The Membership Newsletter for The Military Aviation Museum Summer 2010 21st Century World War I Air Show by RR “Boom” Powell How do you recreate air combat of the 1914-1918 Very, very few of the original aeroplanes exist. An Great War in the year 2010? This is the question fac- original Sopwith Camel sold a few years ago for 1.5 ing the Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum million dollars! Restoring such machines requires (MAM) once it was decided to do Biplanes and Zep- carpentry and woodworking skills no longer found pelins. Compared to the aeroplanes of WWI airplanes in aviation. Fortunately, the relatively small size and from WWII and Korea are plentiful. Those warbirds aerodynamic simplicity makes building replicas of are built mostly of metal and have engines made to these fascinating airplanes possible. last. I anticipate screams from the restorers at the Fighter Factory when they read this. The typical en- For the Biplanes and Zeppelins event, September Military Aviation Museum gine for the Great War needed a complete overhaul 25th-26th, the MAM has airplanes from its own col- www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org after 10 hours of operation. Mechanics in frontline lection as well as many fl ying or being trucked in from squadrons would change spark plugs and lubricate other collections and private owners. WWI planes are Virginia Beach Airport fi ttings every night. defi nitely not great for fl ying cross-country. www.VBairport.com An engine last- As this issue of Prop Noise goes to press the ing 100 hours was list is not fi nal, but included in the defi nite fl i- Fighter Factory the exception. Air- ers are an British Avro 504 (built in Argen- www.FighterFactory.com frames were made tina), Halberstadt CL-IV (German ground at- of wood and cov- tack two-seater), French Nieuport-17, SPAD ered with doped XIII (as fl own by the American Expeditionary fabric (please, never Force), and both the museum’s Fokker DR-1 Inside this Issue: canvas). Both mate- Triplanes, (we refer to them as Red and Blue rials were subject to because of their paint schemes). Among the Movie Night rot, ripping, crack- The Avro 504 will be in attendance at the probables are two more Nieuports (different ”Under the Stars” 2 ing or all three. WWI air show Continued on page 2 Fokker Dr. I 4 Become a Volunteer 4 Warbirds Over the Beach 2010 S.P.A.D. S.XIII 5 Tips for attending air shows by RR “Boom” Powell Hangar Happenings 6 Tip 1: Air show fans know to come early as there rides in the SNJ and PT-19, the massive PBY Catalina Upcoming Events 7 is usually fl ying well before the scheduled event time. getting airborne and the museum’s most recent acqui- Such was the case on Saturday for the 2010 Warbirds sition, the tres elegant DeHavilland Rapide fl ying for New Building Update 7 Over the Beach. its fi rst public appearance. Plus visitors In Memoriam 8 First off was the arrivinga in general aviation airplanes; Spitfi re for a somes of which were of historical or pilot refresher, technicalt interest themselves. followed soon Experienced air show goers after by the red TipT 2: alsoa know that at a major event such and white Fok- asa Warbirds Over the Beach, there ker Triplane. willw be airplanes not in the host’s col- The morning air For pure aesthetics it is diffi cult to beat the MAM’s new lection. Aviation museums help each stayed busy with De Havilland Dragon Rapide in the royal blue and red other to get the widest selection of air- passengers taking of the Prince of Wales’ aeroplane. Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 WWI Air Show.. Continued from page 1 models), an all black Albatros, a Sopwith atmosphere is a cross between a German During each day, re-enactors will be on the Camel and two more Triplanes. There are Drachen and a French Caquot, so it will ground as German and Allied soldiers dem- many more possibles; we are waiting for sport a cockade on one side and an Iron onstrating equipment and weapons. Armor, the respondez part of their RSVP. Cross on the other. vehicles and artillery will be in action with a recreated trench section dug near the new The above covers the Biplane part of the WWI aerocraft hangar. A German military theme, but getting a Zeppelin proved marching band will perform as part of their impossible… at least for this year. A 35 tour of the USA. Appropriate entertainment foot long, powered, radio-control, fl ying will be on the hangar stage throughout the model is in the works. Zeppelins have a day pausing only for the fl ying demonstra- sinister, yet glamorous reputation even tion from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. today. In 1916 there was the “Zeppelin Terror” over England and German chil- After dark on Saturday the “war” is over dren sang a song about it. and the fun jumps forward to the Roaring Twenties. There will be a jazz dance band Zeppelins have major parts in the movies with plenty of room on the hangar for fl ap- “Hell’s Angels”, the eponymous Zeppe- pers and dappers in their glad rags to cut a lin and the more recent “Flyboys” and the rug. The bash will be the bee’s knees. animated “Up”. Perhaps some of these will be featured for one of the MAM’s Reveille for the pilots on Sunday will be Drive-in Movie Nights (see article on early as a traditional dawn patrol will lift this page for more details). off at 0700 hours. Dawn patrols had their origins with German attacks crossing the To represent the lighter-than-air fl iers of lines early in the day to have the rising sun the Great War, there will be an artillery at their backs. The afternoon will be a re- observation balloon fl oating at one end peat of the previous day’s fl ying, hopefully, of the Pungo Aerodrome. Seen every- because the replicas have modern engines, where on both sides of the Western Front Museum and Fighter Factory mechan- these “gas bags” were diffi cult targets for ics will not be up all night changing spark fi ghter pilots to bring down. The one that plugs. Come out for an exciting weekend will add to the Biplanes and Zeppelins recreating World War I in 2010. Movie Night “Under the Stars” by Ed Dillingham By 6:00 pm, they were rolling through by United Airlines pilot Mr. John Fuen- the museum gate. Pick-ups, “soccer tes. The museum concession stand fea- mom” mini vans, and sports cars. Over tured Zook’s famous barbeque, hot dogs 250 guests all ready for a nostalgic trip to and desserts, and free popcorn, delivered the “good old days” and delivered by the by docents posing as “car hops.” MAM’s fi rst “Drive In Movie Night”! A big thank you to the many the volun- Always on the lookout for something teers who came out to make this event new and interesting to raise funds for such a huge success! The museum looks the museum, we happened upon a fi rm forward to hosting another drive-in mov- that rents very large infl atable screens ie soon. Look for the upcoming eblasts suitable for showing movies outdoors, for more information. and thus the fi rst MAM Drive-in was born. In addition to one of the all time great fi lms of WWII, “The Battle of Britain” and some vintage cartoons, guests were treated to an additional “double feature” – the fl ight dem- onstration of the museum’s British Spitfi re, fl own by the museum’s se- The infl atable screen and loud speakers nior volunteer pilot Mr. Ray Scott, helped provide this retro experience and the ultra-rare Hurricane, fl own VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 PAGE 3 WWI Air Show.. Continued from page 1 plane types. For the May show, all four of the SNJ/AT-6’s and the chase Percival Provost in the opening formation belonged to and were fl own by private owners. The company selling rides brought their own SNJ and PT-19. The “visiting star” was the beautifully restored Douglas SBD from the Commemorative Air Force in US Navy markings and with twin machine guns in the rear “pit” which could do everything except shoot. The performance itself went off without a hitch. After the SNJ/Texan formation landed, the Trainer Group consisting of the Canadian built DHC-1 Chipmunk, N2S Stearman primary trainer and Ryan PT-22 (offi cially named “Recruit”, but referred to as “the Maytag Mess- erschmitt” by cadets after a popular washing machine brand because one could “wash-out” on a check ride), made their passes. A mini-drama of the rescue of a downed Allied airman had the Werh- macht (re-enactors) fi ring rifl es and machine guns while the Stinson L-5 landed by the woods, the res- cued pilot climbed in and was fl own to safety while the Curtiss P-40 made strafi ng runs on the German The Aicha Val replica is converted from a troops. After a short and oily delay, the B-25’s en- Vultee BT-13 and was fl own for the movie gines were started and the Mitchell took off to join “Tora, Tora, Tora” the other two-engined performer, the Catalina, for fl y-bys. Next, the Skyraider, Avenger and visiting Dauntless fl ew as the Attack Group.