8 seconds. Basically, it was treated as a standard mission, so the same prep for it was done on every mission. What was interesting was the fact that the first 53 minutes were subsonic. If we had taken off from Mildenhall, gone out and picked up a tanker, gone to altitude and hit maximum speed immediately and gone through the timing gate at Mach 3 over London, getting rid of that 53 minutes of subsonic time, we could have covered that distance in 48 minutes’ less time…”

ABOVE: At Farnborough, Sullivan and Widdifield pose with a placard detailing their new record. The aircraft spent some time on static display at Farnborough 1974, but for a period it was put out of view on the far side of the airfield, much to the chagrin of some visitors to the event. VIA NOEL WIDDIFIELD

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“We were moving faster than a rifle bullet”

WORDS: BEN DUNNELL

ABOVE: One last, fast pass by 972 before its final landing at Dulles Airport on 6 March 1990.

USAF VIA PAUL CRICKMORE

RIGHT: This was expected to be the last SR-71 touchdown in USAF service — not so.

NASM

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hen Congress decided in 1989 to cease funding the USAF’s ‘Senior Crown’ SR-71 programme, many said the decision was premature. The aircraft’s mid-1990s reactivation offered further proof. Its capabilities remained unique, and its performance unmatched. It might therefore have seemed rather impudent to use the type’s final service flight to remind the world of exactly that. The 1974 New YorkLondon and London-Los Angeles record missions had sent an important message to potential adversaries about just what the SR-71 could do. The same went for another set achieved on 27-28 July 1976: new world absolute and class altitude records in horizontal flight, and speed records over a 1525km straight course and a 1,000km closed circuit. Now there was nothing left to prove, except that the ‘Habu’ was exiting at the top of its game. Fittingly, the SR-71’s record-setting farewell involved the same example as had been involved in 1974, 61‑7972. Its crew comprised Lt Col Ed Yeilding as pilot and the late Lt Col JT Vida as RSO. As Yeilding recalled, “JT and I were flying test missions out of Palmdale, California, at the time, primarily with tail number 972. The Smithsonian asked whether, since we were taking off from California, we could set a new trans-continental speed record to help call attention to what a great airplane it had been. We were extremely honoured.

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“The purpose was to set a cityto-city record from Los Angeles to Washington DC, but there were actually four records: that one, the coast-to-coast record, Kansas City to Washington DC, and St Louis to Cincinnati. We took off at 4.30 in the morning Pacific time on 6 March 1990, which was 7.30 in Washington DC. We flew out over the Pacific, airrefuelled from a KC-135 to take on a full load of fuel, lit the afterburners and got a 200-mile running start. For official airplane records in the United States, our national organisation is the NAA, the National Aeronautics Association. They had a representative in the radar unit in California, so as we crossed the west coast they noted the time and as we crossed abeam Los Angeles they noted the time.

over Mach 3 were classified, but now it’s been declassified and I can say that our flight manual limit was Mach 3.3. That was my cruise speed across the nation, so we were moving faster than a rifle bullet. “The sun was coming up rapidly since we were flying towards the east, so quickly we were into daylight, and a few minutes later we were passing right by the Grand Canyon. Then we passed the majestic mountains of south-west Colorado, about 60 miles south of Pikes Peak, where Katharine Lee Bates was inspired to write that wonderful song America the Beautiful. A few minutes later we were sailing right over the ‘fruited plain’ that she sang about, hundreds of miles of prime American farmland… I thought about the brave pioneers making their way over that same

“I’ll never forget what a beautiful sight it was crossing the west coast at about six o’clock in the morning. You could see a sunrise over the eastern horizon, and there were ocean breakers all along the California coastline. We had the lights of Los Angeles down below, San Francisco to the north and San Diego to the south. “Flying towards the sun and accelerating, we crossed the west coast going through Mach 2.5. Fuel was very tight for that mission — we didn’t have enough to plan to cross the west coast at full speed, but then we levelled off eight minutes later at our cruise speed of Mach 3.3. During the years that I flew the ‘Blackbird’ speeds

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country just 150 years earlier, taking weeks to cross it when we were taking just minutes. “The eastern part of the route was covered by an undercast, so I could see very few features in the eastern US. I just made sure that we enjoyed our last few minutes flying the ‘Blackbird’, thinking how fortunate we were to be able to serve on the SR-71 along with hundreds of other highly dedicated people who designed, maintained, supported and flew the airplane over the years, and taking in one last view from above 80,000ft, seeing a slight curvature of the earth. Even more noticeable than the curvature was how dark it was overhead — it wasn’t quite pitch black, but it was a very dark blue, because we were flying above 97 per cent of the air molecules. There was a bright band of blue on the horizon and darkness overhead. “We went across the east coast and set a new trans-continental speed record for an airplane. No airplane has ever gone coast-to-coast across the United States faster than the ‘Blackbird’ did that day. I pulled the throttles out of afterburner as we crossed abeam Washington DC, and we were slowly decelerating as we flew over the east coast in a left-hand bank because our fuel was real tight. “We headed towards Dulles Airport, west of Washington DC. We had planned to take a little bit of fuel from a tanker once we got down to 25,000ft so we’d have enough for a few passes for the crowd at Dulles, but we had also planned it so that, if the tanker couldn’t be there, we’d still have enough to just come in for a straight-in landing with the required FAA minimum fuel. As it was, the tanker was there, we took on fuel, descended down through the

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undercast and made a pass over the field at 800ft. We had been asked to make only one low approach, so then we circled around and made our low pass at just under 200ft, lighting our afterburners for the crowd at the Dulles terminal so they could see the beautiful sight of that black airplane with those orange plumes of fire coming out of the back and the shock damage in the afterburner, as well as hearing and feeling the power of those big engines. I terminated the afterburners as soon as we crossed the crowd. “We landed, deploying that big orange drag ’chute, and taxied in to the terminal. They had a short plane-side ceremony as the Air Force passed the airplane over to the Smithsonian Institution, and there were a number of short speeches. Ben Rich, who took over the Lockheed Skunk Works from ‘Kelly’ Johnson after he retired, was there, and ‘Kelly’ gave an address about what a great job the airplane had done. JT and I were just so honoured to have the opportunity to make that flight — it could have been flown by any of the crew members who were current on the SR-71 at the time, but it was just that he and I were fortunate enough to be picked. It had all been flown within flight manual limits.”

The results told their own story. The 2,404.05 miles coast-to-coast were covered in one hour seven minutes and 53.69 seconds, an average speed of 2,124.51mph. Los Angeles to Washington DC took one hour four minutes and 19.89 seconds, St Louis to Cincinnati eight minutes 31.97 seconds, and Kansas City to Washington DC 25 minutes 58.53 seconds. In each case, the previous benchmarks were not just beaten but trounced. The respective previous holders were a Boeing 707-123, a Learjet 35A, a Mooney 252 and an F-4D Phantom. The SR-71 was put in storage until being moved to the UdvarHazy Center prior to its opening on 17 December 2003. “Both JT and I hated to leave the airplane behind”, said Ed Yeilding, “but we felt good that it would be on display for many years, serving as an inspiration for future generations and showing what human ingenuity and hard work can achieve. “JT made an entry in the logbook after we landed — he wrote: ‘For the NASM [National Air and Space Museum] — Please take good care of our flight test ‘Blackbird’. Find her a place of honor, keep her safe, and may all of America respect her for her many accomplishments’.”

Flying towards the sun and accelerating, we crossed the west coast while going through Mach 2.5

ABOVE: The end of the ‘Habu’s’ final record-breaking exploit: pilot Lt Col Ed Yeilding (left) shakes hands with his RSO Lt Col JT Vida, who passed away in September 1992. Vida had more SR‑71 hours, 1,392.7, than any other crew member in the whole history of the type. USAF VIA PAUL CRICKMORE

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04/09/2017 08:43

OPERATION ‘BODENPLATTE’

LAST THRO New Year’s Day 1945 proved to be the Luftwaffe’s large-scale operational swansong of the Second World War. The Operation ‘Bodenplatte’ attacks on Allied airﬁelds in the Low Countries failed to deliver their hoped-for decisive blow, despite the damage done at locations such as Eindhoven, where the Hawker Typhoons of several Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons were foremost among the aircraft in German sights

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ROW of the DICE WORDS: KEN WRIGHT AND ANNE GAFIUK

The aftermath of the Luftwaffe’s Operation ‘Bodenplatte’ attack against Eindhoven airﬁeld on New Year’s Day 1945. The victims here are No 439 Squadron Typhoon Ibs. B. HALGRIMSON

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OPERATION ‘BODENPLATTE’

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n 18 September 1944, a Royal Air Force advance party occupied the large, hastily evacuated Luftwaffe airfield at Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Because it was designed to be a permanent air base, it was equipped with brick buildings, well-constructed huts, dispersed taxiways and earthen revetments. During the following months, the Eindhoven-based pilots were extremely busy with ground support, tactical reconnaissance and artillery reconnaissance missions, backing up the rapidly advancing Allied ground forces. At this stage of the war, it’s possible that some degree of complacency may had developed among Allied aircrews regarding the Luftwaffe’s ability to mount any meaningful opposition. The German air arm only had major problems with fuel and the training of new pilots. Aircraft shortages existed too, but morale was still reasonably high. Most of the resistance efforts were, at best, token gestures, as Allied fighters virtually owned the skies over war-torn Europe. Fg Off Gordon Hill flew Spitfires with No 416 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force. He recalled his experience of 31 December 1944. “Our flight crossed the corner of Germany that we had crossed two or three times a day for a couple of months. We had never seen flak there ever before! I got hit. I felt it and I heard it. My number two told me I was losing a lot of oil. I said, ‘Green 3 leaving formation with Green 4’. I wanted protection so I dragged Green 4 along with me. I made a forced landing on the B-78 airfield in Eindhoven, south of Arnhem in Holland, with my wheels down, which was nice since I ran out of engine oil some time before. My wingman, Green 4, went on home. “I left my airplane and asked the Royal Air Force flight sergeant in charge of servicing Spitfires if he could look at [it]. As they were refuelling at the time he said it would be quite a while before he could look at it, so I decided to go to the Typhoon mess. I spent New Year’s Eve with the ‘Tiffy’ boys. I knew a half-dozen [of them] or more — I flew with some of them in Canada on the West Coast. As the alcohol was flowing, we rang in the New Year.” As 1 January 1945 dawned, Eindhoven airfield was already a hive of activity with the squadrons preparing for their early missions. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day,

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the cold, frosty ground sparkling in the bright rays of the morning sun. Apart from the sounds of military activity filling the air, everything appeared delightfully peaceful. It was, with hindsight, deceptive. That same morning, 130 miles away at the Luftwaffe airfield at Gütersloh in the German state of Westphalia, Jagdgeschwader 3’s Focke-Wulf Fw 190 pilots were picked up from their quarters at 05.00hrs. After a short breakfast at 07.00, the target for the day was finally revealed as Eindhoven. Each pilot had to make several attacks, and they were to circle the airfield anti-clockwise between each one. No alternative target was given. The pilots received maps on which the course was marked, and on which instructions to be followed in flight had been previously inserted. The return flight was to be made from the target on a bearing of approximately 90°, and pilots were told to head for any of the airfields denoted on their maps, according to preference.

I spent New Year’s Eve with the ‘Tiffy’ boys. I knew a half-dozen of them or more — I flew with some of them in Canada. As the alcohol was flowing, we rang in the New Year

At 08.22hrs, the first aircraft took off from Gütersloh as part of Unternehmen (Operation) ‘Bodenplatte’. This was a lastditch — and, thanks to the weather, much-delayed — German effort to destroy Allied air assets in the Low Countries, allowing German troops to regain ground. More than 900 Luftwaffe aircraft from various bases began a massive low-level attack on 16 vulnerable Allied airfields throughout France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Hill continues: “The next morning, 1 January at about 08.15, the flight sergeant reported my aircraft repaired, refuelled and ready to go. He drove me out to the airplane and parked beside the control truck. This is where the air traffic controller was. Everything was mobile. There was a small tent next to the truck with two men in it. I put on my parachute, helmet and gloves, then climbed into the airplane, worrying that I would not be able to start the aircraft for lack of power. I might possibly need a boost because there might not be enough battery power. “I pressed the starter, pushed fuel into the cylinders, but nothing happened, so I climbed out of the airplane. I took my parachute, helmet and gloves off, putting them onto the end of the wing, then went to the control truck. I had my hand on the doorknob of the truck when I

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LEFT: Fg Off Gordon Hill in the cockpit of his No 416 Squadron Spitfire XVI named Sweet Sixteen, joined by two technicians. VIA GORDON HILL

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW LEFT: LACs Vic Bell and Chris Peterson working on a No 440 Squadron Typhoon while snow swirls around the Eindhoven dispersal. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

No 439 Squadron aircraft still burning as a result of the ‘Bodenplatte’ onslaught. S. COATES

Members of No 438 Squadron with one of the unit’s Typhoons during the winter of 1944-45. VIA ALEX McDONALD

Typhoon RB207 of No 438 Squadron makes for the workshop area at B-78 Eindhoven on 29 October 1944, an especially wet day at the Dutch base — a portent of a harsh winter to come. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

A Spitfire XVI of No 416 Squadron prepares to start at Eindhoven in January 1945. VIA GORDON HILL

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OPERATION ‘BODENPLATTE’

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: No 440 Squadron’s Flt Lt Harry Hardy had a lucky escape.

VIA HARRY HARDY

Flt Lt Bob Spooner had a close-up view of the devastation. VIA BOB SPOONER

Flt Lt Wally Ward was just about to be posted away from Eindhoven. VETERAN STORIES

CENTRESPREAD OVERLEAF: No 439 Squadron’s Fg Off Jim Hogg with members of the First Canadian Army Show — Virginia Stensell, Muriel Stuart, Lyda Tuero and Vera Cartwright — on a visit to Eindhoven. They wrote a suitable message on a 1,000lb bomb.

heard a gun firing. I said, ‘Someone has pushed the wrong button’. The man in the truck said, ‘No! That’s a German button!’” Eindhoven airfield was about to get a pasting as the Fw 190s from JG 3 began their first strafing run, led by Geschwaderkommodore Heinrich Bär. Reports put the time at about 09.20hrs. “There was no place to take cover except the control truck”, recalled Hill. “Why the Germans did not take it out, I don’t know. That would have been what I would have done in their place. This all lasted about 20 to 30 minutes. It was an awfully long time. A Jeep came and picked me up. We drove past my airplane, which was totally shot up.” Hawker Typhoon pilot Flt Lt Harry Hardy DFC from No 440 Squadron, RCAF, says: “My flight was attending a morning church parade when, suddenly, cannon shells started hitting the airfield and I found myself on the floor between the altar and the organ. We all crawled onto the floor; then we made our way to

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the air raid shelter. The Germans were firing the entire time but, fortunately, we didn’t lose any men. “After the raid was over, as I was smoking my pipe, a bomb blew up outside the bomb shelter and I bit right through the stem of my pipe. It was a late bomb going off, one of our own. The Germans thought the airmen would have been recovering from celebrating New Year’s Eve.” His No 440 Squadron colleague Flt Lt Wally Ward adds: “I was standing behind some shelter at the edge of the field. I had finished my tour and I was just waiting to be posted out of the squadron to an aerodrome up near Newcastle to instruct on Typhoons. The squadron was lined up to take off when I saw Messerschmitt Bf 110s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s come over the horizon one after the other. “They shot the hell out of the Typhoons. They circled and went back again — there was more than one attack. Our pilots jumped out of the airplanes and rolled away

and looked for a ditch for refuge. A Messerschmitt Me 262 jet was directing the attack. It was circling the airfield at about 5,000ft. The Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs were lined up like they were on a game shoot.” The Eindhoven defences, especially the four RAF Regiment units manning their Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns, did their utmost to defend the airfield and shot down several German aircraft. One remarkable event took place when an Fw 190 was hit by Bren fire aimed by No 438 Squadron’s senior armament NCO Sgt Large and Flt Sgt McGee. At the time of the first attack, Large was down the road from dispersal waiting to see his squadron’s Typhoons taking off. “I saw a number of aircraft making an attack on the field”, said Large, “and I first thought it was just a German hit-and-run, but after the second and third waves passed over, circled and continued their attacks from out of the sun, I figured they were playing for keeps. I therefore

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Between having his wings pinned on by Lord Trenchard in 1949 to retirement in 1978, Wing Commander H. T. Price DFC flew over 550 individual aircraft – among which were 158 Meteors, 70 Vampires, 131 Hunters, and 60 helicopters of various types (notably the Whirlwind 10). He crashed one aircraft, brought five back against the odds (including engine failures over the North Sea and over the Borneo jungle), and had many close shaves. All are mentioned in the book. Copies may be obtained for £10 (including P&P) from D Price, 23 Glynrosa Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 8QS

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29/08/2017 14:59

Hawker Typhoon Ibs No 439 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force DND

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The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is commemorating its 60th anniversary in 2017 and, as part of the celebrations, an exciting new book has been produced in association with the RAF ‘THE FLIGHT’ features: • Foreword by Squadron Leader George “Johnny” Johnson DFM, Lancaster Bomb Aimer who ﬂew with 617 Squadron on many missions during WW2 including the famous Dams Raid. He is the last surviving British “Dambuster” • Introduction by OC BBMF, Squadron Leader Andy Millikin.

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23/08/2017 11:08

Flt Lt Lyle Shaver shows No 439 Squadron CO Sqn Ldr J. H. Beatty a piece of a Me 262 that became lodged in his Typhoon’s port wing following a successful kill of the German jet fighter on 14 February 1945. On the right is Fg Off Hugh Fraser, who notched up his own Me 262 shoot-down on the same mission.

hurried back to the dispersal area armoury where the Bren guns were kept. There I saw Flt Sgt McGee and we decided to take a whack at anything flying over the dispersal area. We took a Bren gun each and two boxes of clips [magazines] and stood outside the dispersal door and waited for any Jerry that came within range. “In all, we believed we fired at 10 or 12 Fw 190s and Bf 109s. Strikes were seen on at least two aircraft. One was coming from the south of us at a height of not more than 40ft. We both fired a full magazine at him. We saw strikes down the engine in the direction of the cockpit and we saw small bits and pieces fly off. The enemy aircraft flipped over on its side and we saw black smoke coming from the aircraft.” A few days later, an Fw 190 was found just south-west of the town of Oirschot, north of Eindhoven airfield. The Focke-Wulf fighter had been struck by small arms fire on the port side and the wounded pilot, Hauptmann Ewald Trost, was taken prisoner. He had suffered burns to his face and bullet wounds to his right arm.

They shot the hell out of the Typhoons. They circled and went back again. Our pilots jumped out of the aircraft and rolled away and looked for a ditch for refuge In Ward’s words, “I was in shock. I was astonished. At this late stage of the war, we hardly ever saw enemy aircraft. We had the dominance of the skies. This was my first chance to see so many enemy aircraft… dozens of them all in one place. Afterwards, I flew to Brussels. I saw all these heavy bombers had been all shot up — B-17s, maybe. They were destroyed. They had not been dispersed. We never thought it could happen. Fortunately, no-one in my squadron got hurt.” Others were not so lucky, as remembered by Flt Lt Bob Spooner DFC of No 438 Squadron. “Our squadron had four [aircraft] on the runway. Flt Lt Pete Wilson […] and his number two had already opened throttles and were heading down the runway when the attack started.

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LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

LAC G. Pesant arms a No 439 Squadron Typhoon, assisted by two WDs (members of the RCAF Women’s Division), in its Eindhoven dispersal. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

A colour view of war-torn Eindhoven airfield, with No 439 Squadron aircraft in the background. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

After its time at Eindhoven, No 439 Squadron and its Typhoons moved at the end of March 1945 to airfield B-100 at Goch in Germany, near the Dutch border. This is RB402 landing there. LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

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OPERATION ‘BODENPLATTE’

ABOVE: The loan of the RAF Museum’s Typhoon Ib, MN235, to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum made possible this special reunion of veterans with the aircraft in Ottawa during 2014. ROD SPOONER

Both were killed before they could get off the ground. “The German [aircraft] were having a ball. A row of Spitfires lined up wingtip-to-wingtip was set on fire. Many Typhoons were victims as well. Other [aircraft] parked in revetments fared better. Smoke and flames from burning aircraft were everywhere and it must have been hard for Jerry to see what to attack. “Our squadron did not get wiped out completely, so we were ordered

RIGHT: Bob Spooner DFC at home with his wartime logbook. ANNE GAFIUK

FAR RIGHT: The very dapper Harry Hardy DFC pictured last year. PHIL O’DONOGHUE

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to get a flight in the air to let the Germans know that we were still operational. In stressful times like this, things seem to happen in seconds, but we were told later that the attack had lasted 25 minutes”. At around 09.45hrs, the ordeal for Eindhoven airfield was finally over, and JG 3’s last aircraft — either in small groups or individually — headed for home. Flt Lt Robby van Zinnicq Bergmann, a Dutch pilot with No

181 Squadron who was showing his brother around the airfield at the time, provided an eyewitness account of the attack. “Even with their eyes closed the attackers would have hit something”, he was quoted as saying in the book Bodenplatte: The Luftwaffe’s Last Hope by John Manrho and Ron Putz. “Next to about 300 aircraft, most of them parked in line, the airfield was filled with vehicles of every type; in addition, fuel and ammo dumps and stocks of all sorts of equipment. Fires started all over the airfield. “Typhoons preparing to take off tried to get airborne; others aborted their take-off, pilots leaping from the aircraft and taking cover. None of those aircraft remained untouched. One of the Typhoons that managed to get airborne shot down a Luftwaffe aircraft but was himself shot down. Only a couple of metres away from us, a courageous Canadian was firing his Sten gun from the end of the runway at the attackers.” No 438 Squadron was not the only unit whose Typhoons were taxiing for take-off when the Germans attacked. No 440 Squadron experienced the same fate at the hands of the Fw 190s’ guns. Under the circumstances, the fact that its pilots all escaped without injury was little short of miraculous.

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Slowly, a thick pall of smoke settled over the whole area, blotting out the earlymorning sun While the RAF Regiment was trying to shoot down the enemy aircraft, fuel and ammunition dumps were set on fire. Thousand-pound bombs exploded every few minutes, individual aircraft were burning in the dispersal area, and rockets possibly slung under the wings of the burning Typhoons ignited and took off in all directions. Slowly, a thick pall of smoke settled over the whole area, blotting out the early-morning sun. On the face of it, the attack on Eindhoven can be considered a success. The Germans destroyed 44 aircraft and damaged 60, possibly more. However, Luftwaffe losses had been considerable. Twenty-five per cent of the attacking force of 60 aircraft had been lost and three more damaged. Nine pilots were killed and six ended up as prisoners of war. What records remain do not accurately record the exact overall tally of Allied aircraft lost during the whole of ‘Bodenplatte’. Estimates cite 305 aircraft destroyed and 190 damaged. The Allies could rapidly replace men and materiel, but the Germans could not, especially pilots. Overall Luftwaffe losses in the ‘Bodenplatte’ operation totalled 250 fighters and 215 pilots. Hitler’s Luftwaffe adjutant Nicolaus von Below wrote on 1 January 1945: “A catastrophe befell the Luftwaffe the same day. Göring [commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe] had planned a strike by almost a thousand aircraft on the Western frontier against various [enemy] targets. Preparations for Operation ‘Bodenplatte’ were kept strictly secret; nevertheless, the attack was greeted with heavy Allied antiaircraft fire. On the way back, our aircraft flew over accurate German flak, the batteries not having been informed of the operation on the grounds of secrecy. “We suffered heavy losses which could not be made good. ‘Bodenplatte’ was the last major operation undertaken by the Luftwaffe.” Hitler’s last roll of the dice cost him dearly. As General der Jagdflieger and fighter ace Adolf Galland said, “We have sacrificed our last substance.”

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Members of the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group team with the recently acquired Napier Sabre engine on display at the Flying Legends show this July. From left to right, Dave Robinson, trustee and project founder; Tim Roberts, volunteer; Sam Worthington-Leese, trustee and pilot; and volunteers Jonathan Edwards, Graham Green and Nick Adlam.

RB396’S RETURN: THE LATEST

T

he effort to return a Typhoon to British skies is gathering pace. As reported in the news pages of our January 2017 issue, the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group is setting about the restoration to flying condition of Typhoon Ib RB396, with the aim of returning it to the skies in 2024, the D-Day 80th anniversary year. One major milestone announced in January was the acquisition of a genuine Napier Sabre engine, secured with the assistance of Cranfield University, which will power the aeroplane. It is likely to become the only running Sabre unit outside the USA. Another step forward occurred more recently, when a lease was signed for the project’s new home in an industrial unit in Uckfield, East Sussex. This will enable everything to be brought together under one roof, and in due course permit public access as well. This move has only become possible as a result of fundraising towards RB396’s restoration reaching suitable levels. A significant contributor to this has been the group’s prominent presence at numerous

major airshows, the Napier Sabre powerplant being exhibited on the stand at Flying Legends and the Royal International Air Tattoo. Just after this issue comes out, it will be present at IWM Duxford’s Battle of Britain Air Show as well. The current plan is to begin work on the airframe, which is largely complete parts-wise, around the start of 2018. Meanwhile, project trustee Sam Worthington-Leese reported during August that contact has just been made with RB396’s main wartime pilot Frank Johnson. “He has confirmed many details about RB396's history that were previously unknown”, says Sam, “and we have been shown photos of his logbook, clearly showing RB396 as the aircraft. It’s incredibly exciting to us, and we hope to fundraise next year in order to, with his permission, bring him over to the UK from Canada to be reunited with his aircraft.” Ben Dunnell For further information, to join the supporters’ club and buy merchandise, visit www.hawkertyphoon.com

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DUNKIRK FILM

FLIGHTS, CAM E Behind-the-scenes insights into the making of Dunkirk

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WORDS: BEN DUNNELL

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M ERAS, ACTION G

iven the critical acclaim largely heaped upon it, it is easy to imagine how Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk might come to be seen as a new watershed in the making of movies with substantial aviation content. Its extensive use of real aeroplanes for the flying sequences is undoubtedly a major contributor to their vivid realism, and thus the effectiveness of the film’s approach. In reversing the tendency for such scenes to be contrived by way of computergenerated imagery, there is the hope that it will set a trend for others to follow. Should that be the case, the film world may well again beat a path to Steven Moth’s door. The director of Warwickshire-based Spirit in the Sky, a consultancy specialising in the buying, selling and operating of historic aeroplanes, he headed up the aerial logistics side of Dunkirk. Steven had prior experience of aviation film work, but this still represented a steep learning curve. It was, after all, very different from anything he’d been involved with before.

The link in to Dunkirk came about through Steven’s past in the executive jet business. Having worked for TAG Aviation, he set up his own company, Execflyer, specialising in private jet charter work. “One of the clients”, Steven says, “was a guy called Tom Struthers, who is a real veteran of the film world. He’s been in it 30-40 years as a stunt co-ordinator and second unit director. Tom’s an Australian, but his UK home was near Buckingham, and he said that the next time he was back we should meet for a coffee. We met and got on pretty well. He has a real interest in aviation — he’s got rotary and fixedwing licences.” Steven later sold Execflyer, concentrating his energies on Spirit in the Sky. However, he remained in contact with Tom Struthers. “He ended up on a film called Criminal, which was pretty low-budget but had a good cast: Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones.

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LEFT: A close formation pass over Lee-onSolent, Hampshire by the Aircraft Restoration Company’s HA-1112-M1L Buchón G-AWHK and Comanche Fighters’ Spitﬁre Ia AR213 marked as ‘R9632’. RICHARD DAVIES

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DUNKIRK FILM

TOP: The ‘Yakfire’, modified Yak-52TW N699DP, makes its first flight from British shores at Oaksey Park on 20 May 2016. PETER R. MARCH

ABOVE: A close-up of the starboard wing root IMAX camera mount on the Yak. VIA STEVEN MOTH

ABOVE RIGHT: The view from one of the helicopter cameraships as Paul Bonhomme comes in at slow speed over the Dunkirk coastline. VIA STEVEN MOTH

For it, Tom told me he needed an Airbus A400M, eight Hercules, some helicopters and a private jet, and could I sort it? I said it shouldn’t be an issue. The Airbus was quite an issue, but I got it in. Criminal went really well — the director was very pleased. That led on to Dunkirk. “I was thrown in at the deep end on Dunkirk. Tom has a habit of playing down what the scope of the role is; he asked if I could help with some permits. He didn’t really start talking to me about it until October 2015, and the production office wasn’t set up until March 2016. We were due to start shooting on 24 May 2016.” Discussions as to the selection of aircraft desired for the filming took place in the production office, located in California. Steven then set about sourcing them. A threeship of Spitfire Is was always central to the story, and given that two of the four airworthy examples belong to Comanche Fighters, based with The Fighter Collection at Duxford, they were an obvious choice. It so happened that Tom Struthers and Comanche Fighters’ Dan Friedkin already knew each other. “Dan was just, ‘Let’s make it happen!’, recalls Steven. “To have Dan and his team on board was a huge asset to the production.” Those two MkIas, X4650/ G‑CGUK and AR213/G-AIST, were duly earmarked. The third Spitfire also came from Comanche Fighters, in the form of LFVb EP122/G‑CISV. It was fresh out of restoration at Biggin Hill,

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painted in No 185 Squadron colours from the Malta theatre. Pretty soon it was repainted in the film markings common to all three ‘Spits’ — Operation ‘Dynamo’ schemes having been researched by Steven on visits to the RAF Museum — and, to some extent, reconfigured. “We did our best to bring it back to a MkI visually”, he recounts. “Peter Monk fitted the MkI exhausts and removed the cannon shrouds.” Depicting the enemy was less straightforward. “We obviously really wanted original Bf 109Es. Contact was made with Paul Allen, but he didn’t want to be involved. The Marseille aircraft at [the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar] was delayed due to an engine issue. I spoke also to Airbus, who’ve got the pseudo 109G-4, but essentially that’s a converted Buchón anyway. We were on to Planes of Fame — their Buchón looked great, but it wasn’t going to be finished in time”. It was therefore decided to use the well-known Battle of Britain film veteran Buchón G-AWHK from the Aircraft Restoration Company. The ARC also provided the final member of the Dunkirk warbird complement, Blenheim IF ‘L6739’/G-BPIV. Members of Nolan’s production team were immersed as much as possible in the Second World War fighter experience by way of flights in two-seaters, including a Spitfire at Duxford. “Chris was really interested in showing pilot stress and G-forces, and getting the viewer into the

cockpit”, Steven says. “He didn’t want to do that just with the usual ‘rat-atat-a-tat’. It needed to be facial.” A major contribution towards achieving Nolan’s desired effect was made by the unique ‘Yakfire’ cameraship, Yak-52TW taildragger N699DP. “The Yak we found at Denton, Texas. It was in a museum there, owned by a chap called Gary Grubb. It was in really good condition, in a dark green scheme.” Matt Nightingale’s Chino-based firm California Aerofab then set about substantially altering the 2002-built machine. The objective was to mount IMAX cameras on the aircraft, and to modify those parts of the airframe that would appear in shot to better resemble a Spitfire I. Aside from the camera mounts themselves, the canopy was changed, false cowlings put on, an aerial mast added behind the cockpit and RAF camouflage and markings applied. Because the Yak would be used for in-flight cockpit shots, a false Spitfire I instrument panel was fitted in the front cockpit, with a presentday EFIS (electronic flight instrument system) behind. Carbon-fibre elliptical wingtips were constructed by the very talented Steve Hinton Jr. In Steven Moth’s words, “It was finding something that was a taildragger, that had the feel of a warbird, without going to half a million dollars for something. Where Jack Lowden, playing the Scottish pilot [Collins], is sitting in the front of the Yak and one of the Spitfires breaks away, that shot is for real. I don’t think we got any pilot POV

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[point of view] shots of it taking off or landing, but certainly if that became one of the shots they wanted it to show that ‘tail raise, tail drop’ situation. I think they looked at a Harvard, but felt it was too far away from what they wanted to achieve. “The huge IMAX camera on the aircraft must have weighed about 25kg, and there’s probably another 10kg in the mount. We had a high camera on the port wing, we had a low camera on the starboard wing — obviously not all at the same time — and there was a nose mount on top of the cowling. Then there was one that sat on top of the panel between the rear seat and the front seat. The view forward was just an IMAX camera.” Aided by John Maloney and one of his team from Planes of Fame, the ‘Yakfire’ was reassembled at Oaksey Park, Wiltshire. Several more conventional cameraships were to be employed alongside it: different Ecureuil and Twin Squirrel helicopters provided by Will Banks at GB Helicopters, and renowned aerial filming pilot Craig Hosking’s twin-prop Piper Aerostar 601P with IMAX cameras in its nose and tail. From a regulatory perspective, Steven found the situation an interesting challenge. “We had the American [Spitfire] pilots: Steve

Hinton, Ed Shipley and Dan Friedkin. We had Craig Hosking, the camera pilot. They all had to be cleared through the [UK] CAA, through the French DGAC, through the Dutch equivalent. I know aviation authorities often receive a bad press, though I have to say that without the can-do attitude within each of these authorities this production would have comprised CGI. There were temporary paint schemes that needed military markings exemptions. We had an experimental category Yak that was just completely outside the scope of what anyone over here was expecting to see. To give all of them their dues, they gave us the opportunity to prove that what we were going to do was correct.” With all the necessary approvals in place, the Spitfire Is, in the hands for the ferry flight of Steve Jones and Paul Bonhomme, the Yak and the first of the camera and safety helicopters decamped to France. “Part of my remit before that was finding the airfields to operate from”, says Steven Moth. “A lesson learned there: we wanted to go to Calais-Dunkerque airport, but there was no hangar space. We had aeroplanes that we needed to look after. There was no active grass strip there, either. The authorities were really helpful, and they did reinstate the grass runway — and did a very

Some days they’d be basking in sunshine up at the beach at Dunkirk, and we’d be in rain at Merville

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nice job of it — but we just could not sort out the hangar situation. “We ended up at Merville, which worked really well as an airfield. It was a very quiet place, with loads of hangar space. We pretty much had the airfield to ourselves. But it was pretty tricky on some days, when they’d be basking in sunshine up at the beach at Dunkirk, and we’d be in thunderstorms and rain. You’d find yourselves recording the rain and sending them screenshots of the radar to prove to the producers why you were just not getting airborne.” Out of Merville were flown a lot of the sequences that appear towards the end of the film. “The loose idea was three aircraft set out, two get shot down, and one crash-lands on the beach. There was supposed to be a feeling of attrition”. Paul Bonhomme was the Spitfire pilot for the scenes that lead up to the forced landing. “They wanted him to fly a glide, which he did really well. He was flying it on the drag curve, full-flap, with the engine idling.” The beach landing itself — probably the first by a Spitfire since the war — was performed by Dan Friedkin in X4650. Organising it was hardly the work of a moment. “From a permit perspective”, Steven remembers, “we were denied a landing on the beach, which, to be honest, was expected. From there we asked — and I was doing all this through a translator, because my French was hopeless — where we could land. ‘You can land at an airport’. OK. You start to get really

TOP: The first time a Spitfire had landed on a Dunkirk beach since the war years. VIA STEVEN MOTH

ABOVE: A camera ’phone shot of Dan Friedkin’s approach for the beach landing, Ecureuil camera helicopter in attendance. VIA STEVEN MOTH

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DUNKIRK FILM

We shot some film coming back from Holland over the Channel, which was incredible. I was in the helicopter watching the Aerostar being flown by Craig, doing some of the air-to-air shots

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creative. We wondered whether we could make an airport look like a beach, and ship in a load of sand. “But we actually designated the beach as an airport for two days — we made all the applications, we filled out a load of paperwork. The main criteria was that there had to be an airside element that we controlled. That’s the main reason we went to the beach we did, just to the west of the main Dunkirk beach where the mole was, because there was one road that we could control all access to. There was no other way on to the beach. “Obviously the beach is a dynamic entity, changing all the time with the tides. We did a lot of study there, looking at wind conditions, tide conditions. We basically decided that where there was a good, stiff wind onshore and a quickly receding tide, we’d have pretty good conditions — as good as we were going to get. At that point we moved the aeroplanes and our workshop truck with all the spares from Merville to Calais-Dunkerque, and set up base there for the day. It was a late shot; I don’t think we landed on the beach until half past eight. “It was tense, I have to say. Dan did an incredible job. He’s a great, great pilot with a really good feeling for the aeroplane. He landed, and it started overheating — par for the course with a MkI. The aircraft was shut down, and it started sinking. The stunt team, Tom’s team, was there and they were straight on it. They got the aeroplane turned around, and Dan got airborne again pretty quickly. We celebrated that night, though Dan’s engineer Joe Kennedy did not. He had hours of work removing salt water and sand from the underside of the aircraft.” Once the French filming was completed, it was off to Lelystad in the Netherlands. “We originally wanted to use Hoogeveen, but it’s surrounded on three sides by buildings and there’s quite a lot of glider activity there. Warner Brothers’ risk management weren’t happy with it, and the ‘Spit’ guys weren’t happy with it, to be honest. So, Lelystad was where we based. We managed to get a really good hangar there, the Catalina [PH‑PBY] hangar, with good hangar space and good lighting.” Joining the aircraft fleet there were the ARC Blenheim and Buchón, both flown by John Romain, and the Spitfire V, ferried over from Biggin by Don Sigournay. “John brought the Blenheim out with Billy Kelly,

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his engineer”, says Steven. “Then he came back in the Buchón. He worked his socks off.” Lelystad was the scene of some work on two of the fighters. “Dan put a lot of resource in. Chris wanted a smoke machine fitted to a ‘Spit’, and then he wanted one fitted to the Buchón. Before I knew what was happening a Gulfstream 650 had arrived from the US with an engineer, Randy [Poe], and all the kit needed to install the smoke machines. I think they did that in a day — all the drawings and images, everything signed off properly.” The reason for filming from Lelystad was simple. “A lot of the marine camera work they tried to do offshore at Dunkirk, but there was just too much of a swell, so we went to the IJsselmeer, that big inland bay. There was less swell, and much better conditions for the Edge boat which had all the cameras on. Where you see a ‘Spit’ and the Buchón flying past the ship and they fly past an explosion of water, that was done on the IJsselmeer.” Since the film is deliberately sparing when it comes to dialogue, Steven reports that the script was not that extensive, and the pilot briefs were fairly short too. “About 40 minutes before the guys were due to be on set, Chris would call. I’d put it on speakerphone, with Dan, Steve, Ed and John huddled around.” It goes without saying that safety was paramount throughout. As part of the process involved in obtaining approvals from the different authorities, much thought was put in to contingency plans in case of emergencies. “Whenever the warbirds were airborne we had two ex-special forces rescue guys in the safety helicopter with Will Banks”, Steven adds. “If one had gone down we’d have been on-scene in seconds. Each aircraft had oxygen bottles.” Returning from Lelystad to the UK, the opportunity was taken to secure another batch of footage. “We shot some film coming back from Holland over the Channel, which was incredible. I was in the helicopter, and I was watching the Aerostar being flown by Craig, doing some of the air-to-air shots where the aircraft drop into frame.” Their destination was Shoreham, West Sussex. “I’d done a recce at

Shoreham — multi-directional grass runways, and close to where they wanted to shoot over the Channel. We had to be on the south coast to maximise our time there. Early on we made the decision to move to Lee-on-Solent as neither Shoreham nor Goodwood was felt quite suitable for intensive Spitfire operations. I had to do some quick pedalling to get us in there. Shoreham were very understanding and Lee-on-Solent were really accommodating. As luck would have it, they had an empty hangar next to the gliding hangar, and we used quite a bit of the gliding hangar too. That worked out very well.” The Lee-on-Solent-based activity centred upon air-to-air combats, shot mainly from the Aerostar. “It was all about speed and dogfighting. Of course we had to have a box of operation, but we didn’t have time to sort out all the NOTAMs, so we used the military danger areas down there. They were very accommodating as well. I was just calling them up when we needed to go in. At one point I think they were doing air-to-air gunnery practice at 10,000ft and we were at 4,000ft.” It was August by the time filming at Lee finished. The lead Spitfire, X4650, was “knocking on the door of 40 hours” flown on the job. “As an aerial team”, Steven reflects, “we learned a lot. I was really in at the deep end. OK, I’ve been flying aeroplanes since I was 16 years of age, but I’m somebody who’s come from TAG Aviation and running my own business jet company to having a couple of aircraft in a hangar that we needed to restore, and suddenly I’m helping out on a big aerial film. Criminal was all C of A [certificate of airworthiness] aeroplanes — very easy. Dunkirk was American pilots, permit to fly aeroplanes, and weird things attached to them.” He’s full of praise for the pilots, Messrs Friedkin, Shipley, Hinton, Hosking, Romain, Banks and Bonhomme. “Working with them made it very easy. Those guys were an absolute pleasure to work with, and it was good to see them in action. There was a real sense of, ‘Let’s make this the best it can be for Chris’. Chris Nolan has this ability to get everyone pulling in his direction”. The end result certainly bears that out.

There was a real sense of, ‘Let’s make this the best it can be for Chris Nolan’

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: At the conclusion of a filming session, Craig Hosking’s very impressive double IMAX cameraequipped Piper Aerostar cameraship accompanies Buchón and Spitfire on a low pass over Lee-on-Solent. RICHARD DAVIES

The vic of Spitfires about to break into the Lee-on-Solent circuit. Nearest the camera is Ia X4650, marked as ‘R9612’; AR213, or ‘R9632’, is furthest away, while LFVb EP122, painted as ‘R9649’, leads. RICHARD DAVIES

With an IMAX camera between the front and rear cockpits, the view from the back seat of the ‘Yakfire’ was decidedly limited. RICHARD DAVIES

Dan Friedkin in the cockpit of one of the Spitfires, with Ed Shipley on the right and engineer Randy Poe on the aircraft’s wing. VIA STEVEN MOTH

John Romain tests the Buchón’s newly installed smoke system at Lelystad. VIA STEVEN MOTH

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JETSTREAM AT 50

THE LAST

HA

First ﬂown 50 years ago this year, the twin-turboprop Jetstream was ultimately developed into a successful and versatile aeroplane. However, it also went down as the ﬁnal product of a company that was among British aviation’s greatest names. A member of the Jetstream test team recalls how the aircraft contributed to Handley Page’s demise WORDS: ALAN DOWSETT

O MAIN PICTURE: An early outing for the ﬁrst Jetstream prototype G-ATXH before its maiden ﬂight, possibly for fuel ﬂow tests. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

ABOVE RIGHT: A publicity shot of the Jetstream mockup at Radlett shows a typical executive interior layout. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

n 18 August 1967, chief test pilot John Allam lined up the prototype Handley Page Jetstream, G-ATXH, on Radlett’s runway 21, ready for its maiden flight. The hopes of the company and its employees hung on making a success of this promising design, after a disappointing period in the history of a firm that was within a couple of years of its 60th anniversary. During the decade before the Jetstream first took to the air, Handley Page had suffered a few setbacks, often due to the failure to agree an acceptable merger during the rationalisation of the British aircraft industry. One significant result was the government’s decision that no further military contracts would be awarded to Handley Page if it did not join one of the large groups. This was arguably a factor in the failure to get

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an order for the military transport derivative of the Victor, the Shorts Belfast being ordered instead of the Air Staff-preferred HP111. Likewise, the rear-loading HP124 tactical transport variant of the Herald lost out to the Andover. The Victor B2 production order was reduced from 62 to 34 and Herald sales proved disappointing. In addition there was the death in 1962 of the firm’s founder, Sir Frederick Handley Page. Commercial, non-aviation ventures were not keeping the factory full and the management was exploring means of maintaining the company’s core expertise. Enter the Jetstream. In 1965 Jack Riley, whose Floridabased Riley Aeronautics Corporation had sold a number of re-engined and structurally updated de Havilland Doves, was looking at ways of making yet more improvements.

These involved turboprop engines and a pressurised cabin. However, such an aircraft would require the co-operation and resources of an established airframe manufacturer. The Dove’s parent company was building up production of its DH125 executive jet and had no wish to take up Riley’s proposals. Handley Page was then offered the project and seized the opportunity. It was obvious that the Dove’s fuselage was unsuited for pressurisation. A totally new design with a circular-section fuselage and twin turboprops could not have been produced economically to compete with other six-to-eight-seat aircraft

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H ANDLEY PAGE then on the market. Further research identified a gap for a larger machine with airline-type accommodation for employment either by commuter airlines or business aircraft users. This would offer a range of 500 to 1,500 miles, over which distances the lower cruising speed of 300mph compared with a pure jet would not be too significant. Operating costs would also be much lower. In January 1966, the decision was made to go ahead. A fuselage mock-up with an executive interior was exhibited at Farnborough that September. Marketing began in earnest, CSE Aviation at Oxford being appointed as distributors for Europe, Africa and Asia. Sales in the Americas were to be handled by the International Jetstream Corporation, which was Riley’s company after being taken over by K. R. Cravens of St Louis, Missouri. CSE undertook to sell 20 aircraft a year for five years, while IJC anticipated initial sales of 65. Handley Page was thus able to claim in publicity that 165 orders had been received before the first flight.

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JETSTREAM AT 50

TOP: 18 August 1967 — the moment of lift-off on the type’s maiden flight. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

ABOVE: John Allam was obviously happy with the inaugural test sortie. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

ABOVE RIGHT: The Jetstream’s debut appearance at Farnborough was at the 1968 show. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

Jack Riley had chosen the 600shp Turbomeca Astazou X for the original Dove-based proposal. The engine initially selected for what became the HP137 Jetstream was the Astazou XIV of a nominal 790shp, and more powerful developments were coming. Other powerplant options were the Pratt & Whitney PT6 and the Garrett AiResearch TPE331, but at the time the decision had to be made the relatively advanced Astazou seemed the best choice. It had a low frontal area because of its axial compressor stages, partly offset by a number of cooling air intakes in the nacelles which added drag. Although the Astazou had much to offer, some particular characteristics could count against it. Having its origins as a helicopter engine it ran at a constant speed, the core rotating at 43,000rpm. This was reduced at the propeller shaft by a gearbox to 1,790rpm for the Jetstream. The constant speed of the engine meant that a system of ‘beta control’ was used to vary the power demanded from it. It worked by altering the propeller pitch and having an automatic control system to regulate the fuel flow accordingly. This would be equivalent to the collective pitch in a helicopter controlling the rate of climb or descent. To the pilot the

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controls looked and felt like normal throttle levers. From a noise point of view it was fine in the air, but during taxiing when selecting a coarser pitch there was a characteristic rasping sound. A similar noise was heard when applying reverse pitch during landing. The cause was a combination of the constant rotation speed and the blade pitch changes producing a vortex ring. This was probably not a great problem at large airports, but at smaller airfields it might not have been popular with the neighbours.

arrangement between Turbomeca and the Rolls-Royce Small Engines Division, to be known as RollsRoyce Turbomeca International. An American propeller, by Hamilton Standard, was chosen, again with the US market in mind. It had three wide-chord blades and a diameter of 8.5ft, giving a tip speed consistent with reasonable noise levels. Under the design leadership of Charles Joy and his deputy Godfrey Lee, the fuselage evolved to have a diameter of 6ft 6in, allowing a 5ft 11in-tall passenger to stand upright. An executive layout could provide from six to 12 seats, with as many as 18 when configured with three-abreast airline seating. Large oval windows would be provided, seven each side of the passenger cabin. There was a big entry door with integral steps on the port side, hinged at the bottom edge. An overwing escape hatch was provided on the starboard side. The large interior volume gave the Jetstream a significant advantage over other aircraft of a similar size, and was a major factor in its success at the time and in its later developments. The wing had a NACA 63A section, with a span of 52ft, a wing area of 270 square feet and an aspect ratio of 10. A marketing decision to cater for grass field operation led to an increase

The first take-off was uneventful, and on reaching about 200ft the Jetstream was seen to gently waggle in the three axes in turn as John Allam checked the effectiveness of the controls There was, however, a facility for reducing the rpm when on the ground to 85 per cent, which slightly lowered the noise level. It was not used very much because it required careful monitoring of temperature. Another thing about the Astazou at the start of the Jetstream project was the lack of maintenance organisations outside Europe, in particular in the USA where much of the marketing was to be targeted. This was alleviated by a collaborative

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of the inboard wing thickness in order to accommodate larger main wheels with low-pressure (50psi) tyres. As things turned out this was probably an unnecessary feature and of course added to the weight. Even with the thicker wing the wheel would not quite fit the available space. A slightly bulged fairing and door were designed to cover it, and to cover the space after the undercarriage was lowered. Trials soon revealed that a mechanism to firmly close the door was hard to perfect given the room to hand and it was decided to leave the wheel uncovered, with some drag penalty. The flaps were of a simple hinged design and essentially single-slotted in the take-off position. For landing at the 50° setting an additional vane came into play to form a doubleslotted flap. Once the weight was on the nosewheel and the propellers were in fine pitch or reverse the flap setting could be increased to 70° for added braking. Because of the wing and fuselage layout, relatively large tail surfaces were required. Giving sweep-back to the fin increased the elevator moment arm and made the Jetstream’s lines more visually appealing. Initial certification was to be to British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCAR) Section K and US Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 23, which covered operations up to an all-up weight (AUW) of 12,500lb. However, the structure was in fact designed with

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a higher AUW of up to 15,000lb in mind for eventual transport category operation to BCAR Section D and FAR Part 25. The structure was designed on ‘fail-safe’ principles, aiming at a life of 40,000 flights or 30,000 hours. A full structural testing programme was planned, using complete airframes and including cabin pressure and flight load cycling in a water tank. For the first few flights the prototype was fitted with lowerpowered (690shp) Astazou XII engines, which were sufficient for the initial handling tests and pilot familiarisation. So, it was these that powered G-ATXH down the runway at 15.00hrs on the Friday afternoon

of 18 August 1967, watched by large numbers of Handley Page staff. On board with John Allam were co-pilot Harry Rayner and chief flight test engineer John Coller. It was accompanied during the flight by Twin Comanche chase aircraft G-ATZV flown by John Tank, with Lord Waterpark and Alan Vincent observing. Waterpark was sales director at CSE. The take-off was uneventful, and on reaching about 200ft the Jetstream was seen to gently waggle in the three axes in turn as Allam checked the effectiveness of the controls. The flight lasted an hour and 50 minutes. On his return, talking to Hatfield’s air traffic control John was asked to give them a flypast, which he duly did at 500ft. The controller asked, “If you’ve finished with me, can I come out and watch?” There was a minor problem with one of the brakes. A gauge was registering a small amount of residual brake pressure, so Allam was ready with reverse thrust on the opposite engine to counteract it on landing. A simple modification to a cable run made sure the snag was not repeated. The Astazou XIIs were retained for a further 13 flights totalling just over 22 hours before the aircraft was laid up until late November to have Astazou XIVs fitted. Soon after the resumption of flying G-ATXH headed off to Pau in south-west France, arriving on 4 December 1967. This was the beginning of a large-scale deployment of Handley Page personnel to that location until late March 1968. More than 50 people were involved — flight and ground crews, design and test engineers. The intention was to take advantage of the more benign winter weather conditions there and pursue an intensive programme

BELOW: Prototypes G-ATXH and G-ATXJ at Pau in March 1968. ALAN DOWSETT

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JETSTREAM AT 50

RIGHT: G-ATXJ, flown by Barrie Hygate, over Entebbe airport during tropical trials in July 1969. It was photographed from Handley Page’s DC-3 flown by ‘Spud’ Murphy. On the ground are an East African Airways VC10 and an Israeli Air Force Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. The terminal building just beyond the control tower was the scene of the Israeli hostage rescue in 1976.

ALAN DOWSETT

MIDDLE LEFT: An early US customer of the Jetstream 1 was Cal-State Air Lines. However, N1035S was never delivered to the carrier, despite being flown in its colours for some time. It ended up with the Decca company as G-AWVK. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

of test flying without interruption. Pau was also Turbomeca’s flight test base, so there was the added benefit of having the engine experts close by. ’XH was to concentrate on handling, performance and systems assessment. The second Jetstream to fly, G-ATXJ, first took to the air on 28 December 1967. At the end of February it joined ’XH at Pau. It was mainly engaged in flight-testing the avionics and autopilot systems, with Collins and Bendix representatives in attendance. Meanwhile, back at Radlett the second prototype, G-ATXI, was being used by Handley Page’s structural engineers for ground resonance testing, a prelude to flight flutter trials. It eventually made its initial flight on 8 March 1968. In support of all this overseas activity and later tropical trials, Handley Page acquired DC-3 G-ATBE to ferry staff around. It would also be used to transport engines from Pau and wing components from Prestwick to Radlett, Prestwick-based Scottish Aviation having been sub-contracted to build the wings. The Jetstream’s handling trials produced a couple of surprises. When investigating full rudder deflections in flight, a fin stall occurred, which caused a few moments of consternation for the crew with the onset of a sudden large yaw angle. Fortunately, the fin withstood the unintended side loading and all was well. The fix was straightforward: a ventral fin, which happened to blend in well with the overall appearance.

Fixes were tried, but there seemed to be no simple way of persuading the aeroplane to do a ‘normal’ stall

The other handling issue required a lot more investigative work and contributed to the prolonged development programme that would be a factor in Handley Page’s ultimate demise. When stall testing commenced, it was found that the warnings and subsequent behaviour were not as expected from a conventional straight-wing design. Instead of the normal pre-stall buffet followed by a wings-level nose drop the Jetstream would always drop a wing sharply, with little or no warning. The wing drop could be in either direction and occasionally up

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to 90°. Wind tunnel tests had not predicted such behaviour. This had to be sorted out before a type certificate could be contemplated, and it all took time, adding to the pressure on the company’s financial and technical resources. Aerodynamic fixes such as changes to the profile of the wing leading edge were tried, but there seemed to be no simple way of persuading the aeroplane to do a ‘normal’ stall. John Allam told of one occasion when the latest attempted fix was flight-tested and the Jetstream flicked through 360° before resuming normal level flight. The pilot was Neil Williams, the well-known aerobatic ace of that time, who had joined Handley Page’s flight test team in 1967. John recalled that Neil later went along to the design office and announced, rather mischievously, “You’ve solved it!” However, it was not likely to impress the Air Registration Board, the predecessor of the Civil Aviation Authority. Ultimately the problem was dealt with by installing a stick shaker to provide stall warning and a stick pusher to lower the nose if the pilot failed to react in time. In a parallel development during December 1967, the US Air Force was investigating the acquisition of an initial batch of light transport aircraft and the Jetstream seemed to have won at the expense of the Beechcraft 99. It would be known within Handley Page as the Jetstream 3M and to the USAF as the C-10A, and would have the Garrett engines in place of Astazous. It required another big design and development effort from Handley Page, but with the possibility of an order of up to 300 it was an opportunity not to be refused. Other major changes included the doubling of the rear door width by adding another side-opening door forward of the existing one. A further external difference was the extended tail cone, which supported a jettisonable crash position indicator. Second prototype G-ATXI was reengined with the Garrett TPE331s. Another airframe, the fifth one on the line — intended as a structural test specimen — was completed as a Garrett-powered development aircraft. It was allocated an out-ofsequence constructor’s number and registered G-AWBR.

It proved necessary to carry out a weight reduction exercise to improve the payload/range performance, in spite of the C-10A being certificated to 14,500lb. This all put further pressure on the company and the resulting delivery slippage caused the USAF to suddenly cancel the order, with the first of the trial batch of production machines about to fly and several others in advanced stages of construction. Weight reduction was also being implemented on the Astazoupowered models. What became known as the Jetstream 1 (or Series 100) with the MkXIV engines received its type certificate in April 1969. A trickle of deliveries was

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to complete the Jetstream 200 certification. Imagine the surprise of the trials team — of which this author was a member — not to mention all those back at Radlett when an announcement came at the end of February that the company was in receivership once again. The finances had still been problematic; moreover, the boss of the parent company, Kenneth Cravens, had died. This time it was final and the Victor contract soon went to Hawker Siddeley at Woodford. That could have been the end of the Jetstream, but a quickly organised rescue bid, and ultimately the resources of British Aerospace, ensured that it survived and finally achieved success.

taking place in the UK but more were being sold in the USA, Cal-State Air Lines taking six. It was becoming obvious to Handley Page that it had to press on with developing the Jetstream 200 model with the uprated Astazou XVI of about 940shp, which would ensure that performance met the originally promised targets. G-ATXH and ’XJ were re-engined later in 1969, ’XH going to Filton for intensive flying trials. It was at this time that the cash-flow situation was becoming unsustainable, and in August 1969 Handley Page agreed with Barclays Bank on the appointment of a receiver. A rescue bid was soon in place. International Jetstream

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Corporation’s parent company, K. R. Cravens Corporation, set up a new firm, Handley Page Aircraft Ltd, purely for development and production of the Jetstream 200 and its later 300 version with an AUW of 14,000lb. The company would begin operation in January 1970. It was further agreed with the Ministry of Defence that it would be approved to convert retired Victor B2s into K2 tankers. The design work for the K2 was complete, the Victors were in storage at Radlett and the contract was close to being signed after several delays. All seemed well. G-ATXJ set off in early February for tropical trials in Cyprus, Chad and Uganda as part of the effort

Bill Bright, whose company Terravia Trading Services based at Leavesden had the contract to fly ‘green’ Jetstreams across the Atlantic, bought the entire Jetstream project. This included complete and almost complete airframes at Radlett plus drawings and design rights. Several senior Handley Page personnel were hired, including John Allam as test pilot and Peter Cronbach dealing with technical issues. With additional support from Scottish Aviation the company operated as Jetstream Aircraft Ltd ( JAL). It is a long story, but the certification of the Series 200 Jetstream was completed and successful negotiations accomplished for supplying the RAF with a multiengine trainer, the Jetstream T1, to succeed the Vickers Varsity. However, large-scale production was beyond the capability of JAL and Bill Bright sold the whole project to Scottish Aviation. It fulfilled the RAF order and eventually went on to develop the Garrett-powered Jetstream 31, which finally brought the early promise to reality. A total of 386 were built and many still remain in service. It uses the more powerful TPE331‑10 version of the engine mounted ‘upside-down’ compared with the Handley Page prototypes. This eased some of the installation problems and placed the air intake at the top, which made it less susceptible to foreign object damage. When the Jetstream T1s were finally retired in 2004 it brought to an end 86 uninterrupted years in which, since its formation in 1918, the RAF had never been without a Handley Page design in its inventory.

MIDDLE RIGHT: G-AWBR, in USAFstyle markings, served as the prototype C-10A. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

BOTTOM: A sorry scene at Radlett after Handley Page’s collapse in 1970. Nearest the camera are some of the first batch of C-10As with the double doors visible. They were all scrapped. One identifiable airframe beyond is G-AXUR, later completed by Scottish Aviation as an RAF Jetstream T1, XX479. HANDLEY PAGE ASSOCIATION COLLECTION

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NACA P-63

Instead of giving its P-63A Kingcobra a spurious front-line scheme, the Commemorative Air Force’s Dixie Wing decided to complete the newly restored airframe in an original guise: as a testbed for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor of today’s NASA WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: DR ANDREAS ZEITLER

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espite the fact that the Bell P-63 Kingcobra never fought on the front line with US forces, it represents an interesting part of American fighter development. Even though the design was a much improved version of its predecessor, the P-39 Airacobra, the P-63 inherited a layout that allowed only a small amount of internal fuel tankage, and was therefore short-ranged. It was not used by the US Army Air Forces (AAF) in the European or Pacific theatres, where long range was an attribute ranked above raw firepower during the latter stages of the war. Out of more than 3,300 Kingcobras produced, over two thirds were supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease and saw combat in the Soviet Far East. A little in excess of 100 went to France, but arrived too late to fight with the Allies before VE-Day. Among the AAF’s 332 P-63s, around half were modified into RP‑63s, painted bright orange and used as so-called ‘Pinball’ manned flying targets for aerial gunnery practice by US bomber crews. Not the most illustrious history compared with some of its contemporaries, but worth recalling nonetheless. Just five flying Kingcobras now exist, among them P-63A 42-68941 of the Commemorative Air Force’s Dixie Wing, which represents another facet of the type’s story. It was only during the aircraft’s restoration, which started in 1999, that the group learned about its significant flight test history. Under its skin the airframe revealed modifications that were non-standard to the P-63A-6 model, and could also not be put down to its conversion into an air racer. As the team dug deeper, it came to light that “its entire history before becoming surplus was as a test aircraft”, Bob Heath, the Dixie Wing maintenance officer, explains. Built with Bell construction number 33-11 for model 33, aircraft 11, this Kingcobra rolled out of the company’s plant in Niagara Falls, New York on 24 February 1944, and was formally accepted by the AAF. Its first documented assignment, according to AAF records, was on 15 July 1944. This saw it going back to the Bell Aircraft Corporation to support flight-testing, supposedly of modifications that were implemented on later Kingcobra models. One problem with the P-63A was its tendency towards “insufficient

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LEFT: The CAF Dixie Wing’s P-63A Kingcobra, 42‑68941/N191H, flying over the lush Wisconsin forests near Oshkosh this July.

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NACA P-63

by Bell. As a direct outcome of initial work in 1944 — and before the results of 1945’s dedicated test campaign on this subject were known — the ventral fin was introduced on the next model, the P-63C. It featured an Allison V-1170‑117 engine with water injection for greater war emergency power, and was first accepted by the AAF in December 1944.

ABOVE: This coloured version of a contemporary photograph of 42-68941 allowed the Dixie Wing to apply the final touches to the restored Kingcobra. The scheme uses the standard lateWorld War Two USAAF camouflage of dark olive drab over neutral grey, combined with the markings from when the aircraft was used at Moffett Field, California, as a test ship by NACA.

NASA

BELOW: An early shot of 42‑68941, here lacking the ventral fin that was added to the aircraft later.

NASA

BELOW RIGHT: Great care has been taken to replicate the P-63’s genuine test markings.

directional stability”, as reported by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in October 1944. NACA provided valuable input into the Kingcobra’s first design stage from 1941, when wind tunnel tests of a sectional model of the horizontal tail started. Eventually a 1/10-scale powered dynamic model of the XP‑63 was tested in Langley’s freeflight wind tunnel. Flight-testing was conducted with P-63A-1 42-68861 at the end of 1943 and carried on with 42‑68889 from the first part of 1944. Though the main purpose of this programme was to improve the type’s longitudinal stability and control characteristics, the major outcome was that directional stability was still considered inadequate. A NACA report dated 19 October 1944 said that, “in turn entries, small inadvertent motions of the rudder caused large amounts of skidding. Also, in certain steady flight conditions, an undamped directional oscillation existed even when the pilot attempted to hold all the controls absolutely fixed.” As a first solution, “an enlarged vertical tail had been installed to make the directional stability more satisfactory”. This rendered it “nearly satisfactory and the value of the

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airplane as a gun platform could be greatly increased”. The report further suggested that “adding a ventral fin to the taller vertical tail modification” seemed desirable. “Such an addition would also be desirable from a spinrecovery standpoint and from vertical tail aerodynamic loads considerations”. Although this modification gave the tail less ground clearance, NACA recommended “that a taller vertical tail and a ventral fin be incorporated in the P-63 airplane to increase its directional stability and, consequently, its value as a gun platform.” The result was another series of tests with P-63A-1 42-68889 at Langley in 1945, led by Harold I. Johnson. Different configurations involving an enlarged vertical tail, a dorsal fin and a ventral tail were trialled in flight. Whereas the first two modifications emanated from NACA, the ventral fin was suggested

Bob Heath assumes that Bell must already have flight-tested the ventral fin using 42-68941 at Niagara Falls. A rare photograph from that period shows the aircraft still as an A-6 version, with .50-calibre underwing machine guns and no ventral fin. Heath also knows that “our P-63 had a front window defroster unit installed, a feature that was not standard on any production Kingcobra but planned for the never-built P-63E-5 series”. This is another strong indication that ’941 was used during its time with Bell to test modifications for future versions. Unfortunately, more detailed records have been lost, leaving room for speculation about its early life. This use as a testbed most likely dictated the aircraft’s future, supporting aerodynamic research and development. When its service with Bell was completed in January 1945, 42-68941 was transferred to the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory at Moffett Field

The P-63 was — along with the P-51 — one of the only aircraft then equipped with a laminar-flow wing, and it was often selected for comparative flight tests

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Wearing spurious Armée de l’Air markings on static display at the CAF Airsho at Harlingen in October 1980. PETER R. MARCH

in Mountain View, California. Photographs hint that the 37mm cannon in the spinner of the aircraft was removed around that time as the hole in the spinner was covered by a small aluminium dome. Removing the cannon from the nose bay provided ample room for test equipment and instrumentation such as recording devices for indicated air speed, pressure altitude, normal acceleration, flight control surface positions, aileron and elevator forces, angular velocities and the pressure distribution over certain parts of the aircraft, most commonly the wings and tail surfaces. The machine guns were taken out and air data probes mounted beneath both wings. The Kingcobra turned out to be a welcome test platform for aerodynamicists in the 1940s. Apart from efforts with the early production models to improve the type’s aerodynamics, aimed at increasing its performance and enhancing its handling qualities, the P-63, with its NACA 66-configuration airfoil, was — along with the P-51 Mustang — one of the only aircraft then equipped with a laminar-flow wing. Therefore it was often selected for comparative flight tests. A report on a P-51D test by the NACA Langley Aeronautical Laboratory at Langley Field, Virginia, refers to the results of Moffett Field’s trials of a P-63A-6 and discovering the “abrupt stall of an airplane with low-drag wings from a Mach number of 0.1 to 0.63”. This was most likely ’941, as the only other Kingcobra in NACA Ames’ fleet for aerodynamic research was 42-68892, a P-63A-1, which was written off after a crash in Napa, California, on 8 April 1944. In more specific and betterdocumented testing John R.

LIFE AFTER TEST

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old off by the US government in June 1946 from surplus stock, P-63A 42-68941 passed into civilian hands in 1947 for $1,000, together with a spare Allison V-1710-93 engine. The new owner, Steven H. Christenson of Houston, Texas, put it on the FAA register as NX75488. The Kingcobra was stripped down to bare metal and intended for use as an air racer. But things went quiet in the years that followed, the aircraft changing hands in March 1963 and again that June, when Olin C. Crabtree and William R. Rodgers of Rolling Fork, Mississippi purchased it. The latter was a member of the Confederate Air Force, but the P-63 was increasingly seldom ﬂown. Rodgers wished to donate the aircraft to the CAF’s Missouri Wing, but this was not ﬁnalised before he passed away. During October 1975 the aircraft — by now re-registered as N191H — was ﬂown by ‘Lefty’ Gardner from Mississippi to Harlingen, Texas on behalf of the CAF. This was the machine’s last ﬂight until early 2017. By the time a lengthy legal action over 42-68941 was settled in October

1980, conﬁrming that the aircraft belonged to the CAF, several years in open storage and many ownership changes had taken their toll, even though the P-63 had amassed fewer than 370 ﬂying hours. Due to serious airframe corrosion the Kingcobra remained grounded. Nor could restoration work start, as the CAF found itself locked in another legal battle over the ownership of the aircraft. Finally, the P-63 was adjudged to be CAF property and the Missouri Wing took care of it several years later. The project was about to start when disaster struck. In 1995, the Mississippi River ﬂooded and left the Missouri Wing’s hangar at Smartt Field under water. Parts were lost, while other pieces of the aircraft were left ﬂoating in the hangar or completely submerged. With ﬂying aircraft taking priority, the Missouri Wing had to abandon the project. It was once again up for transfer, this time being adopted by the CAF’s Dixie Wing. The Kingcobra was trucked to Georgia in December 1996. It ﬂew again from the Dixie Wing’s home airﬁeld, Atlanta Regional Airport in Peachtree City, on 18 February this year.

Under restoration with the Dixie Wing at Peachtree City during October 1999. PETER R. MARCH

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NACA P-63

ABOVE: Airline captain Mark Todd flies the Kingcobra for the Dixie Wing.

Spreiter, then an aeronautical engineer with NACA Ames who performed pioneering work on transonic aerodynamics and later became a professor emeritus of applied mechanics at Stanford University, used ’941 to determine the effect of Mach and Reynolds numbers on maximum lift. Together with Paul J. Steffen, he set up a schedule of datagathering flight tests using different aircraft that had not been available in such a combination before. Six aircraft were identified and used for the flying portion: the Lockheed YP-80A jet and five propellerdriven fighters, the Lockheed P-38F Lightning, Bell P-39N Airacobra, Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat, North American P-51B Mustang, and the P-63A ’941. They were compared in various flight regimes, and results also taken from Ames’ newly erected 16ft high-speed wind tunnel that allowed speeds from Mach 0.20 to 0.70.

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The P-38F, P-39N and F6F were equipped with conventional NACA airfoils, while the P-63A and YP‑80A were provided with low-drag NACA versions, and the P-51B featured a North American Aviation/ NACA compromise low-drag design. Whereas the P-51B and the YP‑80A had carefully filled, waxed and polished surfaces for these tests, the P-63A and its counterparts were finished in standard camouflage. The trials involved flying at Mach numbers from 0.15 to 0.72, and the Airacobra, Mustang and Kingcobra were flown at altitudes of between 5,000 and 33,000ft. Around the time when ’941 was later sold into private hands, a NACA technical note mentioned the aircraft’s contribution towards gaining a better understanding of aerodynamics at a time when “the speeds and altitudes attainable by modern airplanes continually [increased].” NACA Ames technical records from 1946 refer to a test programme carried out by Spreiter, George M. Galster and test pilot George Cooper, which used the P-63 for investigations including a study of aileron flutter. With aircraft flying ever faster and reaching relatively high Mach numbers, this was one of the dynamic phenomena associated with compressibility, leading in some cases to catastrophic structural failures. This specific effort related to the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, America’s second jet fighter, which suffered from the problem. Though no positive cure could be found, testing helped to understand and reduce the amplitude of the aileron motion. As the final test report specifically mentions the P-63A-6 model and additional static pressure test ports drilled into the surface were found on the port aileron of ’941 during recent restoration work, this might have been the aircraft’s last flight test role before being sold into private hands. It was retired on 18 June 1946. More than 70 years later Mark Todd, the Kingcobra’s current pilot, can still appreciate its power and handling characteristics. Todd, in his day job a pilot for a major US airline, describes the P-63 as “a very fast and manoeuvrable aircraft. With its performance, rear-engine design and laminar-flow wing, I can see how it was a desirable airplane for NACA to use as a test airplane.”

Comparing the Bell fighter to the P-51, his opinion is balanced. “I would say the P-63 is very comparable in many ways. The performance is definitely similar. The Mustang seems to accelerate more quickly on take-off but the P-63 gets off the ground in a shorter distance”. On terra firma, visibility from the Kingcobra is better due to the tricycle undercarriage, “but you don’t have direct control of the nosewheel. Steering is accomplished by use of differential braking. You have to be careful when taxiing in a tight place because it’s possible to get the nosewheel fully deflected”. Todd points out, “if this happens it can take 90° or more of a turn before you can get it straightened out. You also have to use braking on take-off until the rudder becomes effective with some airspeed. This is the opposite of what you do in the P-51 or any other tailwheel fighter.” Todd’s relationship with 941 is somewhat special as he watched it being worked on for the last five years of its restoration. “It’s really cool to see an airplane go from many pieces to actually getting to fly it”, he smiles. And flying the Kingcobra in the airshow environment allows him to “really get to experience what the aircraft is capable of.” The P-63’s restoration, which began in 1999, proceeded slowly and steadily. Due to the airframe’s rarity and growing knowledge of its history, work was often hampered by a lack of parts, which had to be salvaged from other aircraft or hand-made to original specifications. The horizontal and vertical tails were completely restored, as was the aft fuselage, which needed only a few new components. The forward fuselage, including the cockpit, wiring and control system, has also been the subject of rework. Seeing the P-63A-6 sitting proudly on the ramp during the Warbirds in Review sessions during EAA AirVenture 2017 at Oshkosh, alongside one of NASA’s Northrop T-38 Talons, made the Dixie Wing’s efforts worthwhile. So did the fact of the aircraft winning one of the event’s prestigious Lindy Awards, honouring the degree of craftsmanship that went into the project. Putting the Kingcobra into its original flight test markings honours the dedication and sacrifice of the test pilots who put their hides on the line to push the edges of the envelope, whether back in the 1940s or today.

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Around the time the aircraft was sold into private hands, a NACA technical note mentioned the Kingcobra’s contribution towards gaining a better understanding of aerodynamics at a time when “the speeds and altitudes attainable by modern airplanes continually increased”

One of the first air-to-air photos ever taken of the CAF’s three airworthy Bell fighters in formation: P-63A 42-68941 leads P-63F 43-11719/N6763 of the P-63 Sponsor Group based in Pearland, Texas, and P-39Q Airacobra 42-19597/ N6968 from the CAF’s Central Texas Wing at San Marcos. Both of the latter aircraft were featured in the February 2017 Aeroplane.

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meets

DAVID OGILVY The ex-RAF Mosquito PR pilot and air racing stalwart who helped pioneer ‘ﬂying museum’ operations in the UK, ﬁrst with Skyfame and then at Shuttleworth WORDS: BEN DUNNELL

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he development of an aircraft preservation movement in Britain was not the work of a moment. Much of what we now take for granted, from the national level down, needed time to grow. In the early post-World War Two years, collections dedicated to aviation were few and far between — and those that did exist were not generally accessible. Appearances at events, where they would mix with the historic aircraft then still preserved by manufacturers, were practically the only way to see their aeroplanes. It seems a world away now. In 1963-64, all that started to change. In the continued absence of any national aviation museums, two private organisations opened their doors. The backgrounds of the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden and the Skyfame Aircraft Museum at Staverton were very different, but both had a similar

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ethos. They remembered particular individuals who had lost their lives in wartime service, Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth on the one hand, the brother of Skyfame founder Peter Thomas on the other. And they had not just static preservation, but the active demonstration of their airworthy charges, at their core. David Ogilvy remembers this formative period very well. Following on from RAF service and a great deal of activity — instructing, air racing and more — in the civilian world, he was heavily involved with Skyfame, before becoming general manager at Shuttleworth. There he set in train many projects that otherwise may never have started, but which remain key Old Warden showpieces to this day. Now 88, he only retired five years ago from his last formal role as an officer of AOPA UK, the British branch of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots’ Association, but writing keeps him active around

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In the cockpit of Spartan Air Services’ Mosquito B35 CF-HMT at Derby’s Burnaston airfield.

VIA DAVID OGILVY

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AEROPLANE MEETS… DAVID OGILVY

RIGHT: David found the Mosquito PR34, which he flew with No 58 Squadron, a very good photo reconnaissance platform but less pleasant in the air than other marks.

VIA ANDREW THOMAS

BELOW RIGHT: Some out-ofthe-ordinary work in 1955 involved towing a magnetometer behind Anson I G-AMDA for a Nuffield Foundationfunded geophysical survey of the UK. It was conducted by Canadian Aero Service in conjunction with Derby Aviation, the Anson’s then operator.

VIA DAVID OGILVY

aviation and draws on an impressive memory. Indeed, David’s newest book provides a pilot’s perspective of the de Havilland Mosquito, an aircraft that loomed large in his flying career. It was a chance encounter that ignited his enthusiasm. “I was about eight or nine years old at school in Windsor”, David recalled over lunch near his home in Bristol, “when someone came and beat up the place about half a dozen times in a Hawker Hart. I thought, ‘Do you know, that rather appeals to me’. I wasn’t terribly successful at school, because I was looking at aeroplanes most of the time. “I left school in 1946 and went straight into the RAF. I didn’t want to make a career in the air force, but I did want to get trained as a pilot. I failed the medical to become a pilot, but I had the cheek of the devil at the age of 18. I said, ‘I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t accept your decision. I’m appealing’. ‘There is no appeal’, he told me. Eventually he went to see his boss, the chief medical officer, who was a wing commander. He said, ‘Ogilvy, stand up on one leg with your eyes shut for me’. I collapsed in a heap on the floor. ‘You can’t do it, can you?’ I said, ‘No, I can’t, but I don’t need to’. ‘What do you mean you don’t need to?’ ‘I’m trying to be a pilot, and you don’t stand up on one leg with your eyes shut in an aeroplane’. He didn’t know what to do. He said, ‘Hmmm. Well, you’ve passed everything else and you’re very keen. I’ll turn a blind eye to it’. That was my saviour. “I started on Tiger Moths with No 3 Elementary Flying Training School at a place called Shellingford in Berkshire, a little grass airfield with just a few huts and a relaxed atmosphere. It was marvellous. This was a grading school, which everyone had to go through to become a pilot or a navigator. In only 12 hours’ flying you had four flying tests. You were on tenterhooks all the time — if you failed, you’d had it. Anyhow, I got through. I wasn’t an absolute natural, which some people are. I coped all right, but I wasn’t brilliant. “I went on to No 3 Service Flying Training School at Feltwell in Norfolk, where I trained on both the Tiger Moth and the Harvard. They failed people all the time, and I thought I was going to be next. They were sent home before the weekend and told not to come back. Every Monday morning you’d see who was still there.

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“I tried every crafty trick. One day, after a really nice flight, I told my instructor, ‘I do enjoy this flying. I wish I could get a bit more of it’. He said, ‘You’re the first pupil who’s ever said that to me’. I thought, ‘That hasn’t done me any harm, then’.” After Feltwell came the news that David was to be posted to fly the Mosquito. It was now 1948. “They’d just temporarily withdrawn the Oxford as an advanced trainer, though

it came back into service later. I was in the gap, and I went straight from the Harvard to the Mosquito, which was quite a challenge. It cut me down to size, but I got through. That was at Brize Norton with No 204 Advanced Flying School — twin conversion and Mosquito conversion all rolled into one. It was quite hard going. “My instructor said to me, ‘Are you happy with Mosquitos?’ I told him, ‘Well, that’s what I’ve got, sir,

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live engine and plonk it on whatever bit of ground is in front of you. “At the end of 1948 I went from there to Leuchars on No 237 Operational Conversion Unit, which was a tiny little outfit. It was purely a photo-reconnaissance OCU, and it had two Spitfires, a Harvard and two Mosquitos — that was the total strength of the unit. Very few people trained to become PR pilots, you see. It suited me because it was a nice, lonesome job. You had a sort of freedom you don’t get in any other form of flying.

but it wasn’t my choice’. He asked me what I’d wanted; ‘I’m afraid I wanted Spitfires’. ‘Oh, no’, he said. He feathered the port propeller, did a roll and half-way round the roll he sang, ‘Anything a Spitfire can do, a Mosquito can do better…’ The dual one was the TIII, and we did solo trips on the FBVI. That was the nicest aeroplane of all, the FBVI. “The Mosquito had a marvellous reputation as a brilliant aeroplane,

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but like a person it can’t be perfect. It had very vicious single-engine performance. If you kept your speed up, no trouble, but if you got your speed a bit low and you were a bit low in height you had little hope. I witnessed three fatal accidents to Mosquitos on single-engine approaches. They all rolled on their backs and went straight in. Once you’ve got it in that position there isn’t a recovery, other than to chop the

LEFT: A maiden air racing success aboard Avro Club Cadet G-ACHP in the 1952 Grosvenor Challenge Trophy at Woolsington. VIA DAVID OGILVY

BELOW LEFT: Preparing for a cross-country training trip in the Elstree Flying Club’s Magisters. VIA DAVID OGILVY

“Towards the end of the course I was to be posted to Singapore on No 81 Squadron, which had one flight of Mosquitos and one flight of Spitfires. I’d got my tropical gear and everything. Two or three days before I was due to go they told me I wasn’t going there, and I was going to No 58 Squadron at Benson. That suited me, because I was already involved with private flying and Benson wasn’t far from where I lived. “No 58 Squadron’s official role was an air survey squadron, and we had one flight of Ansons and one flight of Mosquitos. When I went there first, having gone through the expensive Mosquito conversion, I found myself on Ansons. I did a bit of an air survey of East Anglia from an Anson. Fortunately, after about two or three months they put me back on Mosquitos. I liked the Anson, but it wasn’t a young man’s aeroplane.” As far as David is concerned, the Mosquito PR34 as operated by 58 was, “the least pleasant Mosquito to fly. It was basically a fuel tank with a few cameras attached. It was the fastest mark of Mosquito, and had a 3,600-mile range, which at that time was a record. The lighter Mosquitos had a single stick like a Spitfire, but the heavier ones, including the 34, had a yoke like a heavy aeroplane. But I don’t want to be too critical of it, because it did such a marvellous job. “At first I didn’t think much of being on a PR squadron, because I didn’t think it was front-line, but it was very interesting and I’m very glad I went on it. As soon as I joined the squadron, within a couple of months they’d sent me off to Gibraltar for a week — just me and my navigator, not responsible to anybody. We used to go off on long trips, not seeing anybody for hours on end. We had to have a presence over the Mediterranean a lot of the time, and we went either to Libya or Gibraltar.”

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AEROPLANE MEETS… DAVID OGILVY

ABOVE: Airborne out of Derby in Spartan Air Services’ Mosquito B35 CF-HMT during 1955. The former RS711 was the final one of the ex-RAF aircraft to be prepared for its new Canadian survey operator, leaving Prestwick for its trans-Atlantic delivery flight on 9 April 1956.

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Because the PR34 was so longranged, 58 was able to mount high-altitude photographic sorties, in David’s words, “quite deep into Russia”. This commitment, highly classified then and barely documented even now, was codenamed Operation ‘Dimple’. “I always feared that if we got shot down or anything we’d be shot as spies”, says David. “I remember asking the boss one day what would happen if we went down in Russia and he said, ‘I don’t know’. We were given certain strategic targets, but as a mere pilot one wasn’t given a lot of information. We were told what the target was, to get it and come back with the photographs”. No reference is made in the squadron’s operations record books to these secret missions. By contrast, David recalls, “I got caught low-flying one day. There was a gorgeous piece of open country with hardly anybody there, but there was one bloke too many. He rang the OC Flying at Benson, who was Wg Cdr Hughie Edwards VC. When I got back I was ‘invited’ into his office. He had a reputation for being as hard as nails, but I found him very fair indeed. I had to suddenly think up an answer in a hurry. He said, ‘Ogilvy, what’s your story?’ ‘Well, sir, fresh

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with the freedom of being away from the training establishments, on a nice, calm, clear day, with a Mosquito in one hand and a pair of Merlins in the other, anybody who doesn’t feel like going down to cut the grass shouldn’t be a service pilot’. He accepted that, and almost winked, but not quite. He told me that he’d give me my punishment tomorrow morning: a three-hour navigation exercise, the whole flight at low level, ‘to get it out of your system’. “We were due to get Canberras, and to get jet experience we had a Meteor T7, WL366. It just arrived one day, brand-new, straight out of the factory. Being impatient, I went up to the CO and said, ‘Sir, when can I have my first turn on the Meteor?’ ‘Well, Ogilvy, you’re not going to have a turn at all. You’re leaving the unit in about three months’. He wasn’t going to waste the aeroplane on me. But he went on leave for a fortnight, and that morning the flight commander came up to me. He told me not to say anything, dropped a copy of the Meteor pilot’s notes in my lap and said, ‘I’ll see you in an hour’. I was so pleased. I enjoyed it, but if someone asked me

whether I’d have wanted to go on flying Mosquitos or Meteors there’s absolutely no doubt I’d go back to the Mosquito every day. The Meteor was a straightforward aeroplane, generally easy to fly, but at slow speeds on one engine the foot loads were so heavy you couldn’t hold it for very long…” David’s RAF career concluded at the end of 1952. However, he had already made inroads into the civilian scene. “I was so determined to get to know the aviation world that when I was a pupil pilot I formed a thing called Thames Valley Aviation, trying to buy and sell aeroplanes. It wasn’t very successful — I sold a couple of Proctors for £50 each — but it got me contacts about what was going on. “I started air racing in 1950. When I was wanting to find odd aeroplanes, I had a little 125cc BSA Bantam motorbike — which was all I could afford — and one day I went to Blackbushe on it. I looked around and saw some Nissen huts in one corner of the airfield with an aeroplane outside. It was a Miles Falcon, G-ADFH. Doug Bianchi, who founded and ran Personal Plane Services, was in it, running the engine. As soon as he’d switched it off I went up to him and chatted with him. It was the first time I’d ever met him. He said, ‘Have you got a civil licence?’ I had. ‘Well, this thing needs an air test. Would you like to do it?’ I’d never seen a Miles Falcon in my life before, but I did the air test and it went quite well. “Afterwards I told Doug, ‘This is an interesting aeroplane. I’d like to race it’. He said that if I just paid for the petrol I could have it for the Daily Express Air Race at Bournemouth, and I did. I didn’t get very far, because I bust an oil pipe about five minutes after take-off for the race and forcelanded on what was then Portsmouth aerodrome. “In 1951 Ron Gillman and I formed the Vintage Aeroplane Club, which is not the same thing as today’s Vintage Aircraft Club. I ran it from the air force, with a box number which was my home address in Windsor. I just went round trying to get my hands on any interesting aeroplane, and as the secretary of the outfit it gave me quite a lot of contacts in the places I wanted to go. “One of the most interesting ones, and the first really historic aeroplane I ever flew, was the Mew Gull G-AEXF. I was at White Waltham, where I used to do a bit of part-time instructing with the West London Aero Club. Hugh Scrope owned the

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Mew Gull, and one day he asked me to do him a favour. He’d never seen it in the air, and he wanted me to fly it round the block so he could see what it looked like. I said, ‘I will oblige you’. I wasn’t at all pleased with it, and I didn’t discover until afterwards that it had only had a quick ‘wash and brush-up’ for the ferry flight home from France. It had a one-flight permit for the ferry flight, so I flew it illegally without knowing it, and it was in a pretty shoddy state. Later I wrote a report saying what I thought about it, and Alex Henshaw said I was writing rubbish. I realised he was probably right, because when he flew it the aircraft was in good health. When I flew it, it was a bag of nails.” David’s association with the legendary racing pilot Ron Paine helped get him his first job in civilian aviation. Paine was technical director of Derby Aviation, which — among other interests — operated the Elstree Flying Club. David became chief instructor there in 1953, with schools at Derby, Wolverhampton and, briefly, Denham under his wing as well. “We had Austers and Miles Magisters”, he remembers. “I wasn’t keen to train pilots on the Austers, so I usually flew the ‘Maggies’. I’ve got more hours on ‘Maggies’ than any other aeroplane. We had a little formation team of four which went round to several displays, and one of the other pilots became my wife.” Audrey Windle was already a pilot when they met. David trained her to become an instructor, and she took up air racing with much aplomb, the pair often competing against each other. They were married for almost six decades until Audrey passed away last year. David’s debut racing success had come in 1952. “In the Vintage Aeroplane Club we acquired the last Avro Club Cadet, G-ACHP, with a Gipsy Major engine. It was on the Isle of Wight, and I thought I’d like to get my hands on it. It was available, not airworthy but complete, for £75. I got on to Doug Bianchi and he did a C of A for another £75. I raced it quite a few times, and my first win was at Woolsington, now Newcastle Airport. “I finished up in the racing world with the Comper Swift, G-ABUS Black Magic. That was my baby. My motto is ‘right place, right time’. So many things have only happened to me because I’ve been in the right place at the right time, and I got the Swift that way. An old boy whose

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name I can’t remember had owned it for a long while. He felt he was getting a bit old to race it but didn’t want to lose it, so he asked if I’d like to maintain it and operate it and return it in good condition. In the end I kept it for four years, raced it in every available event and handed it back to him”. During that period David achieved his best King’s Cup result, third in 1956.

One or two of the Spartan Air Services Mosquitos got testflown more than they needed “After I left the air force I thought I’d never touch anything bigger than a ‘Maggie’ or a Tiger Moth again. But Ron Paine had his fingers in quite a lot of pies… He rang up one night: ‘David, sit down and don’t fall off the seat. Do you want to fly a Mosquito again?’ I said, ‘You’re joking’. ‘I’m not. Do you want to do it or not?’ Of course I did. I was to go up to Silloth to collect 10 Mosquitos that were in storage there and take them to

Derby. Derby Aviation had a contract to overhaul them and convert them for air survey work with Spartan Air Services in Canada. I would test-fly them and deliver them to Prestwick.” The aircraft comprised nine B35s and a single PR35, one of just half a dozen of that variant built, and which David had flown on No 58 Squadron for night photo-flash trials. Six of the B35s were virtually factoryfresh, having never entered squadron service. “I didn’t have any trouble with them at all, but one or two of them got test-flown more than they needed! When the very last one was ready, it was a gorgeous day. I told the engineer, ‘I’m snagging this, but don’t do anything because there’s nothing wrong with it. I shall be out in it this afternoon and I may want to fly it again’. Why not?” Work on the Spartan Mosquitos was completed during 1955-56, the aircraft being ferried trans-Atlantic from Prestwick by Peter Nock and a navigator. Once more David thought he’d never get to handle two Merlins; once more he was mistaken. “There were a couple of occasions when people bought Mosquito B35s and were having them overhauled at Derby. I picked them up from Shawbury. One was EC-WKH,

TOP: Comper Swift G-ABUS was David’s racing mount until the end of the 1958 season. VIA DAVID OGILVY

ABOVE LEFT: Mosquito B35 TA719/G-ASKC was the first airworthy example of the type operated by Skyfame, until its unfortunate mishap in July 1964 while being flown by another pilot. The aircraft, along with the ex-Skyfame Anson and Oxford, is now at IWM Duxford. VIA DAVID OGILVY

ABOVE: David’s last display for Skyfame was in the Oxford at Elstree in 1966. VIA DAVID OGILVY

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AEROPLANE MEETS… DAVID OGILVY

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Skyfame founder Peter Thomas (centre) with collection pilots John Schooling (left) and David, and behind them Mosquito TA719, Anson I N4877/ G‑AMDA and Oxford I V3388/ G‑AHTW.

VIA DAVID OGILVY

Astronaut Neil Armstrong (left) visited Old Warden on 22 June 1971. Between him and David is the then Shuttleworth aviation trustee Air Cdre Allen Wheeler.

PETER HUDSON VIA DAVID OGILVY

In the cockpit of the Afghan Hind at Ford’s Dagenham plant, with Ford operations manager Bill Collard who facilitated its transport. As can be seen, the aircraft was in quite a state.

FORD VIA DAVID OGILVY

BELOW: On the wing of Shuttleworth’s newly restored Magister, P6382/ G‑AJRS. Roland Beamont is about to take it flying.

VIA DAVID OGILVY

which the Spanish government wanted for radio reception trials in mountainous areas. The last one was for a woman called Roberta Cowell” — formerly Robert Cowell, an RAF Spitfire and Typhoon pilot who had undergone gender reassignment — “who was going to do a record attempt to Cape Town, but the whole venture was cancelled through lack of funds. G-AOSS stood outside at Derby for two years and rotted. It was burned on Guy Fawkes’ Night.” Others recognised the need to preserve such aircraft. “Peter Thomas was setting up the Skyfame museum at Staverton. Derby Aviation helped him buy a Mosquito B35, TA719; we sold him Anson I G-AMDA for £50, and he also bought Oxford V3388. As a reward for that, he said, ‘I think you’d better fly my aeroplanes for me’. I became one of his two regular display pilots. The other one was John Schooling, who was the CFI at Elstree after I was.” Before TA719 was delivered to Staverton in October 1963, it featured in the filming of 633 Squadron. So, briefly, did David. “They’d done all the main filming, but Hamish Mahaddie, who was the technical advisor, rang me. They needed some more soundtrack, and he wanted me to fly round at Bovingdon doing take-offs and landings. I spent a day there, bashing the circuit. It took so long because they wanted me to land right next to a microphone by the side of the runway. I tried to do reasonably

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precise landings, but I didn’t always finish up right by the side of it.” Skyfame officially opened to the public on the Easter weekend of 1964. Unfortunately, TA719’s flying days didn’t last much longer. On 27 July that year David was meant to show a new pilot the ropes. However, he took the aircraft flying himself before David arrived. “He feathered one prop, made some awful hash of it and bent the aeroplane beyond repair”. The damage caused by the

My predecessor at Shuttleworth objected to the public coming in. He used to turn the little ‘Open’ sign on the gate round to ‘Closed’ emergency landing relegated TA719 to static display. In its place, Peter Thomas bought another B35, RS709. “Peter wasn’t a pilot”, says David, “and he could be difficult to work with. It was on a shoestring all the time. He thought that if you were going to do a short local air display 50 gallons of fuel would do in a Mosquito. I told him that no, I wasn’t doing it with just 50 gallons. We argued about this. ‘But I’ve got to pay for it!’, he said. Either we’d put 120 gallons in, minimum, or I wouldn’t go. ‘Just imagine if someone blocks

the runway’, I said, ‘and I’ve got to divert somewhere. You’ve lost your aeroplane’. That’s what made him think again. “I actually preferred the Oxford for display work. I’ve never heard anybody else say it, and I don’t think anybody ever will, but I found it the nicest aeroplane to display you could ever ask for. This particular Oxford was exceptionally good because it had been the chairman’s hack at Boulton and Paul. They must have spent the earth on this thing. It was much better than a Mosquito to stick on its wingtip for displays because a Mosquito needs more space. You could get the Oxford round the block in no space at all.” While he was flying for Skyfame, David was still instructing at Elstree, for what was now known as the London School of Flying. A fallingout with its new boss led to his leaving, but another new opportunity arose. “Again it was ‘right place, right time’. In 1966 I hired a Shuttleworth Collection aeroplane for a show at Elstree… Air Cdre Allen Wheeler, the Shuttleworth aviation trustee, was at my briefing and saw how the show was run. He asked, ‘Are you glued to this place for the rest of your life?’ I told him I wasn’t. Wheeler said, ‘My manager is retiring. Would you like his job?’ We discussed it, and he couldn’t pay me enough, but eventually we negotiated something. Believe it or not, I was never full-time at Shuttleworth — I had a two-day-aweek job in London with AOPA. “My predecessor at Shuttleworth, Leonard ‘Jacko’ Jackson, very much objected to the public coming in. There was a little sign on the gate saying ‘Open’, but he regularly used to turn it round to ‘Closed’. He’d been there since before the war, when Richard Shuttleworth set the whole thing up, so he was virtually part of the furniture. He kept messing around the place, he wouldn’t go. The policy was that the collection was going to be open to the public. He said, ‘Well, I’m not having it’. I told him it didn’t matter whether he was having it or not.” Once Wheeler had intervened, David had a freer hand as general manager. “I ran everything apart from the engineering. Quite frankly, I was a fool to take it on in the first place. When I first got there I did the accounts, I ran the shows, I did promotion and publicity. I was told that my brief was to make the place popular and get the public in, but there was no money to spend to do it.

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I soon learned not to ask the trustees if I could do anything — to do it, get it to a point of no return, so they would be too embarrassed to say that I couldn’t go on with it. I did that with several aeroplanes, including the Hawker Hind from Afghanistan. I’d been negotiating for two-and-a-half years before they knew I’d even been thinking about it. “I had heard there were several Hinds in Afghanistan, put to bed in a hangar and just left. I thought Shuttleworth should have one of them. The only way I got any contact with the Afghans was through the British air attaché in Tehran. If you wrote to the Afghans there was no answer, but he broke the ice for me. “I tried to find a way of getting it brought home, and all sorts of people made offers. The sixth person said he meant business; he was operations manager for the Ford Motor Company, and they had a new truck that needed a long test on bad roads. He promised to provide the truck, a coach, a doctor and various other people. Ford came up absolute trumps. “We sent two engineers across to make sure the aeroplane was complete. They had a shock to the system when they found it. Literally, one side of the fuselage was held together with cardboard. They’d been flying it like that. All sorts of things went wrong — somebody contracted cholera on the way, and one of the drivers had a heart attack — but they got it home. Our chaps assembled it in the car park of the Ford headquarters in Dagenham for a photograph, and then took it into our workshop where it was rebuilt. “I’m not trying to line-shoot, but if I hadn’t fought like hell that Hind would have rotted in Afghanistan. It was the same with the Spitfire and the Sea Hurricane. They had no intention of flying them. I didn’t get permission for any of these things before we’d got about half-way with them. “As I’d been instructing on ‘Maggies’ for a long time I thought we should have one. There was one still flying, based at Shoreham. I wondered how we could get it. Rather than starting to ask for money and so forth, I thought, I’m doing the accounts; it won’t be found out for a year or so, and it’ll be half-rebuilt by then. I found out who owned this ‘Maggie’, and he was thinking of selling it. He wanted £100, and offered to fly it up to Old Warden. I quietly sneaked

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AEROPLANE MEETS… DAVID OGILVY

ABOVE: David’s first taste of the Shuttleworth Gladiator, after the flying programme at the 1977 White Waltham Silver Jubilee show. He only displayed the Gloster biplane fighter once, during an Old Warden schools’ day.

ADRIAN M. BALCH

£100 out from somewhere and gave it to him. Eventually people realised there was a ‘Maggie’ there, but nobody bothered to find out why…” David got to fly Shuttleworth aircraft, starting with the Hawker Tomtit. He generally restricted himself to the simpler types, but there were opportunities to branch out a little. “I was running the Shuttleworth side of a display at Denham, where we had four aeroplanes. At the end of this display, Dickie Martin” — the senior collection pilot for many years — “said, ‘It’s getting a bit late now. We’ll leave the Bristol Fighter here overnight. It’s got to go over to the hangar on the other side. Would you like to taxi it there via the circuit?’ What a great invitation. So, I did my first flight in the Bristol Fighter at Denham. “I purposely avoided being greedy. I could have been, but I knew the aeroplanes shouldn’t fly unless they had to. We took quite a lot of Shuttleworth aeroplanes to the Queen’s jubilee display at White Waltham in 1977 [see Aeroplane May 2017], and again I was looking after them on the ground side. I was walking down the flightline after

the display, looking at the Gladiator. Dickie Martin said, ‘Don’t stand there looking at it — get in it and fly it!’ That was Dickie’s approach to flying, which was fine. He didn’t believe in a lot of bull. He gave me one or two tips on things not to do, and then I flew it. It was actually the nicest aeroplane I ever flew. Beautiful thing. The controls were so well balanced. “Mind you, it had one dreadful fault that I experienced: an overdose of carburettor icing. On most aeroplanes, ice builds up in the neck of the carburettor and you gradually lose power. The Gladiator didn’t do it that way. You’d be purring along quite happily and suddenly the engine would stop completely. I was minding my own business, enjoying a nice day in a glorious aeroplane, when suddenly it went quiet. My immediate reaction was, ‘You’re going to break it and you’ll have to leave the country’. I fiddled around with the fuel and the mixture controls, thinking perhaps I could do something to make it work. Eventually it came back and I had no more trouble, but it didn’t do my heart much good…”

Flying an air test in DH53 Humming Bird G-EBHX on 31 August 1980, David wasn’t so fortunate. “It was a horrible aeroplane. I knew its record. The ABC Scorpion engine had failed Dickie Martin. He’d been in hospital for several weeks, and I finished up in the same hospital as Dickie had been in, though I was more seriously hurt. The engine was known to be unreliable, so I gave it as much puff as I could and taxied it up and down the aerodrome four times each way at full throttle. It seemed all right, but it didn’t want much more. “I got airborne, and just across the airfield boundary it stopped. The field ahead of me was being burned for stubble, so I couldn’t land in that. I had to turn away. I hadn’t got much airspeed, so I must have stalled or something. I didn’t know about this, but it used to suffer from aileron snatch, where the ailerons misbehave at slow speeds and snatch the stick out of your hand. I didn’t quite know what was going on. I crumpled it into the ground rather hard, and it and I both suffered a bit”. David had broken seven bones, and spent nine months in rehabilitation. Of course he resumed flying as soon as possible, but he promised Audrey he’d never again pilot the DH53. In 1980 David resigned as general manager but retained the role of displays organiser, planning the shows and being responsible for safety on the day. He even carried on flying the odd slot himself, most often in his beloved Magister. Fittingly enough, that was the last collection aircraft he flew before retirement, taking P6382 for an hour-long trip out of Old Warden — an uncommonly lengthy sortie by Shuttleworth standards — on 6 October 1991. Soon afterwards he made his final ever flight, in a Cessna 152, but years of Shuttleworth show commentaries, an OBE for services to aviation, and work for AOPA to try and safeguard general aviation aerodromes would follow. David recalls with much fondness the experiences he’s had in aviation, whether in the air or on the ground. But it’s his wider influence for which he will most be remembered, and that, not least in terms of aircraft preservation, has been very considerable. This is a man who made a lot of things happen.

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PA C I F I C THUNDER The compelling story of the Central Pacific campaign in World War II from Guadalcanal to the recapture of the Philippines. In one of the most stunning reversals in naval history, the US Navy came back from the jaws of defeat to the brink of victory. Publishing October 2017 and available for pre-order now!

ALSO FROM THOMAS MCKELVEY CLEAVER

AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS AND AT WWW.OSPREYPUBLISHING.COM

MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT

RUBE A

How the ‘Marianas Turkey Shoot’ of June 1944 changed the course of the Paciﬁc War WORDS: THOMAS McKELVEY CLEAVER

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s daylight broke over the rolling waves of the Philippine Sea on 19 June 1944, VF-2 intelligence officer Lt(jg) James Morrisey recorded, “We awoke to an ominously placid sea. The night had passed peacefully enough, but the morning dispatches carried with them forebodings of busy and hectic hours ahead”. Sleepy pilots shuffled into ready rooms to be roused fully awake by the electrifying news: Task Force 58 and the Japanese Mobile Fleet would meet in combat that day for the first carrier battle since the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands 20 months earlier. Aboard USS Lexington (CV-16), the flagship of Task Force 58 commander Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, his staff were beside themselves at the situation they were

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BE!

in as a result of the orders given by Fifth Fleet commander Admiral Spruance. Because American carrier aircraft were shorter-ranged than their Japanese opponents, Mitscher had requested permission the previous evening to move Task Force 58 to the west so it could strike the Japanese carriers as soon as they were spotted. All the experience of four previous carrier battles confirmed that the fleet that struck first would win. Spruance, however, considered that the ultimate job of the Fifth Fleet and Task Force 58 was to protect the Marianas invasion force, and refused Mitscher’s request. Now, as the radar screens showed the Japanese first strike approaching, the men who ran the carrier navy were filled with concern: could Task Force 58 take this first attack and survive to strike the enemy?

What the men in flag plot (the admiral’s tactical control room) didn’t know was that the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force they would face that day was a mere shadow of the one that had nearly defeated the US Navy in the battles of 1942 which saw the old Lexington, Yorktown, Wasp and Hornet sunk, Saratoga badly damaged, and the wounded Enterprise left as the only carrier in the South Pacific. In the intervening 20 months, Japanese carrier aviators had been sacrificed in the meat-grinders of the Solomons and Rabaul campaigns. The IJNAF fliers of 1942 had been among the best naval aviators in the world. Their heirs were men with barely 200 flying hours, who struggled to operate from a carrier, their leaders numbering only a few with combat experience. The pilots aboard the 16 carriers of Task Force 58 were mostly the new men who had entered the service after Pearl Harbor. They had arrived in their squadrons with more than 400 flying hours in training; the majority had been in combat across the central Pacific since the previous January. Their leaders were the men who had learned the lessons of carrier combat first-hand over the last two years. American radar detected the first Japanese strike at 10.00hrs at a distance of 150 miles. The 64 aircraft had been launched from the three smallest Mobile Fleet carriers, Chitose, Chiyoda and Zuihô. Across Task Force 58, loudspeakers blared, “Pilots! Man your planes!” Lt Alex Vraciu recalled that the pilots of Lexington’s VF-16 climbed into the first empty cockpit they came across, regardless of assignment. Big blue Grumman F6F Hellcats were soon speeding down the carrier’s flight deck as pilots pushed throttles through the gate and climbed as steeply as possible, with ‘Fighting 16’s’ skipper Paul Buie in the lead. The fighter direction circuits filled with the rallying call used by circus and carnival workers to defend their patch from outsiders: “Hey Rube!” Vraciu later recalled the mission. “Our skipper was leading the formation with three divisions of Hellcats and I was leading the second. With him having a new engine in his F6F, he pulled completely out of sight. His wingman’s prop froze up trying to keep up with him and he had to ditch it in the ocean. Suddenly my wingman started pointing at my wing, and I found out later that my wings weren’t fully locked.”

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Vraciu heard that the enemy was 75 miles out and closing. His two four-Hellcat divisions shoved their throttles forward. “About 25 miles away, I saw three bogeys and closed on them immediately. As I got closer, I saw a force of 50 [aircraft] flying 2,000ft below us on the port side and heading toward our ships. The bombers did not have any fighter protection and our position was perfect for a high-side run. I headed for the nearest inboard straggler, which was a [Yokosuka D4Y] ‘Judy’. As I closed on him, I caught another Hellcat zeroing in on the same ‘Judy’, so I backed off. I picked out another ‘Judy’ and came in from the stern, giving him a burst, and he caught fire, heading down in a trail of smoke. Pulling up, I spotted two more and sent the first down and manoeuvred in from the rear on the second one, with its rear gunner peppering away. It was on fire, and as it spiralled into a death dive the gunner was still firing at me. The sky was an incredible sight full of smoke, tracer, debris and large bits of fallen enemy [airplanes]. We tried to keep the enemy aircraft bunched up and when one broke out of the formation, I broke in behind it and, with my oil-soaked windscreen, I gave it a burst. The rounds must have hit the sweet spot on his wing root and probably hit the control cables, because the [airplane] twisted out of control crazily. “Despite our efforts, the bombers were lining up on their targets. I headed for a group of ‘Judys’ in a long column. I approached the tail-ender just as the lead was hit by a 5in antiaircraft round from a destroyer below. I was in range of number three, and a second after opening fire his engine started flying to pieces and he fell off toward the water. “The next one I latched onto was in his dive against one of our destroyers. He was intent on this as I caught up with him and a short burst produced astonishing results. He blew up with a sky-shaking explosion right in front of my face. The heat from the blast belched into my cockpit and I figured to have hit his bomb. I’ve had [airplanes] blow up before but not like this! Yanking up sharply to avoid the flying hot stuff I radioed, ‘Splash number six. There’s another one diving on a battleship, but I don’t think he’ll make it’. Hardly had the words left my mouth when the ‘Judy’ caught a direct hit that removed it as a factor from the battle. He had flown into a curtain of steel roaring up from the battleship below.

LEFT: An F6F-3 Hellcat ready for a catapult launch.

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MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT

RIGHT: Lt Alex Vraciu of VF-16 holds up six fingers to indicate his record-setting score of six ‘Judy’ dive-bombers shot down on 19 June 1944, elevating him to the position of top-scoring US Navy ace. Vraciu fought the engagement with his wings unlocked! BELOW RIGHT: “I knew I could shoot him down and I did” was how Cdr David McCampbell described his first aerial victory on 11 June 1944. The Navy’s gunnery champion of 1940, McCampbell shot down seven ‘Judy’ dive-bombers during his first sortie on 19 June, just 15 minutes after Vraciu had set the record of six victories. By November 1944, McCampbell would be the US Navy ‘ace of aces’ with 34 victories, and the third-ranked American ace of the entire war.

“With the ‘Judy’ gone, I looked around. I could only see a sky full of Hellcats. Glancing back along our route there was a 35-mile-long pattern of flaming oil slicks on the water.” Vraciu managed to get through the American flak and land on the Lexington, where the ordnancemen discovered he had used only 360 rounds of ammunition. Each of his six kills followed a burst lasting less than five seconds. Climbing out of his Hellcat, Vraciu held up two hands with six fingers extended to indicate his score, a Navy record. A photographer’s mate on deck caught the moment. With a score of 19 victories, Alex Vraciu was now the Navy’s leading ace. His record only stood for 19 minutes. Raid two had been spotted, and Air Group 15’s CAG (Commander, Air Group), Cdr David McCampbell, led 11 Hellcats to intercept. “The fighter controller announced another raid was coming in — 50 bogeys at 150kt, 45 miles to the east. I was to intercept and stop them.” McCampbell was one of the Navy’s 1940 gunnery champions. He had only entered combat a week earlier when the fleet arrived off Saipan and had scored two victories since. His formation levelled off at 25,000ft. The engines of two Hellcats began to cut out and he sent them home. “We had altitude and speed. When we reached the enemy formation, six of us made a high-speed run, leaving four above for protection. My first target was a ‘Judy’ on the left flank, approximately half-way back in the formation. I intended to make the run on him, pass under, retire across the formation, then hit one on the right flank with a low-side attack. The plan was upset when the first one I fired at blew up practically in my face. I made a pull-out above the entire formation. I remember being unable to get to the other side fast enough, feeling as though every rear gunner was directing his fire at me.” McCampbell then attacked a ‘Judy’ on the right flank. “It caught fire and fell away out of control as I dove below and zoomed ahead. My efforts were directed at keeping as much speed as possible and working myself ahead into position for an attack on the leader”. He made a third pass below and behind a ‘Judy’, which he left smoking as he pulled out and dived to regain speed. “After making my first pass on the leader with no

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visible damage observed, I decided it would be easier to concentrate on the port wingman than on the leader.” His next pass was from seven o’clock high; the wingman exploded. “Breaking away down and to the left placed me in a position for a run on the leader from six o’clock low. I continued to fire until he burned and spiralled down out of control”. McCampbell’s guns stopped but he

quickly charged them. “I decided I must be out of ammunition and started back for the carrier.” Dave McCampbell had just become ‘Fighting 15’s’ first ‘ace in a day’ with his victory over seven ‘Judys’, and he was the group’s leading ace with the two victories on 11 and 13 June. By the time he returned home in November, he was the Navy ‘ace of aces’ with a score of 34.

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Climbing out of his Hellcat, Vraciu held up two hands with six fingers extended to indicate his score, a Navy record. A photographer’s mate on deck caught the moment. He was the Navy’s leading ace

ABOVE: A gun camera records the death of an Aichi D3A-2 ‘Val’ dive-bomber shot down on 19 June 1944.

Signalman First Class Tom Curtis, who had survived the sinking of the USS Wasp (CV-7) in September 1942, watched the battle unfolding from the signal bridge of Lexington. “We men on the ships below could see aerial explosions and fiery trails of smoke trace the sky on the horizon, with contrails above that reminded me of photos of the Battle of Britain over London.”

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What no-one in Task Force 58 knew at the time was that American submarines had cut out the heart of the Mobile Fleet. At 08.00hrs, Lt Cdr James W. Blanchard raised the periscope of the veteran USS Albacore (SS-218) and found himself in the middle of the Mobile Fleet as the carriers launched their strike. He singled out the brand-new carrier Taihô. Just as he arrived in firing position, the torpedo data computer malfunctioned. Using his own best judgement, Blanchard fired six torpedoes from the bow tubes. Overhead, Mitsubishi A6M ‘Zeke’ pilot Sakio Kommatsu saw the trails and dived into one, sacrificing himself in the explosion. Four others missed, but one hit Taihô just ahead of her island, fracturing the aviation fuel tanks and jamming the forward elevator, but since there was no fire and the flight deck was unharmed, Mobile Fleet commander Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa remained confident and two more strikes were launched. Shortly after, an inexperienced damage control officer ordered that the carrier’s fans be turned on to vent the fuel vapour, which now spread throughout Taihô. The volatile fumes of the unrefined Tarakan crude oil rendered the ship a time-bomb. At 10.48hrs, Lt Cdr Herman Kossler brought the new USS Cavalla (SS-244) to periscope depth. Pearl Harbor veteran Shôkaku was landing ‘Zekes’ from the combat air patrol. Kossler fired six torpedoes at a range of 1,200 yards at 11.18hrs and got three hits. They could not have been more damaging, spaced to hit everything of value — avgas, magazines and machinery spaces. Gas spewed from ruptured aircraft fuel tanks and caught fire, before ammunition on hoists from the magazines exploded, turning the hangar into a blast furnace. The fire ignited an avgas main that sent up burning spray, which burst in a fireball directly forward of the bridge. Burning aircraft in the hangar touched off the rest of the ammunition. The flight deck elevators were lifted nearly 3ft in the air by the detonation. Men trying to fight the fire were cut down. One of the few survivors said, “pieces of dismembered bodies lay everywhere about the deck”. Shôkaku fell out of formation and listed to starboard. The other carriers executed their launches, despite their crews’ shock at the destruction of Shôkaku following the torpedoing of Taihô. By 11.30hrs, the Mobile Fleet had launched raids three and four.

Bombing Squadron 15 (VB-15) radio man Ted Graham aboard USS Essex (CV-9) recorded in his diary at 13.00hrs that the fighters had shot down 36 Japanese aircraft. One ‘Judy’ got through the screen and dropped a 250lb bomb 20ft off Essex’s starboard bow, “which scared the hell out of me”. That would be the closest any attacker came to hitting an American carrier. Shôkaku shook in a three-minute convulsion of explosions that took her down at 14.08hrs with the appalling loss of 1,263 crew, many of whom were thrown into the hellish pit of the burning hangar through the open elevators. Half an hour after Shôkaku’s demise, the oil fumes that had spread through Taihô ignited in a huge explosion. The carrier fell out of formation as Admiral Ozawa reluctantly transferred to another vessel. Shortly before 15.00hrs, Taihô blew apart at the seams and sank with 1,640 officers and crew. As the two carriers went down, unknown to their opponents, VF-2’s Ensign Wilbur B. ‘Spider’ Webb was in the fight of his life over the Orote Peninsula on northern Guam. A pre-war enlisted pilot, Webb had volunteered for a special mission to intercept the surviving Japanese attackers who had been tracked to Guam, where they planned to land and re-arm for a second strike against the Americans on their return to the Mobile Fleet. Webb was flying his assigned F6F-3, coded 31: an almost unheardof event, given that pilots were assigned aircraft for missions by their availability on the flight deck. “Takeoff and rendezvous were normal, and we proceeded to our assigned targets, climbing on course to 28,000ft. Approaching the target, our division remained as high cover for the torpedo [bombers] and dive-bombers while they made their strikes. Then we headed down to drop our 500lb bombs and strafe our assigned targets around Agana. Afterwards, we proceeded to make a running rendezvous across Guam to just off Orote Peninsula, which was on the west side of the island. We completed our join-up and the strike group turned back toward the Hornet.” At that moment, Webb spotted an American pilot in the water. Air Group 2 CAG Cdr Jackson Arnold ordered him to provide cover until rescuers could get there. “I arrived over the life-raft and lowered my

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MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT

ABOVE: TBM-1C Avengers of VT-2 and SB2C‑1C Helldivers of VB-2 aboard the USS Hornet (CV-12).

speed by throttling back and lowering my wheels and flaps, so I could fly a tight circle around the man. My first thought was to throw him some more dye markers in the event he was not picked up before dark, and also to give him another life-raft. I opened my canopy, took my knife out, cut two of the dye markers loose from my Mae West, and threw the markers to the pilot in the water. I was circling him at about 100ft. After throwing out the dye markers, I proceeded to remove my life-raft from under my parachute.” Webb glanced back and saw a long line of aircraft wending their way through the mountains. “My first thought was, why are our airplanes flying along there with their landing gear down? The first […] were heading for me, and they got to within less than a hundred yards of me before I realised that they were Japanese [Aichi D3A] ‘Val’ dive-bombers, with fixed landing gear, flying in divisions of three. The aircraft above the ‘Vals’ were ‘Zekes’.

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When they reached the landing pattern for the field, they banked away, and I could see the large red ‘meatballs’ on their sides. I estimated that there were 30 to 40 [airplanes] in all. I was not very concerned about my position at the time. I just thought, ‘Boy, this is it. Make it good and get as many as you can before they know you’re here!’” As he started to slide in, Webb called over his radio: “Any American fighter, I have forty Jap planes surrounded at Orote airfield. I need some help! Hey Rube!” Webb swung in behind the first aircraft on the left of the three and squeezed the trigger. The ‘Val’ exploded instantly. He eased over to the middle one and again squeezed the trigger. The ‘Val’s’ vertical stabiliser disintegrated as the rearseat gunner was hit, and the starboard came off when the aircraft exploded. “By the time I eased in behind the third [airplane], my speed had built

up and I started overrunning it. The rear-seat gunner was firing directly at me, but he did not hit my aircraft. I was holding down the trigger, but this [airplane] did not seem to want to burn. I kept saying, ‘Burn, you bastard!’ over and over until it finally did explode. If it had not exploded, I would have collided with it, I guess. When it did explode, I flew through the explosion and sustained several holes in my F6F from pieces of it.” Webb attacked a second formation of ‘Vals’. By this point, the sky was filled with action and several other Hellcats had arrived. Once he had shot down his fifth ‘Val’, Webb’s guns stopped firing. He pulled out of the fight and pushed the gun chargers until he got one gun in each wing working, prior to heading back into the fight. “Almost immediately”, he continued, “I saw a ‘Val’ coming toward me from above. It was at about 1,000ft. I got it in my sights and squeezed the trigger. As my guns fired, a third gun started working.

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I was going to get back to my carrier when a ‘Fighting 2’ Hellcat joined up on me. I quickly gave him the lead and, by hand code, told him to lead me home. The pilot was Ensign Jack Vaughan, and I was never happier to see anyone than I was to see him at that time”. Eventually, ‘Spider’ Webb was credited with six ‘Vals’ destroyed and two more probably destroyed in the fight over Orote Point. VF-15’s Ensign Jim Duffy was on Essex’s flight deck at sunset to witness one of the strangest moments of an event-filled day. “I was watching in awe as the LSO [landing signals officer] worked his magic and brought [an aircraft] aboard every 20 seconds… Finally, there was one more guy left to trap. He made a beautiful turn to final, with his [aircraft] silhouetted against the sunset. As he approached, the LSO began jumping up and down and waving his paddles, giving him the wave-off. But this guy was committed and kept coming in. The LSO dropped his paddles and jumped into the net. At the last minute, the pilot sucked up his gear and took the wave-off. It was a ‘Zeke’! The ‘meatballs’ under his wing were unmistakable. No-one on deck fired a shot as he staggered back into the air. We were barely able to close our wide-open mouths, let alone fire a gun…”

The ‘Val’ did not seem to want to burn. I kept saying, ‘Burn, you bastard!’ over and over until it finally did explode. If it had not exploded, I would have collided with it This ‘Val’ seemed to explode in half just behind the pilot, who bailed out.” Webb’s guns quit again but he managed to get three of them working. “I saw another ‘Val’ low on the water, so I nosed over to intercept it and started firing. I killed the rearseat man, and the [airplane] started smoking. We were heading toward the cliff edge of Orote Peninsula. I had to pull up to avoid the cliff, so I did not see whether this [one] crashed or not.” His guns failing a third time, Webb got one of them going again. “I spotted one of our Hellcats, which was only about 200ft over the water, with a ‘Zeke’ on its tail. I had only one gun working, but I managed to shoot a few pieces off the ‘Zeke’ and

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run him off of the Hellcat, which, it turned out, was flown by Lt(jg) Bill Levering, a night fighter pilot from my ship.” With only one working gun Webb stayed in the fight. “I fired at many more ‘Val’ dive-bombers and ‘Zero’ fighters. I knocked pieces from some and caused others to burn, but none of them was seen to crash. When all my guns became permanently inoperative, I headed out of the fight and toward the open sea. “My goggles were gone, my radio was out, the cylinder head temperature was high, and oil was all over my cowling and windshield. I found out later that there were over 100 holes in my aircraft. I was beginning to wonder how — or if —

LEFT: USS Lexington (CV-16) viewed from the back seat of an SBD-5 Dauntless of VB-16 just after take-off. BELOW LEFT: One of the most famous photos of the Pacific War: an SB2C-1C Helldiver of VB-2 above USS Hornet.

The ‘Rippers’ of VF-2 scored 51 victories over the day, putting them in second place behind VF-15 ‘Satan’s Playmates’, which set the all-time American record of 67.5 victories in a single day. Task Force 58’s 15 Hellcat squadrons claimed 371 victories for the loss of 14 pilots. Lexington’s veteran ‘Fighting 16’ claimed 46, including Vraciu’s six ‘Judys’. ‘Fighting 1’ from Yorktown claimed 37, while the ‘Hell Cats’ of Princeton’s brand-new VF-27 opened their score with 30. 19 June 1944 had indeed been the ‘Marianas Turkey Shoot’. Japanese naval aviation had suffered a mortal blow from which it would never recover. The US Navy had won what history would call the Battle of the Philippine Sea, but didn’t know it, since there were no American witnesses to the losses of Shôkaku and Taihô. The failure to learn their fates and to realise what the aerial victories of 19 June meant to the Japanese coloured the American view of the battle’s outcome and would influence US decision-making negatively during the last great battle in October.

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HOOKS’ TOURS

Mike Hooks began his aviation photography career in 1945 with a simple box camera, moving on to an Ensign folding camera in about 1948, and later to a Voigtlander Vito B. He converted to colour in the 1950s, and went on to build one of the UK’s most extensive archives of Kodachrome transparencies

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE HOOKS

VICKERS VIKING Initially used by BEA, Britain’s ﬁrst purpose-designed airliner to ﬂy after World War Two later became a mainstay of many independent operators

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Independent Air Transport was a Blackbushe-based company, which ﬂew nine Vikings between January 1956 and 1959. G-AHPR (c/n 164) was used on inclusive tour services from June 1956 until its sale during November 1959. It was later stored at Hurn and broken up in March 1962. Continental Air Transport at Blackbushe operated seven Vikings. This is G-AHPE (c/n 137), acquired in June 1958; it had previously been VP-TBB. The airline closed in October 1960 and ’HPE was broken up at Southend eight months later. British Eagle was a notable Viking user, operating 38 examples of various marks. Seen at Blackbushe is G-AMGG (c/n 290), the former ZS-BNE, delivered in April 1955 and named Sir Robert Calder. It was written off at Agadir in December 1959.

Delivered to the King’s Flight as Viking C2 VL248 in January 1947, c/n 179 was sold in May 1955 as XB-FIP. Pictured at Biggin Hill, it was damaged beyond repair in a ground loop in Mexico during 1964. Parked at Biggin Hill in May 1964, D-BORA (c/n 167) and D-BONE (c/n 243) were both former BEA aircraft. The former was delivered in May 1947 as G-AHPS and served several German operators on lease before its sale to Autair in June 1964, when it was ﬂown from Biggin Hill to Luton. The latter, originally G-AJBR, led a similar life. Both were broken up during 1964. Originally G-AHPF (c/n 138), this Viking served as VP-TBC and VP-YJB before being restored as G-AHPF. In April 1958 it was sold to Aero-Transport as OE-FAE and was captured at Innsbruck that June.

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ASSOCIATIONS

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No 214 (FMS) Squadron Association will celebrate formation centenary of 14 Squadron RNAS/214 Squadron over weekend

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with a Final Reunion dinner in Derby and memorial wreath-laying at Alrewas Arboretum. Former Squadron members/ families/friends welcome.

Contact: Mr R J Scott 25 Herongate Road Cheshunt, Herts EN8 0TU Tel: 01992 442608 [email protected] blenheimsociety.com

Details at www.214squadron.org.uk or contact John Gulliver 01983 873248 or [email protected]

The Spitfire Society 206 Squadron Association Annual Lunch on

11 November 2017 at RAF Club

Michael & Lucy Hayes Membership Secretaries

Chairman: Derek Straw

c/o Knightstone, Crapstone Road, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6BT

[email protected] 01285 869437

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DATABASE IN-DEPTH PAGES

Shark IIs from HMS Courageous ﬂying in formation prior to making a mass mock attack on the British ﬂeet as it returned from the 1937 spring cruise. AEROPLANE

WORDS: MATTHEW WILLIS

Development

BLACKBURN SHARK

Technical Details ● An ‘extraordinarily stable’ torpedo bomber ● Embarked with the ‘Whistling Shark’

In Service

● Superior to the Swordﬁsh?

Insights

Shark I K5625 444 Catapult Flight, Fleet Air Arm CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY

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DEVELOPMENT BLACKBURN SHARK

Birth of Blackburn’s new torpedo bomber

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he Blackburn Shark is regarded today as a minor part of Fleet Air Arm history, thoroughly eclipsed by its near-contemporary the Fairey Swordﬁsh. The Shark served for barely two years in operational squadrons — 1935-37 — and spent most of its career in unglamorous second-line roles, only brieﬂy facing the enemy and without conspicuous success. Yet it actually had slightly better performance than the Swordﬁsh, handled just as well and possessed more modern features, such as an enclosed cockpit and stressed-skin structure. In 1918, the Royal Navy ﬁrst introduced torpedo aircraft intended speciﬁcally for use from aircraft carriers. By the early 1920s, the Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Car Company had become the leading supplier of torpedo

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aircraft to the Fleet Air Arm, a role it would retain until the Second World War. During 1920, Blackburn developed the Swift, a large Napier Lion-powered single-seater that, as the Dart, entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1923. The Dart was replaced by the two-seat Ripon, and in turn by the Bafﬁn, an upgraded Ripon powered by a Bristol Pegasus radial. Blackburn’s approach of evolving tried-and-tested designs and carefully introducing new technologies enabled its products to improve steadily in performance and capability. One such development was in

metal structures, particularly suitable for naval aircraft because of their additional strength and better tolerance to the marine environment. The Ripon IIc introduced duralumin ribs and steel spars, and the experimental Ripon III of 1928 brought in an all-metal structure with a streamlined fuselage, and square-cut wings to simplify fabrication. The pattern for RN carrier aircraft had fallen into three main types by the mid-1920s: the torpedo aircraft, the spotter-reconnaissance aircraft and the ﬁghter. All three types could also carry bombs, but otherwise the roles were relatively distinct. In 1930, Fleet Air Arm ofﬁcers began to

The trials programme showed the aircraft to be extraordinarily stable in all axes at all speeds and loadings, engine on or off

ABOVE: The B-6 Shark prototype conducting torpedo-dropping tests from Gosport in early 1934. As designed, the Shark’s torpedo gear carried the projectile with a distinct nose-down trim, which the Fleet Air Arm requested be reduced. AEROPLANE

promote the idea of a smaller number of multi-purpose types replacing the three accepted single-role aeroplanes, permitting each design to perform several roles and maximising their usefulness. As a result, the Admiralty began to consider which roles could be combined. The obvious solution was to combine the torpedo and spotterreconnaissance requirements, as both were fulﬁlled by multi-place aircraft needing good endurance and loadcarrying capacity. The aircraft that would emerge as the Shark evolved

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DATABASE BLACKBURN SHARK

The first flight of the B-6 on 24 August 1933, in the hands of Blackburn chief test pilot A. M. Blake. BAE SYSTEMS BROUGH HERITAGE

Insights

Maj Bumpus would later write (as recounted in Canadian Wings Volume I) that the company had made “every effort with the Air Ministry to be allowed to produce a machine with the Pegasus III engine, with a view to switching over as soon as possible, chiefly because of the troubles that constantly recurred on the Tiger. We were always, however, met with the assurance that the Tiger was a perfectly good engine, and that, in any case, there were several hundred on order and they would have to go into the Sharks.” The first true Shark — at the time still known as the B-6 — was constructed at Brough and flew on 24 August 1933, piloted by chief test pilot A. M. Blake. Once manufacturer’s trials were successfully completed in November 1933, the prototype went to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath, where it joined its forebear, the B-3, then still undergoing tests on its handling and performance.

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The firms still in the running included only one that had tendered for M1/30, Blackburn, but two — Fairey and Gloster — that had prepared aircraft for S9/30. Blackburn developed the B-3 into the B-6. The sealed fuel tank section was dispensed with, but the B-6’s fuselage was otherwise similar to that of the second B-3. The design of the wings was largely carried over too, but in place of a conventional wire-braced cellule the B-6 introduced ‘warren truss’ strut-bracing, largely eliminating wires. The wings were folded manually, but locked hydraulically, and it had pneumatic wheel brakes. The Blackburn was designed to be powered by either an Armstrong Siddeley Tiger or a Bristol Pegasus, the prototype using the former at the insistence of the Air Ministry. Both engines weighed the same, but the 700hp Tiger IV produced more power than the contemporary 635hp Pegasus IIM. However, there were numerous disadvantages to the Tiger, which would later blight the Shark’s career.

Technical Details

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The second, revised Blackburn B-3, the true forerunner to the Shark. The aircraft was powered by a Rolls-Royce Buzzard and incorporated innovations such as a monocoque fuselage with a ‘wet’ section containing the fuel. BAE SYSTEMS BROUGH HERITAGE

Early in 1934, the prototype left Martlesham for Gosport, from where it took part in deck landing trials on HMS Courageous. Torpedo carriage and dropping tests were conducted during the same period. These successfully completed, the machine was finally taken on charge by the Admiralty’s Directorate of Technical Development, and the Air Ministry issued the serial K4295. The Admiralty placed a small order for 16 production-standard aircraft, which Blackburn dubbed the T9 under its internal designation system. The B-6 returned to Martlesham and an air test was conducted on 1 May. In June 1934, all three prototype TSR designs were at Martlesham, including the redesigned Fairey machine, now known as the TSRII. The name Shark was allocated that October, in accordance with the new policy under which TSR aircraft were given the names of predatory fish. A&AEE test pilot Flt Lt Duncan Menzies flew to Brough on 1 December 1934 to collect the prototype Shark, K4295, and deliver it to Martlesham for testing after its modification to production standard. Over Norfolk, the engine suddenly cut and Menzies had to make a forced landing in a field of winter wheat, the aircraft fortunately coming to rest just before colliding with a hedge. The prototype was undamaged, the engine failure having been caused by an air lock in the oil system. It seemed at the time to be a one-off difficulty, though the oil system would turn out to be one of several powerplant-related problem areas. Testing at Martlesham was promising. The trials programme showed the aircraft to be extraordinarily stable in all axes at all speeds and loadings, engine on or off. During the stall, the aircraft behaved well, with no control snatching or any other vicious tendency. The flaps were effective and gave good lateral control at the stall. In fact, when loaded to the

Development

from an earlier type, the B-3. This was a prototype designed by Blackburn in response to specification M1/30, which called for a torpedo bomber capable of carrying a 1,866lb Type K torpedo or a 2,000lb bomb. The specification required a top speed of 130kt (150mph) with an endurance of seven hours at cruising speed. Leading-edge slots — either fixed or automatic slats, or an alternative mechanism — were demanded to ensure control and stability at or below the stalling speed. Any engine that had passed its 100-hour type test could be used, but the Air Ministry preferred the Armstrong Siddeley Leopard or the Rolls-Royce H10, later named the Buzzard. Blackburn offered the B-3, which showed clear lineage with the Ripon III, but was somewhat larger and cleaner aerodynamically. The prototype was lost in a crash in January 1933, but a second, more advanced B-3 was built as a private venture. The new aircraft had an entirely new fuselage of stressed-skin construction, with a ‘wet’ stainless steel section containing the fuel, negating the need for separate tanks. The fuselage itself was completely watertight in order to help the aircraft remain afloat after ditching. The wing cellule was similar to that of the earlier B-3, but with full-span ‘flaperons’. The aircraft made its first flight at Brough in February 1933, and went to Martlesham for testing that March. It received the serial K3591 in May. Specification M1/30 had been dropped by this time, but the Air Ministry regarded the B-3 as having considerable technical merit, particularly its watertight fuselage. By now, however, the Admiralty was fully committed to the idea of combining aircraft roles and the Air Ministry therefore merged the requirements of M1/30 with a specification for a new spotter-reconnaissance aircraft, S9/30, into S15/33. This effectively created a new category of torpedo-spotterreconnaissance (‘TSR’) aircraft.

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DEVELOPMENT BLACKBURN SHARK

K4295 in floatplane configuration, running up its engine on the Brough slipway with dummy torpedo fitted. BAE SYSTEMS BROUGH HERITAGE

same weight as when carrying a torpedo and with the centre of gravity at the forward limit, the Shark would not spin. The A&AEE test pilots noted that all the controls were reasonably light, well harmonised for a large biplane, and quick in response at all speeds. The variableincidence tailplane could be adjusted to trim the aircraft for various conditions of flight, and this feature was used extensively. The wheel brakes, an innovation for naval aircraft of the time, were easy to operate and effective. Extensive testing was carried out to assess the Shark’s stability in a dive while heavily loaded, crucial when divebombing or carrying out a torpedo attack. A number of dives were carried out at torpedo load from 9,500ft, at various throttle settings. The Shark proved steady under all circumstances, with no vibration or instability. The controls answered normally at all speeds, and it was easy to recover from the dive. Landing and take-off were similarly straightforward, and no swing was experienced. The undercarriage was described as “very good”, and the Dunlop wheel brakes as “efficient”, aiding the Shark’s already good ground handling characteristics. In December 1934, while the trials continued at Martlesham, Shark Is from the

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first small batch were issued to 820 Squadron. A full production order was placed in June 1935 for three pre-production and 53 production examples of the improved MkII, followed six months later with orders for a further 70. The MkII

in flights of three-and-a-half hours’ duration, with an average of 35 minutes between each, although it proved possible to turn the aircraft around in 15 minutes. The exercise proceeded smoothly until the sixth day when bad weather halted

The A&AEE test pilots noted that all the controls were reasonably light, well harmonised for a large biplane, and quick in response incorporated a redesigned engine mount, strengthened structure and a more powerful Tiger, the MkVI, rated at 760hp — though one of the pre-production machines was fitted with an 840hp Pegasus IX. The existing MkIs had their Tiger IV engines replaced with Tiger VIs. The switch to the Tiger VI involved an unusual operation in the process to ensure the suitability of the engine type and its installation. This would normally be carried out by the service, but the ministry asked the manufacturer to assist, and Blackburn grasped the opportunity to demonstrate publicly how dependable the MkII with its Tiger VI could be. Blackburn aimed to carry out the required 100 hours of flying within a week, sharing the task between four pilots. At 03.45hrs on 8 July 1935, A. M. Blake took off for the first flight. The trial progressed

proceedings, but 98.5 hours were completed within the week, and the 100-hour test was passed the next day. It was a significant achievement in any case, and augured well for the Shark II’s Fleet Air Arm service. Prototype K4295 was equipped in the summer of

1935 with a trial set of floats, as S15/33 required that the Shark be readily convertible from land to water undercarriage, and to allow operation from cruisers and battleships by catapult. The Shark’s floats were described by the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE) as having a “very efficient” design, being divided into five watertight compartments, one of which doubled up as a stowage space for an anchor, drogue and other equipment. Blackburn had designed the undercarriage so that each float was identical, without any ‘handing’, greatly aiding maintenance and replacement. The floats were fitted with hydraulic water rudders, which hinged downward for steering but would ‘kick up’ automatically if they struck an obstruction. They were fitted to the first full production MkII, K5607, for trials with the MAEE at Felixstowe. At all weights up to the extreme maximum of 9,300lb, the controls were described as “reasonably light and positive” and response was good. As with the landplane, the Shark floatplane was stable in all axes and there were no apparent vices. The floatplane handled “extremely well” on the water. Its turning circle to port was 70 yards and to starboard 60 yards, well within requirements. Control during take-off and just after alighting was described as “distinctly good”, regardless of centre of gravity position.

The B-6 taking off from HMS Courageous during the aircraft’s carrier trials in 1934, still fitted with the short-chord cowling. BAE SYSTEMS BROUGH HERITAGE

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Under the Shark’s skin

Technical Details

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Lewis in British and Canadian aircraft and a Vickers in Portuguese machines. To allow the carriage of a torpedo the main undercarriage was of fixed, split configuration, able to fit floats or wheels. The floats were of duralumin construction and were interchangeable left and right. The landplane undercarriage was equipped with Dunlop pneumatic wheel brakes. Torpedo release gear was fitted between the undercarriage legs, and a single large bomb could be carried as an alternative to the torpedo. The wings were unequal in span and chord, with the upper considerably larger than the lower, although of similar planform and section. The wings were slightly swept and of constant chord in the outer sections, with square tips parallel to the longitudinal datum. Both wings were fitted with full-span ailerons that also served as trailing-edge flaps. Wing and tail flying surfaces were all-metal frameworks with duralumin ribs and covered in fabric. Three bomb carriers could be fitted beneath each wing. All but three UK-built aircraft were powered by an Armstrong Siddeley Tiger

two-row moderately supercharged 14-cylinder radial engine: the MkI used the Tiger IV, the MkII and MkIII the Tiger VI, and the

Portuguese MkIIa the Tiger VIC. The Canadian MkIIIs had a nine-cylinder singlerow Bristol Pegasus IX engine of 840hp.

SPECIFICATIONS: SHARK II LANDPLANE

Insights

T

he Shark was a three-person, unequalspan biplane powered by a 14-cylinder Armstrong Siddeley Tiger or a nine-cylinder Bristol Pegasus air-cooled radial engine. The fuselage was built in three sections. The forward section was a tubular steel frame attached to the firewall at the aft end, with a circular frame at the forward end on which the engine was mounted. The aft section bore the empennage and tailwheel. It was built up with sheet metal bulkheads reinforced with channel sections and ring frame, with U-section stringers, and skinned with Alclad. The main section was constructed of built-up frames connected with U-section stringers and skinned in Alclad. It extended from the firewall at the nose to the transport joint with the tail. In the MkI and MkII the pilot had an individual open cockpit, with the observer and telegraphist air gunner (TAG) sharing a large single open cockpit just aft of the pilot’s. In the MkIII and Canadian aircraft, all three crew members were covered by a single, long, glazed canopy left open at the aft end. A single machine gun on a flexible mount was installed in the rear cockpit, a

In Service

ABOVE: Shark fuselages from the initial batch of MkI airframes nearing completion at Brough in 1935 — K4354 was the sixth production Shark and K4356 the eighth. Note the sealant applied to the panel joins to help render the monocoque fuselage watertight. The aircraft to the right rear are Baffins, the Shark’s predecessors, which were still being delivered. AEROPLANE ABOVE RIGHT: A Shark I forward fuselage showing the firewall and tubular engine mount. This proved to be susceptible to metal fatigue and several failures occurred. It was improved on the MkII. BAE SYSTEMS BROUGH HERITAGE

POWERPLANT: One Armstrong Siddeley Tiger VI, 760hp (MkI: one Armstrong Siddeley Tiger IV, 700hp; Portuguese MkIIa, one Armstrong Siddeley Tiger VIC, 700hp; Canadian MkIII, one Bristol Pegasus IX, 840hp) DIMENSIONS: Length: 35ft 3in Wingspan: 46ft 0in (folded 15ft 0in) Height: 12ft 1in WEIGHTS: Tare weight, torpedo or reconnaissance load: 4,596lb Flying weight: torpedo load, 8,250lb; reconnaissance load, 7,249lb Total military load: torpedo weight, 2,721lb; spotter/ reconnaissance, 1,605.5lb ARMAMENT: Centreline: One 18in torpedo or 2,000lb bomb Wings: Four 250lb or two 500lb bombs, or light-series stores carriers Guns: One fixed, forward-facing 0.303in Vickers machine gun, one free 0.303in Lewis or Vickers machine gun PERFORMANCE: Top speed: torpedo load, 149mph at 5,000ft; reconnaissance load, 150mph at 5,000ft Economical cruising speed: 130mph at 7,300ft Service ceiling: torpedo load, 14,600ft; reconnaissance load, 17,500ft Estimated absolute ceiling: torpedo load, 16,200ft; reconnaissance load, 18,800ft

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SHARK I/II

SHARK I/II

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Development

Shark IIs of 821 Squadron — and Bafﬁns of 810 — about to conduct a mass takeoff from HMS Courageous during the 1937 Coast Defence exercises.

Technical Details

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After 820 disembarked following Exercise ‘AB’, it was based at Gosport, continuing to work up with its Sharks and trying to cure the various problems it suffered, apart from a two-week spell at the Second Armament Training Camp at North Coates in April. The engine maladies continued, however. When the threat of Italy invading Abyssinia became acute in August, ‘A’ Flight was equipped with Bafﬁns and sailed for the Mediterranean, leaving ‘B’ Flight at Gosport. In his memoir Almost a Bofﬁn, Eugene E. Vielle, then

an RAF ofﬁcer posted to the FAA, described this period with 820 Squadron: “I joined the half of the squadron that had been left behind at Gosport and began ﬂying the Shark — a very easy aircraft to handle… The design of the wires and struts that held the biplane together caused it to make a whistling noise and it became known as the ‘Whistling Shark’. As soon as the full complement of Sharks arrived, we expected to be sent by ship (with the aircraft in packing cases) to join Courageous either in Malta or Egypt”. Instead, though, the

A good view of a Shark with wings folded is provided by MkII K5620, here being lowered from the main deck of HMS Courageous into the ship’s hangar. AEROPLANE

squadron continued training. “We made perhaps one ﬂight a day, working slowly through a training programme involving practice bombing, dropping dummy torpedoes, night ﬂying and — on one trip to Farnborough — learning to be shot off a catapult (‘accelerator’) of the types used in carriers.” Vielle here identiﬁes a seemingly innocuous characteristic of the Shark that later caused difﬁculties. The ‘whistling’ noise was only partly the result of the aircraft’s unusual structure, which in any case had hardly any wires — most of the sound emanated from the oil cooler. This had not been picked up during testing of the B-6 because it used a different oil cooler to production aircraft. During long ﬂights the noise could become irritating and distracting for the crew. The Abyssinian crisis escalated in October with Italy’s invasion. Neither France nor Britain wanted war with Italy, and nor were they ready for it. Their actions to resolve the crisis were only taken so far as to avoid provoking Mussolini to attack them. It cannot have helped that the Navy’s most modern and

Insights

A

side from a few slight, easily rectiﬁed problems, and the more serious matter of the engine’s lack of reliability, the Shark had proved extremely satisfactory during testing. Unfortunately, the same was not true of the aircraft’s early service. Thanks to the Shark’s good early performance in trials, it was able to enter service speedily. In December 1934, after only the prototype had been tested — and concurrent with trials of production aircraft — the type was allocated to 820 Naval Air Squadron, attached to HMS Courageous. Despite the Shark’s torpedobomber heritage, 820 had been a spotter-reconnaissance unit equipped with Fairey Seals. The unit was now expected to fulﬁl the range of strike and reconnaissance functions as well as getting used to its new aircraft. Courageous sailed for the Mediterranean on 5 January 1935, and remained with the Mediterranean Fleet for nearly three months, though it appears that 820 took little part in ﬂeet exercises because of the unreliability of the Tiger IV engines.

In Service

‘Whistling Shark’ embarked

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IN SERVICE BLACKBURN SHARK potentially capable torpedo bombers were stuck in England having their troublesome engines upgraded. 820’s ‘A’ Flight gave up its Baffins in February 1936, and the remainder of the squadron prepared to travel to the Mediterranean, ferrying its Sharks to Sealand for dismantling and packing, while personnel sailed on the liner SS Orsova. All expected to join Courageous, and were surprised to pass the carrier returning to Gibraltar as they sailed to Alexandria. In fact, 820 was to operate from RAF Aboukir to protect the Suez Canal from possible Italian attack, or to enforce sanctions if the League of Nations decided to impose them. On arriving at Aboukir, the Sharks were assembled and the squadron continued training, including decklanding practice aboard HMS Glorious. That April 820 relocated to Heliopolis at the other end of the Suez Canal. Here, a further serious problem with the Shark I was to manifest itself, as described by Vielle: “I was cruising at about three thousand feet near the airfield, with an observer in the rear cockpit, when I suddenly felt an extremely strong vibration. The controls acted normally and the vibration did not feel aerodynamic in nature. But the moment I altered the engine setting, the vibration changed.

I sensed danger — and reacted immediately. I not only closed the throttle — but also switched off the engine. That almost certainly saved our lives… I managed to land just inside the airfield boundary. “My aircraft was towed to the parking area, where Sgt Pope listened carefully to my reasons for my actions resulting in the forced landing. He climbed up a stepladder and removed the cowling to examine the long metal struts that held the engine to the fuselage. Then one of the legs of the stepladder began sinking into the sand. He grabbed hold of one of the main struts securing the engine to the fuselage to steady himself, and it came clean off in his hand, causing him to fall and hurt his ankle. It was a scene I shall never forget — Sgt Pope lying on the ground, holding the broken metal beam, staring up at the engine incredulously, and swearing at the pain in his leg… I was thanking my sixth sense (which has saved me many times since) for causing me to switch off the engine when I did. Had I not done so, the engine would have almost certainly torn free and fallen off — making the aircraft so uncontrollable that we would not have even been able to get out and use our parachutes. “The remaining struts holding the engine were all found to be cracked and on

820 Squadron Shark IIs over Aboukir, Egypt in February 1937, during the course of aircraft carrier manoeuvres in the eastern Mediterranean ahead of the spring combined exercises of the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. AEROPLANE

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Shark II floatplane K8502 overflies the battleship HMS Nelson. AEROPLANE

the point of failure too. An urgent examination of our other Sharks revealed that most had serious cracks too. Our aircraft were obviously too dangerous to fly without major modifications to the engine mountings. They were dismantled and put back into their packing cases to be returned to Blackburns.” The MkI was declared obsolete in early 1937 and 820 Squadron was re-equipped with Shark IIs back in England. The extent of the problems with its MkIs is reflected in the gap of more than a year before a second Shark squadron was formed. The next unit, 821, did not receive its Sharks until March 1936, and was equipped from the start with the MkII. Two more squadrons, 821 (HMS Courageous) and 822 (HMS Furious), received Sharks in 1936, as did 444 Flight, providing catapult floatplanes for HMS Barham, Renown and, from May 1936, Repulse. That July the 400-series series flights were replaced with 700-series units, and part of 444 Flight became 705 Flight, equipped with two Swordfish and the two Sharks previously attached to Repulse. Further development of the design was in train. In January 1937 the Air Ministry placed orders for 95 further-improved

Shark IIIs. Contrary to some sources, these were all powered by Tiger engines and not the Bristol Pegasus, although the type was still designed to accept either. Some, though by no means all, were fitted with threeblade propellers with a metal hub and compressed plywood blades. The biggest improvement was an enclosed cockpit to cover the crew. This had a fixed windscreen and central section, with a sliding element allowing access to the two cockpits. During the same month, 810, 820 and 821 Squadrons embarked on HMS Courageous, and 822 on HMS Furious, for the Spring Cruise and combined exercises for the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. These exercises took on a more serious tone than many in the preceding years due to the tensions in several territories surrounding the Mediterranean — indeed, because of the Abyssinia crisis, there had been no exercises the previous year. The Spanish Civil War was in its second year, and the combined fleet was obliged to observe a strict 12-mile limit from the Spanish coast. The Arab revolt in Palestine caused further headaches for the Mediterranean Fleet, which had to detach ships to Haifa to

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Insights

to a bombing raid from shore-based aircraft and a torpedo attack, but dodged the attempts to sink it, launching a concerted air attack on Portsmouth and Portland as part of a combined assault made at dawn. The Naval Review of November 1937 referred to “a touch of perfection” in “Blue’s close-up attacks”, caused by their forces “getting inside the defences’ guard and catching them unprepared”. Even when the presence of a carrier force was known, the Shark squadrons proved the possibility of successfully attacking a heavily defended port. One of Courageous’ Shark units, 810 Squadron, disembarked to Southampton to ﬂy mock night bombing raids over Portsmouth, for the beneﬁt of the Observer Corps and “to lend an air of reality to the proceedings” without having to undertake night deck landings. The last two squadrons still providing Sharks for catapult use on capital ships, 701 and 705, gave them up in August

In Service

from the unit, but these problems turned out to be separate. While the RAE suggested modiﬁcations to the oil coolers, the decision was taken to replace them with Marston coolers, which necessitated changing the entire oil system. Although this seemed to solve the problem, the Admiralty and Air Ministry had run out of patience. The work was to be carried out, but the Shark was relegated to second-line use, even though deliveries of the MkIII and a programme of improvement for all MkIIs — including structural and powerplant enhancements, and full upgrade to MkIII standard — were under way. For the time being, though, all four Shark TSR squadrons were still operating their aircraft and starting to show their potential. Furious and Courageous took part in the Coast Defence exercises in July, both using their Sharks to good effect as part of Blue Force. On the Thursday of the exercise, Courageous was detected early and subjected

Technical Details

Factory-fresh Shark III L2351, from the ﬁnal production batch. The main external difference on the MkIII was the enclosed canopy. This aircraft served at the School of Navy Co-operation from delivery in 1937, then going to the Fleet Air Arm pool, before being converted to a target tug in 1938 for service at No 2 AACU. BAE SYSTEMS BROUGH HERITAGE

1937, and 822 exchanged its Sharks for Swordﬁsh. The month after that, the other three TSR Shark squadrons followed suit. There was still plenty of use for the Shark, especially with the programme of improvements, which ran to 1,000 hours per aircraft. Even then, the Tiger engines were far from reliable. Leaking oil or shedding spark plugs would be of critical importance in operational service, but on second-line duties the impact tended to be less serious, not least as the engine could generally keep running. Some Sharks were converted into dedicated target tugs, receiving the semi-ofﬁcial designation MkIII TT. The Shark continued to be useful in training telegraphist air gunners in gunnery and wireless operation, observers in navigation, and pilots in deck landings and torpedodropping. Its robustness and docile handling helped, and many Sharks were delivered to the various ﬂights of the School of Naval Co-operation, which later became the 700-series squadrons. Others were allocated to training schools and Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Units (AACU) for towing targets for gunnery training. Six second-line Fleet Air Arm squadrons operated the Shark when they were formed in 1939. Numerous training units continued to ﬂy the type after war was declared: 750 and 753 Squadrons training observers, and 755, 757 and 758 Squadrons training telegraphist air gunners.

Development

support local forces. So important was the air element that the three carriers proceeded to Malta weeks ahead of the rest of the Home Fleet to carry out their own exercises in the eastern Mediterranean. The combined ﬂeets’ focus was on trade protection, and the Merchant Navy was invited to take part, as it had in 1935. The scenario played out in March 1937 was a convoy that one of the two ﬂeets, Red and Blue, would have to attack, and the other defend until it reached its destination. The Sharks’ torpedo attack and bombing capabilities made them vital to both sides. The squadrons concentrated on night ﬂying and torpedo attacks, which turned out to be time well spent considering the successful night attacks carried out by the Fleet Air Arm during World War Two, not least at Taranto. More than 100 ships took part. The decision to retire the Shark from front-line use was, however, imminent. Even with improved models equipping the four squadrons and two ﬂights, accidents and failures persisted. Several fatalities occurred due to engines cutting out at dangerous times, such as on take-off. Efforts had been undertaken at the manufacturer, the A&AEE and the RAE to identify the source of the problem, eventually traced to the Robertson oil cooler. Its tubes had been fracturing from metal fatigue, leading to oil loss and engine seizures. At ﬁrst it was considered that the failures might be aerodynamic in nature and related to the whistling sound that emanated

Shark III K8911 750 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY

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Portuguese Shark IIa serial 74, code 2, taxiing on the Humber. The load here is asymmetric, with three 250lb bombs under the port wing, and a 500lb and a smaller bomb to starboard. MATTHEW WILLIS COLLECTION

OVERSEAS OPERATORS When Portugal, Britain’s oldest ally, issued a tender in 1935 for a coastal defence and patrol floatplane, it was natural that Blackburn would express interest. The Shark was a close fit for the requirement, and beat competition from European and US manufacturers in a deal for six aircraft. Three were to be fitted out as bombers, and the other three as long-range reconnaissance aircraft, though all were fitted with bomb carriers. The Portuguese Sharks were in most respects similar to the Fleet Air Arm’s MkII floatplanes, being classed as the MkIIa by the Air Ministry. Differences were minor, mainly being found in equipment such as metric instruments, and the Vickers machine gun in the rear cockpit in place of the standard Lewis. The engine was a Tiger VIc, a slightly detuned Tiger VI. For the three reconnaissance machines, Blackburn developed a 160-gallon auxiliary belly fuel tank resembling a bathtub that fitted between the main undercarriage struts. This extended the aircraft’s range from 690 miles to around 1,140. The six Sharks, bearing Portuguese ‘Cruz de Cristo’ markings, carried out their acceptance tests for the Portuguese Naval Air Service — for which three Portuguese naval officers had been detached to Brough — in early 1936. The aircraft were based at the Bom Sucesso Naval Aviation Centre, on the Tagus at Lisbon. They received the Portuguese serials 73 to 78,

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which were applied beneath the tailplanes, and wore the code numbers 1 to 6 on the forward fuselage. One well-publicised use of the aircraft came when Portugal was accused of breaching its neutrality in the Spanish Civil War by refuelling Nationalist aircraft. Shark 74/2 was dispatched with a diplomatic courier bearing a document appealing the accusation for the attention of the Commission of NonIntervention in London. It made the flight from San Jacinto to Calshot on 22-23 October 1936 with only one stop, at Brest, making good use of the belly tank. The document was presented to the Portuguese embassy, and the Shark made the return flight from 28-30 October successfully, despite bad weather on much of the journey. However, one of the Sharks was lost in a crash into the Tejo River in 1938 due to a catastrophic failure of the upper wing, and the remaining

five aircraft were withdrawn later that year. At the same time as the Portuguese Naval Air Service was issuing its requirement for a coastal defence floatplane, the Royal Canadian Air Force was beginning its own search for such an aircraft. The RCAF discussed its needs with the British Air Ministry, which recommended the Shark, then just entering service with the Fleet Air Arm. Seven MkIIs were ordered to equip No 6 Squadron, RCAF, with float and wheel undercarriages provided. They were issued the serials 501 to 507 and shipped to Canada, arriving from October 1936. The first four were assembled at No 1 Aircraft Depot, Ottawa, from where three were flown to Trenton on Lake Ontario, one being retained to enable the depot to design and manufacture a ski undercarriage and an enclosed canopy. In the event, Blackburn’s pattern for the MkIII canopy was used instead

of the Canadian design. The remaining aircraft were shipped straight to Trenton. Boeing Aircraft of Canada was awarded a contract in June 1937 to build 11 Shark IIs under licence, later changed to MkIII standard. The RCAF also agreed to buy two MkIIIs from Blackburn. Boeing hoped to be able to use one as a pattern aircraft, but in the event it was needed for squadron service. The chief difference in the Canadian MkIII was the use of the 840hp Bristol Pegasus IX, which both Blackburn and the RCAF preferred due to the ongoing problems with the Armstrong Siddeley Tiger. It took some time to get the Blackburn-built Canadian Sharks properly into service, due to the now-familiar problems with the Tiger engine and oil system, exacerbated by the cold climate over-cooling the oil. When the improvement programme was developed by Blackburn, a set of kits was sent to Canada so they could be brought up to the appropriate standard. Only when these improvements had been made, and once the first Pegasus-engined examples arrived in April 1939, did flying begin in earnest. Six Sharks from the squadron escorted King George VI during a sea passage from Vancouver to Victoria in May that year, following which torpedo training began at Jericho Beach, Vancouver.

The first Canadian Shark, 501/FG-O, leaving the slipway at Prince Rupert, British Columbia, in 1942. The colour scheme has changed from the early one of grey, black and silver to an overall grey. RCAF 501 served with three operational squadrons, Nos 6, 4 and 7, this image showing the aircraft at the latter. MATTHEW WILLIS COLLECTION

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Dunkirk all the aircraft were fitted with guns and took off and formated as a wing. We were impressed up there among it to see such a gaggle at one time but what we were supposed to be doing I never knew. I guess it was a show of strength to boost the morale

that the Shark was considered obsolete for all purposes, that all work on it should cease and remaining components be scrapped. The last homebased Sharks were phased out between 1941 and 1943. The largest second-line user of Sharks was 750 Squadron,

If our Swordfish were doing fighter patrols over the Dunkirk beaches, why shouldn’t we protect England in a Shark? of the population. Poor gullible souls. God help us if Jerry had appeared. Still, if our Swordfish were doing fighter patrols over the Dunkirk beaches, why shouldn’t we protect England in a Shark?” Blackburn was informed by the Air Ministry in early 1942

which moved from Ford to Piarco Savannah on Trinidad in late 1940, to train observers in safety from German bombing. Around 40 Sharks were in use at one point, freeing valuable Swordfish for front-line roles. Fairey Albacores replaced the Sharks in 1942.

King George VI inspects the Sharks of 753 Squadron at Lee-on-Solent in 1940 before they moved to Arbroath that August. The squadron was responsible for training telegraphist air gunners, and used a mix of MkIIIs and upgraded MkIIs. AEROPLANE

In Canada, the last of the Boeing-built machines was delivered in early 1940. The RCAF planned two Shark squadrons, but in the event, only one — No 6 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron — was formed, to protect the Pacific coast and the sea-lanes along it from hostile shipping. At the outbreak of war with Germany in September 1939, the RCAF considered that the chief threat was likely to be submarines rather than the surface vessels the squadron had been formed to counter. As a result, the torpedo role was dropped and the squadron redesignated as No 6 (Bomber-Reconnaissance) Squadron. A two-aircraft detachment was established to the west of Vancouver Island while the remainder remained at Jericho Beach. The squadron was chiefly engaged early in the war in patrolling the coast and practising bombing and gunnery. A series of early take-off crashes represented an inauspicious start to operations, but these were judged to have been the result of pilot inexperience and rough water. Once the crews became more familiar with their aircraft, no mishaps were experienced for several years. In April 1940, No 6 Squadron moved to Alliford Bay in the Queen Charlotte Islands, while five of the Sharks were transferred to No 4 Squadron at Ucluelet in the west of Vancouver Island. The initial equipment was three Shark IIs and two MkIIIs,

Insights

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In Service

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A Shark II wearing standard temperate land scheme camouflage, some time between 1939-41.

Technical Details

At the outbreak of war, numerous second-line Fleet Air Arm units were using the Shark, while the RCAF continued with the type on its front-line strength as a coastal patrol aircraft. One use that Sharks were put to early in the war was the training of civilian pilots to naval standards, which was the responsibility of 780 Squadron. Another was torpedo training, with 785 Squadron at Crail under the command of Lt Cdr P. G. O. Sydney Turner. There 13 Sharks fulfilled valuable service (and freed up operational types) until more servicerepresentative aircraft were available in August 1941. Sqn Ldr D. H. Clarke described the typical use of a No 2 Anti-Aircraft Cooperation Unit Shark in RAF Flying Review Volume XVII, No 7 in April 1962: “Our Sharks at Gosport were supposed to be non-operational and were used mostly for target towing — a D-type winch (with propeller-driven rewinding gear) being fitted on the port side of the rear cockpit. The drum of this would carry up to 7,000ft of wire and on the end of the wire we towed banners, sleeves, 17ft-wingspan gliders (which were launched off the centre-section like a miniature Mayo Composite) and sundry oddments.” From 11-13 June 1940, No 2 AACU provided aircraft to fly with lighted flares on targettowing cables over the Somme estuary, to help prevent E-boat attacks on the Dunkirk evacuations under cover of darkness. Clarke flew a Shark on one such mission but did not reach Abbeville before having to turn back. The TAG training squadrons were also ordered to take steps to meet the enemy during this period, such was the pressure that UK air defences were under — and the need of the civilian population for reassurance. Ken Davies reported that, at No 1 Air Gunners’ School (755 and 757 Squadrons) at Worthy Down, “about the time of

Development

THE SHARK AT WAR

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IN SERVICE BLACKBURN SHARK alongside Supermarine Stranraers, but soon the Shark flight standardised on MkIIIs. One of No 6 Squadron’s machines, 517, was lost with the death of its crew in July 1940, in a similar fashion to the Portuguese machine destroyed two years earlier: upper wing failure. The other Sharks were found to have buckling of some wing ribs and movement in the main spar, so the squadron’s aircraft were shipped to Vancouver for strengthening, resuming coastal patrols in August. They were not used as divebombers again as a further precaution. Other squadrons’ aircraft were not affected. With the outbreak of war in the Pacific, No 6 Squadron was placed on readiness, and its Sharks were armed with bombs. Only a few days later, however, the Sharks were replaced by Supermarine Stranraer flying boats. It marked the end of the longest-serving front-line Shark squadron, which had operated the type for five years. With the Japanese entry into the war, No 4 Squadron commenced armed antisubmarine patrols, but as with No 6 Squadron the Sharks were supplanted within days. Remaining aircraft were issued to the quickly formed No 7

(BR) Squadron at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific, No 4 AACU had been operating at Seletar, Singapore since 1940 with a flight of six Sharks (‘A’ Flight) alongside de Havilland Queen Bee pilotless aircraft and Fairey Swordfish. The unit was formed to help the island’s anti-aircraft gunners practise, but it was to be a Shark from this unit that was among the very few to meet the enemy in action (for more detail on this unit’s involvement in the war in

anti-submarine patrols, one escorting a destroyer towing a broken-down submarine. Another Shark on dawn patrol escorted vessels returning with survivors of the devastating Japanese attack on HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales. Japanese forces on the Malay mainland began to encircle the 45th Brigade, which called for assistance on 22 January. Two Fairey Albacores from No 36 Squadron and a No 4 AACU Shark (K5621, flown by Sgt Peter Ballard and armed

No 7 Squadron, RCAF carried out singleaircraft anti-submarine patrols — lasting three to four hours — several times a day in early 1942 the east, see Bloody Shambles: Volume 1 by Christopher Shores and Brian Hull). From May 1941, No 4 AACU’s Sharks were principally used on air gunnery training. Its Shark Flight had moved to Tengah by October. Japan launched its attack against British territories on 8 December 1941. Aircraft were in great shortage to British forces on Singapore, so many second-line machines were pressed into service. Two Sharks were among a number of aeroplanes sent on coastal

with four 250lb bombs) were dispatched to bomb advancing Japanese troops on the road between Muar and Batu Pahat. The three aircraft found a motor column, which they dive-bombed and strafed, doing “quite considerable damage.” The Sharks were among the last aircraft left on the island, retained to spot for the naval base’s defensive guns. However, no operations of this nature were undertaken and the aircraft were probably destroyed on the ground.

The sole remaining operational Shark unit was now the Canadian No 7 Squadron, which carried out single-aircraft anti-submarine patrols — lasting three to four hours — several times a day throughout early 1942. Activity increased when Japanese forces landed on the Aleutian islands in the summer of that year, and in October WO2 Thomas sighted and attacked a submarine with depth charges. The submarine crash-dived, and it is not known if it sustained any damage. At this time, even Shark target tugs were armed and placed on readiness. The accident rate among the No 7 Squadron Sharks increased through 1942, due to the heavy workload on the now ageing aircraft. The last Shark operation took place in September 1943, and all remaining Canadian Sharks were put in storage or converted to target tugs for service with No 122 (Composite) Squadron. The examples in this unit were themselves used heavily. The final Shark target-towing sortie was carried out in January 1944, and the only remaining function performed by the type was for deck-handling practice on Canadian-manned escort carriers.

Shark III 524/XE-M of No 6 (BR) Squadron, loaded with 250lb bombs beneath the wings and a 500lb bomb under the fuselage. The larger, squarer rudders of the Boeing-built MkIII’s floats compared with their Blackburn equivalents can be seen to advantage. MATTHEW WILLIS COLLECTION

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INSIGHTS BLACKBURN SHARK Development Technical Details In Service Insights

A Shark takes off for an evening flight from HMS Courageous during the February 1937 manoeuvres in the eastern Mediterranean. MATTHEW WILLIS COLLECTION

Superior to the Swordfish?

T

he Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment test pilots from Martlesham Heath remarked that the Shark was “stable in all directions for all speeds and all conditions of loading, engine on or off”. In a dive, important for the aircraft’s role as a dive-bomber and torpedo bomber, “the aircraft was steady throughout, there being no vibration or instability. The controls were moved through small angles at the highest speeds attained with proper response and without any control surface

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instability or vibration resulting”. The cockpit was “roomy, easy to enter and leave, there is no undue noise”, but “very cold and draughty.” Aircrew flying Sharks in service came to appreciate its steady behaviour and rugged construction. TAG Ken Davies wrote in Telegraphist Air Gunner (J&KH Publishing,

1999), “The old Shark was pretty docile and few people suffered qualms.” Sqn Ldr D. H. Clarke flew the type with No 2 AACU and later wrote in RAF Flying Review (Volume XVII, No 7, April 1962), “She was long, wide, high, heavy and solid, and yet somehow managed to look efficient, sleek (biplane standards — not jet!) and

In my opinion the Shark was a superior aircraft to the Swordfish. They were both wretchedly slow, but the Shark was more comfortable

capable. Certainly she could be voted ‘the aircraft I would most like to crash in’”. He recounts the story of a Shark that crashed into the sea and sank to the bottom, but was later recovered and put back into service “within the month.” Clarke added: “The Shark was designed as a torpedo bomber and in my opinion was a far superior aircraft to the Swordfish. She could lift almost any load without effort… they were both wretchedly slow! But the Shark was considerably more comfortable.”

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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

Slybirds

by Graham Cross published by Fighting High Ltd Although sub-titled ‘A Photographic Odyssey of the 353rd Fighter Group during the Second World War’, this substantial volume is far more than a picture book. ‘Slybirds’ was the nickname of the 353rd FG, which came to East Anglia as part of the Eighth Air Force ‘invasion’ in summer 1943. Based successively at Goxhill, Metﬁeld and ﬁnally Raydon, the ‘Slybirds’ were initially equipped with the P-47D, converting to the P-51D in October 1944. The text covers the group’s training in the States, its move to the UK, its escort and ground attack operations

The Fairey Battle by Greg Baughen published by Fonthill

This title aims to reassess the Fairey Battle, a light bomber most frequently remembered for the high loss rate it suffered in May-June 1940 during the Battle of France. The author’s statement that, “If war had broken out in the summer of 1937, the Fairey Battles would have been untouchable” is perhaps the single most pertinent comment on the aircraft.

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over occupied Europe, the vast support operation that enabled the 353rd to ﬂy its missions, victories, losses and everyday life and leisure pursuits on camp. The photo selection is little short of outstanding and is (wait for it; this is an accolade all too rarely accorded but here well justiﬁed) excellently reproduced. Its subject range is wide but covers men, machines (mostly — but not by any means exclusively — featuring the group’s black-and-yellow chequerboard-nosed P-47s and P-51s), markings (many aircraft were named after wives or sweethearts; others, such as Mud ’n Mules and Fatty Patty, had more obscure origins), munitions, mascots (numerous pet dogs) and mishaps (of which there were many, in the air and on the ground). This is not, and does not pretend to be, a complete unit history, but it succeeds completely in representing all aspects of life on a US Army Air Forces ﬁghter station in the latter stages of the war. As such, it comes recommended. No, highly recommended. Denis J. Calvert ISBN 978-0-9934152-6-5; 8.5 x 11.0in hardback; 216 pages, illustrated; £29.95

★★★★

Speciﬁcation P27/32 to which the Battle was developed was, from the start, suspect. While requiring a Hart/Hind replacement, the Air Ministry deﬁned an aircraft that was too small and with too short a range, and the stipulated 200mph cruising speed was pretty much all a single 1,030hp Merlin could provide, given the Battle’s 10,800lb all-up weight. Fairey initially fell well behind on production deliveries, causing the RAF to rethink. Perhaps what it really wanted was a twin-engined medium bomber like the Wellington. By this time, though, the RAF was into a heady period of expansion, the Battle was in mass production and the whole programme was, using today’s terminology, too big to fail. This is an interesting and well-argued examination of why the Battle was so spectacular a failure, and how this led to such disastrous

losses of both aircrew lives and aircraft. The reasons clearly go much deeper than the Battle’s simply having been ‘an obsolete aircraft’. DJC ISBN 978-1-78155-585-9; 9.5 x 6.4in hardback; 144 pages, illustrated; £20.00

★★★

European Registers Handbook 2017

compiled by Dave Partington published by Air-Britain This year marks the 32nd issue of this directory covering all civil-registered aircraft in Europe. Some 47 territories are covered up to the Russian frontier — a UK register is published separately. Details given for each aircraft quote registration, type and variant, constructor’s number and previous identities. Many replica and vintage aircraft appear, but of course you need to know their registrations to look them up. With a total of 640 pages in the two volumes a cross-reference is not possible. It is noticeable that the various registers are swelling under the increasing number of microlights/ultralights — this directory will certainly help identify your photographs if registrations are visible. This is the only directory to offer such comprehensive coverage of this subject. It’s not suggested for bedtime reading but is an indispensable tool for civil enthusiasts; the staff of a number of control towers also buy it regularly. A fully readable CD version is enclosed for those who like such things. The volumes are not available separately so the price quoted is for both. The only illustrations are those in colour on the covers. Mike Hooks

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Reviews ISBN 978-0-85130-4984; 9.25in x 11.75in softbacks, total 640 pages; £30.95 (£24.95 to Air-Britain members).

HHH Time Flies

by David Hamilton published by Fonthill David Hamilton, whose ‘own’ No 11 Squadron Tornado F3 was black-finned and carried the tail code DH, joined the RAF straight out of school and flew Lightnings, Phantoms (on exchange posting with 892 Squadron aboard HMS Ark Royal, then with RAF Germany) and F3s, before progressing to other posts including supervising the Red Arrows. This account of his career thus chronicles not just his own experiences but also life on the front line of the UK’s air defences during the last 15 years of the Cold War. He relates some fascinating occurrences, such as a run in a Tornado F3 down the Bristol Channel which he flew at Mach 2, but inverted. Appointed as OC No 11 Squadron at RAF Leeming when it first received the air defence Tornado, the author recalls that he was keen to continue the tradition of burning pianos at dining-in nights, to which end he appointed a junior navigator as ‘Officer i/c Piano Procurement’ to seek out and negotiate suitable, preferably nonworking, pianos. Used piano prices trebled in Yorkshire, but not before a dozen had been purchased. This is a serious yet light-hearted, readable account, which is particularly interesting in the chapter devoted to his knocking the ‘new’ No 11 Squadron into shape and ensuring it would be declared fully operational on the planned date, despite numerous challenges along the way. DJC ISBN 978-1-78155-584-2; 10.1 x 7.0in hardback; 176 pages, illustrated; £18.99

HHH

More Testing Times

by Mike Brooke published by The History Press In his Trials and Errors (History Press, 2015), Mike Brooke related his qualifying as a test pilot with the ETPS at Boscombe Down and his experiences of experimental test flying in the latter part of the 1970s. More

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Testing Times takes the story through the 1980s and ’90s, up to his retirement from the RAF and his entry to ‘civvy street’, after which he undertook several other, yet more varied, flying appointments. His text again offers the same happy balance between technical detail and readability, tinged as ever with the occasional touch of irreverence and typical air force humour. That said, he does not hold back from controversy: witness his comments on the June 1994 crash of RAF Chinook HC2 ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre and the findings of the subsequent board of inquiry. Within these (soft) covers there is coverage of his flying a wide variety of aircraft, from SE5a to F-111, via all the familiar Boscombe Down and Farnborough types. There is a 28-page black and white photo section which offers decent reproduction despite the paper it is printed on, an appendix listing ‘Aircraft I Have Flown’, a glossary and an index. DJC ISBN 978-0-7509-6985-7; 9.1 x 6.1in softback; 288 pages, illustrated; £14.99

HHHH

More Lives than a Cat by Trevor Price

Subtitled ‘Flying Tales of the Unexpected’ (with a nod to Roald Dahl, himself a fighter

pilot), this privately published volume is the autobiography of Trevor Price, and records his long flying career with the RAF. To quote the author, he “was lucky to have flown most of the early primitive jets and the equally primitive early helicopters”, during which time he “wrote off one aircraft and saved five, together with a dozen near-death experiences”. He tells his story engagingly, factually, without over-use of technicalities (or, at least, with explanations where required), with sharp observation and without the ‘line-shooting’ so often encountered in this type of account. That said, he expresses some critical opinions, such as declaring the Bristol Sycamore, “Hard work, totally unstable”. Much of his later flying career was on helicopters, including time as ‘boss’ of the Gnome Whirlwindequipped No 225 Squadron in the Far East, and this section makes for especially interesting reading. This volume is nicely produced and offers illustrations with a good standard of reproduction. The only down-side is evidence of a lack of proof-reading in some of the captions, resulting in mis-spellings such as Boulton Paul ‘Baliol’ and English Electric ‘Lightening’. Ouch! DJC No ISBN; 9.2 x 6.1in softback; 160 pages, illustrated; £10 (including UK P&P) from [email protected]

HHH

WATCHES Christopher Ward C9 P2725 TM-B Limited Edition New from Christopher Ward, in preparation for next year’s 100th anniversary of the RAF, is this limited-edition — 100 copies only — timepiece in its C9 range. The designation is a nod to Hurricane P2725/ TM-B, the example in which Flt Lt Ray Holmes collided with a Luftwaffe Dornier Do 17 near Buckingham Palace on 15 September 1940. Holmes bailed out of his stricken fighter, which crashed on Buckingham Palace Road. When the crash site was excavated in 2005, TMB Art Metal recovered pieces

of aluminium wreckage from the Hurricane’s engine, some of which are used in the Swiss-made P2725 watch. The metal can be seen through the crystal exhibition case back, on which side is featured a map of central London with the crash site marked. The design of the dial, meanwhile, has been inspired by the Hurricane’s instrument panel. Two straps are provided, one made from canvas webbing, the other from camel vintage oak leather. £2,495 from www.christopherward.co.uk

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Events Shuttleworth Edwardian Pageant

F

or the sixth time this season, the weather gods looked down favourably on mid-Bedfordshire for a Shuttleworth Collection display day, the capacity crowd being treated to another utterly absorbing show which saw what must be a record-breaking total of 45.4 aircraft displaying over Old Warden. Shuttleworth’s increased use of ground displays to augment the airborne action breathed life, quite literally, into the Edwardian theme. Visiting acts included a steam-powered Stanley Model Z 12-seater bus, which ﬁrst appeared in 1909, a horse-drawn Shand Mason singlecylinder steam ﬁre engine, and a contingent from the Veteran Cycle Club. The period costume opportunities, ﬁrst seen at the Goodwood Revival, are also beginning to add welcome extra colour at Old Warden. At a time when the traditional, countrystyle family airshow is increasingly under threat in the UK, and with the school holidays well under way, the family ambiance was upped by appearances from the Stearman duo of the Breitling Wingwalkers, Peter Troy-Davies in his Rotorsport Calidus autogyro and the ‘Little and Large’ Extra duo, Chris Burkett ﬂying his EA300S in formation with a radio-controlled, 40 per cent scale equivalent, with Mike Williams showing superlative skills on the twin sticks. The Tiger Moths of the Tiger Nine team included G-ACDA, the very ﬁrst DH82A built, while the Red Arrows, whose rolling show is particularly suited to the Old Warden environs, closed proceedings. This fortunate bit of scheduling ensured that any ﬁrst-time visitors who had

The ‘Brough pair’ — Blackburn-engined Auster Autocrat, Blackburn-built B-2. BEN DUNNELL

primarily come to see the nine Hawks would stay for the entire show, and get a ﬂavoursome impression of what Shuttleworth is all about. And with such a succulent selection of ‘core’ Shuttleworth types to enjoy — particularly World War One aircraft — surely any Old Warden neophytes will be back for more. A total of six such types ﬂew, the highlight being a rare appearance from the World War One Aviation Heritage Trust’s Stow Mariesbased Sopwith Snipe reproduction, ﬂown with punchy panache by Jean-Michel Munn. The broader audience attracted by the blockbuster acts couldn’t have had a more impressive introduction to Great War aviation than the Snipe, which shared the sky with Shuttleworth’s SE5a, ﬂown by John Hurrell, and the Bristol F2B, with Peter Kosogorin at the helm. Prior to the start of ﬂying, an unprecedented line-up of Sopwith aeroplanes graced the turf, comprising the Snipe, the Triplane, Pup and Camel from the collection, and Andrew Wood’s

Old Warden’s Sopwith quintet out in the summer sun. BEN DUNNELL

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6

AUGUST

Dove replica, which is up for sale. As conditions became more blustery towards the end of the afternoon, the Triplane and Pup had to be withdrawn, but the Dove was given a good outing by Stewart Luck. David Bremner displayed his Bristol Scout C with much style and conﬁdence, and Jean-Michel Munn ﬂew his second WW1 slot of the day in one of the two Vintage Aviator-constructed BE2e reproductions present. A sublime de Havilland vic comprised the Shuttleworth DH88 Comet, Mark Miller in his Duxford-based DH89A Dragon Rapide, and Henry Labouchere commanding the Shipping and Airlines DH90A Dragonﬂy, over from Biggin Hill. Mark also participated in a more esoteric ‘Brough pair’, during which he ﬂew Auster Autocrat G-AGTO, powered by a Brough-built Blackburn Cirrus, with Blackburn B-2 G-AEBJ, built at the east Yorkshire factory in early 1936 and piloted here by Jim Schoﬁeld, alongside. A two-ship formation that is, unbelievably, now a regular feature of Old Warden shows, Comet G-ACSS and Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF, exempliﬁed the current strength in depth here: the racers were substituting for the Edwardian aircraft contingent, grounded due to the wind. In years past, the regular understudy to be called up at short notice was the Provost. To be able to whistle up that most illustrious racing duo seems rather akin to having W. G. Grace coming on as 12th man. Hmmm. Must dig out the old am-dram fake beard and oil up the vintage willow for the next glorious Old Warden Edwardian Pageant. Tony Harmsworth

Jean-Michel Munn low and fast in the magniﬁcent Snipe. BEN DUNNELL

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B-17 and Bronco: one of the year’s more unusual pairings. BEN DUNNELL

Biggin Hill Festival of Flight

W

hen the Biggin Hill Air Fair bit the dust after the 2010 show, prospects for future major public events at the famous Kent venue seemed bleak. As it developed as one of the London area’s major centres of business aviation, so the likelihood of large-scale displays returning diminished in equal measure. Well, anyone at this fourth Festival of Flight could have been forgiven for thinking that the ‘glory days’ were making a comeback. This was in every sense an impressive affair, with easily the best ﬂying programme witnessed at Biggin since the Air Fair era. Marking the airﬁeld’s centenary, participation was invited from overseas air arms whose pilots ﬂew from RAF Biggin Hill during World War Two, and some memorable showpieces ensued. The Belgian Air Component’s F-16AM Fighting Falcon, brilliantly ﬂown in the conﬁnes of the local airspace by Cdt Avi Tom ‘Gizmo’ de Moortel, and the French Air Force’s Patrouille de France team

represented welcome returns by former Air Fair regulars. But it was the Czech Air Force contribution that most stood out. While its JAS 39C Gripen put on an invigorating ﬁrst Biggin display by the Saab-built ﬁghter, the highlight came in the form of a combat search and rescue demonstration by Mil Mi-171Sh and Mi-24V helicopters, a punchy and effective act never before seen in the UK. The ‘Hind’, last a visitor to the Kent airﬁeld 22 years ago, also gave a solo display that reminded one what a potent piece of equipment the Cold War-era attack platform remains. Many of the other items recalled different aspects of Biggin’s 100-year history. At one end of the spectrum was the Great War Display Team, at the other the Red Arrows, returning yet again to the location of their ﬁrst ever UK public display. The same was true of B-17G Sally B, brieﬂy resident upon its arrival on British shores in 1975 before moving to Duxford. On Saturday, the opportunity

19-20 AUGUST

was taken to offer a special salute, the beloved bomber ﬂying past with Tony de Bruyn’s OV-10B Bronco in a pairing of American combat types from different wars. And of course the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar took the ﬁnal slot, initially with a three-ship of Hurricane X AE977, Spitﬁre IXT MJ627 and Spitﬁre HFIXe TA805, before Dan Grifﬁth broke away in the latter to close the show with stirring solo aerobatics performed in his inimitable style. It is inevitable that any Biggin Hill event will be compared against the Air Fair. The Festival of Flight is perhaps never likely to reach the same scale, such is the level of corporate activity — as if to illustrate why, no sooner had the solo Spitﬁre landed on Sunday evening than a Global Express executive twin-jet was on ﬁnals. From 1940s reveries, it was back to 21st century work. But 2017 showed that Biggin has resumed its rightful place on the front rank of the British airshow scene. Gordon Renchard

Event Planner October 2017 UK & MAINLAND EUROPE

01 01

14-15

Old Warden, Beds: Shuttleworth Race Day Airshow — www.shuttleworth.org Cuatro Vientos, Spain: Fundación Infante de Orleans Flight Demonstration Day — ﬁo.es/Exhibiciones.html Sainte-Maxime beach, France: Free Flight World Masters — www.freeﬂight-wm.com

NORTH AMERICA

06-07 06-08 07-08 07-08 07-08 07-15

10-12

Delaware Coastal Airport, Georgetown, Delaware: Wings and Wheels — www.wings-wheels.com Marina Green, San Francisco, California: Fleet Week Air Show — ﬂeetweeksf.org/air-show DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Chamblee, Georgia: Commemorative Air Force Atlanta Warbird Weekend — www.atlantawarbirdweekend.com Minden-Tahoe Airport, Nevada: Aviation Roundup — www.aviationroundup.com Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach Airport, Virginia: Biplanes and Triplanes WW1 Airshow — militaryaviationmuseum.org/biplanes/index.html Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta — www.balloonﬁesta.com Henderson Executive Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada: NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition — www.nbaa.org/events/bace/2017

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NORTH AMERICA

13-14 13-15 13-15 14 14 14-15 20-22 21-22

27-29 28-29 28-29

continued Gainesville Municipal Airport, Texas: Fall Festival of Flight — www.texasantiqueairplane.org/ﬂyin Dallas Executive Airport, Texas: Commemorative Air Force Wings over Dallas WWII Airshow — wingsoverdallas.org Punta Gorda Airport, Florida: Florida International Air Show — ﬂoridaairshow.com Apple Valley Airport, California: Apple Valley Airshow Culpeper Regional Airport, Virginia: Culpeper Air Fest — www.culpeperairfest.com Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana: Red Bull Air Race — www.redbullairrace.com/en_INT/event/indianapolis-0 Russell Regional Airport, Rome, Georgia: Wings over North Georgia — wingsovernorthgeorgia.com Ellington Airport, Houston, Texas: Commemorative Air Force Wings over Houston — wingsoverhouston.com New Orleans Lakefront Airport, Louisiana: WWII Airpower Expo — www.ww2airpowerexpo.org Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Texas: Bell Helicopter Fort Worth Alliance Airshow — www.allianceairshow.com Moody AFB, Georgia: Moody AFB Airshow — www.moody.af.mil

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WEB DIRECTORY

Archive

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

DESOUTTER DISPUTE

W

A war of words over aircraft design that reached the press

hen it comes to flying a new type for the first time, Roger ‘Dodge’ Bailey, the Shuttleworth Collection’s chief pilot, is absolutely meticulous. His preparation takes in a huge variety of written sources, not just formal flight test reports — if they survive — and technical data, but also many other period accounts of flying and operating these machines. Such descriptions, not least those that appeared in publications like The Aeroplane, may be of great value in understanding the nuances of a particular aircraft. And they are an interesting read into the bargain. Back in 2000, the first time ‘Dodge’ gave a public display in Shuttleworth’s unique Desoutter I, G-AAPZ, the aircraft suffered a serious case of flutter. He slowed, the flutter abated and a safe landing was made, the aircraft suffering no damage. ‘Dodge’ then started to do some archival research aimed at finding out whether Desoutters had historically been prone to such problems. It took him down fascinating avenues. The Desoutter story was outlined by Mike Hooks in our July 2015 edition: how Marcel Desoutter, who had lost a leg in a 1913 Blériot

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accident and set up a successful business making artificial limbs, got into aircraft manufacturing with his own firm — formed during 1929, with George Handasyde as works manager — by building the Koolhoven FK41 under licence. This high-winged, three-seat monoplane was among the creations of Dutchman Frederick Koolhoven, who worked for Armstrong Whitworth before returning to his homeland. Two FK41s were used by the Desoutter company as pattern aircraft. With various changes compared to the original, not least the use of a 115hp Cirrus Hermes engine, the Desoutter went into production at Croydon. It was aimed both at private owners looking for the added comfort of an enclosed cockpit and cabin, and the growing air taxi and private charter market. The Aeroplane was very taken with the type. In its 13 November 1929 edition, it reported how what was at this stage dubbed the Desoutter Sports Coupé had passed “all its tests” with the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath. The machine in question was G-AAPK, the first

to be turned out by the Croydon plant. No mention was made of how it suffered an undercarriage collapse at Martlesham. Instead, the item reported how Mr J. J. Flynn had used ’PK to fly Mr and Mrs Desoutter and their eight-year-old daughter from Croydon to Hanworth on 9 November, demonstrating “plenty of reserve power for climbing… At Hanworth it was flown by several pilots who all expressed themselves as very pleased with its performance, flying qualities and above all its nonstalling capabilities.” At this stage, Desoutter deliveries to National Flying Services (NFS) were about to begin. This Hanworthbased, government-subsidised operator aimed to set up a nationwide system of flying clubs and airfields. For air taxi work, meanwhile, it took 19 Desoutters including G-AAPK. Attending a demonstration staged by NFS from 22-24 November 1929, Flight’s reporter said the three-seater “was one of the most comfortable it has been one’s luck to fly in when at all bumpy, and when we saw a light aeroplane of the open type being chucked about good and hearty, as we came down, we realised just how comfortable and stable the Desoutter was.”

ABOVE: The ﬁrst Desoutter II, G-AAZI, experienced aileron ﬂutter early in its ﬂying career. ALL PHOTOS AEROPLANE

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Archive

ABOVE: H-NAER was the initial Koolhoven FK41, here showing the design’s highset tailplane that Desoutter chose to revise.

RIGHT: Shuttleworth’s Desoutter I G-AAPZ, which is ﬁnished in National Flying Services colours, beneﬁted from research into the wing ﬂutter problems experienced on the MkII. BEN DUNNELL

By the year’s end, the manufacturer was trumpeting how sales agencies had been secured in far-flung lands, and that there was interest in overseas licence production. The last issue of The Aeroplane for 1929 said, “Altogether the Desoutter Sports Coupé looks like being one of the most popular aeroplanes in the World next year.” So far, so good. But during late 1929 Desoutter and Koolhoven entered into a war of words conducted via the letters pages of Flight. It started with a reference to how Desoutter had “altered the position of the tailplane on the original Koolhoven monoplane”. According to Desoutter himself, “it made a tremendous improvement in the take-off of the machine… With the tailplane in the original high position the slipstream of the propeller passed well below it, and therefore did not blow the tail off the ground, with the result that the tail only rose when the machine had gained considerable speed.” Desoutter continued, “when this company acquired the rights of the

Koolhoven monoplane, its object was to acquire the conception of this machine, and that before this company started production the whole machine was redesigned; and today, not only is the wing section different and the whole control system re-designed, but every fitting in the machine has also been redesigned, the object of this being to bring the design and method of construction up to British standards of airworthiness and workmanship”. This “complete redesigning”, he went on, “delayed us for two or three months”, but “the very successful manner in which it passed its official tests at Martlesham conclusively proves the wisdom of this policy.” Koolhoven wasn’t going to take that lying down. “Mr Desoutter’s letter”, he wrote in response, “conveys the impression that I perched my tailplane high up just for the fun of it. The FK41 was primarily designed for foolproofness, and this high tail position was due to this. A design always must be a compromise, and I rather choose to lose 28 yards on the start than to have a machine which could, when started single-handed with too much throttle, nose over… That my compromise was a good one was proved by the flying qualities and performance of my FK41 machine, which were such that Mr Desoutter hastened to obtain the world licence (excepting Holland and its colonies) of it. “Having bought my licence, Mr Desoutter is, of course, entitled to make any changes he likes and compromise in a different way, but his letter made me think of the little

French tailor who, when I was once staying in Paris, had to make a repair to a dress suit of mine which hailed from one of the best-known West End tailors. On returning the suit to me, the little Frenchman insisted upon me trying it on, and thereby had the manners and pulled a face as if he had made the suit himself.” Desoutter’s retort was similarly pithy. “Mr Koolhoven’s explanation of the reason for the high tailplane position is highly amusing to us”, he said, “in view of the inside information which we have in our possession as to the real reason. However, as we have no desire to discredit anyone, we will not (at the present juncture, at any rate) enter into a controversy on this matter”. The nature of this “inside information” sadly remains unclear. As for Koolhoven’s comments about the tailor, Desoutter wrote: “We very much regret Mr Koolhoven’s lapse from good taste in his last paragraph”. Stressing how the redesign work was conducted by Handasyde, “whose experience of

Koolhoven wrote, ‘Having bought my licence, Mr Desoutter is, of course, entitled to make any changes he likes’

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aircraft dates back even further than that of Mr Koolhoven himself ”, he added: “Mr Koolhoven’s simile would have been far truer had he compared the position to that of a man who, having bought a misfit abroad, had it re-made by a West End tailor”. Ouch. In a survey of British aircraft manufacturers, The Aeroplane for 1 January 1930 afforded the Desoutter the accolade of being “among the best light aeroplanes in England — which is to say in the whole World”. The first MkII version, G-AAZI, took to the air in June 1930, this incorporating a revised fuselage and undercarriage among other improvements, together with a 120hp DH Gipsy III engine. The MkI, as the Sports Coupé had become known, remained popular with its users. Despite Koolhoven’s jibes, all seemed to be going well. It wouldn’t last. Not long after its maiden flight, on 19 July G-AAZI took part in an aerial garden party staged at Hanworth in aid of the National Birthday Trust Fund, of which the former Prime Minister

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and then-current leader of the opposition Stanley Baldwin’s wife Lucy was vice-chair. The organisation had been formed to try and reduce the rate of maternal mortality, the Baldwins having lost their first son in a stillbirth. The new Desoutter II was making a flypast when, to quote Flight, “while diving down to the aerodrome the machine hit a bump which apparently caused aileron flutter to start”. Rapidly increasing, the report said that it “transferred to the wing until the aileron hinges were nearly torn out and finally the aileron actuating gear between the bottom of the joystick and the ailerons carried away in several places”. Its pilot P. E. G. ‘Gerry’ Sayer, later to make the first flight of the Gloster E28/39, managed to complete a heavy landing on the aerodrome without injury to either himself or his passenger. Marcel Desoutter objected to this account. “What actually took place”, he wrote, “was aileron flutter, or at least flutter due to the ailerons, and not to wing flutter. Owing to rumours spread about by interested parties we invited the technical representatives from Farnborough to carry out torsional resistance tests on our wing tips. This was done with very satisfactory results. We have now designed and fitted completely new mass balanced ailerons, and the Air Ministry is now quite satisfied that the wing tip is more than sufficiently rigid to resist flutter. In fact, tests were carried out on our machine at Farnborough several days ago, during the course of which the machine was dived at 200mph with no suspicion of flutter.”

Desoutter Aircraft shut up shop in 1932, due in no small part to the closure of NFS, the main buyer of its products. That was far from the end of the Desoutter story, what with the continued use of its aeroplanes by many customers at home and abroad, and especially some high-profile long-distance flights. But, like so many names from inter-war British aviation, it gradually faded away. Maybe concerns resulting from the Hanworth mishap hadn’t helped. Finding out about it, however, certainly helped Shuttleworth when it came to solving the flutter problem on G-AAPZ. Knowing that Desoutter had fitted mass balanced ailerons as a modification on later examples, the collection set about doing likewise. The aircraft thus resumed flying, and has since remained a popular element of Old Warden displays. Marcel Desoutter would surely be pleased that one of his products is still airworthy more than 85 years after it first took to the air, even if it never achieved the success The Aeroplane had predicted.

ABOVE: Desoutter II production at Croydon, with G-ABCU and MkI G-AANE in the background.

BELOW: Used by Desoutter as a pattern aircraft, FK41 G-AAGC received a lower-set tailplane as part of modifications.

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Free entry for Kids under 16!

RACE DAY FINALE SUNDAY 1 OCTOBER 2017

mock air races, ground show entertainment and lays disp g flyin aft aircr ge vinta with le fina End of season nt! and motorcycle clubs, and the Shuttleworth Spri and static exhibits, vintage bus rides, visiting car

Family entertainment, free admission for children under 16!

The ‘Spirit of Shuttleworth’ trophy

Family entertainment at this top class vintage airshow, including mock air races, period vehicle paddock, live music from the Glamourphones, flight simulator, free model making and student formula car for kids, tour of the picturesque Regency Swiss Garden, free vintage bus rides to The House (former Mansion open for tea & cake 10.00-14.00), and much, much more! Line up of aircraft includes the race winning DH88 Comet, record breaking Mew Gull, and visiting Mystery Ship. Come in 1920’s fashions and get into the spirit for fabulous day out!

www.shuttleworth.org/raceday Old Warden Aerodrome, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP - just off the A1 at Biggleswade. Book online!

introduCing the FirSt in a dunKirK trilogy by MarK PoStlethwaite gava

SPitFireS oVer dunKirK Spitfires of RAF Fighter Command engage Ju87 Stukas over the Dunkirk beaches during the latter stages of Operation Dynamo. Single limited edition of just 200 fine art paper prints. Numbers 1-150 signed by the artist, £50. 30 Artist’s Proofs signed by the artist, £65. Remarques available on request. Overall size 71cm x 43cm (28″ x 17″) Image size 63cm x 31cm (25″ x 12″)

the original Painting iS now Sold - See the webSite For detailS oF other originalS Still For Sale. The Artist writes,

“Having just co-written the Dunkirk - Air Combat Archive book for Red Kite I felt I had to paint some scenes from this fascinating part of British history. The plan is to paint the Spitfire, Hurricane and Defiant in action during Operation Dynamo when RAF Fighter Command did its best to mount continuous air cover from dawn until dusk over the Dunkirk beaches ” "This first painting depicts Spitfires of 609 and 72 Squadrons in action just east of Dunkirk. In the distance you can see the oil fires which burned for days and the famous eastern mole from which the majority of soldiers boarded the ships for home." "If you'd like to see a time-lapse video of this canvas being painted then please visit the website, it was quite a challenge!"

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