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Prop Noise-Summer 2019 19.3

Prop Noise-Summer 2019 19.3

The Membership Newsletter for The Museum August 2019

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Brewing Passion for History, One Flight at a Time

Bell P-39 ‘Airacobra’ 2 Fi 156 ‘Storch’ 3 New Museum Staff, Part I 3 Thomas-Morse S-4 ‘’ 4 Expanded Summer Camp 5 New Museum Staff, Part II 5 Recap 7 Summer of Flight Wrap-Up 7 Flying Proms in Review 8 All American Air Show 8

Military Aviation Museum www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org Virginia Beach Airport www.VBairport.com Fighter Factory www.FighterFactory.com and Brews www.BiplanesandBrews.com

Join us October 5th - 6th

Experience this unique WWI air show spectacle showcasing the Museum’s expansive WWI collection. Watch the skies with your family as historic biplanes and triplanes soar overhead with live vintage musical performances filling the air. For adults, sample the many craft beers from across the state and region from some of Virginia’s finest local breweries. You can even experience the thrill of flight yourself, with rides offered on the museum’s two open cockpit biplanes. Vintage WWI air show, live music and entertainment, free on-site parking, food trucks, re-enactors and more await you at Biplanes & Brews. q

Get Your Tickets www.BIPLANESANDBREWS.com PAGE 2 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3

New Arrivals

The Bell P-39Q-5-BE ‘Airacobra’ is back in America Compiled By Felix Usis

Top: Bell P-39F Airacobra fuselage emerging from the trailer; Above: Airacobra in the hangar ready for flight

Returning to American soil for the first time in , 8th Fighter Group, US Army almost 78 years is the newest aircraft for the museum, (USAAF). On the 1st of May 1942, it was being flown a Bell P-39 in the livery as 42-20341, a Bell P-39Q by Lieutenant Walter Harvey and was one of a flight of ‘Airacobra’. It has been under restoration for many six that crash landed in Australia. "Returning to American years. The restoration to airworthiness first began at the late Murray Griffith’s Precision Aerospace Now that all of the actual history of the aircraft has soil for the first time in almost workshop in Wangaratta, Australia back in the early been mapped out, with a data plate to confirm it, it is 2000s. A report stated that at that time the airframe indeed an F model. Even though the true history is 78 years is the newest aircraft was thought to have been a “Q” model that served now known, its livery will remain as P-39Q, 42-20341. in and this is where it received the paint with for the museum, a Bell P-39 the serial number (s/n) 42-20341. This paint scheme The aircraft’s first post-restoration flight was on the in the livery as 42-20341, a probably created the confusion over its actual identity afternoon of the 26th of February 2019. Frank Parker for many years. took the fighter up for a 14 minutes flight. After a few following check flights, it was released to be shipped to Bell P-39Q ‘Airacobra’." Following Murray Griffith’s death in May 2015, the project moved on to Pioneer Aero Ltd. It turns out the . It now resides in our Army hangar. that this airframe was actually a Bell P-39F-1-BE, 41- It is reported to be one of only three airworthy P-39s 7215 (msn 15-554), which was flown by 36th Fighter in the world. q VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3 PAGE 3

The Fieseler Fi 156 ‘Storch’ has Landed at the Museum Compiled By Felix Usis

Just days before this year’s Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show, a surprise package arrived. A Fieseler Fi 156 ‘Storch’ suddenly appeared in a box. In 1935, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM), Reich Aviation Ministry issued a request for a new aircraft suitable for liaison, army co-operation (), and medical evacuation. To meet this request, Fieseler designed the Fi-156 Storch (Stork). The first Storch prototype flew in 24 May 1936 and was accepted for use, with the first production aircraft going into service in mid-1937. The Storch achieved incredible short take-off and landing (STOL) performance by using a fixed slat over the leading edge of the wing and full length slotted camber-changing flaps along the trailing edge. In a light breeze, the Storch could take off in just 200 feet and land in about 66 feet. In flight, the long main landing gear hung down, giving the aircraft the appearance of a very long-legged, big-winged bird, hence its nickname, Storch. Because of the unique flight qualities of the Fieseler Storch, this aircraft was found on every front throughout the European and North African theaters of operation in the Second World War. In April 1942, the French company, Morane-Saulnier, now operating under German control, began to manufacture a number of German aircraft types. The Morane-Saulnier plant at Puteaux, in the suburbs of Paris, , was directed to build the Storch. In October 1943, the Fieseler Werke in , started producing the Folke Wulf FW-190 and production of all Storch types were shifted to France. At the same time, production was commenced at Leichtbau Budweis in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (better known as ). Leichtbau Budweis built one Storch in 1943 and 72 the following year, before production was transferred to another Czech firm, Benes-Mraz in Chozen, where it was built under the name K-65 Cap. Some 141 aircraft were built before the end of the Second World War, and a total of 925 aircraft were built before the end of the production by Morane- Top: Fieseler Fi-156 Storch; Middle: Storch fuselage emerging from its shipping Saulnier in 1965. q container; Bottom: Storch wings being unloaded from the trailer

If you haven’t been to the museum lately let’s update New Things are Happening at the Museum, Part 1 you on the latest changes with our staff. First, an update on the Director’s position… it has been filled!! Current Director Jarod Hoogland will stay with the museum and work with staff and volunteers to continue expanding the museum’s projects, programs and visitation. Please welcome our new Education Coordinator, Ms. Abigail “Abby” Fulton, who recently arrived from Yuma Arizona. She spent the last 4 years teaching a Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) based curriculum at the Crane School Dist. Abby arrived just in time to help conduct our first session of the Warbirds Aviation Summer Camp, and the newest addition to our education curriculum, Ace Drone Camp. Abby will be expanding our education outreach, field trip experiences, educational exhibits, summer camps and all things education. Her teaching expertise has already had an Director Jarod Hoogland with Volunteer Joe King Abby Fulton works with a camper on his drone skills impact here and her infectious smile around the kids and staff has made her a welcome addition to the museum. PAGE 4 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3

Thomas-Morse S-4 ‘Scout’ is Ready to Fly at the WWI Air Show Compiled By Felix Usis

When the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, the US Army lacked a practical scout plane to span the gap between primary trainers, the Curtiss JN-4 and front-line fighters like the Sopwith, Spad, and Nieuports. That deficiency and the need for a practical American-made fighter served as the primary motivation for the development and fast- tracked production of the Thomas-Morse S-4 Scout. The Scout was designed to fill the void. The Scout was the standard single-seat advanced-trainer used by the US Air Service (USAS) during the Great War (1914- 1918). Dubbed the "Tommy" by pilots who flew it, the aircraft became the favorite single-seat training airplane produced in the U.S. during . The museum’s Thomas-Morse S-4C was likely built in early 1918 with plate number 481. It has been restored to its original form as an S-4C pursuit trainer with an 80 horsepower Le Rhône 9-C 9-cylinder . It is now in an airworthy condition with a tail number of N38663. It has been painted in what is believed to be its original colors as USAS 38663. Its flight history is still being researched. When it was declared surplus at Rockwell Field, in San Diego, it had only 29 hours and 32 minutes of flight time. Above: A close up of the According to previous owner Roger Freeman, Thomas-Morse 'Scout' by artist this “Tommy” was first acquired by his father, Terry Jones. Get your copy of the painting at our Biplanes Ernest M. Freeman and others. They began and Brews Air Show; restoration about 1955, finishing it 17 years later. Left: The Thomas-Morse 'Scout' “All the Tommy stuff he had was passed on to me hanging out in the museum's upon his [Ernest’s] death, and I was able to piece WWI Hangar together this complete original airframe from the parts he had left over," said Freeman. q VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3 PAGE 5

Expanded Warbirds Summer Camp New Things are Happening at the Museum, Part 2

With the rapid expansion of summer camp programming this year, the museum welcomed longtime volunteer Stan Bialas as a seasonal Summer Camp Coordinator for 2019. With more than double the number of campers, nearly 80 children learned about and experienced piloting, drones and aircraft handling.

Stan Bialas greets the pilots from WAVY News Chopper 10 during Warbirds Summer Camp in July

The Gift Shop has added two new part-time staff to help during the summer tourist bustle. Say “hi” to Donna and Jessica the next time you stop in. Donna is a full time grandmother and has lived in the area Top: Abby Fulton works with campers on their for many years. Jessica is a full-time student studying drone programming; Left: Flight Nurse Denise shows off accounting. Both look forward to helping you at Nightingale medevac helo; Above: Future B-25 Pilot either the admissions counter or shopping for that special gift in the store. The Events team added another member when our Volunteer Sean Jolly joined the staff helping out The 8th year of the youth summer camp By the end of that week, we had some very on the Events Support Staff. Sean is an Eagle Scout has been dramatically expanded with new, as talented drone pilots that could maneuver around and rising Senior at Cox High School. well as traditional, classes. This year’s camp, for the obstacle course, flip drones and land on a spot. both boys and girls, featured three separate focus Mitchell Welch, once a longtime volunteer and topics conducted among one of the largest private July’s camp was a twist on our previous year’s the Events Coordinator for the last several years, collections of flying vintage and reproduction single camp and focused on pilot skills. The has been promoted to Director of Operations. As aircraft in the world. campers were introduced to aviation and piloting the museum rapidly expands, this role will serve to through progressive flight simulators; they began facilitate growing programs, projects and events. In the first session of camp held in June, campers explored the science of flight by learning by learning how to fly gliders and ended the week to code and fly their very own drone! Twenty-one by planning and flying a flight originating here campers learned about the forces of flight and the at the Virginia Beach Airport. Campers enjoyed basics of block coding to program their drones the opportunity to fly various planes from our to fly in specific patterns and through obstacle collection on the simulator! courses. The week ended with a programmed air Campers had the opportunity to learn about show created by the campers. the principles of flight and the history of aviation Guest pilots visited to demonstrate real world through exploring the hangars, spending time applications of drone technology to the classes. in the cockpits of some of our warbirds, building The campers learned about how drones help sell and helping launch huge gliders, and learning houses in the real estate market. They saw how about careers in aviation. They listened to guests drones help protect members of the armed forces speaks about various piloting opportunities such as Mitchell Welch introduces the guest while on patrol in hostile areas. Virginia Beach speaker at a recent Summer of Flight Fire Department brought their drone to show military pilots, airline pilots, corporate pilots, general the kids how cameras attached to larger drones aviation and sport piloting, soaring and professional can help direct fire-fighting efforts on structure piloting in the fields of law enforcement, medical The continues to fires, forest fires and large multi-story structures. and news gathering. grow at an ever accelerating pace, and there’s lots of They demonstrated how infrared camera settings A highlight of the week was the morning spent new things for visitors to experience on our campus. can see hot spots behind walls and doors and The coming year holds more excitement, with new how people can be found in rooms through thick with the Experimental Aviation Association. As part of the EAA’s Young Eagles program, campers professional staff, exhibits and programs on the smoke with the use of various camera features. horizon. Stay tuned for all the exciting new changes! The firefighter took the kids outside and flew his were able to take a flight (and in some cases, the 4 ft. drone, skillfully maneuvering around the controls!) in a general aviation aircraft alongside trees and water tower. a pilot. q PAGE 6 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3

MUSEUM EVENT WRAP UP

Warm Weather Brings Cool Events to the Museum

Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show Summer of Flight - Year Two It was a beautiful weekend for Warbirds Over The Beach in 2019, with a crowd of nearly 4,000 out to see the Military Aviation Museum’s historic WWII aircraft collection. The great weather brought lots of flying, with the majority of the museum’s aircraft fleet taking to the skies in front of an awestruck crowd. One of the newest features of the show isn’t something you’d normally think of, but resulted in an incredible view. While the FAA designated flight path for Warbirds Over The Beach normally runs a diagonal pattern over the cross runway, this year the museum received permission to fly lengthwise, parallel with the main grass strip. The result was an unprecedented view of the museum’s flying aircraft all the way down the length of the runway, a real treat for the true and new lover alike. We hope to bring this format back for 2020.

Counterclockwise: Spitfire pilot, Pappy Mazza greets an enthusiastic visitor following his flight; Capt. John Lavra, Navy Skyraider pilot, swaps aviator stories with museum pilots Boom Powell and John We also saw a record number of reenactors out this year, filling the field with Mazza; Powell's postflight wrap-up on the Curtiss Pusher; Capt John Lavra living histories of Allied and Axis troops. As part of the show, reenactors staged is welcomed before speaking about flying the AD-4 Skyraider in combat a reimagining of the Market Garden speech from the balcony of the Goxhill Control Tower. The tower, while having been completed in 2017, has been newly Our annual Summer of Flight continues this year to strong crowds of furnished with historic artifacts as part of a years long effort to recreate the WWII enthusiastic audiences! Each Saturday this summer, through September Goxhill Experience. Carol Atkins, a longtime supporter of the museum and UK 28th, the Military Aviation Museum showcases select warbirds, provides a native, diligently scoured the British Isles for items that would have been used in brief conversation on the aircraft followed by a flight demonstration. these historic towers, shipping them across the Atlantic for use in our museum. Our team of volunteers went to work staging the tower with these artifacts, and Our guests and Museum members have really embraced the weekly visitors at the air show were the very first to experience Goxhill as it was intended event. The highlight each week has clearly been the flight demonstrations to be experienced. While there is yet more work to be done, we are just that much flown by our museum Volunteer Pilots, followed closely by our handpicked closer to a full historic trip back in time. subject experts, whether museum volunteers or guest speakers presenting stories about these warbirds. 2019 was clearly a successful year for Warbirds Over The Beach, and everywhere we heard guests talk about how much they enjoyed it. We’re Make sure to come on out and experience Summer of Flight at excited for another big year in 2020, and hope to fly the newest additions to the the museum! q museum’s collection of aircraft, the Storch and Airacobra! q VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3 PAGE 7

Flying Proms Symphony Air Show

It was a beautiful evening for an outdoor joined us as he has before, lending his authentic concert at the 2019 Flying Proms Symphony experience and voice in narrating our version of Air Show, with a record size audience enjoying this event. Ever since first visiting the museum this fun British tradition. The Proms concept, in 2011, Mark has been a loyal supporter and originally based on a centuries old British friend by narrating the museum’s air shows concert series, fully took shape in 1997 when the and the Flying Proms. The VIP experience, Shuttleworth Collection, a prominent aviation now in its second year, was second to none. museum in Bedfordshire, England, created the Hosted by Atlantic Shores, diners experienced Flying Proms. Inspired by this aeronautical a first class gourmet meal from Executive Chef musical spectacle, the founder of the Military Kyle Pafford. New this year, Tarnished Truth Aviation Museum, Gerald Yagen, brought the Distilling Company joined us, occupying the concept to Virginia and thus the Flying Proms museum’s historic Nissen Hut and serving a Symphony Air Show came to be. For the second variety of our locally created bourbons and year, the Virginia Wind Symphony provided the musical backdrop to an epic evening, creating whiskeys. This incredible evening was then a unique marriage of music and machine that punctuated by a grand fireworks display from honored the role of military aircraft set to the Zambelli Fireworks while the symphony played scores of films with captivated audiences. on, a perfect end to a magical evening. The symphony welcomed soloist Christina The museum would like to thank its major Bartholomew who added an angelic voice to sponsors of the Flying Proms: Atlantic Shores, many of the selections. The narrator of the Best Western Plus Oceanfront and Cavalier original English Flying Proms, Mark Whall, Ford Lincoln. q

Top: Flying Proms hosts large crowd; Center: Guests mingle in the WWI hangar during VIP Dinner; Above: Child gets a boast in order to look inside the Spitfire

All American Air Show

Sunshine, country music, American heroes, Father’s Day and warbirds… that all adds up to a great afternoon this past June at the museum. The inaugural concert featured three regional bands, Whiskey Rebellion, Brooke McBride Band and Buckshot who played in salute to our national heroes in the audience. The roar of the engines of American military might soared overhead throughout the show, including iconic American warbirds such as the P-51 Mustang and P-40 Warhawk. Heroes of American military aviation demonstrated the vast technological advances made all in the name of freedom. Mark your calendars for next year’s concert Father's Day weekend. q NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID VIRGINIA BEACH, VA PERMIT NO. 235 Membership Newsletter for the Military Aviation Museum ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED 1341 Princess Anne Road Virginia Beach, VA 23457 (757) 721-PROP

Open Daily 9:00 am - 5:00 p.m.

Yakovlev Yak-3M

camaraderie and some friendly car show competition. competition. show car friendly some and camaraderie

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from 11:00am to 4:00pm and enjoy live music, vintage aircraft, aircraft, vintage music, live enjoy and 4:00pm to 11:00am from

loss. Check-in/registration time is 8:00am. Walk begins at 9:00am 9:00am at begins Walk 8:00am. is time Check-in/registration loss.

under. and 6 ages kids for Trot” “Tadpole a is 5k the

and late model cars/trucks of all makes and models. Come out out Come models. and makes all of cars/trucks model late and

programs, advocacy for public policy, and support survivors of suicide suicide of survivors support and policy, public for advocacy programs,

Following 5k. the in run will older and 7 age participants All

domestic, vintage, street rods, muscle cars, race cars, sports cars, cars, sports cars, race cars, muscle rods, street vintage, domestic,

Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to invest in new research, educational educational research, new in invest to (AFSP) Prevention Suicide

families. their and community Warfare Special Naval the of

to some great charitable organizations. Open to foreign and and foreign to Open organizations. charitable great some to

that raise awareness and funds for the American Foundation for for Foundation American the for funds and awareness raise that

honor in jog to together families and communities brings Series

museum and its collection of vintage aircraft, and contribute contribute and aircraft, vintage of collection its and museum

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Joggin' for Frogmen 5k Frogmen for Joggin' 9th Air and Auto Classic Classic Auto and Air 9th

11 AM - 4 PM 4 - AM 11 12 October | October 26 October October 19 October

dinner on Friday night. Check details on FLYTRC.com FLYTRC.com on details Check night. Friday on dinner

All five of our hangars will be open for guided tours. guided for open be will hangars our of five All fantastic car show. show. car fantastic

Virginia Beach oceanfront nearby. The entrance fee includes includes fee entrance The nearby. oceanfront Beach Virginia

entertainment, from 10:00am on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday. and Saturday on 10:00am from entertainment, this for 4:00pm to 8:00am from month

flying demos, overnight storage in the aircraft hangar and and hangar aircraft the in storage overnight demos, flying

vendors, or shop for memorabilia. Enjoy continuous musical musical continuous Enjoy memorabilia. for shop or vendors, the museum. Join us the last Saturday of the the of Saturday last the us Join museum. the

the museum’s grass runways. Featuring full scale aircraft aircraft scale full Featuring runways. grass museum’s the

Celebrate the centenary of WWI, satisfy your hunger at our food food our at hunger your satisfy WWI, of centenary the Celebrate Tidewater Region, will host its 46th-Annual meet at at meet 46th-Annual its host will Region, Tidewater

model aircraft from WWI to before WWII take off from from off take WWII before to WWI from aircraft model

Join us for the annual Biplanes and Brews Air Show. Show. Air Brews and Biplanes annual the for us Join

The Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA), America of Club Automobile Antique The

Join the Mid-Atlantic Dawn Patrol as military military as Patrol Dawn Mid-Atlantic the Join

Biplanes and Brews Air Show Air Brews and Biplanes Wings and Wheels 2019 Wheels and Wings Mid-Atlantic Dawn Patrol Dawn Mid-Atlantic

OCTOBER 5 - 6 - 5 OCTOBER OCTOBER 2 - 6 - 2 OCTOBER 28 September

in an annual, fun, and family friendly environment! friendly family and fun, annual, an in

is open at www.womencanfly.com/events/mam www.womencanfly.com/events/mam at open is thank your local veterans, their families, and first responders responders first and families, their veterans, local your thank

Free admission to the museum for kids taking a flight. a taking kids for museum the to admission Free

flight in a private plane with a volunteer pilot. Online registration Online pilot. volunteer a with plane private a in flight

organized by local community volunteers. Come out and and out Come volunteers. community local by organized

young people in aviation. Registration opens at 9:30am. 9:30am. at opens Registration aviation. in people young

and girls ages 8 and up will have the opportunity to experience a a experience to opportunity the have will up and 8 ages girls and

all over the world, on or near September 11th, and are 100% 100% are and 11th, September near or on world, the over all

This free plane ride event for kids 8-17 is created to interest interest to created is 8-17 kids for event ride plane free This

with a mission to promote women of all ages to fly. Women Women fly. to ages all of women promote to mission a with

runners, ruckers, and walkers of all ages. Events take place place take Events ages. all of walkers and ruckers, runners,

Support this newly formed volunteer organization organization volunteer formed newly this Support

The 9/11 Heroes Run 5k +1M fun run/walk welcomes welcomes run/walk fun +1M 5k Run Heroes 9/11 The EAA Young Eagles Flight Rally Rally Flight Eagles Young EAA

Women Can Fly Day Fly Can Women 9/11 Heroes Run Run Heroes 9/11

10 AM -3 PM -3 AM 10 21 September | September 7 September September 7 September

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