Volume 2, Issue 2 The Membership Newsletter for The Military Aviation Museum Spring 2009 Cat Returns to the Beach The Grumman Aircraft Company fi rst test fl ew their On July 3, 1945, it was reassigned to a small training newest retractable gear monoplane fi ghter in 1937. This fi eld in Pungo, Virginia. advanced carrier based aircraft was initially accepted As the war ended, it was still stationed in Virginia yet by the US Navy in 1940. The following year in 1941, served with various training commands throughout the name “Wildcat” was offi cially adopted. With a top the Navy. Without ever having served overseas or speed of 318 mph, the Wildcat was out performed by the in combat, it was stricken from the records and sold more nimble 331 mph Japanese Mitsubishi Zero, but its to an Eastern Airlines pilot in 1952. It was sold to its Military Aviation Museum ruggedness and tactics resulted in an air combat kill-to- next owner 10 years later and resided in Delaware, www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org loss ratio of 6 to 1 for the entire war. until last month. Four Marine Corps Wildcats played a prominent role Virginia Beach Airport The same Wildcat fi ghter that had served with the Navy in the defense of Wake Island in December 1941. Na- www.VBairport.com during the Second World War at the small airfi eld locat- val and Marine Corps aircraft were the fl eet’s primary ed behind the Pungo Pizza Restaurant on Princess Anne air defense during the Battles of Coral Sea and Mid- Fighter Factory Road, was acquired by the Military Aviation Museum. way and, land-based Wildcats played a major role dur- www.FighterFactory.com It will be making its fi rst appearance back in Virginia ing the Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942-43. Lt. Butch O’Hare was able in a few short minutes to shoot down Continued on page 2 fi ve Mitsubishi twin-engine bombers attack- ing the USS Lexington carrier off Bourgan- Inside this Issue: ville in 1942. He became the US Navy’s fi rst fi ghter ace and was awarded the Congressio- Valentine Hangar Dance 2 nal Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt. Today, O’Hare International Airport in Chi- Visit from Girl Scouts 2 cago is named in honor of him. STIHL Conference 2 In 1944, the General Motors/Eastern Aircraft plant in New Jersey completed the construc- Kellam Class Trip 2 tion of an FM-2 Wildcat for the US Navy Knotts Island PTA 2 and fi rst assigned to San Pedro, California. FM-2 Wildcat returns to Pungo Inaugural Glide-In 3 Living History Events Bring the Past to Life Avenger Fly-Over 4 by Ed Dillingham The Military Aviation Museum has been proud to fl ying Navy Hellcat fi ghters aboard US aircraft car- host a series of “Living History” events riers during WWII, and a Japanese that highlight the contributions of the kamikaze attack that forced him to men and women of aviation to our coun- abandon ship. try. Each Saturday morning session was concluded with a fl ight demonstration by In September, the museum was hon- one of the museum’s aircraft. ored to host CMsgt Grant Williams USAF (retired) and former Sgt Harold Since last August, the museum has spon- Quinton, both members of the famed sored a series of monthly seminars that WWII Tuskegee Airmen. Both CMs- have hosted WWII and Korean war gt Williams and Sgt discussed not veterans who discuss their aviation ex- only their experiences during the war, periences during those wars. Our fi rst but the social issues that they faced speaker was retired US Navy Captain during their wartime service. Captain Bob Gohr Bob Gohr, who discussed his experiences Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 First Annual 1940’s Valentine Hangar Dance Cat Returns... Continued from page 1 in over 60 years and is scheduled to fl y in Love and Nostalgia were in the air at the Retirement Community, Loyola Enterpris- the Warbirds Over the Beach airshow on the museum’s fi rst annual Valentine’s Han- es, Premier Events Inc., Swing Virginia, weekend of May 16/17. gar Dance. For this sold out event, over Pinup Angels, The Butterfl y Garden Back 450 people attended and danced the night on Track VA, and Captured Moments Pho- Today this aircraft is the most original away to the big band sounds from the Terry tography. Special Thanks to Bill O’Neill example of a Wildcat still fl ying. It still Chesson Orchestra. Swing Virginia, a local for being our MC and to all the wonderful has folding wings operated by small hand swing dancing instruction group, enticed volunteers involved with the event! cranks imbedded in the wing fold mecha- everyone onto the dance fl oor with nisms. The retractable landing gears re- their own dance moves and mini in- quires 31 turns of the hand operated wheel struction. One of the evening’s at- in the cockpit. It is powered by its original tendees was heard saying, the “Big Wright R-1820 radial engine that produces Band” music, dancers, cigarette 1350 horsepower. During the war, it was girls, and costumed attendees all armed with four fi fty caliber wing mounted brought back wonderful memories machine guns and could carry two 250 lb. of her dad. bombs or six rockets. Looks like this will be an annual The aircraft will stay on display at our mu- Valentine’s Event! Thank you to seum for several weeks after the airshow all of our sponsors; Atlantic Shores and then be fl own over to the maintenance facility at the Suffolk Municipal Airport, Best Costume Winner-(left to right) - Red-Suited Party where it will be thoroughly inspected and Attender, Carmen Miranda’s” partner, “Carmen Mi- restored to its original condition as when it randa”, Lisa Michels, Debbie and Mike Spalding fi rst left the factory in 1944. STIHL Conference Visit from the Girl Scouts The International Company, STIHL, brought to The Girl Scout of the Colonial Coast in Virginia Beach their British Division for a con- conjunction with The Ninety Nines, Inter- ference. As a promotional treat they hosted a national Organization of Women Pilots, dinner catered here at the museum on March organized lessons on aviation for area Girl 24th. The night started off with drinks and hors Scouts. The event was held March 14th d’œuvre served in the Navy hangar. For dinner and taught by members of The Ninety they requested to be in the Army hangar in full Nines in several areas throughout the mu- view of the German and British planes. Elegant- seum. Over 50 girls attended this day long event, participating in exercises such as Two party go’ers dancing ly set tables and a 3 piece jazz band provided the group with a relaxing evening. making paper airplanes and using them to to the swing music taxi down a makeshift runway. The visual learning lessons gave the Girl Scouts a bet- ter understanding of how a plane works. Kellam High School History Class Trip Normally “civilians” are not able to touch or climb onto any of the museum’s planes. A group of over 50 Kellam High School stu- the lesson. It was quite an interesting experi- An exception was made and the girls had dents in Mr. Christman’s U.S. & Virginia ence and some of the volunteers showed up a chance to sit in the cockpit of the young- History class came by for a lesson on WWII to learn a little more from Mr. Christman, est plane in the museum, the T-34 Mentor. history and the museum’s fi ghter planes on who came dressed for the part in an old uni- Every Girl Scout earned an Aviation Merit April 2nd. The students searched through form and accompanied by a bugler and some Badge at the end of the day’s sessions. the museum on a scavenger hunt as part of German and WWI re-enactors. Knotts Island PTA and Wild Turkeys The annual Knotts Island PTA banquet was banquet. Close to 300 of their members and held at the museum on March 14th. With families attended this fund raising event on over 120 people in attendance, they enjoyed March 27th. Another wonderful event and great food, music, casino games and silent a great group enjoyed the night with fellow- auction. This was not the fi rst year the PTA ship, food, silent and live auctions, and a raf- picked the museum as their venue of choice, fl e among the airplanes. They have already but it was the fi rst time for the National booked the museum for next year! Wildlife Turkey Federation and their annual Girl Scouts with T-34 Mentor VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3 Inaugural Glide-in at Virginia Beach Airport is Gone with the Wind The skies were blue and crystal clear on sel brought his PW-5 sailplane in by trailer. Virginia Beach Airport could not launch. April 4th, 2009. Joe Mathias’ prize antique Two tow planes were available. Two dozen glider was lowered from its display position members of the Tidewater Soaring Society Although the day did not go exactly as high in the museum hangar and Joe had it (TSS) were on hand to assist with ground planned, visitors to the museum got to watch prefl ighted and ready to go. Gary van Tas- handling and hoped to go fl ying in sight of some amazing fl ights by the Tidewater Ra- Back Bay and the Atlantic dio Control Model Club.