Vol. 2 Issue 2 Copyright © 2016 Air and Space Museum 200 Hanscom Drive Bedford, MA 01730 www.massairspace.org Aviation

It would not be uncommon for many to believe that era of the Spanish-American War. Then, the company a company like General Electric focused primarily on seized upon the public’s new-found fascination with all the manufacture of household things electrical. It developed appliances and large-scale gen- an elastic manufacturing model erating systems used in the that is still in use today; one production of electrical power. where innovation is the key ele- The company name in itself ment and driving force that al- M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory photograph suggests just that. While such lows the business to turn its GEPhoto Aviation of L.E.S. CF6—-80C1 & jet 2 design engine an assumption would be par- eye toward the skies. tially correct, it would not rep- During the latter Nineteenth resent the complete scope of this very large and di- and early Twentieth Centuries, GE was intimately asso- verse modern corporation. Owing to its roots from the ciated with major advances in the general field of Edison General Electric Company, GE dates back to the Continued on Page 2 Continued from Page 1 witnessed first-hand what the amazing Whittle engine could do, and he was convinced that the mighty Arse- transportation. From railroad locomotives to piston- nal of Democracy needed them to stay ahead of the driven airplane motors, the company was involved in technological curve. both manufacturing and recon- figuring the motors that moved GE had extensive experience in America and the world. One of propulsion development dating its primary plants for accom- back to the 19th Century. plishing all this heavy lift capa- Steam turbines for both power bility was the River Works Plant generation and transportation in Lynn, Massachusetts. Seated were part of the company’s at the mouth of the Saugus Riv- stock and trade. It was this in- er, the plant is a spacious inter- depth knowledge of power gen- modal hub that is accessible by eration that made the company land, rail and sea. Skilled work- the logical place for developing a new turbine power source for ers were attracted to the area General Electric J31 Jet Engine because it offered plenty of aviation. Although initially fo- comfortable housing in well-ordered communities cused on improving the dynamics of aviation’s piston just north of . Having a wealth of skilled labor engines, engineers and scientists turned their atten- available and the acreage to expand and grow as tion toward developing a turbine engine that could technology changed was part of the chemistry that out-perform the biggest and best piston engines. made, and continues to make, the GE River Works GE’s vast experience with the development of the Plant such a success. Today that sprawling plant turbo-supercharged aircraft engine was a key element hosts a technological building that is dedicated to the to the company’s progression into the development production of the most efficient jet propulsion en- of jet propulsion. In the early days, the terms jet and gines in the world. rocket often meant the same thing; propulsion with- How GE first came out propellers. Rock- to be involved in jet ets carry their own ox- engine production is ygen source for com- entrenched in the bustion, while jets use technological advances what air is available to in aviation that were them to combust fuel. forged in the crucible GE’s experience in the of World War II. Both development of turbo- the British and the Ger- charged engines in or- mans had engaged during the war in parallel develop- der to make use of thinner air at higher altitudes ment of jet propulsion, and both nations had inde- proved to be essential in the development of jet en- pendently produced jet-propelled fighter aircraft be- gines. In essence, the jet engine is a turbocharger fore war’s end. But the United States military had that produces thrust through the combustion of gases committed itself to piston-driven engines until Gen- under pressure. eral Hap Arnold stepped in and helped arrange for GE The first step toward developing a true jet engine to begin the development of an American jet engine was an intermediate design known as the turboprop to power the military aircraft of the future. He had Continued on Page 8

Inspired in high school by an educator at Phillips opportunity that may have arisen. Andover Academy, young Thomas Hudner, Jr. decid- Thomas Hubner’s wingman was twenty-four-year- ed upon service in the United States military. Upon old Ensign Jesse L. Brown; the first African –American graduation from Phillips, he became a midshipman at US naval carrier pilot. Prior to December 4, 1950, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, graduating in Brown flew twenty missions and had earned the Dis- 1946 alongside fellow classmen James B. Stockdale, tinguished Flying Cross. Stanfield Turner and a Georgia farmboy by the name of Jimmy Carter. Stockdale would become a medal Ensign Jesse L. Brown On December 4, of honor recipient during the Vietnam War, Stand- 1950, Hudner and field Turner would later run the Central Intelligence Brown flew Agency, and Jimmy Carter would become the 39th through harsh win- President of the United States. ter weather some 100 miles to the Hudner initially had no interest in aviation and area of the Chosin served as a naval communications officer aboard Resevoir in the ship. But, while stationed at Pearl Harbor, he devel- north-central region of North . There, some oped an interest in flying and eventually applied for 15,000 US troops were confronted with over 100,000 flight school. He was accepted and took his initial enemy soldiers. During the trip inland, Brown’s air- flight training in Pensacola, Florida, and advance craft was apparently hit by small-arms fire from the training at Corpus Christie, Texas. He was certified a ground and another pilot informed him he was trail- Navy pilot and assigned to fighter pilot duty with the ing something. The oil pressure dropped and Jesse Atlantic fleet. Hudner was assigned to fighter squad- was having trouble managing his airplane. After re- ron VF-32 aboard the USS Leyte. He was piloting the peated efforts to solve the problem, he eventually F4U Corsair which he considered to be a very com- ditched his aircraft on the remote side of a mountain fortable aircraft. seven to eight miles northwest of Chosin Reservoir. At the outbreak of the Korean conflict during the In the crash the airplane disintegrated. Brown was summer of 1950, the USS Leyte was pulled from duty badly injured and his leg was pinned under the wreck- in the Mediterranean and deployed to the waters off age. He signaled to the orbiting members of his the coast of because command felt their squadron that he had survived the crash, and the cov- pilots were better-trained than those on other carri- ering pilots scoured the area for enemy troops. ers. Once there, VF-32 flew sorties inland to provide When it became clear that his wingman needed help, close air support to US Marine ground operations, and to take out strategic targets and any targets-of- Continued on Page 4 Continued from Page 3 For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk Lieutenant Hudner found a patch of ground nearby of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a pilot and crash-landed his Corsair. He made his way to in Fighter Squadron 32, while attempting to rescue a Brown’s side and tried his best to free him from the squadron mate whose plane struck by antiaircraft fire battered fuselage, but was unsuccessful. Jesse and trailing smoke, was forced down behind enemy Brown lay dying while his squadron-mates above lines. Quickly maneuvering to circle the downed pilot radioed the ship at 14:40 hours for a helicopter to and protect him from enemy troops infesting the ar- help rescue him. The helicopter arrived at 15:00 to ea, Lt. (J.G.) Hudner risked his life to save the injured find Brown pinned under a crashed and burning air- flier who was trapped alive in the burning wreckage. plane, and Hudner furiously trying to extinguish the Fully aware of the extreme danger in landing on the flames by throwing snow at them. rough mountainous terrain and the scant Despite efforts by the helicopter pilot, hope of escape or survival in subzero tem- Hudner and Brown, Jesse’s leg remained perature, he put his plane down skillfully in pinned under the wreckage. Jesse suggest- a deliberate wheels-up landing in the pres- ed that they amputate his leg in order to ence of enemy troops. With his bare hands, free him, but they didn’t. The young pilot he packed the fuselage with snow to keep was in and out of consciousness, but man- the flames away from the pilot and strug- age to make one important request of his gled to pull him free. Unsuccessful in this, wingman before he passed out for the last he returned to his crashed aircraft and radi- time. Brown asked Thomas Hudner to, oed other airborne planes, requesting that “Tell Daisy I love her.” Daisy Pearl Nix was a helicopter be dispatched with an ax and the girl he’d fallen in love with back in high fire extinguisher. He then remained on the school, and she later became his wife. spot despite the continuing danger from enemy action and, with the assistance of the rescue Unable to put out the fire, both Hudner and the pilot, renewed a desperate but unavailing battle helicopter pilot evacuated back to the ship via the against time, cold, and flames. Lt. (J.G.) Hudner's ex- chopper. Once aboard the USS Leyte, Thomas ceptionally valiant action and selfless devotion toa begged to be allowed to return to the crash site and shipmate sustain and enhance the highest traditions bring Jesse back, but his requests were refused. of the U.S. Naval Service. Brown had succumbed to his injuries and the Navy On August 31st, Capatin eventually cauterized the Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. (USN- crash site with napalm. Ret) celebrated his 92nd birth- day with his family at his In memory of his gallant- home in Concord, Massachu- ry during his twenty mis- setts. It is fitting that the U.S. sions, the USS Jesse L. Navy is commissioning a ship Brown (FF-1089) was com- in honor of Captain Hudner, and soon the Arleigh missioned and named for him. Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Thomas On April 13, 1951, President Harry S. Truman pre- Hudner (DDG-116) will be launched in Boston in 2018. sented the United States Congressional Medal of  Honor to Thomas Jerome Hudner, Jr. The citation http://www.usshudnerddg116.org/ that accompanied the medal reads as follows:

The Massachusetts Air and Space Museum Board of The Board of Directors discussed the possibility of a tem- Directors and the steering committee recently met to porary facility available at Mansfield Airport. The space finalize the donation of assets from the Massachu- available is in a new-constructed building but would re- setts Aviation History Society to the MASM. This quire some costly outfitting in order to be suitable for a move is in conjunction with MAHS shutting down al- museum. together. The board agreed to honor all MAHS mem- Chairman Joe Dini also reported meeting with Minute- berships as members of MASM, and it was decided man Technical High School regarding possible space to be that the previous annual dues for MAHS of $25.00 available for temporarily space, and for the development would become the standard for MASM as well. The of a curriculum which he and Barbara Jagla will continue board also voted to honor all the Pathfinder member- to track. ships that were previously part of MAHS. MASM setting up exhibits at the Air National Guard Mu- Along with fixing annual membership dues at $25.00, seum at the former armory in Concord was put on hold the MASM board also ordered the printing of MASM pending the securing of funding to finance the project. calendars which will be sent to all those who renew their memberships for the coming year. The calen- Upon motion without objection, all officers and directors dars will be of high-quality and will be mailed out to were unanimously elected to continue in their present all renewing members. capacities. Delivering Aviation Education and Inspiration One idea being considered by the board and the steering committee is the development of traveling roadshow to in- spire high school students all over the state. The concept has Sponsor been proven in other locations throughout the country. All Logo that is needed is a corporate sponsor to purchase and outfit a bus with the equipment and supplies necessary for an in- structor to provide an established curriculum; and, of course, a qualified instructor.

The Massachusetts AIr and Space Museum participat- Police, the TSA, the Mass Maritime Academy, Cape ed once again in the Aviation and Maritime STEM Ed- Air, the Tuskegee Airman and numerous other ucation Expo at Logan Airport; STEM being the acro- groups. nym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathe- As many as 20 airplanes and helicopters were on matics. This annual event is sponsored by the Federal hand for the more than 1600 students to see, touch Aviation Administration in cooperation with Mass- and in some cases actually sit at the controls. Other nd Port. Now in its 22 year, the Expo offers youth from vehicles on-hand were the Boston bus tours, airport around Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire operations vehicles, fire apparatus and a rescue boat. the opportunity to be exposed to multiple career Also, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary paths that are available in the aviation and maritime (NOAA) brought an inflatable life-size humpback fields. This year’s occurrence saw over 60 exhibits by whale and its calf. STEM is an acronym for Science, various organizations including the FAA, MassPort, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics with a pri- The US Coast Guard, GE Aviation, the Massachusetts Air & Space Museum, NOAA, the Massachusetts State Continued on Page 7

testing regimen. Although a later date would be de- Continued from Page 6 sired, the basic concern is that it would interfere with mary focus to get children excited about those spe- standardized testing such MCAS or PARCC. The other cific areas. A total of 45 schools brought children to factor is that the event has to be late enough in the the annual event to season so that the air- gain a clearer under- craft have the potential standing of what paths for a good day to fly are available under the weatherwise. She also STEM umbrella. shared that 15 FAA em- ployees, 50 MassPort Past years have taught employees and 20 vol- that this can be a very unteers made the affair cold event. This year work. Planning begins in was no different. The September for the temperature was hov- spring Expo. ering around 27° on drive into Logan Air- I would recommend that port but we were anyone who would like the experience of being at dressed as if spending Logan and helping to the day outdoors ski- grow the museum, mark ing. Although the large their calendar for next Delta hangar door re- year’s Expo. It may even mains open, a heater/ be possible to fly in if you own a plane or are inter- blower works overtime ested in renting. Mass- to try to create some Port waives the landing heat for the partici- fee and it is a rare oppor- pants. The museum’s table was manned by Joe Dini tunity to experience landing and departing at a major and Al Mundo with Barbara Jagla stepping in to give hub in small aircraft (although one can feel a little like a guppy in a sea of leviathans such as the aforemen- the two a break. Many pamphlets outlining the mis- tioned humpback.) The event continues to grow and sion and goals of the future museum were handed expand. Coffee, water, snacks and lunch is provided out and teachers were to all organization par- informed about what ticipants and it is cer- the hopes are for a tainly a way to “give STEM program. back” to the aviation community while also This event typically oc- having an uncommon curs on the first experience. I hope to Wednesday of April. see your name on the list of participants for Speaking with Julie 2017. Seltsam-Wilps, the Avi- ation Education Pro- gram Manager for the FAA’s New England Region and member of the MASM team, she stated that the time frame is based primarily on the school year’s

Continued from Page 2 severe stress, obscured vision due to anoxia, or engine. Just prior to U.S. involvement in World War II, that the pilots were just plain nuts. GE began the development of the first turboprop en- Although the United States didn’t develop an gine for aircraft use. Because the mindset at the time operation jet aircraft for the military use during revolved around propeller-driven engines, the power World War II, jet-powered fighter and pursuit air- plant existed to spin the prop in order to generate craft had become commonplace during the Korean thrust from the propeller blades. However, the turbo- War. Not only were jets flying from bases in South prop also produced thrust in the form of exhaust. This Korea, the Navy was able to launch and recover process was actually the basis for an actual jet engine jets aboard aircraft carriers operating offshore – thrust derived alone from combustion and hot gases from their inland targets. One young soldier sta- under pressure. The development of an engine for tioned at Fort aviation that pro- Devens, Massachu- duced thrust without setts was deter- a propeller was the mined to fly, and next logical step in the eventually Joe process. By eliminat- McConnell became ing the propeller, the the first five-time turboprop evolved into ace in his F-86 Saber the turbojet. Jet by knocking out The first American sixteen enemy MiG- jet aircraft ever con- 15 aircraft in jet-to- structed was the Bell jet aerial combat. XP-59-A, affectionate- Captain Joe ly dubbed the Bell XP-59-A Airacomet McConnell’s record Airacomet. This twin- still stands. engine aircraft, pow- Although military contracts with GE were can- ered by GE’s turbine engines, proved the concept of celled by the end of World War II, engineers within jet power at high altitudes. Operational tests of this the company pressed on toward the development airplane were conducted at Edwards Dry Lake, Califor- of better jet engines in anticipation of future nia; later known as Edwards Air Force Base. Due to needs. The company eventually created the J47 the shroud of secrecy surrounding the project, in or- engine, which saw heavy production through the der to move the craft from one place to another at the middle-1950s, and the J79, which powered ad- test facility, a fake cowling and propeller covered the vanced airframes to Mach 2+ and won the convet- nose of the airplane. During initial tests, the test pilot ed Collier Trophy for outstanding technical ad- decided to mask his own appearance by wearing a go- vancement of aviation. Although their chief com- rilla mask and a derby top hat. He also held a big cigar petitor, Pratt Whitney, was powering many of the in his mouth as he came up on fellow test pilots in latest civilian aircraft in service at the time, G. E. prop planes. These pilots reported that they had seen also became a contender in the commercial avia- an airplane that had no propeller flying next to them tion market powering both passenger and heavy- with this gorilla wearing a top hat and smoking a cigar. Those on the ground accredited the pilot reports to Continued on Page 11

That’s all it costs to renew and maintain your membership with the Massachusetts Air and Space Museum for 2017. With your paid renewal you’ll receive one of the museum’s 2017 calendars which includes rare photos of noteworthy air- craft that are part of the Bay State’s aviation heritage. In addition, you’ll continue to receive all the 2017 editions of “,” MASM’s premier newsletter that will be filled with stories and links to the wide world of aviation. Don’t miss out on your chance to capture Massachusetts aviation history. Send your check today to:

Massachusetts Air and Space Museum 200 Hanscon Drive Bedford, MA 01730 You can also renew via credit card online by clicking:

http://www.massairspace.org/join/

Following the great success of the General Aviation Forum held this past spring at the Massport Terminal at Worcester Airport, participants from all over Massachusetts are anxious once again to come together to talk avia- tion. Keith Young of the MASM Steering Committee is again co- ordinating this extraordinary ef- fort to bring together the lead- ers in general aviation from across the state. A date for the forum been announced and will be held on March 25, 2017 from 8:00 Am to 2:00 PM. Keep watching “Horizons” for updates, or check in to our website at: http://www.massairspace.org/

This is a great chance to learn about the future of general aviation firsthand from industry leaders. Plan on attend- ing!

Continued from Page 8 lift cargo aircraft. By the 1960s, a giant sign stood outside the entrance to the River Works plant in Lynn, Mass. that read: “Turbotown, Birthplace of the American Jet Engine, Small Aircraft Engine Department · Lynn, Mass.” In the 1990s the plant had become the official home of GE Aviation. Jet engines for military and commercial use were rolling out of the River Works plant. General Electric eventually was counted among the top three producers of jet pro- pulsion along with Pratt Whitney and Rolls Royce. Be- Boeing 747-8 cause of the weight-to-thrust ratio of the GE90 engine, Boeing uses that engine in the 747-8, the 777, and the 787 aircraft. The latter two airplanes also employ the Part 2 new GEnX. Part 3

On the horizon for aviation is utilization of the latest Part 4 in jet technology, the GEnX engine. In addition to prov- Part 5 en technologies, GE is using com- Boeing 777 posite materials in the construc- tion of the in- take fan. Inside this light-weight engine casing is the most effi- cient core ever created. There is a ten-stage compact com- Boeing 787 Dreamliner pressor that gen- GE’s GENX Fan Blade by CFAN erates pressure Editor’s note: If you are reading Horizons that is a 23:1 ratio; in hardcopy only, you are missing more tops in the industry. This translates into efficient devel- than half the content of this publication. opment of thrust that is both economical to purchase, You can view all the hidden content by cheap, safe and reliable to operate, and green. going to www.massairspace.org and GE is now producing the first truly new jet propulsion clicking on “News and Events.” Pick the issue of Horizons that you wish to review system of the 21st Century. With it’s rich history and and have fun exploring all the content innovative business model, this diverse company will behind every photograph. It’s like an continue to be the leader in aviation propulsion into the Easter egg hunt for adults, only more in- next century, and far beyond.  formative! Indicia Or Stamp

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A Humid Thunderbird

Always remember the secret to every edition of Horizons when you read it electronically; there is something hidden behind every photograph. Be sure to click each one to discover your passport to other places and additional interesting information about aviation.

The Pearl Harbor p-40 Boys

Cargo Airships Available in 2018

MicroLattice Technology

2016 Singapore Airshow Static Displays

Osh Kosh 2016—Warbirds

22 & 30 HP Homebuilts

The Story of Pan Am