The Membership Newsletter for The Military Aviation Museum Fall 2012 World War One Biplanes and Triplanes Airshow by Jonathan R. Lichtenstein and ‘Boom’ Powell Photos by Art Norfolk The 2012 Biplanes and Triplanes Air Show opened infantry. He lands, the princess climbs swiftly into the with the recreation of a little known incident from the open gunner’s cockpit and they fl y off into the sunset. early days of the Great War. Princess Priscilla, niece of HRH George V, had taken a fancy to the famed The cast for our drama were the pilots, staff, recre- aeronaut Peter Puresome who was in France exhibit- ators and, of course, the airplanes of the Military Avi- ing a Curtiss ‘Pusher’ aeroplane. They arranged a ren- ation Museum (MAM). Among the latest additions to dezvous at le Pungo airfi eld. But their sweet moments the Museum's stable of replica fl ying machines of the together are interrupted by the arrival of a German Great War are examples of the Sopwith Camel and Military Aviation Museum Halberstadt two-seater. Suspecting the worst, Pure- the obscure Fokker D.VI. Both airframes were the www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org some takes off in the un- result of painstaking reconstructions by the late Walt armed Curtiss to fetch help. “Wimpy” Redfern whose Virginia Beach Airport Sure enough, troops of the ffascination with aviation www.VBairport.com Kaiser seize the princess oof the First World War and drag her to the waiting wwas born out of a desire to Fighter Factory Halberstadt. But wait! Just bbuild an accurate replica oof the legendary Fokker www.FighterFactory.com in the nick of time, Pure- some dives out of the sun in DDr.I triplane. In his at- a Sopwith 1½ Strutter and tetempts to locate accurate chases off the German aero- ooriginal plans for the type, plane whilst British Tom- hhe lit upon Herr Reinhold mies hold off the Hunnish The Sopwith Camel taking off Continued on page 2 Museum Hosts America’s Comeback Team Inside this Issue: Recovering of the AVRO 3 On Saturday September 8th the Presidential cam- MAM volunteer Bill Coburn of the Governor’s paign of Governor Mitt Romney paid a visit to the leadership team was asked to pull together some Volunteer Appreciation 4 Military Aviation Museum. Campaign and U.S. Se- volunteers and veterans to participate in the event cret Service offi cials gave the go-ahead the Wednes- that was to honor our veterans and military families. de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito 5 day prior to the event. The Museum staff swung into Volunteers Richard Carmichael and Stan Bialas also action to prepare for the served in key positions with One Pilot’s Reunion 6 rally that promised to be Richard leading the parking MAM’s biggest! and Stan serving as museum Get to Know: Ray Scott 6 greeter and offering voter reg- Hangar Happenings 7-8 The Navy Hangar was to istration and absentee ballot be center stage with planes applications. Event Calendar 8 on the fl ight line including Win a Ride in a WWII plane 8 the B-17, “Chuckie” with The event kicked off with Del- a huge American fl ag as egate Barry Knight welcoming backdrop. The Romney everyone, Navy Veteran and campaign and Secret Ser- Delegate John Cosgrove lead- vice Offi cials took over the ing the invocation and Bill Co- museum Friday evening to Governor Romney with B-17 burn leading the pledge. “Chuckie” in the background. prepare. Photo by Brian Snyder Continued on page 2 PAGE 2 VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 Triplanes..Continued from page 1 a post-war D.VII and operated by the nascent ing History Detachment, dressed in the uni- U.S. Army Air Service. However, it was our form of the American Expeditionary Force Platz, one of the Fokker triplane's original all black and lozenge camoufl aged D.VIIs (AEF) presented the colors in remembrance design engineers, who provided a complete with more conventional engines that took to of the more than 65 million men and women set of drawings for the Dr.I. Redfern’s fi nal the air. A Fokker C.I joined the formation of who served during the First World War. recreation, the Fokker D.VI, has not fl own D.VIIs which is similar to them, but upon since shortly after its completion in 1996 and closer inspection reveals a second cockpit Throughout the weekend visitors wandered will undergo a full evaluation by the Fighter and longer fuselage. The C.I was intended through the encampments and learned what Factory and soon be back in the air. The Avro for sale to Germany, but the end of hostilities it was like to have served in many roles for 504K recently received an overhaul and now rendered Anthony Fokker's trade deal null and the warring nations: Parris Island Marines, sports a rejuvenated skin (See “Recovering void. Expecting his brand new design might hospital medics, Royal Flying Corps, war the AVRO” article on the next page). The Ar- go the way of his prized D.VII, Fokker man- correspondents; Russian, American, Ger- gentinian roundels gone and the plane now aged to smuggle most of his prototypes, along man and French infantry. A parade of an- displays the livery of the Royal Flying Corps with other planes, parts and supplies out of the tique automobiles including a Metz, Frank- (RFC) or the early Royal Air Force (RAF). country, on the eve of the Armistice. Two re- lin, Austin 6 and models T and A Fords, The trio of triplanes included our newly re- duced scale fl ying replicas; Phil Arbie’s Nie- drove about. Sometimes with one or all of constituted “yellow” Fokker Dr.I. Some of uport 23, painted in the markings of Italian the pulchritudinous singing trio, The Man- you may remember a modest incident last ace, Francesco Baracca, and the museum’s hattan Dolls, gracing a seat. There was no year involving that triplane, painted in the Halberstadt CL.IV completed the aerial telling where or when Charlie Chaplin as a markings of Lieutenant Rudolf Klimke. Our cast. All the aircraft performed photo fl y- doughboy, fl y boy or tramp would show up blue Dr.I is modeled after an example fl own overs and touch-and-go landings so the au- and bring a smile with his antics. by German ace, Lieutenant Werner Voss and dience could see them up close. the red and white is derived from a Dr.I op- Sunday. Ah, Sunday. Only campers and ear- erated by Staffelfeuhrer August Raben. The Among other guests returning for this year's ly visitors saw two airplanes fl y the Dawn Fokker triplanes were joined by the Sopwith event were the Manhattan Dolls, the talent- Patrol. The wind kicked up and was strong 1½ Strutter for a brief scrap overhead. On ed chanteuse, Theresa Eaman, and Charlie enough to keep the wood, fabric, and valu- Sunday, a full-scale replica Nieuport 17, one Chaplin, stage, screen and movie actor, in able, WW1 aeroplanes on the ground. The of the most important planes fi elded by the Al- the person of Billy Scadlock. Their skill at wind was so strong the Avro 504 and Sop- lies following the “Fokker recreating the with 1 ½ Strutter with their long fuselages Scourge” of 1915 – 1916 popular culture and tail skids could not even taxi. At one performed. Aeronautical of the period point there were a half dozen biplanes and engineering during WWI was especially triplanes taxiing about and running in small reached its zenith in Fok- welcome at Sat- circles in front of the grandstands. (Yes, rain ker's D.VII of 1918. So urday night's checks were offered for the following week- successful was the model, Hangar Dance end’s Wings and Wheels show.) surviving examples were with the ac- demanded as post-war companiment reparations. The Museum of Terry Ches- has three replica D.VIIs, son's “Jump n' including one constructed The Rudolph Klimke Fokker DR.I triplane Jive Orchestra.” around a n original Hall- Theresa sang Scott motor. The signifi cance of this particular the national anthem Saturday and Sunday example is the engine was actually installed in while a re-enactor from the Parris Island Liv- Romney..Continued from page 1 By 3pm, as the Governor and Secret Ser- Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell spoke, vice departed, the museum’s largest single calling for a change in our leadership to event to date was over and the Museum restore our economy. Governor Romney opened for visitors. Those who stayed arrived fl anked by our Corsair and TBM were treated to the deep throaty roar of Avenger. He spoke of the need to honor merlin engines as the museum’s P-51 our vets and military families, restore our Mustang and Hurricane returned from air economy and support a strong national de- shows. Our thanks to staff and volunteers fense to rousing enthusiasm and applause including everyone who came in after the of the crowd of 4,500. The Governor was event to help with the crowds. clearly moved by the patriotic nature of the event, staying as long as possible to Local military “dropping” by meet many in the crowd. Photo by Art Norfolk VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 PAGE 3 Recovering the AVRO: Step by Step By “Boom” Powell Photos by Tom Kurtz A frequently asked question, especially about World War 1 airplanes, is what are the wings made of? MAM’s Avro 504 recently needed its wings recovered and the Fighter Factory did the job.