The Membership Newsletter for The Military Aviation Museum Spring 2018 INSIDE THIS IssUE: Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show Prepares for Takeoff Hurricane & One-Armed Man 2 History of the Hurricane 2 Zeppelin Ladder 3 Margaret Horton Story 3 Summer of Flight Schedule 4 Summer Camp Preview 5 Flying Proms Preview 5 RAF Centennial Celebration 6 Youth Unplugged 6 Military Aviation Museum www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org Virginia Beach Airport An impressive line-up of fighter www.VBairport.com and bomber aircraft headlines the upcoming annual Warbirds Over Fighter Factory the Beach Air Show, May 18 -20th at www.FighterFactory.com the Virginia Beach Airport. Hosted Warbirds Over the Beach by Military Aviation Museum, the www.VBairshow.com air show highlights World War II aircraft. The museum is home to one of the largest private collections of World War II military aircraft, each perfectly restored and in pristine flying condition. These planes will be in the air throughout the weekend, especially on Saturday and Flying Proms Preview A Note from the Director: Sunday afternoons. In addition, many exhibitors will display their craft from personal collections around America. A live swing band and many other period performers will provide musical entertainment while guests get an up-close look at these vintage aircraft. Visitors will also meet distinguished World War II veterans and talk with them about their personal The Military Aviation Museum is more than wartime experiences. Re-enactors portraying World just airplanes and hangars. We strive to tell the War II troops from Allied and friendly Axis countries stories that surround these planes. People, both will set up encampments throughout the airport men and women, had such an impact on the grounds giving guests an authentic feel of life in the history of these warbirds. military during the 1940s. Finally, vehicle, armor, and artillery demonstrations round out the weekend In celebration of our 10th anniversary, we will activities on both Saturday and Sunday. Join the Military Aviation Museum for our begin a Summer of Flight series where volunteers Come out and bring the family for a full day 9th installment of The Flying Proms Symphony will tell the stories of these aircraft. In this issue we of great flying, interesting displays and some of the will give you a taste of what is in store each Saturday Air Show on Saturday June 16th! best food you have tasted from our area food truck as we feature a select warbird, talk about it and The Flying Proms offers guests a truly unique providers. If you are here on Saturday, stay for the perform a flight demonstration. experience. Getting its roots from the United Hangar Dance that begins at 4PM. Come as you are Kingdom‘s traditional Proms, the Military Aviation The stories selected were compiled by our straight from the Air Show field or dress up if you’d like. Museum’s Flying Proms is the only event of its kind volunteer Historian, Felix Usis, from resources too Some will wear vintage 40’s attire, military uniforms, or in North America. u numerous to site from around the globe. Enjoy! u stewardess/pilot outfits! Featured dance performers, Swing Virginia, will help teach you the dance steps! Last year’s dance was a big hit—what a way to cap off a great day of flying! View our Summer of Flight schedule and read more about our upcoming events on PAGE 4 . For ticket information, visit www.VBairshow.com or call (757) 721-PROP (7767). q PAGE 2 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 2 FEATURED AIRCRAFT Joggin’ for Frogmen Hawker Hurricane and the One-Armed Man 5K Race Preview James A. F. MacLachlan was born in 1919 satisfied with ordinary flying duties though; he at Styal, Cheshire and joined the RAF on a short wanted two hands so that he could be a fighting service commission in March 1939. He was posted man again. to 3 FTS South Cerney on May 8, 1939 and joined 88 Squadron at Boscombe Down on November MacLachlan consulted with the base physician 27th. Then equipped with Hinds, the squadron and an aircraft mechanic. The trio devised “a robot soon afterwards received Fairey Battles and hand,” featuring steel fingers. Instrument makers took them to France at the outbreak of war. improved it until he was able to move the steel Then the squadron was withdrawn to England fingers over the fighter controls easily. His reward in June 1940, MacLauchlan was awarded the came when he received notice from the RAF The History Behind the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). medical board that he was ‘fit for flying duties.’ Hawker Hurricane MacLachlan volunteered for Fighter Command He returned to operations on November in August 1940 and was posted to 145 Squadron 4, 1941, when he took command of RAF No 1 In 1933, Hawker's Chief Designer, Sydney at Drem on August 18th. He then joined 73 Squadron at Redhill. The squadron began night Squadron at Castle Camps on September 28th. Camm, decided to design an aircraft which would intruder operations over France. On the night of He was assigned overseas service on October 19, fulfill a British Air Ministry specification calling for April 26, 1942, MacLachlan destroyed a Do 217 1940 and on November 17th he led six Hurricanes a new monoplane fighter. His prototype, powered and damaged another. On May 3rd, he destroyed by a 990 hp. Rolls Royce Merlin 'C' engine, first off HMS 'Argus' for Malta, where they joined 261 Squadron at Ta Kali on Malta. a Do 17 and a He 111. On June 3rd he destroyed flew on November 6, 1935, and quickly surpassed two Do 217s and damaged two more. MacLachlan expectations and performance estimates. At this point, MacLachlan was a flight was awarded the Distinguished Service Order commander. On January 9, 1941, MacLachlan Official trials began three months later, and in (DSO) and on July 31st was posted to 59 OTU claimed two Mc200’s destroyed, on the 19th a June 1936, Hawker received an initial order for 600 (Operational Training Unit), Crosby-on-Eden, as Z506B, a Ju88, two Ju87’s and a probable CR42. aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF). The first During the night of February 8th he claimed two an instructor. Later that year, MacLachlan was sent aircraft had fabric wings. To power the new aircraft Ju88’s destroyed. For this performance, he was on a lecture tour of the United States. (now officially designated the “Hurricane,”) the RAF awarded a Bar to the DFC. In June 1943, he went to the Air Fighting ordered the new 1,030 hp Merlin II engine. The first production Hurricane flew on October 12, 1937, and In combat on February 16, 1941, MacLachlan Development Unit at Wittering. On June 29th, was delivered to the 111 Squadron at RAF Northolt was hit by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 and severely MacLachlan, in company with Geoffrey Page, flew a two months later. wounded in his left arm. He bailed out and came Mustang on a daylight sortie, in the course of which down on land. After three days in the hospital, his he destroyed two Hs 126’s, a Ju 88 and shared a A year later, around 200 Hurricanes had been arm was amputated below the elbow. That wasn’t second with Page, who also destroyed two Hs 126’s. delivered and demand for the airplane had increased going to prevent him from getting back up in the They took to the skies again on July 18th, but as they enough that Hawker contracted with the Gloster air though. crossed the French coast, MacLachlan was hit by Aircraft Company to build them also. He claimed his return to active service started machine gun fire. During the production run, the fabric-covered with a friendly wager, according to an Australian He force-landed in a field and ploughed wing was replaced by an all-metal one, a bullet- newspaper. “I bet my nurse that I would be flying through an orchard. He survived the crash but was proof windscreen was added, and the engine was again a fortnight [2 weeks] after being wounded.” taken to a German field hospital, as a prisoner of upgraded to the Merlin III. Before the Second World Official records say it was technically 16 days from war. MacLachlan died there on July 31, 1943. He War (1939-1945), production locations expanded to operating room to cockpit. was only twenty-four years of age. include Yugoslavia, Belgium and in 1940, Canada, Back on his feet, MacLachlan was anxious to where it was undertaken by the Canadian Car and see if he could still pilot a Hurricane. He discovered He is buried in Route de Caen Communal Foundry Company. Continued on Page 7 that his right hand was good enough to manage Cemetery, Pont L'Eveque, France. He was awarded the controls for ordinary flying duties. He was not a second Bar to the DFC posthumously. q VOLUME 11, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3 The Newest Addition to Our Museum Collection… A Zeppelin Ladder Roger Freeman and Jerry Yagen This type of Zeppelin ladder was built in Germany ladder had to be elevated by the Magirus Company during the late 1920s and to about an 80 degree angle early 1930s as a maintenance ladder for large rigid in order to allow full extension to 85 feet. They can be extend the ladder with hand cranks from a small work airships. The Magirus Company produced almost all seen, commonly, in early photographs of airships under platform attached to the top of the ladder. of the early, movable ladders used in the construction construction in the 1920s and 1930s.